by Bill Neal, For New Pittsburgh Courier
:10—Sometimes it’s all just a matter of perspective. If the Pittsburgh Steelers resided in the same division as Tampa Bay and the Carolina Panthers they would be in first place and looking to win the division and head into the playoffs. Unfortunately they belong to the AFC North, and are in last place at 6-8 and looking to see what draft pick suits them when they pick around the 12, 13, 14th or 15th pick. Although mathematically not yet eliminated, and actually their chance of heading into the playoffs has gone up from 2 percent to 3 percent, I’m no longer going to hold my breath on their slim chances. With a winnable game on Christmas Eve at home against the Las Vegas Raiders, the question is does Coach Mike Tomlin go back to Kenny Pickett and the 1-touchdown-a-game offense or does he stick with Mitch Trubisky and the move-it-up-and-down-the-field-and-chew-up-34-minutes-of-clock offense we saw Sunday, Dec. 18? I’m pretty sure if you asked Diontae Johnson, he of the critical 10 receptions on 10 targets for 98 yards and several crucial third-down catches that kept the chains moving, he’d vote for Mitch. As for George Pickens, 2 receptions for 53 yards, a 26.5 average including that spectacular down the sideline grab over his head maybe 2 or 3 other receivers in the NFL make, I guess we’ll have to wait for next season to see him excel because for whatever reason, he simply isn’t getting the ball thrown his way more than 3 targets per game. Inexplicable. Maybe if Big Ben was, well, never mind…water under the bridge.
:09—Last week I called the Steelers’ run defense Swiss cheese and it was well-deserved. In their previous 6 quarters of football they had given up over 300 yards on the ground to teams that didn’t have Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson, Gale Sayers or Tony Dorsett in their backfield. Having heard my stinging words the defense stiffened and gave up 21 yards on 16 carries, a microscopic 1.3 yards per carry. A total team effort, the D stood tall and proud and swarmed to the ball-carriers as bees to honey, allowing no room to cut back or slip through the line and gain big chunks of real estate. Way to go men, that was physical, rough Steelers football on display.
:08—Speaking of physical Steelers football, the early and often much-maligned O-Line has quietly come together and performed as a singular unit for several games now. An almost 12-minute drive to open the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers that was 21 plays in length is all about the O-Line and their ability to impose their will upon Carolina’s defense. It was awe-inspiring to watch them work that series and most of the game. They allowed only one sack and though the yards per carry average was only 3.5 they ran the ball 45 times for 156 yards, essentially owning the clock and keeping the Panthers defense on the field for 36 minutes. A monster display by the O-Line in that regard. Give them and the D-Line game balls and call it even.
:07—What was he thinking? At the end of the 3rd quarter, after a stellar defensive stop, forcing the Panthers into a 4th down and 27 yards to go for a first down, Marcus Allen jawed back and forth with a Panthers player, then amazingly made his way over toward the Panthers sideline and their huddle and slipped into their huddle for no demonstrable reason. Flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, an automatic first down, it kept the Panthers’ drive alive and allowed them to put 3 points on the board and stay within striking distance of the Steelers, cutting the lead to 21-10. Completely senseless, this allowed the Panthers to eventually close the gap to 21-13 and within one score of tying the game. To say this was a costly penalty is sugarcoating it. Allen needs fined and benched a game.
:06—At 9-8, the Steelers would continue Coach Tomlin’s streak of never having had a losing season. In the big picture scheme of things this season, is it that big of a deal? Well, let me ask you this, yeah, you know who I’m referring to, do you want to be the guy at the Steelers reunion in 20 years that has to explain to Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, Alan Faneca, Maurkice Pouncey, Heath Miller and James Harrison how you were part of the team that ended the streak? No, didn’t think so.
:05—Tom Brady, despite some pretty good statistics, is finally starting to show some age and wear and tear on his body and arm. Would anyone put him in the top 7 QBs in the league at this point? He’s 45. Let me repeat that…he’s 45 years old. I think it’s time to hang up the cleats, Tom, no one wants to see you linger one second too long, you’ve done enough for the NFL and your legacy was long ago assured.
:04—I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say not many of us watched the final of the World Cup before the Steelers game. From the little that I know, Lionel Messi and Argentina won over France to win the World Cup with a 4-2 penalty shootout after the score was tied 3-3 in regulation time. Messi is regarded as one of the all-time best players, in the conversation with Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and the one guy all us old school cats know, Pele’. I’m not a soccer guy by any stretch of the imagination but to end the once in 4 years world championship with penalty kicks is akin to winning the Super Bowl after a tie in regulation by seeing whose punter can kick the ball further or after the 9th inning of a tied Game 7 in the World Series awarding the title to the team whose shortstop can throw the baseball farther. I watched the end of the World Cup shaking my head at the stupidity of such a lame concept. Watching the Pens battle the Flyers or Capitals in overtime is one of the most exciting things you can see in sports. To think of them going to a shootout instead is unimaginable. Playoffs, no matter what sport, and especially championships, have to be decided on the playing field, case closed.
:03—The Pittsburgh Pirates just signed catcher/defensive specialist Austin Hedges to a one year— $5 million dollar contract. Hedges hit .163 last season and .178 in 2021 for the Cleveland Guardians and should fit right in with the anemic, pathetic Pirates roster. Sheesh. Are you serious? I mean, are you serious?
:02—The Pitt Panthers – UCLA Bruins Sun Bowl game is Friday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. and although the outcome has no bearing on anything except pride for both schools, sometimes these lesser bowl games turn out to be games you wished you’d tuned into. I for one will be watching the game and hoping for a Panthers victory but either way I hope it’s a nail-biter and ends with a penalty kick in overtime….I mean….ends with a touchdown as time expires in overtime.
:01—Here’s wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
:00—GAME OVER.
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