Pittsburgh not about to give up
PITTSBURGH – “Over? Did you say ‘over’? Nothing is over until we decide it is.” Bluto Blutarski’s battle cry from the movie “Animal House” is on the verge of being repeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That’s right, those Steelers, the same ones who opened defense of their Super Bowl XL championship with a 2-6 record.
The same team that a few weeks ago suffered its second shutout loss of the season, a dubious first for coach Bill Cowher.
The same group wakes up this morning at 6-7, thanks to Thursday’s 27-7 whipping of the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field. It was Pittsburgh’s fourth win in five games.
They know, all of them know, that they haven’t done enough yet, or as Cowher has said countless times, they haven’t done anything yet. The point, though, is that they still have life.
It would take a stranger than strange set of circumstances, but the Steelers remain alive for an AFC playoff berth. With three games remaining, there are way too many scenarios to even take any of them seriously, but hope remains.
That’s all we know, but that will do for now for these Steelers.
The critics have had a field day all along, ripping everything from Cowher’s sideline demeanor to his choice of real estate location. More recently, they have taken shots at the Steelers ground game, which is as close to a below-the-belt blow anyone could make.
The ground game has been a Steelers staple as long as a guy named Rooney has been the owner, which is forever.
How did the Steelers respond to that? Willie Parker set a team record with 223 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Browns last night.
The criticism likely will continue, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It was from such criticism that this modest winning streak may have been born.
After the team’s 31-20 home loss to Denver dropped the Steelers to 2-6, a reporter asked Cowher if pride was all the Steelers had left to play for.
Cowher reacted incredulously. He knew the situation was grim. He knew that the Steelers were on the brink of elimination. But he also knew there was plenty of football left to be played.
“We play to win and we’ll keep playing to win until somebody tells us we’re out of it,” Cowher said at the time.
Ever since, Cowher has had his team focused on its next game, next opponent, next challenge. The critics, of course, haven’t let up.
They were correct to point out that Pittsburgh’s schedule got awfully soft, except for New Orleans and Baltimore, and all that leaves is a Tampa Bay and two Clevelands. Sure, that’s soft, but the point remains that the Steelers have won four of their last five.
There is plenty of work left, with games at Carolina and Cincinnati sandwiching a home date with the Ravens. And, yes, regardless of whether they win all three or not, the Steelers chances of crashing the playoff party are remote at best.
But stranger things have happened in this league.
Sports editor Mike Ciarochi may be reached at mciarochi@heraldstandard.com