At this juncture, we feel it's important to articulate that perfection is unattainable.
No person is perfect.
No situation is perfect.
If you had asked us at the end of August if we saw the Steelers at 6-5 going into December, we'd have suggested you up your dosage of anti-psychotics.
Coming off of a Super Bowl winning season, with some exciting new weapons secured via the draft, things looked awfully bright.
But you could have all the talent in the world and it still might not help if everyone can't play big in big situations.
We've heard some great positive sentiments today, and we've also heard some painfully negative ones.
The reality is, the Steelers had a legitimate chance to win that game and just couldn't close it out.
Which is a shame, because the defense had some insane success whilst keeping us in the game long enough to take the lead with about six and a half minutes left in the 4th quarter.
But what's done is done.
The Steelers are 6-5, with an unimpressive 4-4 conference record.
As of right now, they're on the outside looking in.
The good news is, they've got five more opportunities to get themselves into January.
In 2005, the Steelers lost three straight games at the end of November (and the first week of December), finding themselves at 7-5, trailing the Bengals in the division and looking for a wild card.
That year, they played the NFC North and the AFC West.
This year, they're playing the NFC North and the AFC West.
You do the math.
It's come down to December once again.
It's go big or go home.
Raiders, Browns, Packers, Ravens, Dolphins.
Start a checklist.
Because like Tomlin said - the Steelers are about to "unleash hell" in December...because they have to.
The Steelers haven't lost a game this season by more than THREE points.
December 1st is one day away.
A whole new five game season starts tomorrow.
Here's to "unleashing hell" on the NFL for the next five weeks.
Now, let's get to the "Things That Were Awesome," "Things That Were Not Awesome," and "Things That Made Us Wanna Pull A Ray Lewis."
Join us, won't you?
Things That Were Awesome:
1. Dennis Dixon TD Run/ that play call
3rd and 5..... six minutes left in the 4th.....and Arians calls a Quarterback keeper (may have been an option?!) for a touchdown!
This was more surprising and rewarding than the ending to The Sixth Sense.
First off, Dixon look liked a ten year pro with his confidence in that play. He sold the handoff with so much beauty and took the edge of with a burst of speed that made Kordell Stewart ball his eyes out.
Six minutes left and the Steelers are up 17-14, we liked our chances.
Dixon was fun to watch and has the skills to be a legit NFL Quarterback. But, let's be serious, we hope the "Dennis Dixon Era" only lasted for one game.
Ben is our guy.
(ps: bye-bye Charlie Batch?)
2. Lamarr Woodley
Seven tackles, all solo, and somehow only one sack despite the fact that he spent almost as much time in the Ravens backfield as Ray Rice.
Dude terrorized Michael Oher all night long.
This marks his third straight game with a sack after starting slower than Charlie Weis' 40 time. 3. Lawrence Timmons
The Law was responsible for seven tackles (one for a loss), two sacks, and one forced fumble.
Is it just us or does this man have inhuman speed for someone who's 235 pounds?
Joe Flacco has a new nightmare to replace his unibrow.
4. Santonio Holmes
The regining Super Bowl MVP did everything he could to help his young Quarterback out last night. His stat line read - six catches for seventy-four yards and touchdown, even with a called-back eighteen yard catch where he tip-toed the sideline, diving for the first down.
What can we say about Santonio that hasn't already been said about the Playboy Mansion? #10 is fantastic.
Wasn't this around the same time last year when Santonio started to make big plays every week? Just sayin........ (**cough.......let him return punts.....cough**)
5. Ray Rice (?)
We hate the Ravens with every last particle of atomic matter in our bodies.
But we'd still touch Ray Rice like Ray Lewis does.
88 yards on 19 carries, and 67 yards on 5 catches.
He's only 5'8", 210 pounds (he wishes), but he broke tackles like a pro.
Rashard Mendenhall's our boy, but damn the kid is legit.
Things That Were Not Awesome:
1. Overtime Interception
"Steelers burned by the zone blitz." That hurts. It hurts like your sister banging your best friend.....in your bed.
We don't need to recap how this play went down or how it sealed the game for the team we hate more than the Browns. We all saw this as happen as our remote controls became firmly placed in our drywall.
Sucks........
Insert horrible Freddy Krueger pun, here.
