Steelers still in good shape
Now that the diehards have been talked back off the ledge after last Sunday’s disappointing loss to Cincinnati, Steeler fans can look forward at the waning days of the NFL schedule with a sound mind. I’ve talked a few people down myself. The way I figure the NFL playoff hunt is similar to an NBA game, or, in the spirit of the season, the Christmas shopping season.
Sure, everyone gets hyped up for “Black Friday” and the major sales. But, stores and websites don’t shut down the following Saturday, and the sales don’t dry up.
I see the NFL schedule in the same vein. Although it’s a truism, the only way to win a Super Bowl title is a berth into the playoffs. Pittsburgh proved that when the Steelers ran the table to win the Super Bowl in Detroit. Sure, winning the AFC North is nice. Get a banner, play at least one home game, maybe get an opening round bye, etc., but six teams make the playoffs, just not four.
If the playoffs started today (ugh, how I despise those words), Cincinnati, New England, Indianapolis and either Denver or San Diego would be division champs with Pittsburgh and Denver/San Diego the wild-card teams.
Actually, Pittsburgh is tied with the Patriots, Broncos and Chargers for the third-best conference mark at 6-3. (The Colts are 9-0 and Cincinnati is 7-2.) Unfortunately, two of the losses came in the AFC to the Bengals.
Can the Steelers pass the Bengals? Boy, that’s a tough task. Although Pittsburgh trails by one loss, the Steelers are really two games behind because of tiebreakers (a Cincinnati sweep and the Bengals’ 5-0 record – with only Cleveland left – in the AFC North).
Can the Steelers win out? Well, the NFL sells itself “on any given Sunday,” but they certainly could. Baltimore (5-4) twice, Kansas City (2-7), Oakland (2-7), Cleveland (just woeful), Green Bay (5-4), and Miami (4-5). Baltimore’s aging defense looks to have a few cracks, and Joe Flacco’s past success might even up now. Miami lost Ronnie Brown (oh, my poor fantasy team), and Kansas City and Oakland, well, they’re not the Chiefs and Raiders of Hank Stram and John Madden anymore. Green Bay’s seems to be petering out of late, so a run is not out of the question. Cleveland, well, need I say more.
The defense, sans Troy Polamalu (again), played well against the Bengals. An NFL defense that allows four field goals has put its offense in position to win a game. Unfortunately, as Steeler fans know all too well, football is a three-headed game, and special teams dropped the ball by allowing yet another touchdown return.
Much has been said of Jeff Reed’s lame attempt on the lone touchdown of the game. Well, to his defense, he is a kicker, but, really. Fall down, feign a hamstring pull (one of my personal favorites), run in front of him like a lead blocker, anything other than the ‘matador wave’ he made in front of the viewing public. Too bad for ‘Skippy,’ everyone else on the coverage (used loosely) team lost their lanes, only he was out in the open for all to see.
Troy, Troy, what are we to do with you? Hopefully, Tyrone Carter and Deshea Townshend will pick up the slack as they have in the past.
The offense? The red-zone execution was pretty offensive, just not very productive. They can’t even get on the same page on whether they were out of sync or not.
So, just relax folks. When the panic (and scurrying from store to store) sets in the Sunday before Christmas, take stock of your gift list and the NFL standings. Hopefully, all will be in order by then.