10. 1982 Steelers

(6-3) Strike-Shortened Season

Lost in Conference Playoff 1st Round to San Diego

The 1982 strike-shortened season was sort of “The Last Hurrah” for many of the ’70′s Steelers.  1982 was also special because it marked the franchise’s 50th Anniversary, the first season the Steelers’ Defense employed a 3-4 Front, and it marked the final “full” season of Terry Bradshaw’s great career.

Speaking of Bradshaw, when he was “on” that season, there was little teams could do to stop him as he tied for the League lead with 17 TD passes during the 9 game season.  In addition, Bradshaw also led the League as 7.1% of his completions went for Passing TD’s that season as the Steelers enjoyed a solid season on the Offensive side of the ball.

Running Back Franco Harris also had himself a decent season as his career with the Black & Gold was winding down, placed 9th in the League in Rushing Yards (604) and Yards Per Carry (4.3), and even led the team in receptions with 31.  Overall, the Steelers ranked 8th in the League in Rushing Yards and averaged 131.9 Yards Per Game as Harris and Frank Pollard led the way behind the blocking of Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer Mike Webster and member of the franchise’s 75th Anniversary squad, Tackle Larry Brown.  As for the passing game, future Hall of Famer John Stallworth earned himself a Pro Bowl berth as he hauled in 27 Passes for 441 Yards and 7 TD’s, and proved to be Pittsburgh’s most potent threat at the Wide Receiver position.

Jack Lambert notched another Pro Bowl berth to his belt in 1982.. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-US PRESSWIRE

While the once dominant “Steel Curtain” Defense was collectively continued to age, the top veterans still performed at a high level in 1982.  Donnie Shell and Jack Lambert were named 1st Team All-Pros and Defensive Back Dwayne Woodruff tied with Shell for the team lead with 5 INT’s.  Holdovers from the 1970′s, Defensive Linemen Gary Dunn and Tom Beasley also had fine years getting to the Quarterback (6.0 Sacks apiece), as the Steelers employed a 3-4 Defensive scheme for the first time in their team history.  For the year,  Pittsburgh finished 4th in Total Points Allowed, 1st in Rushing Yards Allowed, and only allowed one 100 Yard rusher the entire 9-game season (Joe Cribbs, Buffalo).

The Steelers started off 1982 hot as they beat Dallas (36-28) and then defending A.F.C. Champion Cincinnati (26-20) in successive Weeks.  Bradshaw threw for 6 Touchdowns combined in both games including the game-winner in Overtime to defeat the Bengals at Three Rivers Stadium.  In spite of Pittsburgh’s hot start, there was no football to be played until late November, and the Steelers looked a tad inconsistent over the final two months.

During the final 7 contests the Steelers looked good (Large Margin Wins over Houston, New England, Cleveland, and Kansas City) and also not so good (Shutout Losses to Buffalo and Seattle).  Nevertheless, the Steelers finished with a 6-3 record, and in the ’82 8-team per Conference Playoff format were given the #4 seed and scheduled to play San Diego at Three Rivers Stadium in the first Round of the postseason.

Sadly for the Steelers, they gave up a 28-17 lead in the 4th Quarter, and Pittsburgh was sent home for the rest of the winter.  After the 1982 season ended, the Steelers saw Lynn Swann and Jack Ham retire, and would eventually see players like Bradshaw (who only played in 1 game in 1983), Harris, Lambert, and Mel Blount leave in the near future.  Even though Pittsburgh made the Playoffs in 1983 and 1984, 1982 and it’s Playoff format would have given this team a much better shot at winning, and the Steelers as a team stacked up against the rest of their postseason foes much better in 1982 than they did in 1983 and 1984.  Alternate history and scenarios aside, the Chargers ended Pittsburgh’s season in 1982, and Pittsburgh would not play another postseason game at home for another decade.