2. D'oh
We've got nothing but heterosexual love for Mike Wallace, but he makes that catch, we win.
Not like it was as easy as Ray Lewis' Mom or anything, but it certainly looked like he had it...and then he didn't.
If this were Limas Sweed, we'd be buying up all the number 14 jerseys we could find and starting a bonfire.
For Mike Wallace, a simple - "CATCH THE DAMN BALL!!!" - will do.
Thrown to four times, and nothing to show for it.
This is the first game this season in which he hasn't had ONE catch.
Let it also be the last. 3. Ike Taylor's Lack of Swagga'
Dude played like Chad Scott.
While Ike is one of our favorite Steelers, his play was lack luster at best last night. His position was great and he stayed stride-for-stride with Mason but, when the ball was thrown in the air, he looked like a child who fell off the monkey bars.
Ike has been considered the "shutdown corner" for the Steelers over the past three or so years and has played great up until these past few weeks. Tell us you don't get nervous every time the ball is thrown his way...
How does he get his swagga back? And while we are on the subject, define "Swagga."
Discuss.....
4. Penalties
......brought back two big plays.
Not to mention the pass interference call on Ike.....
More frustrating than not scoring on Prom night, these penalties took a ton of momentum out of the Steelers offense. The Ravens were flagged more times and for more yards however, their penalties were not as impactful as the Steelers were. Make sense?
This is in no way shape or form, blaming the refs. Thats what Ravens fans do.
5. Negative Steeler Fans
There were copious amounts of negativity within Steeler Nation, even before kickoff....
We talked to numerous fans, friends, and family member who were less than enthused for this match up just because the Big Ben element would not be there. We even heard a few "I'm not even going to bother to watch, they are going to lose anyways..."
Needless to say, we will no longer be communicating with those people.
Theennnnnnnnnnn, following the loss, people were ready to tar and feather the entire Steeler coaching staff in Market Square. With the club house issues (get to that in a sec) and the three game losing streak........ people have jumped off the bandwagon as if it were infected with Typhoid Fever (Oregon Trail FTW!).
Come on Nation, we're better than that.
Things That Made Us Wanna Pull A Ray Lewis:
1. Hey, did you guys hear they made a movie about Michael Oher?
We really don't think NBC emphasized this enough, but apparently, that new movie, "The Blind Side" is about Michael Oher's life.
Look, we know it's a very uplifiting tale, and we respect the hell out of Michael Oher for what he's done already in his life, but unlike Ray Rice, we don't like things shoved down our throats like that...
We hope Warner Brothers or whoever made that thing compensated NBC well.
2. This Mess
Listen, we love Hines, and we doubt he was trying to pull a Terrell Owens here, but just because he's played with a concussion before, doesn't mean Ben should.
This was Ben's supposed FOURTH concussion in four years (four? or three? does it really matter?).
Head injuries are no joke.
If you don't believe us, go type "Mike Webster" into Google and see what you find.
Anyways, the bottom line is, Hines said what he said.
To us, it's in one ear and out the other.
The Steelers have five more winnable games to play, and they really need to win them all if they want to secure a playoff spot.
That's what's important.
Not Bob Costas pulling some Barbara Walters act on Hines Ward.
3. Ray Lewis Pumping His Chest Following The Win
We hate you.
4. Baltimore's White Rags We won't even dignify this disgrace of a motivational tool, with a picture.
Nice try, dingleberries. You will never create anything that has a comparable impact as the Terrible Towel.
Cope was spitting loogies on you all from upstairs.
5. The Ravens Converting 4th and 5
No, strike that.
How about - the Ravens converting 4th and 5 for 44 effing yards, setting up what became a 24 yard, game tying field goal with two minutes left in the 4th quarter.
If you're desperate to pinpoint a moment of breakdown, this one's as good as any.
We better just stop now before we put another hole in this wall...
Other Things That Are Only Marginally Related:
We got nothing.
Local Pittsburgh boy, Bruce Gradkowski, and the Oakland Raiders come to town this upcoming Sunday. A game against the Raiders is necessary right now.....
Then again, we felt the same way about the Chiefs.
Five games left. If you've given up hope you can go read Perez Hilton and get the hell out of here. It's rally time, kids!!!
