I might have been wrong about my prediction that Woodley would break that sack record this season. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Before the season began, I took on the lofty task of predicting each team’s record.  Impressive sounding, but not really when I looked back and saw that I picked the Steelers over the Packers for the Super Bowl.  Homer biases aside I actually was rather accurate in some of my predictions, which surprised me.  The 2012-13 NFL season sure had its ups and downs.  Remember those replacement refs in the beginning of the season?  That was fun right?  Let’s take a look back and see how I did.

NFC West This division has come a long way in a short amount of time from being call the NFC Worst.

Arizona Cardinals:  My prediction = 1-15, Actual finish = 5-11.  Pittsburgh West fired former Steelers OC Ken Whisenhunt only to hire another former Steelers OC Bruce Arians and their quarterback situation is still a few steps below a dumpster fire.  Makes you kind of feel bad for Larry Fitzgerald.

St. Louis Rams: My prediction = 5-11, Actual finish = 7-8-1.  There doesn’t seem to be a more boring team right now than the Rams.  They managed to tie the 49ers this season and have just fired their defensive coordinator, Steve Spagnolo.  Not much else to say about them.  RB Stephen Jackson is a free agent this year and might just be looking for his way out of town.

San Francisco 49ers:  My prediction = 11-5, Actual finish = 11-4-1.  Pretty close.  I knew they weren’t going to top the 13-3 season that was Jim Harbaugh’s rookie head coaching season.  The 49ers are the NFC Champs now and have a chance to tie the Steelers with 6 Lombardi trophies for the franchise.  I don’t know what makes me sicker, the thought of that or the “Kaepernicking” poses of random douche bag wannabes kissing their own bicep.

Seattle Seahawks: My prediction = 7-9, Actual finish = 11-5.  Well I was way off on this one.  I wasn’t the only one who underestimated Russell Wilson and that Seattle defense.

NFC South With the Saints suffering under the Bounty-Gate scandal and having to go through a head coaching by committee routine for most of the season, there was no other way to look at this besides that it was the Falcons division to lose.

Atlanta Falcons:  My prediction = 13-3, Actual finish = 13-3.  Boom.  Got that one on the money.  The Falcons ended up being the only stomachable choice to root for in the playoffs but they blew that opportunity big-time.

Carolina Panthers: My prediction = 7-9, Actual finish = 7-9.  Nailed it.  The Panthers are still a bad football team, plain and simple. Bang up job by the media for complimenting Cam Newton left and right during his 6-10 rookie season but then getting upset when he’s less than gracious in his defeats during a 7-9 season.

New Orleans Saints: My prediction = 7-9, Actual finish = 7-9.  Anyone who thought the Saints were still going to be in playoff contention playing the entire season without their head coach was crazy.  The public pissing contest between Roger Goodell and Jonathan Vilma took damned near the entire season and now at least it will be entertaining to see Goodell get booed and harassed everywhere he goes in New Orleans for the Super Bowl this week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: My prediction = 4-12, Actual finish = 7-9.  Nailed another one.

NFC East I’m going to admit that this is the division I was by far the most wrong about.  I didn’t get close on anyone’s schedule.  In my defense, I don’t think before the season started anyone else would have pegged the Redskins to have won the division over everyone else.  Andy Reid’s longtime tenure in Philly has come to an end and the division will probably be up for grabs again next season.

Dallas Cowboys: My prediction = 10-6, Actual finish 8-8.  The Cowboys fired Rob Ryan as defensive coordinator and it actually did take longer than 5 minutes for him to find a job.  It’s hard to say how many more mediocre seasons the Cowboys will have under Tony Romo and Jason Garrett but my guess is all of them.

NY Giants: My prediction = 12-4, Actual finish 9-7.  The Giants failed to make the playoffs following their Super Bowl win from the previous year.  It’s happened before.  They’ll be back.

Philadelphia Eagles:  My prediction = 11-5, Actual finish = 4-12.  Ouch.  That was a rough one for the Eagles.  I made the mistake of picking them way too many weeks during our weekly picks too.

Washington Redskins: My prediction = 6-10, Actual finish = 10-6.  Way off on that one.  There’s no telling how the Redskins are going to do next season with RG3 having blown everything in his knee that ends in the letter “L” during their playoff loss to Seattle.  Most likely he’ll return before he’s ready and injure it further to prove how much of a “warrior” he is.

