Flacco doing his best Kobra Kai. ‘Take him out!’
Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Steeler Nation, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Joe Flacco may not be an elite quarterback, but he sure is elite when it comes to being a huge dumb ass.  His dumb assery apparently knows no bounds, especially when it comes to knowing the rules of football… or heck, when it comes to being a good sportsman.

The final play of Super Bowl XLVII came down to a free kick from Baltimore to the 49′ers.  Niners Ted Ginn Jr. was to receive that free kick and had the opportunity to either run back the kick or signal for a fair catch with four seconds left on the clock.  Ginn chose to run for a score, but was tackled at the 50-yard line to end the game.  But if Ginn were to get past the eleven Ravens on the field, there were 41 other players that could have taken Ginn out from the sideline.  And Flacco, was pretty much ring leading them all prior to the kick itself to do just that.  Here is the exchange that NFL Films caught from Flacco’s mic he just so happened to be wearing the entire game:

“If he starts to break it, go tackle him,” Flacco told Pitta.

“Really?” Pitta said.

“”I don’t know. I mean, what else what could they I don’t know,” Flacco said. “They might be able to give him a touchdown on that, but I don’t know.”

Flacco then shares the same message with Birk.

“Hey, if he breaks it, if he busts it for some reason, tackle him, go tackle him,” Flacco said.

“Why can’t you?” asked Yanda.

“I will,” Flacco said. “I’m going to.”

Jesus.  This something like out of the Karate Kid where the leader of the Kobra Kai tells his little pupil to take out poor little Danny.  However, I seriously doubt our beloved Bert would have the guts to do something like that on his own.  Besides, his ‘elite’ status would be tarnished were he the one to pull such an egregious move.  But, if he could get one of his teammates to do it, he would be free of guilt, a Super Bowl winner, an MVP, and waiting for his ‘Elite’ status card to come in the mail.  Except the boy wonder genius forgot something – the rules.  Rule 12, Section 3, Aricle 3 of the NFL Rule Books states the following:

“Palpably Unfair Act. A player or substitute shall not interfere with play by any act which is palpably unfair. Penalty: For a palpably unfair act: Offender may be disqualified. The Referee, after consulting his crew, enforces any such distance penalty as they consider equitable and irrespective of any other specified code penalty. The Referee may award a score.”

Ruh roh Joe.

The officiating crew was already having one hell of an evening with trying to make good calls (it wasn’t), and this would have blown the roof off the Super Dome.  But the rule clearly states that the Referee may award a score.  If Ginn had a clear field to score and a Raven jumped out and tackled Ginn, then there’s no doubt that the crew would have awarded Ginn the touchdown anyways.  Think of it like a penalty shot in hockey, except that there’s no goalie waiting in the net.

So there are a few things here.  1) If that were to really happen, we would have witnessed the most bizarre and most asinine stunt ever pulled in professional sports (aside from the Cotton Bowl of 1954 where this very thing happened).  2)  It would have been awesome to see the Ravens lose the game in that fashion, not only for the glorious satisfaction of seeing them lose and no championship for Ray Lewis, but also because their star and ‘elite’ QB appeared desperate enough to cheat.  3) Regardless of the outcome of this game, Joe Flacco is forever a stupid, uni brow’ed, jackass for even considering something like interfering with a play from the sidelines – aka CHEATING.  God, just thinking about hearing that exchange between him and the other players makes it sound like he’s the playground bully who dares you to go push some kid in mud, or go eat that green puss oozing out from the dumpster.  How old are you?  Where is your maturity?  (The ‘retarded’ Super Bowl media day comment is really starting to make sense now.)

Yes Joe Flacco is the Super Bowl MVP  - where the P stand for Pea brain.  I almost wish it really did happen because then Flacco would have been exposed for the jag he really is.  Instead, everyone chuckles at how ludicrous it was to think about doing something like that and that he was more than likely joking.  Right.  Joking.  So, just like his other high class act, Ray Lewis, Flacco’s ill thought out actions as a man and sportsman will be overlooked.  He’ll be elevated to whatever status ESPN wants him at and Baltimore will slap that franchise tag on him for his big $20 million payday (probably because they feel they can’t get any better from here).