9. 1992 Steelers

(11-5)

Lost in Divisional Playoff Game against Buffalo (24-3)

I remember the 1992 Steelers not having many high expectations.  They had a new Coach for the first time since the late ’60′s (Bill Cowher), A.F.C. Central rival Houston was a heavy favorite to go to/win the Super Bowl, and the Steelers had a Quarterback controversy brewed between Bubby Brister and Neil O’Donnell.  However, there were a few things which many did not account for in 1992.

First, there was the fact that there was quite a bit of young talent on the roster left over from the Noll years, the Offensive Line was a solid bunch, the Defense under Dom Capers was primed to explode, and Running Back Barry Foster would have a season for the ages that many outside of Pittsburgh do not usually remember.

In 1992, the Steelers’ Offense ran on the strength of Barry Foster.  That season, Foster led the AFC in Rushing Yards with 1,690 and scored 11 TD’s on the ground.  Foster was even a potent pass-catching threat, and finished second on the team in Receptions with 36.  Foster, who was named 1st Team All-Pro that year, set the then-team record for Yards from Scrimmage in a season with 2,034, made the Pro Bowl, and tied an N.F.L. record for the most 100 Yard Rushing Games in a season with 12.

Quarterback Neil O’Donnell made his first and only Pro Bowl in his second season as a starter and threw for 2,283 Yards and 13 TD’s in 12 games as a starter.  The Wide Receiver trio of Jeff Graham (49 Catches for 711 Yards and 1 TD), Ernie Mills (30 Catches for 383 Yards and 3 TD’s), and Dwight Stone (34 Catches for 501 Yards and 3 TD’s) were O’Donnell’s (and Brister’s) top receiving threats in 1992.  Tight Ends Adrian Cooper and Eric Green (who was suspended during that season for violating the League’s drug policy) chipped in with 5 total receiving Touchdowns as well, and Fullbacks Merril Hoge and Leroy Thompson contributed a total of 50 Catches for 509 Yards and 1 Touchdown through the air to help O’Donnell and Brister when they subbed for Foster in 1992.

Foster had over 300 yards on the ground during Pittsburgh's 3-0 start, Image Courtesy of life.com

The Defense under new Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers flourished as “Blitzburgh” was beginning to form.  Linebackers Hardy Nickerson, Pro Bowler Greg Lloyd, Jerrol Williams, and David Little all wreaked havoc in Capers’ Linebacker-friendly scheme and terrorized Quarterbacks and Offenses as a whole.  The Defensive Line led by Donald Evans and Gerald Williams stuffed the run and even chipped in some Sacks (3.0 apiece).  And the Secondary, led by 1st Team All-Pro Cornerback Rod Woodson had yet another awesome year, as Carnell Lake, D.J. Johnson, Larry Griffen Rookie Safety Darren Perry all helped out a club which had a +11 Turnover margin on the season.

The Steelers shocked quite a few people when they went 3-0 out of the gate, including an impressive win over Houston in the Astrodome on Opening Weekend.  Despite dropping their next two games, the Steelers quickly rebounded and won their next three to sit at 6-2 at the midway point in the season.  The highlight of their second 3-game win streak was a 21-20 victory over the Oilers at Three Rivers in the teams’ second meeting.  The win gave the Steelers control of the A.F.C. Central and a full head of steam as they geared up for the second half of the season.  Pittsburgh finished the rest of the season 5-3 despite losing O’Donnell for four weeks down the stretch to an injury.  Former starter Bubby Brister filled in adequately and went 2-2 during O’Donnell’s absence as Pittsburgh secured the #1 seed in the A.F.C., but O’Donnell was given the green light to start the Steelers’ first Home Postseason game since 1982 against Buffalo.

Despite losing at home in the Divisional Round 24-3, and being bested by the veteran Bills who would go on to appear in their 3rd straight Super Bowl, 1992 was an extremely important year for the franchise.  The two biggest reasons were A) The gap from Noll to the future looked to have been adequately bridged, and B) The franchise finally appeared to be headed in the right direction after the hum-drum decade of the 1980′s.  While they may not have won, this season set the wheels in motion for another five straight postseason appearances by the franchise.