NFC North The Vikings came out of nowhere this season to contend for a spot in the playoffs thanks to Adrian Peterson and his mutant knee.  Ndamukong Suh didn’t stomp on anyone this year but did manage to kick Matt Ryan in the junk.  Nice guy though.

Chicago Bears:  My prediction = 10-6, Actual finish = 10-6.  Nailed it.  Did not see the firing of Lovie Smith coming though.  I probably predicted he’d be fired maybe two seasons ago but since he seems to have an overall winning record I didn’t see the ax coming.

Detroit Lions: My prediction = 11-5, Actual finish = 4-12.  Yikes.  Ndamukong Suh is set to star in the latest season of Dancing with the Stars.  Lord help the judges if they ever find themselves in the area to be stomped or kicked in the junk after giving him a bad score.

Green Bay Packers:  My prediction = 13-3, Actual finish = 11-5.  The Packers got flat out out-played by San Fran in the playoffs similarly to how they were outplayed by Eli and the Giants the year before.  They might just need to invest in a defense if they ever want to return to the Super Bowl, just a suggestion.

Minnesota Vikings: My prediction = 3-13, Actual finish = 10-6.  Orange Peanut?  I, like everyone else in Steeler Nation, am praying that Heath Miller enlists in the Adrian Peterson knee surgery rehab program.

No Big Ben & Other Assorted Injuries

Tomlin needs to rally his team. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

No disrespect to Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch, but there is no way they can replace a future Hall of Famer in the middle of the best statistical season of his career.  To be fair, I can probably count the number of Quarterbacks in the League on one hand who could come in and adequately replace a guy like Roethlisberger and his 66.1% Completion Percentage (209 for 316), 2,287 Yards, and 17 Touchdowns.  Sadly for the Steelers, Big Ben’s shoulder ailment does not make him the only one on the roster with injury issues.

Pittsburgh’s best all-around Wide Receiver, Antonio Brown, is dealing with an ankle issue, and starting Right Tackle Marcus Gilbert has not played in over four weeks due to an injured ankle as well .  The Running Back position has also been in flux in recent weeks as Rashard Mendenhall has missed significant time with an Achilles problem, Jonathan Dwyer has had a quadriceps problems, Isaac Redman has dealt with ankle issues, and Chris Rainey’s ribs were hurt on an illegal hit against the Giants.

As for the injuries which have piled on on the Defensive side of the ball, things are basically being held together with scotch tape at the moment.  Future Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu is still nursing his calf injury, and has not played since Pittsburgh’s Week 5 game against the Eagles.  What makes this just as terrible is that Polamalu’s Safety-mate Ryan Clark recently sustained his second concussion in three weeks against the Chiefs on Monday Night.  And when they have been out on the field, Outside Linebackers James Harrison (knee) and LaMarr Woodley (hamstring) also have been less than effective and hampered by their injuries as well.

Porous Run Defense

I have discussed in previous weeks that Pittsburgh’s Run Defense has not been as effective as it has in years past.  In typical fashion, my thoughts have been met with scorn and dismissed by members of “Steeler Nation” trumpeting the “They Rank 6th in Total Rushing Yards Allowed/They Rank 1st in Total Defense” pablum all season long.

Pittsburgh’s Run Defense though has been helped out all season long by an Offense which has A) Been able to score & sustain drives, and B) Ranks 2nd in Total Time of Possession.  With effectiveness in these specific areas, opposing Offense’s have been forced to the air more often and less liable to run.  Do not be fooled though readers, Darren McFadden (113 Yards), Chris Johnson (91 Yards), and Jamaal Charles (100 Yards) have all enjoyed solid days against the Steelers’ supposedly “elite” Defense.  And do not forget how well the Bengals performed on their 15 play 80 Yard 7:57 Drive opening drive three weeks ago (which ended in a Touchdown and incorporated effective 10 Run plays).  These type of performances have illustrated just how effective a commitment to the run could be/is against Pittsburgh’s Defense.