I don't think it's outside the realm of natural thought to consider the fact that the play-calling this year has been even more lackluster than last. There were a few terrific calls in this game (like letting a rookie QB unleash his arm down the field for 60+ yard attempts), but beyond that... a DRAW play on 3rd and 13 when you're down by 4 points? Really? REALLY?! I had to hear Collins-douche-worth say, "Well, I like that call because it tells you that Arians has seen enough of Dennis Dixon." BARF-O-RAMA!
If there's nothing wrong with our players, if there's nothing wrong with the head coach and the spirit of the team and the desire to win and see some sort of post-season glimmer, why is it that play-after-play we find ourselves holding our collective breath when we see Empty Backfield or Mewelde Moore lined up in the shotgun formation? Whatever Arians is providing the team for play calling, it's not working. The defenses are reading it, snuffing out the play and laughing in our faces. It's a sad state of affairs and it needs to change. We have to have some confidence, as a team, as a FANDOM that the players going onto that field are going to be allowed to play to the best of their abilities-- not to the best 3-tight end formation that Arians can muster as he ponders whether another Delay or Draw is necessary should a goal line stand come up...
|11-30-2009 17:40
Cotter
You have to take the bad with the good.
If the Defense doesn't give up 84 yards and the corresponding 3 points on the next Ravens drive, we're in a position to win.
Still, for the record, I wasn't thrilled with the 3rd and long draw to Moore either. Nor was I thrilled with the apparent lack of interest in getting some points before the half...especially since the Ravens got the ball first in the 3rd quarter.
|11-30-2009 17:21
Grumpy
If Wallace catches that ball, I don't think he gets both feet down anyway. In position to win with the 3rd qb and the defense gives it up. Ike sucked, Gay sucked. Those white towels were just pathetic. Hines' comments made him look like a fool, and everybody from the studio guys to the newspaper columnists to the internet posters are coming down hard on him.
Five in a row, then three road games in the playoffs. We've done it before.
|11-30-2009 17:23
Cotter
Maybe not, but if he catches it, he's got a shot. What would Santonio do?
|11-30-2009 19:19
Grumpy
Santonio has had enough drops this year that I wouldn't assume a different result if he had been the target. I too have been critical of Arians at times, but I thought he had it perfect last night. With the 3rd qb, who has next to no experience, he had to keep it simple, not gamble and be close enough at the end to possibly pull it out. All of which he and Dixon did. This one is on the defense, not Arians.
|11-30-2009 19:20
Grumpy
And seriously, only Steeler fans could complain about the play calling in a year in which they won the Super Bowl.
|11-30-2009 20:02
r0ry
We lost to the Bengals by 6.
|11-30-2009 14:32
Cotter
3, 6, whatever. Not a huge difference. I'm sure you see the point.
|11-30-2009 21:56
louiedoggy
- unleash hell
this one doesn't fall on the offense at all. the defense has let us down in the fourth quarter numerous time this year. we have to admit we're just not the same without Troy. having said that this kinda reminds me of the 2007 season, coming off a Super Bowl victory and having a let down year. i like the direction that Tomlin wants to take us in, i think that he's a great coach, but i'd like to see a little more fire out of him at times. so let us hope that he lights one under our asses. every game is must win now. and to all the negative fans out there, we're better than that, you want to jump on and off, go be a Bills fan!
|12-01-2009 13:00
Gerrimy Tann
- We gotta close
Raiders, Cleveland, Green Bay, Ravens, Dolphins....
Anyone ?
Nothing like the raiders traveling cross country to get you back on ya feet, then cleveland is always there to help mend some wounds, Green (Sack Bay) Bay should pad the stats a lil bit. Troy has to be back by the Green Bay game or our secondary will be torched. If he is back I have confidence that we can win that home game too. No way we let the ravens sweep us this year... right? I think we can close out this season to a 11-5 season. Then again I thought we could run the table and end the season at 13-3, said the same thing before the bengals game thinking 14-2 was a possibility. Dang some one get Troy some steel knee implants.
|12-01-2009 14:01
Jonesz
- 4th and 5
While the 4th and 5 brought back memories and pain of the Jacksonville playoff game a couple years ago, you got to hand it to the Ravens on the play call. It was perfect and created a huge mismatch which they took advantage of.
Also some props needed for Costas for pointing out the Ravens FG attempt at the end of regulation was mismarked and should have been about 5 more yards back.
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