Joe Flacco, you truly are a jagoff.  You may get your pay day, but there’s no ounce of respect for you in my eyes, and I hope anyone else who has the sense to see you for who you really are.  You were so desperate to win, to get that elite status, to quiet your critics – that you openly contemplated cheating.

Don’t worry, Joe. It’s only confetti. It won’t really hurt you. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

What did Super Bowl XLVII teach us on Sunday night?  If you said that Flacco is finally an elite quarterback, you would be Ray Lewis stab you in the chest dead wrong.  If you said that Ray Lewis and the Ravens are favored by Himself Almighty, you need either stoned or cleaved in two.  No no, my venomous friends of Steeler Nation, if there’s anything that the Super Bowl (and the Ravens playoff run) taught us is that defense is the path to beating the Ravens.  And, with the Ravens sitting two seasons in a row at the top of the AFC North, that should be priority #1 for the Steelers on the ol’ ‘How Do We Improve?’ checklist.

Let’s get one thing straight.  Flacco is NOT an elite quarterback.  ‘But, Craig, you’re a Steelers fan and you hate the Ravens.  Of course you are going to say that!’  First part of that statement is true.  The second is not – when I write for this blog, I call a spade when I see one, and I give credit where it is due.  Joe Flacco earning ‘elite’ status from this Super Bowl win or playoff run is seriously incorrect.  As Kimmy pointed out in her Monday morning rant, Flacco should be slipping some extra cash to his offensive line and receivers for bailing him out four straight games.  Flacco was as good as he was because of his offensive line and speedy receivers that burned their coverage numerous times a game.

Which brings me to the first point – Pass Rush.  Over the course of four playoff games, the offensive line gave up only eight sacks.  The majority of those were a result of huge pocket collapses in which Flacco had no time to react.  If there’s something we can all take away from the Flacco era of this Steelers/Ravens rivalry is that Joe Flacco breaks when the heat is on.  If he even feels pressure, he usually tries to break out of the pocket (and into the arms of a pass rusher) or throws an inaccurate ball.  The problem with the four playoff games is that pressure came infrequently, and Joey usually had plenty of time to let Torrey Smith or Jacoby Jones get wide open.  The more Flacco gets protected, the more comfortable he becomes.  Such is the case with most decent QB’s.  The reason why he’s been able to hit receivers on those occasions where he escapes the pocket is because Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin, and Jacoby Jones played lights out football in finding open areas and making star corners look like a bunch of high school level chumps.  Did you see how Flacco would just chuck the ball into the air?

This is as close as Woodley got to most QB’s all season. Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

The Steelers pass rush was pretty bad this season.  No player racked up over ten sacks.  In fact, the highest was six by both Timmons and Harrison.  And LaMarr Woodley?  Four.  $61 million for four sacks.  Awesomesauce.  The pass rush needs to severely improve next season.  All the linebackers need to find ways to get around the edge or find seams in the middle.  The defensive line plays a huge role in this by needing to take up two offensive linemen.  Whatever line combo offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell dreamed up during the playoffs worked like a dream and probably won’t go away next season.  For the Steelers to hope that they can stand tall with the Ravens next season and beyond they will need to make sure that they can get pressure early and often on Flacco.  Otherwise, the receivers will carve up the secondary all game long.  The same holds true for just about every game the Steelers play in 2013.  Get that pass rush on, or you’ll find yourself 8-8 for another season.

The second point is turnovers (and capitalizing off them).  The Ravens were pretty efficient in the turnover ratio during the playoffs, and most importantly they capitalized off of them just as efficiently.  The Ravens had a turnover ratio of 10 to 4 for a +6 in the playoffs.  They scored two TD’s off of those turnovers against the 49′ers on Sunday to help pave their way to the Lombardi trophy.  Defense does indeed win championships, especially when that defense can create turnovers.  The Ravens were 7-2 when they had the turnover edge in the regular season and 4-0 in the playoffs.  Did I mention that defense wins championships?  Timely turnovers are momentum changers, and that is a huge part of the game – fighting for it and fighting even harder to keep it.

