The Steelers On A Winning Streak?

Because of Shaun Suisham and Le'Veon Bell the Steelers are on a winning streak

      The 1-4 PittsburghSteelers finally stopped the bleeding last week with a victory over the 3-3 New York Jets. More importantly, they turned the tide and stopped beating themselves with penalties and turnovers. Every week seems to be a new challenge for this Steelers team. The  Pittsburgh Steelers had their backs against the wall on Sunday and played like it. In the end, it wasn't the prettiest game, but the Steelers held on to get a 19-16 victory over their AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens dropped to 3-4 and they are below 500 in the first 7 games since John Harbaugh took over as head coach. The Streelers are now 2-4  and the whole team seems to sense a turn-around coming.

      The Pittsburgh Steelers have won two straight games after losing the first 4.  This week they beat their divisional rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, 19-16 in dramatic fashion. Shaun Suisham kicked the game-winning field goal in the final seconds to put the Steelers over the Ravens. Suisham just might be the team’s MVP so far this season unless someone on the offense breaks out. The Steelers will hit the road to face the Oakland Raiders to keep ir wining streak in alive. The Steelers need to just keep winning to increase their chance of a playoff berth and hope the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and the Ravens start losing more.

      Steelers came into yesterday's game with the second worst average in the NFL for rushing yard per game at 61 yards per, but got a strong effort from rookie running back Le'Veon Bell to put up 141 total rushing yards in the game. That's more than double their season average coming into the game and it was a big factor for the Steelers in their win. They were able to keep Joe Flacco and the Baltimore offense off the feild. Bell outran the average himself, as he carried the ball 19 times for 93 yards, even though he didn't score a touchdown, his play could have been the most important of any player in the win. Pittsburgh averaged 4.9 yards per carry in the. That's the best they've run so far this season.

Steelers Too Close For Comfort 2012 Season

        No team in 2012 has been involved in more close games than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Outside of soundly beating the Jets and Redskins and losing badly to San Diego, the Steelers have played a dozen close games that were decided by the slimmest of margins. Pittsburgh scored the game-winning points in the fourth quarter or overtime of five games, but had seven losses in the same situations. Realistically, the Steelers could be anywhere from 2-13 to 14-1 right now. Instead they are 7-8, and a failure to close out more of these close games was the culprit. But it was a season of the Steelers unable to finish as a team.

        Pittsburgh peaked in Weeks 7-9 when they beat Cincinnati, Washington and the Giants. Even in those games, they had to come back from a double-digit deficit twice, but at least they came through, and that was the only time the running game was working. The season almost has taken on two halves, as it was more about the defensive failures early in the season. The defense surrendered a fourth-quarter lead in four of the first five games this season. But then the defense improved in the second half while the offense really struggled to close games out.

         The offense even had a chance to win a game late in all three starts Ben  Roethlisberger missed, but they could not come through with Byron Leftwich against Baltimore, or Charlie Batch in Cleveland. Batch however did get the job done in Baltimore, which is Pittsburgh’s only win in their last six games. Roethlisberger actually could have won the league’s MVP award with better play in crunch time. The offense’s inept play without him would have been the additional argument he needed to build his case, because he had the stats. He just had an unusually high number of failures in the clutch. Though Roethlisberger may finish 2012 with just eight interceptions, many will define his season by the four big ones he had.
 

         The offense and defense just could not get on the same page this year, and even the special teams had their struggles, like Brown coughing up the ball on a punt return in Dallas in a similar situation when the Steelers could have gone up two scores. But what might be most unacceptable is how the offense crumbled when they were so close to winning several of these games. We are talking about when one more completion likely would have did the job to run out the clock, and have Suisham come out for the game-winning field goal. Whether it is better execution or getting better calls by the coaches, they have to find a way to make the plays that win close games.

Say It Aint So, Ben

         Say it ain't so, Ben! Tell us you can still get the Pittbsurgh Steelers into the playoffs. Tell us the team is over self destructing  and ready to play Steelers football. Tell us why the Steelers have played down to there competition and lose to teams they should beat. Can someone tell us why some of the coaches decisions have turned a great team into a mediocre one.