Worst of all though, Monday Night’s slop-fest illustrated just how weak Pittsburgh’s Run Defense could be in its supposedly stout Base 3-4 set.  The most glaring weaknesses existed on LaMarr Woodley and Ziggy Hood’s side.  I do not want to place the entirety of the blame on Hood and Woodley, because the Front 7 (excluding Lawrence Timmons & Brett Keisel) were manhandled much of the night.  Yet Kansas City had a solid measure of success as they beat Pittsburgh at the point of attack and ran to their right (19 Rushes for 85 Yards and 1 TD).  With these weaknesses on film, I fully expect teams with elite Running Backs like Baltimore with Ray Rice to run unbalanced sets or multiple Tight End sets on a consistent basis to attack Pittsburgh in that direction until they are solved.

Subpar Coaching & Lack of Discipline

Can I for one say that Mike Tomlin’s decision-making has become downright ridiculous as of late?  I mean, the decision to go for a Field Goal from 54 Yards away against the Titans, and the decision to unintentionally “ice” Shaun Suisham in that situation was ridiculous.  Going for an unnecessary 2-point Conversion in the 1st Half against the Bengals also made zero sense.  Remember the Fake Field Goal against the Giants?  Or how about last night’s choice to run the slow-footed Redman with a short play-clock on 4th Down from mid-field instead of trying to pin the Chiefs back in a tie game?

Speaking of ill-fated Redman rushing attempts, can I be frank and just say that the “Fat Back Shotgun Draw/Dive” needs to be phased out of the playbook, Mr. Haley?  Do not get me wrong, you have done some fabulous things with this Offense, but attempting to run larger Backs out of the Shotgun as opposed to an I-Formation or Pistol makes zero sense when they have no “head of steam.”

As far as the undisciplined nature of this team goes, I am downright sick of it.  Pittsburgh has averaged 67.1 Penalty Yards per game this season (30th out of 32 teams), and taken two Special Teams Touchdowns off of the scoreboard because of them.  Speaking of the coverage units, please stop with the penalties.  It is bad enough when scores are being taken away, but when solid returns/coverages are negated, it is disgusting to watch.  Also, Willie Colon, if you do read this, please refrain from swearing at the officiating crew.  Did you not see what happened to DeAngelo Hall at Heinz Field close to a month ago?  I love your aggressive nature on the field, but there is no need for that type of undisciplined behavior which you and your teammates appear to practice and not be outwardly punished for by your Coaching Staff.

Final Thoughts

If I wanted to, I could have gone into how Pittsburgh allowed their fifth 4th Quarter meltdown on the season, but that would have only made my stomach turn even more.  For now however, I will simply say that with these aforementioned issues working against them, Pittsburgh will be in a load of trouble unless they are fixed.

So what exactly do I see on the horizon for the 2012 Steelers?  Well, I am sure that in the weak A.F.C. Pittsburgh will back-door themselves into the playoffs much in the manner that the Bengals did last season.  Although they will be nowhere the team they were before Ben’s injury, the team’s schedule features some favorable opponents (Cleveland x2, Cincinnati, Dallas, San Diego).  And with 6 wins already, Pittsburgh should be able to win three or four of their final seven games to make the postseason via the Wild Card.

As for winning on the road in the postseason, that will likely be a different story.  Houston, Baltimore, Denver, and New England are in my opinion far more talented than the Steelers.  Things could get ugly for Pittsburgh if any of the A.F.C.’s best are ready for them and take advantage of their postseason home games’, and I try not to think of the immense whippings which might indeed occur down the road.

I will continue to hold out hope that the issues plaguing the Steelers can be fixed and “The Standard” is not deviated from to a large extent.  I however will not dismiss any of the problems that I discussed above as “easily fixable.” and am definitely not sold on a Steelers team without Ben Roethlisberger and others against the best of the A.F.C.  “The Standard” should be in question right now, because what exactly is it at this point, “Steeler Nation?”

On paper, the “Standard is the Standard” and “Next Man Up” rhetoric championed by Mike Tomlin appears to be pretty inspiring.  But you know what readers?  These phrases and mantras do not apply and work in every circumstance.  In fact, each could be essentially moot if Pittsburgh’s Pro Bowl Quarterback is sidelined due to injury/is in the delivery room for what could be the most important stretch of the 2012 regular season.

All I can say now is that I am definitely intrigued to see what happens against the Ravens on Sunday evening.

Chime in readers:  Are the Steelers doomed?  Can they rally together?  Does it matter?  Etc..