We’ve gotten so used to these. The Steelers must find ways to create turnovers against the Ravens and other strong offensive teams in 2013.

The turnover or ‘splash play’ was about as elusive as sacks were for the Steelers D in 2012.  The Steelers only had 13 turnovers after Week 15.  They somehow found a way to grab seven more in the final two games against the Bengals and Browns (no surprises there), which inflated that number a bit.  20 turnovers.  The regular season ratio was 20 to 30 (and that’s including that eight turnover debacle against Cleveland) for a difference of -10.  The ‘splash play’ was fairly non existent for the Steelers.  Every time we all found ourselves saying ‘Man the Steelers could really use a pick right here’ or ‘A fumble deep in the zone would be huge’ the opposing offense would either deny us our wish or ram the football straight down our throats, through our butts, and into the endzone.  Someone hand me some Preparation H – the H stands for ‘HELP!’

Remember when the Steelers used to get splash plays by the handfulls against the Ravens?  The tide has shifted in this department, and the Steelers have been finding themselves on the wrong end of that stick for the last four games against the Ratbirds.  The last four games, the Steelers have been crushed in the turnover department 3-15.  Even in the Charlie Batch win of Game 2 of the series the Steelers found themselves turning the ball over one time more than the Ravens.  I think the days of Polamalu coming up with an unbelievable QB strip fumble or interception or chase down fumble are just about over.  I think we’ve become a little too accustomed to that kind of defense.  But there are ways the defense can improve its turnover ratio and needs to if they want to find themselves contenders in the division.

Pass rush and turnovers go hand in hand.  One affects the other, and are critical to the style of defense Dick LeBeau draws up every week.  Last season, fans harped all off season long that the draft needed to focus on the defense.  And, now this season, most are hoping for a boost in offense.  I couldn’t disagree more, and the Steelers front office should be keeping the first two to three picks focused on the defensive side of the ball.  I have confidence that the offense will find its groove now that they have a season under their belt with Todd Haley.  The talent is actually there.  However, the defense continues to age sans grace, and there are many positions and players that need addressed – for this upcoming season and to pave a way back to the Super Bowl.

Two teams enter, but only ones comes out a champion. Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Today is the big day.  It’s the Bro Bowl, and if you are foaming at the mouth like a mad man – aka Jim Harbaugh – then here’s what you need to know to catch all the action.

Super Bowl XLVII

February 3rd, 2013

Kickoff: 6:3o pm EST/5:30 CST

Network: CBS

Live Stream:  CBS coverage through NFL.com – click here.

Radio:  WJZ-AM 1300 Baltimore, WJZ-FM 105.7 Catonsvle/Baltimore. KNBR-AM 680 San Francisco OR Sirius XM - National broadcast (Dial Global): Sirius 88 / XM 88 / Internet 88

What do you mean I was supposed to wear a suit to this thing? Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

There is no doubt that this is the worst case scenario for any Steeler fan when it comes to crowing the next Super Bowl champion.  The game itself will be difficult to watch.  Much like our cohort, Kimmy, the game will be more of a Statler and Waldorf commentary and paying that much more attention to the commercials.

‘I haven’t watched something this awful in a long time.’
‘Oh yeah? What was that?’
‘My wife saying ‘I do.”
‘Woahahahaha!!!’

There are cases to be made why neither team is a good one for any Steeler fan in their right mind to openly cheer for.  And surprisingly enough, there are Steeler players that have come out in favor of the Ravens.  Excuse me while I go throw up…. Sorry fellas, but I have to stop you there.  I may love you playing on the field, but if you’re rooting for your most hated rival, then you’ve had one too many hits to the head.