         The Pittsburgh Steelers would be tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North Division lead they had won over a bad San Diego Chargers team and a Dallas Cowboys team the Steelers decided not to beat. Even with these two debacle behind them, they still have a chance to save their season. If Pittsburgh can beat the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns, they should secure the last AFC wild-card spot.

          The Steelers are 7-7 and a better team than their record. Four out of their seven losses this year have been by three points. That's how close they were to an 11-3 record even with all the injuries. Missed opportunities and mistakes almost kept a good football team on the outside looking in. Now is the time to go into the playoffs on a roll. If they can win these last two games, they have a chance to go all the way. They did it once before, they can do it again.

Ben Returns After Batch Beats Ravens

     After the Pittsburgh Steelers so called dinosaur quarterback, Charlie Batch out-played Joe Flacco and defeated the Baltimore Ravens 23-20, Ben Roethlisberger is slated to return Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.Ben is returning to action after missing the last three games with a shoulder injury.

     Roethlisberger practiced for the second straight day on Thursday, and Coach Mike Tomlin was comfortable enough with what he saw to say Roethlisberger will start this week.“He has been above the line in all areas,” said Tomlin following Thursday’s practice. “Really, the only question we can’t answer is taking a hit. Obviously that will be answered in the stadium on Sunday.

     “I am extremely comfortable with his ability to work"I'm getting there," Roethlisberger said. "I'm getting there," Roethlisberger said. "I've got to talk to (tight end) Heath (Miller). He's my barometer. He lets me know how close I am to 100 percent on velocity and stuff like that." He has great velocity on his ball. We’re ready to go.”

      The Baltimore Ravens will play the Washington Redskins and RG3. The Ravens will welcome the return of Ray Lewis on defense. The Baltimore offense struggled against the Steelers last week. Find Pittsburgh Steelers fan clubs.

Steelers Almost Beat Ravens With Wounded Back-Up

     Less than a minute into the game, the Pittsbugh Steelers' Byron Leftwich rolled right on a pass play, then took off up the right sideline. Leftwich fell awkwardly as he stumbled across the goal line and grabbed for his right shoulder. This would be the only offensive touchdown of the game. The Steelers scored only 3 more points on a field goal to lose 13-10 to the Baltimore Ravens.

     Baltimore's offense did next to nothing. Ray Rice managed a only 40 yards on 20 carries. The Ravens only had 200 yards of offense to the Steelers 311. Joe Flacco struggled in the passing game  throwing for just 164 yard to an injured Byron Leftwich's 201 yards. The Ravens’ six points on offense came off two Pittsburgh turnovers. Pittsburgh’s second punt was returned for a touchdown adding 7 more.
    
     Pittsburgh had its chances, including two forced drops on the final drive of the game. In fact, the Steelers came within inches of taking a lead late in the third quarter, when Leftwich and Mike Wallace narrowly missed on a touchdown. You could tell Leftwich was injured, but they kept sending him out there. The injury appeared to limit Leftwich, as he missed badly on several throws late in the game. He was seen wincing and grabbing his ribs  multiple times.

     Leftwich reportedly injured his ribs during the first quarter on Sunday, but still played the rest of the game. He fractured two ribs on Sunday and will now miss Pittsburgh's next game, according to a report from the Associated Press. With Leftwich out and Roethlisberger's status still unknown, the next man up is Charlie Batch.

     The Steelers (6-4) will likely start 37-year-old backup Charlie Batch when they face the (2-8) Cleveland Browns next. It will be Batch's first start since the 2011 season. Batch is 5-2 as a substitute starter over the past decade . Byron Leftwich hasn't won an NFL game since 2006. What they gain with Batch is a better game manager and a proven track record.

Steelers Looking Good Without Some Vital Parts!

        The Pittsburgh Steelers went into Cincinnati with a lot of missing parts. Their top two running backs, Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman, both were sidelined with injuries. Also the offensive  line was decimated with injuries, especially to all-pro center, Maurkice Pouncey. But, the worst injury was on the defense. Strong safety, Troy Polamalu has been trying to overcome a nagging calf injury for weeks. So, the 2-3 Steelers would have to have some players step up if they were going to get to 500.

        The defense was able to keep the game close, even without Polamalu. And Ben Roethlisberger kept looking for some receiver that could hold unto the ball. His most reliable receiver was tight end, Heath Miller. When Ben as in trouble he used Heath to bail him out. But the most surprising performances came from two back-up running backs.