8. 1997 Steelers

(11-5)

Lost in Conference Championship Game against Denver (24-21)

If I had to pick a “favorite” Steelers team from my child-hood it would be the 1997 group.  Were they overly dominant on either side of the football?  No.  Did they make numerous mistakes?  Absolutely.  Were they pretty to watch at times?  Nope.  But you know what?  They were one very important thing: Exciting.  And the 1997 Steelers came within a few mistakes from defying the odds and winning a title that season.

1997 marked the Kordell Stewart’s first season as a full-time starting Quarterback, and he was a human highlight film so many times that year (like accounting for all 5 Touchdowns in the Week 15 win against Denver).  Statistically, Stewart was incredible in 1997 as Kordell went 236 for 440, passed for 3,020 Yards, 21 Touchdowns, and added 476 Yards Rushing with 11 Touchdowns to boot.  Stewart had some solid pass-catchers at his disposal though, as Yancey Thigpen was the go-to-guy in 1997.  In Thigpen’s Pro Bowl contact year he made 79 Catches for 1,398 Yards an 7 TD’s.  While Charles Johnson (46 Catches, 568 Yards, and 2 TD’s), Courtney Hawkins (45 Catches, 555 Yards, 3 TD’s), and Tight End Mark Bruener (6 Touchdown Catches) all had solid seasons for Pittsburgh, the Steelers were still a running team, and Jerome Bettis had the season of his career in 1997.

While Kordell may still be a polarizing figure in the Steel City, nobody can deny his wonderful 1997 season, Image Courtesy of sportsgridnet.com

In a season which the Steelers led the N.F.L. in Rushing Attempts and Yards, Bettis set career highs with 1,665 Yards and 375 Carries behind a stout Offensive Line which was anchored by Future Hall of Fame Center Dermontti Dawson.  During the regular season, “The Bus” scored 9 Touchdowns total (7 Rush, 2 Receiving), and ran for 111.0 Yards Per Game over his 15 regular season contests.  Whether it was his rumble on a shovel pass for a Touchdown in Overtime against Jacksonville for the Division lead in Week 8, or when he scored the game winner of his 3 Touchdowns in 142 Yards Rushing performance against the Cardinals in Arizona for another Overtime win, Bettis was clutch for his team when he was needed most.

While they were a bit more porous in 1997 (finished 11th in Total Points), the Steelers Defense still proved to be quite tough tin 1997, and Carnell Lake proved to be the super-star. Lake had a season for the ages as he played both his Strong Safety spot and filled in at Cornerback.  In ’97, Lake led the team in Sacks (6.0), notched 60 Tackles, had 2 Forced Fumbles, Returned a Fumble for a Score in a thrilling Week 4 victory over Indianapolis, and Picked Off 3 Passes to earn 1st Team All-Pro honors.  The rest of the Defense had a nice season as well as the front three of Pro Bowler Joel Steed, Kevin Henry, and Nolan Harrison started a combined 48 games, and 1st Team All-Pro Linebacker Levon Kirkland (126 Tackles) and Earl Holmes (96 Tackles) were tackling machines on the inside for Pittsburgh as the Steelers led the League in Fewest Rushing Yards and Touchdowns allowed.

Despite starting 1-2 (and Bill Cowher almost tackling Jaguar player Chris Hudson on Monday Night Football), the Steelers came back and won 10 of their next 12 games, and won many in thrilling fashion.  Whether it was coming back from 21 down in Baltimore in Week 6, 10 down the following week against the Colts, the aforementioned Over Time wins against the Jaguars and Cardinals, 14 down at home against Denver, or winning in Over Time against New England to sew up the #2 seed in the A.F.C., this Steelers team refused to quit and finished the year with an 11-5 record.

