END OF HIATUS

...I just needed some time to cool off.


Well, just when you think you're a sure bet to be standing outside the ring of musical chairs the last seven weeks of the season you find yourself back in the fray and now EVERY game is now important.


RE: RAVENS GAME--

1. Got to say it; hate the freaking "bubble screen" (and I can't tell you how many times I've said this in the past). If you watched the game you'll know what I mean.


2. Ben, are you with us or against us? Lately you've thrown at least one interception in EVERY CRITICAL game--AFC Championship, SB, Ravens Game 1, New England, Ravens Game II; need I say more. As the saying goes, "What have you done for us lately?"

3. I guess Harrison is healthy. When they get Woodley back it should be great but will it be soon enough? A lost to the Bengals next week and it's just about bye-bye since they're not in a division with three 4-4 teams at the top.

4. The kicking game is starting to look sub-par at best, particularly after loosing Sepulveda. Suisham is 50% between 40 and 50 yards! Most major college kickers now do better than that and EVERY NFL kicker does better than that. Again, "What have you done for me lately?"

5. Tomlin: Indecision on FG/punt on the Steelers' final possession? Really?

6. Another critical red zone failure? Too many, too often.


7. Ravens 14-21 on third down? What did the Steelers do against NE that they couldn't or didn't do against the Ravens in this regard?


8. What happened to the defense that held the greater Tom Brady to less than 200 net passing yards but made Joe Flacco look like the second coming of Johnny Unitas? 

9. With Harrison's performance perhaps they didn't miss Woodley that much (although he could have made the difference) but what about the other 10 guys? Since his pick-six in the AFC championship game against the Ravens three years ago, Troy Polamalu has almost disappeared from the contests. If the Ravens can do that why can't the Steelers do it to Terrell Suggs?

10. Things are VERY dicey right now. The Steelers season could go down he drain or move precipitously in that direction with even one more loss. Well, is NE going to lose again? Are the Ravens going to lose again (will the OTHER Joe Flacco reappear)? How good ARE the Bengals? Finishing THIRD in the division isn't going to cut it. It isn't always where you stand but how many teams do you have to jump over that counts. The picture will become clearer next Sunday, one way or the other.