        The speed and shiftiness of Chris Rainey proved to much for the Cincinnati Bengals defense at the goal line. He slashed through them like a hot knife through butter. And Jonathon Dwyer brought back memories of Jerome Bettis. This hulking back showed the same dancing feet and power as he rushed for over 100 yards.

         The Steelers won 24-17 to improve their record to 3-3. The Baltimore Ravens lost allowing Pittsburgh to gain a game on the division leader. The next test is RG3 and the Washington Redskins. Altough they beat Cincinnati, there were still too many dropped passes, especially by usually sure-handed, Mike Wallace. Get well Steelers and give us your best effort against the 'Skins.

Pittsburgh Steelers Back On Top!

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 24-17 in their first meeting this season. The 6-3 Bengals competed all game long and the Steelers had to work hard to secure the win. The best thing about the win is that it helps to erase the pain of losing the 2nd time to their other division rivals, the 6-3 Baltimore Ravens. The AFC North is the only division in the NFL with three teams having at least 3 wins half way through the season. Right now the Steelers are on top.

The Steelers have one more win than the other two team because they haven't had a bye week yet. Ironically the Steelers will have their bye week this week while Baltimore and Cincinnati play each other. That game could determine which team is on top when the Steelers return.

The bye week couldn't come at a better time for the Steelers. With a tough schedule ahead and players needing time to mend, it's just what the doctor ordered. Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisbereger and Lamarr Woodley along with some offensive linemen could really use the time off. Nagging injuries and two emotional games in a row have really taken a toll. Get well Steelers, see you next game.

Steelers Loss Not So Bad

There's no doubt that the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens hurts. The Ravens now control the AFC North with 2 wins over the Steelers. The good thing is that the Steelers hung with the Ravens this time. Their first meeting resulted in a 35-7 pounding by Baltimore that could have been discouraging to any but a veteran team. The Steelers slid to third place in the division, but playoff hopes are still alive.

The (6-3) Pittsburgh Steelers are behind Baltimore (6-2) and the Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) and will meet the Bengals this week before going on a bye. The remaing games are 2 with Cincinnati, 2 with the (3-5) Cleveland Browns, the (4-4) Kansas City Cheifs, the (7-1) San Francisco 49ers and the 1-7 St. Louis Rams. If they win at least 5 of those 7 games, they could still make the playoffs. If they win all of them, there's a chance to win the division.

I'll admit that there are some tough games ahead. But this team has been able to put together winning streaks in the past that took them all the way to the Super Bowl. Because of having their bye week late in the season, the Steelers wil get some much needed rest and a chance for some players to get back into action.  This loss to the Ravens was bad, but it could have been a whole lot worse. The season is not over yet. This is just the start of the 2nd season.

Steelers Win! Experts and Patriots Lose!

Almost all the so called experts had the Pittsburgh Steelers going down in defeat to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Not so fast my friend, you have to play the game. And that's just what the Steelers did as they went on to win 25-17. They beat Bill Belichick and the Patriots at their own game. Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff out coached the great mastermind on both sides of the football.

Offensively Ben Roethlisberger looked like Tom Brady, throwing 50 times for 365 yards. That's almost unheard of from a Steelers team. “We can be as good as we want to be,” Roethlisberger said. “When we don’t kill ourselves and stop ourselves, we can be pretty dangerous.” Tom Brady on the other hand, was held to under 200 yards passing.  “We all have to individually look in the mirror and figure out what we need to get better at,” Brady said.

The Steelers looked great on defense too. Before Lamarr Woodley got injured , he sacked Brady twice. Instead of their traditional zone defense, the Steelers played man 70% of the time. This switch confused Brady and disrupted the receiver's routes. With Troy Polamalu flying around and the rest of the defense playing up to their talent, the steelers looked good going into next week's rematch with the Baltimore Ravens. The Pittsburgh remains on top the NFL AFC North division at 6-2.

Pittsburgh Steelers That's More Like It!

