Prior to the Steelers/Raiders game last Sunday, the scenario for the Steelers’ entrance into the postseason was a bit “cloudy” to say the least, but by kickoff in the “black hole” two nemesis of the Steelers, the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens, had been defeated, leaving Pittsburgh as masters of their own fate.
The Patriots were slightly ahead of the Steelers as both teams were posturing for a bye week in the upcoming postseason and the Ravens were trailing the Steelers in the AFC North standings by one-half game. However, in light of all the help that the Steelers received they ended up losing to the Oakland Raiders, 24-21. The Steelers’ hit-or-miss field goal kicker, Chris Boswell, slipped and fell as he attempted to kick a game-tying field goal that would have sent the game into overtime—but it should not even have come down to that.
First and foremost, here we go again, the noose of failure is again being placed around Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s neck. Ben Roethlisberger had exited the game in the first half after “allegedly” receiving a rib injury. Coach Tomlin preferring to err on the side of caution held Roethlisberger from re-entering the game in the beginning of the third quarter. Tomlin confirmed after the game with reporters that Big Ben had actually been medically cleared to play when he first returned to the sidelines with eight minutes remaining in the third. However, an article posted by Simon Chester on behindthesteelcurtain.com went on to question the sanity of Tomlin’s decision, saying: “With an admission that makes you question the sanity of the decision, Mike Tomlin revealed to reporters after the game that his future Hall of Fame quarterback could actually have come back into the game much sooner. Acknowledging that he had been medically cleared to play when he had first returned to the sidelines earlier in the third quarter, the explanation for still opting to hold him out was strange to say the least.”
Well, well, well, if Tomlin had reinserted Roethlisberger prematurely, all of the “talking heads” would have used that incident to remove his head from the chopping block and instead would have placed his neck in the guillotine had “Big Ben” re-aggravated the “injury.” What did the X-rays and MRIs reveal about the extent of the Roethlisberger’s injury? During the past few games, Roethlisberger has trotted off and on the field after being so-called “injured” but miraculously recovered after being on the sidelines for a few plays. There is venom in the chicken soup…there are a few “coach whisperers” with breath stinking of garlic and hatred that are again calling for the termination of the employment of Mike Tomlin, but they are serious now. Why? Well it is time to put on your listening ears. Mike McCarthy, the recently terminated headmaster of the Green Bay Packers, was sent packing and now tops the head coaching wish list of a few of the Black and Gold faithful and a few media types as well.
Listen up, all of you Mike Tomlin haters and Mike McCarthy lovers. Fellow “yinzer” Mike McCarthy won Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6, 2011 in Dallas beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25. The victory was aided by the two picks thrown by Roethlisberger (one was a pick six). McCarthy would have sported a 0-1 Super Bowl record if the Packers were not aided by Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin would be 2-0. Oh, but McCarthy remains an “unemployed genius” and Mike Tomlin is just the byproduct of affirmative action.
If the Steelers fail to make it to and win another Lombardi Trophy, ending the 2018 season a knight on a white horse may be to blame…or will it be a mule that our knight in shining armor mistook for a stallion?
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