Who cares if win wasn’t pretty?
PITTSBURGH – They don’t give style points in NFL football. It all comes down to the final score. The Steelers learned that the hard way last week, when they lost to the expansion Houston Texans by 18 points despite out-gaining them by almost 400 yards of offense.
They reinforced that lesson in a much more positive way with Sunday’s 30-14 win over the Carolina Panthers. Pittsburgh played well on defense and was effective enough on offense to earn the only thing it set out to earn, a win.
That is the only thing that matters in this league, especially in December, when teams from one coast to the other begin to position themselves for the upcoming NFL playoffs.
So, it doesn’t really matter anymore that the Steelers didn’t get into the end zone on every possession. It doesn’t matter that one of Jeff Reed’s three field goals had to bounce through. It doesn’t matter that Plaxico Burress slipped or that Tommy Maddox threw an interception.
It doesn’t even matter that the Panthers managed to stay within a touchdown at halftime, even though their offense couldn’t muster one positive offensive yard in the first 30 minutes. Heck, it doesn’t even matter that their touchdown early in the fourth quarter kept them in the game.
All that matters, from the Steelers perspective, is that they won. The bookies will argue that covering the point spread was important, but the Steelers would have taken a 1-point win.
Granted, this Steelers team has had its share of ups and downs this season – and I’ve been critical of them when it was warranted – but they wake up this morning where a lot of teams would like to be. Pittsburgh is in first place in the AFC North Division. They lead Cleveland and Baltimore by a game and a half with two to play, so they have all but locked up the title and a playoff berth.
But they also realize, especially after all they’ve been through so far this season, which nothing should be taken for granted. They’ll have to earn everything they achieve in this zany season.
That’s the mindset they’ll carry into Raymond James Stadium a week from tonight. They have a prime-time date with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and that should be enough motivation for any team.
In this bottom line business, it doesn’t get any more basic than this.
“I think the bottom line is next Monday night against maybe the best team in football and I don’t think you need to talk about what is at stake,” Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. “This is an opportunity that, in itself, will create all the motivation you need.”
Of course, the Buccaneers should have a little bit more motivation. They have memories and even if they didn’t, they’d have newspaper clippings dating back to last season, when Steelers safety Lee Flowerserred to the Bucs as “paper champions” after the Steelers had won, 17-10, last Oct. 21 at Tampa Bay.
Most of Flowers’ teammates tried to downplay his words after Sunday’s win, but Cowher seemed to want to put them in perspective, more than simply try to dismiss them.
“They are a good football team,” Cowher said. “Last year was last year. This year, they have proven they are the real deal.”
The Bucs won for the 11th time this season, but still have more to play for than making Flowers eat his words. Because two of their losses were against NFC South Division opponent New Orleans, Tampa Bay has not clinched the division title yet.
“They’ve got a lot of pride on that team, just like we do,” running back Jerome Bettis said of the Bucs. “I’m sure they circled that date on their calendar a long time ago and I’m sure they can’t wait for us to get back down there, so we had better be ready to take on their best because that’s what we’ll get.”
Ironically, Tampa Bay should expect the best the Steelers can bring to the table, too. Strange as it might sound, the Steelers are in a pretty favorable position. Nobody expects them to go into to Tampa and beat the Buccaneers. But if they can do it, the division title will be theirs.
Get ready for an interesting week. You can bet Tampa defensive tackle Warren Sapp will be all over the Flowers quote. He’ll be talking up a storm down south. Cowher will try to keep his players, especially Flowers, quiet. He’ll want them to do their talking on the field.
Even stranger than that, after how poorly this season has gone for them at times, the Steelers still have a chance to make it special. And that’s really all they ever wanted, anyway, was a chance.
Sports editor Mike Ciarochi may be reached at mciarochi@heraldstandard.com.