      Last week the Pittsburgh Steelers seemed to play only half a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even though the Steelers squeaked out a win, they didn't play as well as they were capable of. Finally they played well on both sides of the ball and defeated the Arizona Cardinals 32-20. Ben had a great day passing and the defense stepped up in critical situations. Because the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Tennessee Titans Monday night, the Steelers find themselves on top the AFC North with a 5-2 record. The New England Patriots and Tom Brady will come into Heinz Field this week and the Steelers will have to play even better against them.

The Steelers Another Tale Of Two Halfs

The Pittsburgh Steelers looked pretty good in the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Steelers offense scored 17 points in the first half and went totally flat in the second. If it wasn't for a shaky defense only giving up 13 unanswered points, the Steelers could have easily lost to a not so good Jaguars team. As it is the beat up Pittsburgh Steelers limped to a 4-2 record.

With the Baltimore Ravens at 4-1, leading the division and the Cincinnati Bengals 4-2, the Steelers have not yet started the hardest part of their schedule. After the 1-4 Arizona Cardinals in week 7 they will have to deal with Baltimore again, the New England Patriots, the San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati twice. If they're going to make the playoffs, the Steelers will need to beat some of those good teams. So, strap it on Steelers and play we know you can.

Steelers Disappointing Loss To The Ravens

I've been trying all week to process the 35-7 loss of the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Baltimore Ravens and words fail me. My wife cautioned me about some morbid tragedy analogy I was thinking of in light of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. My wife's birthday happens to be September 11th. The way this defeat could be more embarrassing, is if it had happened in Heinz Field.

When I first looked at the Steelers schedule, I couldn't believe how easy it looked besides the Ravens. After Sundays shameful display, I wonder if the Steelers can beat some of the weaker teams on their schedule. It's only 1 loss and we won the AFC North division with 4 losses and went to the Super Bowl last season. I hope the Baltimore game is a wake up call and the team gets serious about playing football.

I'm glad I didn't say some of the things I had in mind on Monday. The Pittsburgh Steelers are still the best and most talented team in the NFL until they prover otherwise. I pity the Seattle Seahawks if the Steelers decide to make a statement this week. If they can hold onto the football and play solid defense no telling how may games they'll win.

1 Half Is Better Than None!

I know we're in the Super Bowl. And as a Steelers fan I should be ecstatic. I know Ben Roethlisberger made a terrific play to pick up the 1st down that iced the game for the Steelers in the final 2 minutes. But, the Steelers only played one good half. The Pittsburgh Steelers played like Super Bowl champs in the 1st half to lead the New York Jets 24-3. But, as the 2nd quarter ended the defense allowed the Jets to march down the field with sloppy play, poor tackling and stupid penalties. Right then I felt that those 3 points shifted the momentum of the game. And just like Lee Corso on ESPN's College Gameday, I was saying "Not so fast my friends."

At half time people were calling my house and telling me what a total beat down the Steelers were going to put on the Jets. Even my wife whose watched every Steelers game with me this year and knows how the Steelers leave teams hanging around and make every game a heart attack, she was just beside herself with optimism. I had to put out the caution flag to preserve my own sanity. "Don't you remember the lousy 1st half we played against the Baltimore Ravens?", I asked. "And didn't we play an awesome 2nd half to beat them?" Could it happen to the Steelers?

Well no on expected the Jets to do the same thing to us, but maybe the Jets. The Steelers came out flat on defense in the 2nd half. It was like we knew we won and just wanted to let the time run out, not have any turnovers and move on to the Super Bowl. The only thing was, there was too much time left to waste! A lot can happen in a half with a team as desperate as you are to win a championship. If we could make adjustments to turn the game around against Baltimore, so could they. And they almost did!

In The NFC championship game we saw the Green Bay Packers only play half a game with the Chicago Bears and almost let a 3rd string quarterback beat them. Let's hope the Steelers have a better half than the Packers do in Super Bowl XLV. And why not play two good halves? That might give us our 7th Lombardi trophy. Go Steelers!

Steelers - Ravens Fans Sound Off (by By James Walker)

Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs created a buzz this week by wearing a controversial T-shirt, which showed a Raven making a not-so-nice gesture to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Was it over the line or just Suggs having a little fun?

Here is some reaction from Ravens and Steelers fans in our AFC North inbox:

Dan from Hanover, Pa., writes: Suggs' T-shirt choice is unfortunate. It is unsportsmanlike and is a horrible example to his younger fans. To his credit, he's been pretty civil with his words this week, but the shirt was definitely over the line.

