AGREE TO DISAGREE: FINAL SHOW OF THE 2011 SEASON

"It's unfortunate we got Tebowed." -- Isaac Redman

My responses to the statements made on this week's show on the Steelers web site.

THE BRONCOS DIDN’T WIN, THE STEELERS LOST -- AGREE: Why? Only two FGs early; Wasted possession at the end of the first half; waster possession at the end of regulation; no interceptions of Tebow--at least one would have changed the game. I WILL admit the Broncos, and Tebow in particular, were not "deteared" and seized the moment.

12-4 OUT IN THE WILD CARD ROUND IS A DISAPPOINTMENT -- AGREE. Unfortunately some cities would be throwing parades if their teams were 12-4 but here, in Pittsburgh, anything short of at least a SB appearance qualifies as a disappointment. They found ways to win often but it was not fun along the way as they had too many close games against poor teams.

WE’LL SEE A DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT TEAM IN 2012 -- DISAGREE. Some changes have already been made such as finishing the Denver game with three backup D-Linemen. How well will Hampton and Keisel play coming off injuries? How well will Woodley recover? Will Charley Batch be back? How will BARON BATCH play next season? Will Mendenhall recover well? Will Willie Colon play well after essentially two seasons off. More questions than answers.

JOE FLACCO GETS HIS TEAM TO THE SB -- DISAGREE. Although Baltimore may have the most balanced TEAM remaining in the AFC I don't think Joe Flacco is a championship QB.

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Suggestion: Let’s just let NO and GB play for the NFC championship and then let them play AGAIN in the SB because we all know they’re the best two teams. Perhaps a different team will win each game. Sound familiar?

MOVING THROUGH THE STAGES OF GRIEF - BRONCOS GAME

1. SHOCK - I can't believe another "miracle" occurred for the Broncos at Mile High. This is one of the things I feared most prior to the start of the game and why I wanted to play ANYWHERE else even if it was in Baltimore. I can probably Google my ass off today and find at LEAST fifteen such occurances in the past 40 years (even without Elway) but I don't have the energy. Those of you who have followed pro football over that period of time know of what I speak. Also, Tebow goes from a frog to the second coming of Darryl Lamonica essentially over night. He even played like a Tebow at times in the same game while reincarnating Darryl Lamonica.  WTF!

2. DENIAL - The Broncos put up 450 yards on the number one ranked defense in the NFL. How is this possible? And that includes 300+ passing by Tebow/Lamonica against the number one rated pass defense.

3. BARGAINING - I'll spot you 10 points if you let us play Batch instead of Roethlisberer in a do-over.

4. GUILT - Should fall entirely on the Steelers defense and offensive line. Two sacks on the Steelers' final drive (one a sack-strip-fumble) when the Broncos only rushed three? Really? Does anyone remember the Steelers' final drive of SB XLV? And no sacks of Tebow/Lamonica?

5. ANGER - Playing Ben at all? Batch would have done better. Playing Cotchery instead of Ward, one of the greatest playoff receivers of all time? [I'm talking about the first pass hemissed while wide open that would have kept a drive alive, not the TD; Ward wold have had that one easy as well.] Ike Talyor playing like Ike Clanton, without a gun? MORE injuries to key people? Even if the Steelers would have won they couldn't have been ready to play the School for the Blind this Sunday. Almost NO big plays by big playmakers? Ben;s interception that led to a field goal that essentially won the game as the Steelers had to score a TD just to tie at the end.

6. DEPRESSION - Another disastrous final drive concluding a game consisting of so may could have/should have beens (again, SB XLV)? 

7. ACCEPTANCE (AND HOPE) - When you finally understand that you will never be the same, but you can go on to have meaning and purpose in your life.

MY PROPHECY REVISITED

Refer to my pre-game blog from yesterday morning repeated in abbreviated from below (or simply refer to the blog itself).

How the Steelers can lose:

1. Leave the Broncos in the game too long. – No need to elaborate here.

2. Turnovers… the Steelers must play error-free football. – One Roethlisberger interception leads to three points which, you might say, prevented the Steelers from winning on their final touchdown drive instead of simply tieing the game. 

3. Ben takes too many sacks. – He took two on their final drive that could have won the game. Apparently that was enough. (All too reminiscient of SB XLV's final possession.)

4. The Steelers are unable to stop the vaunted Bronco running game. – Over 160 yards rushing for the Broncos.

5. A miracle occurs and Tebow finds his passing touch. – Well? 

6. More Steelers insjuries. – Yes, there were more. 

7. I had left out crazy things ALWAYS happen to the visiting team at Denver in big games but guess I was right about that, too. 


Now, I was considering that any ONE of these things could result in a Steelers loss, not all SIX (seven?)! 

And there you have it. I also said Batch should start and why was Cotchery in instead of Ward at the beginning of the game when he dropped a wide-open pass that probably would have gone for at least 20 yards (a first down at minimum)? WWHDT*?

* Would Ward Have Done That?

2012 NFL PLAYOFFS - STEELERS v. BRONCOS

How the Steelers can lose:

1. Leave the Broncos in the game too long. If they are behind by a touchdown or less going into the 4th quarter they'll have a 65% chance of winning. Weird things happen at Mile High, particularly in the kicking game and the Broncos have the advantage here. If it comes down to a difference of a FG the Broncos will win.

2. Turnovers. The Bronocs offense scores so few points the defense will be COMPELLED to get the ball back as often as possible. The Steeler must play error-free football.

3. Ben takes too may sacks. An incomplete pass is ALWAYS better than lost yardage especially against and inferior team.

4. The Steelers are unable to stop the vaunted Bronco running game. They average 164.5 yards per game (1st in the league) while the Steelers give up 99.8 YPG (8th in the league).

5. A miracle occurs and Tebow finds his passing touch. He averages 123.5 YPG (32nd in the league) and the Steelers give up only 173 (1st in the league and against much better passers than Tebow).

6. More Steelers injuries. This has been a curse the entire season and if the Steelers are going to move past this and the next game they cannot afford any additional injuries ANYWHERE.

Overall:

1. The Broncos have lost three game in a row. The Steelers have won two (against inferior oppnents). 

2. Tebow is NOT an NFL passer but can run. Ben is injured and limited in his mobility. This is why I still push to start Batch as I did last week. You can't tell me Ben made that much of a difference in that game and may have been a bit of a hindrance.

3. The Steelers have significant playoff experience and can win on the road in the playoffs (although not so well in the regular season this year). The Broncos do not, particularly at key positions.

4. The Steelers have the better defense and the better QB (the Craig Woofley rule with respect to winning).

Prediction:

STEELERS 23 Broncos 10

2012 NFL PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS - WEEK ONE

Sorry I didn't get this posted prior to Saturday's games (my wife has had medical problems) but I would have picked the two winner anyway. Trust me. But for the record find the Sunday picks below. Both home teams won yesterday, today that will be balanced out as...

ATLANTA over The New York Football Giants

PITTSBURGH over Denver