After they won a sloppy yet heartstopping game 7-6 over New England in the Divisional Round, the Steelers squared off against Denver for the right to go to the Super Bowl.  Unfortunately, Pittsburgh faltered in the final two minutes of the 1st Half and could not overcome turnovers and John Elway as they lost the game 24-21.  Of all the Steelers’ Playoff losses which I remember, the one to Denver at Three Rivers one hurts the most and will hurt the most until my dying day.  For a full explanation click on these links here and here.  The 1997 team was one of just raw excitement because you could never count the team out of any game.  So many late-game comebacks, and Kordell Stewart was the toast of the N.F.L. that entire year.  As sad as the ending was, I will always remember how fun this team was to watch, and how talented they were.

This Sunday, Rex Ryan and his New York Jets take on the Pittsburgh Steelers for the right to play in Super Bowl XLV.  Not much more needs to be said.  Which is ironic since Ryan is known for saying his peace and then some.  Whether he genuinely respects the Steelers or is just worried about winding up with his foot in his mouth (rather than his wife’s), he’s been remarkably restrained to the point of boredom.

The closest we’ve had to trash talk was when Ike Taylor said he wouldn’t hesitate to lay out his old buddy Santonio Holmes if given the chance.  To which ‘Tone responded he doesn’t care about the Steelers anymore.  Wait, so a defensive player will still do his job in the biggest game of the year even if his opponent is a former teammate?   And a pothead wide receiver cares more about his current team than the one who flushed him like a bag of weed during a drug bust?

SHOCKING.

Truth is, Rexy can call Mike Tomlin “one of my favorite people” in football and Tomlin can say he loves Ryan’s style all week long.  Trevor Pryce can call Big Ben “a polar bear” while complimenting how he plays the game. None of it matters.  When the whistle blows and the ball is kicked, both teams will bring all they have for a chance to play on the biggest stage of them all.

STEELERS DEFENSE vs. JETS OFFENSE

Mark Sanchez is the key to the game.  Last week, we saw Bert Flacco fold like a cheap lawn chair when the pressure was on.  Sanchez is a similar kind of quarterback who leans on a strong running game and is protected by safe, short throws when they pass.  Thus far, he has avoided the game-changing mistakes other young quarterbacks have made despite shaky protection due to an injury to his usual starting right tackle, Damian Woody.

The two-headed monster of Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson are a young quarterback’s best friend.  Against the Steelers staunch run defense, they combined for 100 yards.  They may not have won the previous meeting but their effective running kept the pressure off Sanchez by controlling the clock and providing manageable third downs.  If they’re kept in check, it becomes an entirely different game with the ball put into Sanchez’s hands.

Taking a page from the Ratbirds, the Jets tried to cover for inexperience at QB by surrounding him with star wide receivers.   Make no mistake, the duo of Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards are second to none.   Mix in slot man Jerricho Cotchery and dependable tight end Dustin Keller and you have an excellent supporting cast.  Still, in last week’s effort against the Patriots, Sanchez missed a number of throws and generally looked shaky outside of one or two key plays (he was helped immensely, for example, by a helluva catch by ‘Tone in the end zone).  While he has the admirable tendency to make a play when he needs to make one, the Steelers best bet would still be to turn the game into a track meet and dare Nacho to beat them.

The last time these two teams faced off, Sanchez didn’t have to worry about the flowing locks of Troy Polamalu.  Troy had a miserable game against the Ravens but if I were I betting man, I wouldn’t like the odds of him playing two poor games in a row.  Troy is exactly the kind of unpredictable wild card which gives young quarterbacks nightmares.  I fully expect him to be the difference between this game and the last one.

All other hands would seem to be on deck.  Bryant McFadden left the Ravens game with an abdominal strain but returned to practice and expects to play.  With Ike Taylor shutting down the opponent’s star receiver, it’s crucial for B-Mac to line up on the opposite side.  William Gay has played solidly when called upon although we saw what happened with him last season.  Not to mention with McFadden hurt, that leaves Anthony Madison as the nickel.