Dan from Lynchburg, Va., writes: I love the Suggs T-shirt. Where do I buy one? That's is how all us fans feel about the other team and city. That's what makes this such a great rivalry. Suggs has continued to talk about winning a championship for the fans, this shirt is for the fans.

Joe from San Antonio, Texas, writes: I think it's a classless display. Terrell Suggs has won nothing worth mentioning as a Raven, and wasn't it just last year he struggled with sacks? Plus, it's not just adult males that follow the Ravens, it's kids, some of whom probably look to players like Suggs as a role model. He needs to go back to Communication 101. There are other ways of, ahem, expressing yourself.

Ryan Morrison from Baltimore, Md., writes: I think that the shirt is just him having some fun. People in Baltimore have been looking at these shirts for a couple years now and it's not surprising to us. But i guess the rest of the world sees it different.

Mutt from Warrenton, Va., writes: There is no need for trash talk in this rivalry. Both teams are tough and not intimidated by the other. I am left to assume that Suggs is either nervous or just a loudmouth.

David from Salt Lake City, Utah, writes: "Hey Terrell," I couldn't help but notice there is no ring on that finger!

Ethan from Reisterstown, Md., writes: I don't think Suggs' new shirt is meant maliciously. It's just the general attitude the fans have for each other - not in real life, just in jest. I mean, really, any fan of the Ravens pretty much hates the Steelers, and I'm sure in Pittsburgh the reverse is true.

Darrell Thompson from Fort Worth, Texas, writes: I think this is a way of Suggs staying loose. These two teams have a lot more class than what's going on in the AFC East.

Peter from St. Andrews, Scotland, writes: He can say what he wants. He hates the Steelers, I hate the Pigeons. That doesn't mean I don't respect them for being as good a team as they are, and I'm sure he feels likewise about the Steelers. After the way Ben Roethlisberger shrugged him off in the game-winning drive in December, he has no choice but to respect! And no disrespect to Suggs for that play, he was a beast in that game!

Joe Brewer III from Columbia, S.C., writes: Sure, Terrell Suggs may dress louder, but who hits harder? We'll see who gets the W.

New England Patriots Homer of the Week

You knew fans from the AFC East wouldn't mind their business this week.

Anonymous Patriots fan writes: All the trash-talking for what? I thought you do that after you win? Don't worry, Ravens and Steelers. Do all the trash-talking you want. Both of you will be watching the Patriots win another ring.

Bad Play Calls, Injured Defense, Lousy Special Teams and Blind Refs = Steelers Loss

           Another agonizing Pittsburgh Steelers game to watch. The Steelers managed to snatch defeat from victory in a 22-17 loss to the New York Jets. With an opportunity to put some distance between them and the Baltimore Ravens and a shot at home field for the NFL playoffs, the Steelers managed to come up short.

         The Jets were coming off a couple of losses where quarterback, Mark Sanchez had less than stellar performances. He was plagued by interceptions and the offense had trouble scoring points. The Steelers defense had been carrying the team waiting for the offense to get on track. So, what went wrong?

         Tragedy struck before the game when super safety, Troy Polamalu could not start because of an injury. Although the Jets had never won at Heinz Field, The Steelers record without Polamalu favored the New York team. If that wasn't bad enough, the Steelers go-to tight end, Heath Miller would have to sit out another week after suffering a concussion in the Ravens game.

         Then the game! Pittsburgh's special teams fell asleep during the opening kickoff and the Steelers started 7 points in the hole. As the game progressed, the referees became blind and decided not to flag some interference and holding calls on the Jets defense. On a crucial drive, that would have put the Steelers ahead, the refs missed a defensive holding call by the Jets against, Steelers wide receiver, Emmanual Sanders.

         The Pittsburgh offense put up good numbers and the score was tied three times then the Steelers had the lead 17-10 in the 3rd quarter. Rashard Mendenhall had 100 yards rushing and Ben Roethlisberger threw for 264. So, how did they lose? Well  the the Steelers defense had trouble getting off the field on 3rd down. An unnecessary roughness penalty by Ryan Clark which put the Jets on the Steelers 17. Now the Pittsburgh defense fell asleep and let Sanchez run a naked bootleg to the left and scored untouched. Game tied 17-17.