So why am I quietly hoping for the San Francisco 49′ers defeat the Ravens?  One word – respect.  See that’s the thing about a heated and hate filled rival – I don’t really respect the Baltimore Ravens.  It’s John Harbaugh, it’s Ray Lewis (before and after the PED news), it’s T-Sizzle, it’s the Ed Reed infatuation, it’s Baltimore fans, it’s the ‘elite’ Joe Flacco.  Just about everything that is purple and black and gold rightfully receives my venom and lack of respect.  It seems that every single season and every single game and every single moment in their miserable existence the Ravens go out of their way to be disrespectful to any and all that cross their path.  I guess Ray Ray doesn’t preach sportsmanship from his podium.  Maybe it’s not part of ‘his’ Ten Commandments.

Some argue that it’s just a sting in the wound for Steeler fans if the Ravens win.  They will have to put up with the Ravens and their bragging rights for a full season, and soon that will swiftly go away as the Ravens head into obscurity.  Joe Flacco will be named ‘elite.’  Ray Lewis will ride off on a deer into the sunset.  John Harbaugh will finally get his trophy.  Ed Reed can retire a happy man.  The Ravens will be validated.  All of that will be said, yet somehow we as Steeler fans are supposed to find comfort because we know ‘the truth.’  The most important thing in the bigger picture is that the 49′ers are left empty handed so that they do not tie the Steelers for most Super Bowl wins.  Somehow for those who want the Ravens win is the most important thing.

And that’s where I disagree.  Respect.  As much as I hate the Harbaugh clan, I can actually respect the San Francisco 49′ers.  They have a storied franchise of amazing players and coaches.  Guys like Montana, Young, Walsh, Rice.  It’s a team, despite their idiot child of a coach, I can respect now and I can certainly respect them winning a 6th Super Bowl.  So what?  They tie the best NFL franchise to ever exist in Super Bowl wins.  I can respect that.  It’s good company to be in.

But what about the debate of best franchise?  Who’s the better 6 Super Bowl win team?  Well who cares if that becomes part of the debate.  It’s a healthy debate.  Let it act as motivation for an organization who had a pretty terrible year in getting back up to Super Bowl form.  Go get a 7th Super Bowl.  Hell, they came very close two years ago against the Packers – otherwise this wouldn’t even be a friggin’ debate.

So, let the tattooed boy wonder and the baby with the red Sharpie take home the Lombardi.  I can respect that.  But what I can’t respect is a team that has no respect for anyone but themselves.  What I can’t respect is a division rival take home a trophy that they don’t really deserve.

That’s why I’m rooting for those ‘Niners.

Who doesn’t love a good video game prediction of who will come out on top in Super Bowl XLVII?  The Madden franchise has played the Super Bowl on its yearly Madden NFL platform and has successfully selected the winner seven of the last nine Super Bowls.  Yeowzers that’s almost Nate Silver good.  Check out the video of highlights:

This year, the Madden game predicts that the Ravens will come out as the winner.  It’s a close game for most of the first half.  The Ravens appear to pour it on in the second half, but the ‘Niners tie the game late in the fourth quarter.  The Ravens take a 27-24 lead off a Justin Tucker field goal – which I said a game winning field goal would decide this game.  The ‘Niners try and come back, but somehow Ed Reed intercepts a pass to ice the game.

In my opinion, I hope this is one of those times when Madden is not right, and Ray Lewis does not come out a champion before he hangs up the cleats.  Here are the years Madden has correctly predicted the winner:

2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots vs. Panthers

2005 Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots vs. Eagles

2006 Super Bowl XL: Steelers vs. Seahawks

2007 Super Bowl XLI: Colts vs. Bears

2009 Super Bowl XLIII: Steelers vs. Cardinals

2010 Super Bowl XLIV: Saints vs. Colts

2012 Super Bowl XLVI: Giants vs. Patriots

In 2009, Madden came within two points of predicting the final score in Super Bowl XLIII.  Looks like Flacco and Lewis come out on top after all.  What do you think?