The only other notable injuries are to special teams players Arnaz Battle and Will Allen.  I note this because in the first meeting between the teams, the key play was Brad Smith’s opening kickoff return for a touchdown.  The good news is Smith is injured and, while he will play, may not handle returns.  The bad news is his replacement is Antonio Cromartie, who is every bit as dangerous.  The special teams played a lot better this season but were terrible last week and if one or both of our special team specialists can’t go, that’s not gonna help matters.

STEELERS OFFENSE vs. JETS DEFENSE

If Sanchez is the key for the Jets, Ben Roethlisberger is the key for the Steelers.  Both teams are roughly equal when you compare them position by position.  Except when you look at the quarterback position.  Big Ben is the best big game quarterback in the NFL and perhaps of all-time.  As Hines Ward said following the Ravens game, “When you walk in to the huddle and see #7 there, you know you always have a chance.”

Another big change from last time is the presence of Ben’s favorite target, Heath Miller. Those who saw the first meeting between the teams might recall Matt Spaeth being open all over the field.   But Spaeth does as he is known to do and dropped as many as he caught.  Miller will not disappoint in the same fashion.  Last week, Patriot tight ends had over 100 yards receiving while the Jets D have surrendered a league high 9 TDs to TEs during the season so to say having Heath back is extremely important is an understatement.

Make no mistake, the Jets have one of the finest defenses in the league.  They scheme extremely well and take full advantage of weaknesses in their opponents game.  They also take a page out of the Steelers book by blitzing from unpredictable places and at unpredictable times.  It surely helps that Flozell Adams appears to be over the flu bug although Jonathan Scott was also banged up last week and he was the biggest weak link in the previous meeting.

While the Jets play solid defense, they can be exploited.  Rashard Mendenhall had 99 yards rushing in their prior encounter.  The Patriots, who are a below average running team by nature, still ran the ball effectively with itty bitty Danny Woodhead.  While the Steelers are no longer a ground-and-pound “Stiller Football” style offense, it wouldn’t hurt to pound the rock enough to slow down the pass rush just a little bit.

However, the game will still come down to Big Ben.   Darrelle Revis seems to be hitting his stride so I wouldn’t expect much from Mike Wallace this week.  Luckily, the Steelers are five deep when it comes to receiving threats.  Antonio Brown caught maybe a dozen balls all season and then came down with a 58 yard bomb in the most critical moment of the year.  Drew Coleman, Brodney Pool, Kyle Wilson, and even Antonio Cromartie can be exploited.  Hines and Heath are the steady veterans while Ben has shown no fear in calling the numbers of Emmanuel Sanders or A-Brown when need be.

Fellow CMU graduate Nik Bonaddio ran a statistical analysis of this game which I would gladly explain to you if I didn’t fall asleep during stats class sophomore year.  Suffice it to say, his extremely detailed breakdown has the Steelers winning 24-17.  Sounds about right.  Games like this are won or lost on cheap points.  The first time these teams met, the Steelers gifted the Jets nine undeserved points by allowing a kickoff return and then running an idiotic draw in the end zone for a safety.  After last week’s sloppiness, I don’t expect the Steelers to shoot themselves in the foot yet again.  Good for Steeler Nation, bad for Rex Ryan and Gang Green.

Are you ready for some football?

Are you ready for a screwjob of epic proportions?

A running joke this season has been the Pittsburgh Steelers having to battle two separate foes each and every Sunday.  Most obviously, they had to defeat the team lined up across from them.  Then they had to contend with their hidden opponents; the officials.  I’ve tried to not subscribe to Pittsburgh Paranoia or whine like a Ratbird fan but it’s nigh impossible to ignore the anti-Steelers bias coming from the NFL this season.

Who can forget the debacle against Oakland where the Black and Gold racked up the most penalty yardage in their eighty year history?  Or the Ravens game where Heath Miller was knocked out by an obvious cheapshot shortly after Ben Roethlisberger had his snoot crushed by Haloti Ngata and no flags were thrown on either play?   I’m sure Steeler Nation expected the officiating to improve in the playoffs only to see our team penalized nine times for 93 yards last Saturday.  Yeah, the zebras missed a couple personal fouls on Ike Taylor and Kemo but they also missed Ed Reed attempting to corkscrew Hines’ head off by the facemask.