          The Jets started the 4th quarter running on the Steelers which produced  a field goal. With less than 3 minutes left, the Steelers needed 3 points to tie the game and send it into overtime. But they were pinned at their own 3 yard line after a punt destined for the end zone was batted back by the Jets. Now they would have a long way to go to keep their hopes alive.

          Here's where the brain-dead, bone-head bad play call came from the sidelines. Mewelde Moore took the hand off from Ben in the shotgun deep in the end zone and barley made it to the goal line. The result, a safety which gave the Jets 2 points, a 5 point lead and the ball back with 2:40 left on the clock. Now the Steelers would need a touchdown instead of a field goal. The Steelers defense held and gave the ball back to Ben with 2:08 left. I couldn't believe that they still had a chance to pull it out.

          Roethlisberger wa like a surgeon slicing the Jets defense with passes and running to keep the drive going. With 29 seconds left, he threw deep to Sanders and if the Jets defender wouldn't have grabbed his jersey, he would have scored the winning touchdown. But, the refs didn't throw the flag. On 3rd and ten, with 2 seconds to go, Ben threw an incomplete pass as time ran out.

          It was an exciting game to watch, but you felt empty and drained when it was over. I hope the Steelers have a better outcome when they play the Carolina Panthers on Thursday. It's not known whether Polamalu will play or not.

Men Of Steel With An Amazing Finish

    Another agonizing game to watch. The Pittsburgh Steelers were not able to score a point the whole 1st half. The offense was just not clicking and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger got his nose broke on the Steelers first offensive series. Ben came into the game with a broken foot. The Steelers punter, Sepulvada left the game with a season ending leg injury. The Steelers defense held the Baltimore Ravens to 7 points and played tough all night.

    About 5 minutes into the 3rd quarter the Steelers were able to get a 45 yard field goal from newly acquired place kicker, Suisham. Midway through the quarter Baltimore added a 24 yard field goal to make it 10-3. As the quarter came to the end, Pittsburgh lost offensive lineman, Flozell Adams yo injury and tight end Heath Miller to a concussion  just as they started a drive to the end zone. The offensive line came into the game already depleted by several injured players. The Ravens defense was able to hold Pittsburgh to another field goal.


    Two punts for the Steelers and two for the Ravens and I'm screaming at the TV and the coaches to find a way to win this game. It was like "pulling teeth" for the Steelers to score a touchdown. I turned to my wife and said " It looks like, if the Steelers are going to win this game, the defense is going to have to score".

    Then it happened! An all out blitz with Toy Polamolu knocking quarterback, Joe Flacco's arm and causing a fumble recovered by Lamarr Woodley and taken to the Ravens nine yard line with 3:22 left in the game. Three plays later, Ben Roethlisberger, broken nose and foot throws a touchdown pass to back-up running back Redman as the Steelers take a 13-10 lead and leap to the top of the AFC North division with a 9-3 record.

    Amazingly Steelers linebacker, James Harrison didn't get fined for any vicious hits. However, the Ravens defense committed at least 4 hits to the head that weren't called penalties. The Ravens Haloti Ngata put his hand or fist through Ben Roethleisberger's helmet and broke his nose. Jameel McClain was involved in a deliberate helmet to helmet shot on Steelers defenseless wide receiver, Heath Miller. And the hit no one is talking about as Ben was trying to dodge the rush of Terell Suggs and get rid of the ball. Suggs twice slapped Ben on the side of his helmet.

    In spite of the injuries and the penalties that weren't called (I guess they were wearing the wrong uniform) , the Men Of Steel were able to defeat their arch rivals in a hostile Ravens stadium where Baltimore had won 8 straight games until the Steelers came to town.

Steelers Win Ugly In OT - Ravens Next!

     I've been trying to let the memory of the Steelers game Sunday fade into oblivion. I know they got the win, but if not for a dropped perfect pass in the end zone in overtime, it could have easily been a loss. It's amazing how the Pittsburgh Steelers can have 426 yards of offense and only score 19 points.