Stats Courtesy of: Team Rankings.com, ESPN.com

Injury Reports Courtesy of: Steelers.com

• Once highly-touted/high-Round draft selections under-performing or not receiving ample opportunities to produce
• Backups not receiving chances to start or extra playing time over ineffective and “penalty-machine” veterans
• Stalwart & Hall of Fame veterans unfortunately showing their age and fragility
• Newer yet nevertheless experienced starters showing hardly any signs of development or improvement
• Injury-prone/Under-performing players sitting on “salary-cap constricting” contracts

(Home Fun for Readers: Go to the “Comments” section to try and match specific Defensive players to the specific categories.)

So what should the Steelers do about their problems on the Defensive side of the ball?  Well, I am certainly no General Manager, but after I watched what the Green Bay Packers did in last April’s Draft, I feel like the Steelers should follow a similar course of action to at least provide some help to their struggling Defense before the current situation gets any worse in the future.

Green Bay & The 2012 Draft

The 2011 Packers’ Defense was not as awful as many people made them out to be, although “elite” was definitely not a word which should have described them.  Last season, the Packers gave up the most Total Yards per Game in the League in 2011 (411.6), the Most Pass Yards per Game (299.8), but the team lived and died with the Turnover.  Luckily for them, more often than not, the Turnover ratio worked out in their favor (+24 ratio in 2011), and their porous Defense was given some leeway because Aaron Rodgers and the Offense had such an incredible year.  Unfortunately for Green Bay and Defensive Coordinator Dom Capers, when the Defense was unable to force Turnovers, and their inability to rush the passer plus inconsistencies in the Secondary reared their ugly heads’, all their worst fears came true.  The Defense’s weaknesses were a huge reason why the 15-1 Packers were unable to repeat as Super Bowl champions, and it was quite obvious to anyone which watched them last year that some improvements on the Defensive side of the ball were needed.

To their credit, G.M. Ted Thompson and the rest of Green Bay’s Front Office & Coaching Staff saw how badly their Defense needed help, and were proactive about having their issues fixed.  So when April rolled around, the Packers’ brass did not dawdle and ignore the task at hand.  Green Bay used their first 6 Selections to pick the best Defensive players available which would fit their scheme, and most of all, spent the picks on players which could bolster their beleaguered unit in the short, and long terms.  And this season, five of the Packers’ first six Defensive selections have seen some playing time and contributed nicely to the tune of:

Nick Perry OLB (1st Round): 6 Games, 5 Starts: 18 Tackles, 2.0 Sacks, 1 PD

Jerel Worthy DT/DE (2nd Round): 6 Games, 2 Starts: 9 Tackles, 2.0 Sacks

Casey Hayward CB (2nd Round): 6 Games as Nickel/Dime: 14 Tackles, 3 INT’s, 6 PD’s

Mike Daniels DT/DE (4th Round): 4 Games as backup: 3 Tackles, 1.0 Sack

Jerron McMillian S (5th Round): 6 Games as backup: 7 Tackles, 1 INT, 2 PD’s

While nothing absolutely out-of-this-world, the Packers have received some solid contributions from their 2012 Rookie class.  The Defense as a whole has upped their games, and should be commended for their efforts.  Yet to say that these Rookies have not had an impact would be a disservice to what they have accomplished so far in their short professional careers’.  Worthy and even Daniels each have as many/more Sacks than Ziggy Hood (1.0), Brett Keisel (0), and Chris Carter (0) combined.  In addition, Hayward as well as McMillian both have recorded more Interceptions than any Steelers’ Cornerback on the roster (0 combined from the entire group)!

As I watched last April’s Draft unfold, I could not help but give a “golf-clap” to the Packers and what they did.  At the time, and now even more so, I must say that their overall strategy was downright awesome.  To Thompson & Co., I am sure their strategy to draft as much talent as they did on Defense made perfect sense.  Not only did it allow the organization bring hungry Rookies into the fold with loads of talent, the organization in turn lets the players already on the roster know that their performances at the respective stages in their careers’ was simply not up to par.  With the influx of talent, the veterans and roster bubble guys which came off bad seasons were forced to step their collective games’ up to stick and improve with the rest of the unit.

