As coach Mike Tomlin said in Tuesday’s press conference, the Steelers did not put together 2 halves of football. Special teams regress back to their usual form committing 3 penalties. A turnover when the ball from a kickoff return hit the foot of CB William Gay and was recovered by the Patriots on the Steeler 34 and Chad Jackson returning a kickoff for 39 yards giving the ball to the Pats on their 48 yard line. It was just giving them points.
(Do you think I can get away with it by calling special teams ,the Kindler, gentler, special teams’. Always willing to help the OTHER team win).
Red Zone opportunities: Why is the offense having trouble getting into the end zone: and against an old defense. Belicheat gave his team Tuesday and Wednesday off because they were so tired from Sundays game, they needed to rest…the defense was banged up. Well, do ya think maybe Tomlin should have done the same, because it wasn’t the Patriots that looked old-it was the Steelers.
Finally, the biggest disappointment of all was the defense. FS Anthony Smith had to open his big mouth and give a guarantee of a win. Yeah right. The only guarantee out there Sunday was Anthony Smith getting beat out there. 2 Big plays for a total of 120 yards and NO SACKS. The only thing good out of Sunday’s game is the 7 points I got from Wes Welker for my fantasy squad and now I am in the PLAYOFFS.
Sunday, the Steelers meet with their old nemesis, the Jacksonville Jaguars and this can’t be good. The Jags managed to have the Steelers number whenever they play. The Steelers are undefeated at home this season and I would hate to loss two in a row-when the Steelers are still leading the division.
Oct 16, 2005 was the last time the Jags visited Heinz Field when Jags CB Rashean Mathis stepped in front of Tommy Maddox's pass and scored on a 41-yard return in overtime to upset the Steelers 23-17. At 9-4, the Jags have come from behind with a full head of steam coming off a 37-6 win over the Carolina Panthers. They are a physical ball club like the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coach Jack Del Rio and ex-Steeler coach Bill Cowher used to play against each other defensively and knew each other well. Tomlin has not had that luxury and it will be interesting as well as nerve racking to experience the outcome of this match up. The Jags need a win to secure a Wild Card berth and they have the weapons to do it. Running back tandem Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew could put a hurting on our front line especially since DE Aaron Smith is out the season with a bicep tear. He is the best run stuffer on the team. The good news is we able to see “Troy Boy” Polamalu back and linebacker LaMarr Woodley. He is so needed in special teams.
QB David Garrard has been efficient. He plays smart and has one INT this season. One folks. Garrard has some weapons in receivers with Dennis Northcutt (formerly of the Cleveland Browns) and Reggie Williams. Northcutt and Jones-Drew can hurt us on special teams as they are reliable return men. Jones-Drew has one return for a TD. (Well, Steeler Allen Rossum has one return for a TD too).
It’s the same old story, the Steelers must establish the running game, which they managed to do last week against the Patriots (and that was about it.) They must capitalize on red zone opportunities. They can’t depend on “Skippy’s foot” to do the job, that’s 3 not 6. Finally the line has to do a better job in protecting Big Ben. He has been put in too many hurried situations which have resulted in incomplete passes, overthrown passes, dropped passes or interceptions. Need I say more? Come on Steelers. Let’s guarantee some Steeler football. Get it done. Beat the Jags. Let’s Go Steelers
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