Worse, the referees continued their habit of providing no protection to Big Ben.  If you watch the Suggs fumble in slo-mo, you’ll notice Ben was hit well above the shoulder pads.  As die hard fans will recall,  LaMarr Woodley was flagged for a PF when he hit Drew Brees in exactly the same manner.  I also counted at least three occasions when dirty Ravens thugs dove in at Ben’s knees, a clear violation of the Brady Rule which prohibits going low on a QB.

Prepare for more of the same on Sunday.  If you thought the Ginger Dictator and his striped monkeys were out to get the Steelers before, they’ll kick it up a notch this weekend.  Make no mistake, the NFL does not want Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.  It would be their worst nightmare.

Starting with Big Ben’s totally unwarranted and unfair suspension, everything the league has done this season has been designed to keep the Black and Gold from reaching the big game.  We all know Ginger is a public relations whore who goes to sleep at night thinking of new ways to protect the shield.  If you thought the five ninja virgins who picketed Heinz Field when Ben returned was bad, imagine the picketing when he reaches the Super Bowl.  Every hairy-armpitted Womyn’s Libber within a hundred miles will be taking time off from watching Oprah and snuggling with their cats to protest.

I fully expect the yellow flags to fly early and often on Sunday.  Don’t expect any borderline calls to go our way.  And before you say, “Well, we’ve overcome the biased officiating all year.  What’s one more game?” allow me to remind you of our first meeting with the New York Jets.  Down five with a little less than two minutes left, Emmanuel Sanders blew past the Jets secondary then had his jersey practically torn off his back by the toast corner.  No flag.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that this time.

Pittsburgh’s goin’ to the Super Bowl!

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated a game but overmatched Baltimore Ravens squad 23-14 to earn a trip to Tampa and Super Bowl XLIII. It was another typical knock down-drag out affair between these two franchises. Injuries and hellacious collisions did abound. In the end, the bye week prior to the start of the playoffs may have been the key difference in the Steelers’ making their second Super Bowl appearance in four years and their seventh overall.

The victory wasn’t as impressive as last week’s destruction of the San Diego Chargers. The offense had an up and down game against a Baltimore defense which played well despite being crippled by injuries. The running game was non-existent as Fast Willie Parker continued his history of struggles against the Ravens carrying 27 times for only 47 yards. The offensive line surrendered 4 sacks and numerous other knockdowns/pressures although at times they did a very good job of providing a pocket for Ben Roethlisberger to step up.

Big Ben deserves a lion’s share of the credit for this victory. He put on another clutch performance in making incredibly tight throws when they mattered most. The passing game, working against a secondary which was down two starters and then saw two backups get injured during the course of the game, was firing right out the gate. WR Hines Ward looked to build on his reputation as a Big Game Player by catching a little slant and taking it 45 yards down the field. He also converted a nice first down on a play in which his leg was used for origami. The resulting sprained MCL made him miss the rest of the game, though he is expected to play in two weeks.

Without the heart of our offense, it was time for other receivers to step up. WR Santonio Holmes did just that by catching a short toss thrown by a running-for-his-life Big Ben and reenacting his punt return TD from last week by taking it 65 yards to paydirt. TE Heath Miller became the new safety outlet/3rd down converter, chipping in 3-62, including a backbreaking 3rd and 22 conversion early in the 4th quarter. The passing game was clicking so well and Ben was doing such a great job of sidestepping pressure and finding players downfield that if not for two miscues, the game could’ve been a blow out. FWP dropped an easy flare pass when he had nothing but grass ahead for 30 yards and rookie Limas Sweed cement-handed a sure TD bomb right before the half.