Will these Green Bay Rookies have their own respective “growing pains’” for the time being, and mess up from time to time?  Of course they will, and I am sure that some like McMillian, Daniels, and 5th Round selection Terrell Manning (Linebacker) will have to wait their turns’ more than Perry, Worthy, and Hayward will in terms of them getting to play a significant amount more than they are now.  And hey, the Packers’ Defensive issues are not fixed by any means.  They blew an 18 point lead against the Colts on the road, and did not look so hot in Week 1 versus the 49ers.

Nevertheless, I have been more or less impressed with Capers and the rest of his staff for trusting these players, as well as their confidence to allow them to develop “on the fly” as opposed to rotting on the bench before they are forced to make difficult decisions once the players step out on the field for their first “real” Defensive experiences in Years 2-4.  In spite of their issues, this Packers unit has already stymied the likes of Jay Cutler, held their own against the Texans’ and enough against the Saints’ potent Offenses, and were a blown call away from a victory (only 7 points allowed until the “unpleasantness”) at Century Link Field in Seattle.  Unlike the Steelers, at least the Packers’ Defense has taken significant strides this season, and there seems to be improvement on the horizon unlike the possible “dumpster fire” about to take place in Pittsburgh unless swift action is taken or improvements are made.

Colbert & Tomlin would be wise to draft heavily on the Defensive side of the ball next April. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

Final Thoughts

My ultimate hope is that if a load of young and talented Defensive players are drafted by Colbert & Co. next April, they are at least given the “green-light” to play if they are talented enough to do so.  As it stands, the Steelers’ Defense needs significant help at each and every position.  Some positions need more help than others, but either a new starter or significant and effective depth is needed at all 11 positions added to it.  At least to me, what has gone on over the season’s first 6 Weeks is nothing short of just cause for some of Pittsburgh’s Defensive starters to either A) lose their jobs, or B) have their jobs put in jeopardy by an influx of young and more capable talent next April with increased competition either right now or in Training Camp next August.

As far as the 2013 Draft goes, I am not saying that the Steelers should completely abandon other possible needs by drafting solely on Defense.  If a big “6’3”+” Wide Receiver or Every-Down Running Back are available at a valued spot, then by all means I understand the logic behind those selections.  Yet if this team is to get any better, especially during Ben Roethlisberger’s “prime” years, a Defensive-heavy Draft Class like the Packers’ most recent one could be just what the Steelers need to help themselves improve.  I mean, it can’t hurt to add more talent and attempt to upgrade what we’ve seen so far if it continues throughout the season, can it “Steeler Nation?”

Bonus

Defensive Stats:

(I remind you that the stat of 5th in Total Yards per Game Allowed is basically moot when the Offense ranks 2nd in Average Time of Possession, 34:16 per Game)

Mind you, these numbers below have been compiled against the Broncos, Jets, Raiders, Eagles, and Titans:

Points Per Game Allowed: T17th (23.0)

3rd Down % Against: 31st (49.2%, 29 for 59)

Opposing QB Rating: 21st (93.8)

Total Sacks: T20th (11.0)

Sacks per Game: 19th (2.2)

Rush Yards per Carry Allowed: 21st (4.1)

Pass Touchdowns Allowed: T19th (9)

Points per Play Allowed: 22nd (.401)

Red Zone Scoring Attempts per Game: 19th (3.4)

4th Quarter Points per Game Allowed: 27th (9.4) (Note: 2009 Defense gave up an average of 9.4 PPG in 4th Quarter)

Stats Courtesy of: Team Rankings.com and ESPN.com

Is the game against the Super Bowl Champ Giants and Eli the most crucial this season? Credit: Jim O US Presswire

The Steelers’ 2012 schedule is a bit of a tough nut to crack with regards to how ‘tough’ or how ‘easy’ it is.  It appears to have stretches of weeks that seem very manageable and others that will test the toughness and fortitude of the Black & Gold.  And, of course, the NFL has done another lovely job of packing in the most heated rivalry in the league.  But which game will the be the most crucial for the Steelers?