     With that kind of offense they should have gotten at least 30. Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 151 yards, Hines Ward had 107 receiving yards and Big Ben Roethlisberger threw for 246. Besides that, they held the ball for 45 minutes to the Buffalo Bills 27. So, how did they just barely win 19-16 in OT?

     Well, the penalty bug bit them again. The Steelers were penalized for the 2nd week in a row for over 100 yards. I'm not saying that the Refs and the League have it in for the Steelers, but they might. Besides the penalties, Ben was sacked a few times and suffered an ankle sprain, while Mendenhal's fumble almost cost them the game. There were also some dropped passes, especially the one by Emmanuel Sanders that would have resulted in a long gain.

     If they can play like the did against the Bills, but without the mistakes, they can beat the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. If they want to reclaim the AFC North crown, they'll have to have their heads in the game against Ray Lewis and company. Troy Polamolu's interception late saved the victory for the Steelers. Let's hope they don't need any late game heroics when they play the Ravens.

Pittsburgh Steelers "Too Little - Too Late"

     Have you ever noticed how some teams come out of the locker room ready to play and other teams seem less prepared and unenthusiastic? Well, that was the scene in Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football. A week ago the New England Patriots got blind-sided by the Cleveland Browns. That high powered Tom Brady offense stumbled as the Browns poked holes in their defense. Well, Monday night the Patriots figured out what was wrong and put a 'W' on the sleep-walking Steelers.

     I know Pittsburgh has some key injuries to their offensive line and Hines Ward was hurt early in the game. But, they still managed to get 26 points on New England's ''D'. We know Ben's going to try and do too much and give up a couple of sacks and an interception or two. He still has a good core of receivers, even without Ward. And let's not forget how Cleveland exploited New Englands' young secondary.

     Even with the injuries to the Steelers defensive linemen, the soft coverage and lack of aggression was noticeable in the first half, especially. You give Brady the kind of time the Steelers did and you have no chance to make a play. He went virtually untouched for most of the game and Belicheck had his team ready. Mike Tomlin didn't.

     The Steelers defense had given up an average of 15.7 points a game. The Patriots almost tripled that in the 39-26 beating of the Steelers. I just hope the Pittsburgh coaches can do what the Patriots did when the Steelers play the Raiders next week. Pittsburgh remains tied atop the AFC North with the Baltimore Ravens at 6-3. New England is tied with the New York Jets form the best record in the NFL at 7-3.

The Steelers Need To Take The Tigers By The Tail

Search Amazon.com for Steelers The (5-2) Pittsburgh Steelers need a win over the (2-5) Cincinnati Bengals to keep pace with the (6-2) division leading Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers are 2-1 since the return of quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger and Monday night will be a test of two AFC North rivals.

Ben's return has accelerated the Steelers' passing game and with the emergence of WR Mike Wallace and the acquisition of former Steeler wideout, Antwaan Randel El, Pittsburgh is set to make some big plays. Key players to watch are Hines Ward, Heath Miller and Troy Polamalu.

Beside a potent offense, the Steelers have one of the top defenses in the League. Lawrence Timmons has emerged as as star at linebacker. With James Harrison and James Farrior they may best the most formidable linebacking group in the NFL.

The Bengals are hungry for a win, especially in their division. They'll have to solve the Steelers 'D" and slow down Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall to get a 'W'. The Bengals are coming off a 22-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins and with Chad Ochcinco and T O, the Bengals are looking for an upset. Steelers if you take these cats for pets, they just might bite you.

Steelers Still Alive - Barely

By beating the Green Bay Packers 37-36 with a dramatic last second touchdown pass, the Pittsburgh Steelers are only a game behind in the hunt for a wild-card spot. The Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens lead the AFC wild-card race with 8-6 records. There are several other AFC teams with 7-7 records, including the Steelers with only two games remaining.

Pittsburgh's chances for making the playoffs will depend a lot on what the other teams do, even if the Steelers manage to win out. Their two remaining games are with Baltimore and Miami. Both teams are vying for a chance at post season play. The offense seems to be playing well, but defensively they haven't been the same since Troy Polamalu went down. If it looks like they could make the playoffs, he may be in the line-up.

Let's just hope they can win the last two before we get playoff fever. Ben Roethlisberger was unbelievable against the Packers, passing for a record 503 yards. Watch the Steelers vs. Packers video highlights.