This was the second horrendous drop in two games but before I read 20 comments condemning Sweed, I want to say some things in his defense. First he’s a rookie, a rookie who was barely used during the regular season at that. I can name dozens of WRs who took 2-3 years to develop. Secondly, he did get open on those plays so it shows he has the speed and moves to play in the NFL. Teaching how to create separation is a lot harder than teaching guys to catch the ball. And lastly, he could’ve sulked and cried on the sidelines like T.O. a baby when things weren’t going his way. Instead, he manned up and went out to make plays. Later in the game he made a nice low catch on a crucial first down conversion, broke up an INT on a poorly thrown ball (maybe he should switch to DB?), and on Miller’s long catch you can see him doing his Hines impersonation by creaming a Baltimore DB.

Speaking of players getting wiped out, I’d like to extend a heartfelt “Get Well, Soon” to RB Willis McGhee. McGhee was the victim of a double knockout blow by S Ryan Clark where both players hit the turf motionless for several minutes. Clark walked to the bench thinking his name was Otis Sistrunk from Mars, PA but otherwise seemed okay. McGhee got the Roethlisberger treatment complete with neck brace and cart. I’m proud of Steeler Nation for showing class and respect as he was motored off the field. I’m equally disgusted by the Ratbird Fans who I see complaining about the hit being dirty. Replays clearly showed Clark turned his body and bent his knees in an attempt to lead with his shoulder. McGhee’s straight up running style and the angle of their heads lead to the helmet-to-helmet result. It’s pretty stupid to think any player is trying to smack heads with their opponent since anybody who ever headbutted their brother knows nobody wins in such a collision.

Beyond that, what more can be said about the Steeler Defense? Yet another magnificent effort in a season full of them. Not to go into Ref Bitch mode but if not for some really awful officiating, the D might not of surrendered a point. Baltimore’s first score came after G Chris Kemoteau earned a 15 yard personal foul, nevermind that the defender was giving him a headslap that would make Mean Joe proud and moments before Ben was cross-checked to the ground well after the ball was thrown. The ensuing kick was returned to the Steeler 15. QB Joe Flacco still needed a pass interference penalty to get the ball to the 1 where they pounded it home. The second score was set up by P Mitch Berger absolutely whiffing on a punt and the Ravens still needed another questionable pass interference penalty in the endzone which again put them at the 1. Otherwise, the Ratbirds only had 200 yards total offense, with a surprising 73 yards rushing but getting only 125 yards through the air by the overwhelmed Flacco. Rookie Joe will be a good quarterback some day but he was shaky all game, many of his passes narrowly missing defenders’ hands. The Steelers did pick him off three times and sacked him three more.

The defense was keyed by the guy who had one of those picks (and returned it for the game sealing TD), S Troy Polamalu. Troy looked off last week with the calf injury and didn’t look any better during the first quarter yesterday. Then between the first and second, he must’ve gotten one of those magic injections massages or something because he reverted back to vintage form. From that point on, he was the Tasmanian Devil, going 100 miles per hour in the direction of the ball carrier on every play. He caught players in the backfield on at least three occasions, defensed several passes, and launched himself into Flacco to stop a fourth and short plunge. LB LaMarr Woodley also had himself a nice game as they mugged keyed on James Harrison, freeing Mister Woodley to wreak havoc. His walling off of McGhee on a third and short play by using his ass was something I’ve never seen in a football game before.

Amazingly, the Steelers held on to a slim 16-14 lead going into the fourth quarter. A combination of the aforementioned miscues (in addition to Ben mismanaging a late first half drive which cost them a FG) combined with Baltimore’s good fortune kept the game closer than it had any right being. Luckily, the fourth quarter belongs to the Steelers. Two INTs topped off by Polamalu’s Pick Six sealed the deal as the defense rose up to send the Steelers on to Tampa. I will give Baltimore credit for giving us a game but you can only postpone destiny for so long.

And despite what you may hear in the media, the Steelers are a team of destiny this year. A destiny which will be fulfilled under the warm Florida sunshine on February 1st. The young Arizona Cardinals and their cadre of Pittsburgh refugees had better be prepared because the Black and Gold are coming. Here we go…