The team faces two AFC West opponents in the Broncos and Raiders and a weak AFC East Jets within the first three weeks of the season.  Peyton Manning joins the Broncos in hopes to ramp up what was a rather barren Tebow’d offense.  As the first game of the season, the Steelers will have a young offensive line going against a defense that ranked 18th defending the pass and 24th defending the run.  Not a huge test, but it will be the first time where it counts for a line that could potentially have two rookie starters.  Peyton is sure to test the defense, and our defense will need some inspirational injected play all season long if they want to redeem themselves and get the team back to the playoffs.  The defense was the top ranked defense, once again, last season.  But, they were just about the root cause of why the team lost in the Wild Card round and made Tim Tebow look like Bart Starr.  Is this first game of the season the most crucial game for the Steelers?  Last season, the team suffered a crushing loss to the Ravens in Week 1 and put themselves in a deep hole in the AFC North race.  They never were able to surpass the Ravens for the division and drew the Broncos in that Wild Card game.

The Steelers have a bye week in Week 4 then face the Eagles, Titans, Bengals, and Redskins the next four weeks.  None of those teams appear to be a huge threat for the Steelers.  The Eagles will be looking to recover from the failed Andy Reid ‘experiment,’ the Titans are still wondering if the real Chris Johnson will ever show up, the Bengals have yet to really prove how ‘good’ they are with Big Red (or if it was just a rookie cinderella story), and the Redskins might still be working out the kinks with rookie QB, RGIII.  The Steelers will need to be careful when playing the NFC East teams this season.  Any of them (even though I just pointed out some problems with two teams) could prove to be dangerous one week and a bust the next.  Will the Steelers get caught in a trap game with the Skins or Eagles, only to have the Ravens or Bengals beat both?  The Bengals will be an important game because of the divisional standings.  But is it the most crucial because it’s in Cincinnati?

The Steelers follow up that four week romp with a game against the reigning Super Bowl Champs at MetLife Stadium.  Yikes.  The Giants, like most teams coming off a Super Bowl win, could still be shaking off the hangover.  But will that be evident this late into the season during Week 9?  Eli is always poised for a win, and if Tommy C can coach his men like he did during last year’s playoffs, then this game spells big trouble for the Steelers.  The Giants prove to be one of the bigger threat teams.  And, it may not be awful if the Steelers lose to them because every team in the AFC North could bow out against the G-men.  Most crucial or not?

The Steelers then face the Chiefs and then the Ravens two times in three weeks with the three legged Browns squeezed between.  The Chiefs will be a very interesting game just because of the implications of Todd Haley facing his old squad.  Most crucial?  I’m not so sure, but it could be a real kick in the junk to Haley and the offense if the Chiefs win big with a score like 28-3.  Now, the easy answer to our question would be the games against Baltimore.  The Ravens have been the Steelers most hated rival, most physical team they play all season every season, and are always in contention against the Steelers for the AFC North division.  One of the two teams have won the division eight out of the last ten seasons.  Both games are always epic and intense.  Is one more crucial over the other?  Do the Steelers need to at least win the first game at home in case they lose on the road?

The Steelers finish out the last four weeks against some teams that have enjoyed the regular season identity roller coaster.  And, by enjoy I mean loathed.  The San Diego Chargers visit Heinz Field in December.  The Chargers always self destruct early then have a surge at the end of the season.  They were 4-1 in their last five games last season, and that tends to be the norm.  Will the Chargers late season surge be trouble for the Steelers?  Possibly, but it’s not as crucial a game as one might think.  Unless you are a citizen of Steeler Nation who really really really needs to see Phillip Rivers – the ultimate quarterback (pfffffft) – blasted back into his childhood.  The Cowboys are next, and the Steelers face them in the mini-metropolitan area known as Cowboys Stadium.  The Cowboys are another team like the Giants who one week appear the team to beat in the NFC or lucky if Tony Romo knows how to tie his own shoes.  It’s an important game, as it rounds up the Steelers time against the NFC East.  By this time, the Steelers will more than likely be a bit beat up and struggling to eek out wins as the season winds down.  They will need to have a better NFC East record than the Ravens if they want a shot at the division.  Is this the most crucial game as the Steelers head towards the end of the season?

The last two weeks are against divisional teams.  The Bengals and Browns hardly ever finish strong and very well could be licking their wounds by the time the Steelers get them for the second time around in the season.  The Steelers will unquestioningly need to finish strong these last two weeks.  But are any more crucial than what the entire season has already thrown at the Steelers?

Ok Nation, time to vote.  What do you think is the most crucial game for the Steelers this season?