Tag Archives: Steelers vs. Cowboys

Super Bowl XIII Was The Greatest Steelers Game I Didn’t Bother To Watch Live

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Becoming a sports fan for the first time is like falling in love harder than you’ve ever fallen before: One minute, you’re going about your business.

  • The next minute, you’re wondering how you ever lived your life without them.

A little deep for a Steelers site, I know, and I’m pretty sure I owe royalties for stealing a line from the movie, Hitch, but that basically describes how my young life was before I became a diehard fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The first game I remember being totally invested in so much so that I would have cried had the Black and Gold lost was Super Bowl XIV when Pittsburgh, a budding dynasty that had just won three Lombardi trophies over the previous five seasons, took on the Rams at the Rose Bowl on January 20, 1980. It was an exciting game filled with many big plays and dramatic moments. The Steelers survived, 31-19, to claim their fourth Super Bowl title in six seasons.

  • They went from a budding dynasty to a mega dynasty.

Almost one year to the day earlier, however, on January 21, 1979, when the Steelers outlasted the Cowboys, 35-31, before a packed Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, I could have given a bleep.

John Stallworth, Super Bowl XIII, Steelers vs Cowboys, Lynn Swann, Benny Barnes, Charlie Waters

Super Bowl XIII: John Stallworth is headed to the end zone. Benny Barnes and Charlie Waters can only look on. Photo Credit: Focus on Sport/Getty Images via FanSided

I was months shy of my seventh birthday and only really cared about toys, commercials about toys, the Incredible Hulk TV series starring the iconic Bill Bixby, Sesame Street, Mister Rogers and many other things that didn’t have to do with sports.

In fact, when all the drama was taking place down in Miami between the Steelers and Cowboys, I was sitting in my living room in Bellvue, Pa. (a suburb right outside of Pittsburgh where my family was living at the time), watching a rerun of Tarzan, an old television series from the 1960s starring Ron Ely.

That’s right, as the two teams were locked in a struggle for the ages–as well as a struggle for NFL supremacy and the right to be called the team of the decade (and maybe the greatest dynasty in NFL history)–I was sitting around watching an old black-and-white TV series about a guy who had had it with civilization and decided to go live in a jungle and befriend a chimpanzee.

And when I say this Super Bowl was epic, and when I say the Cowboys could have laid claim to the title of “Greatest Dynasty Ever,” I do not make that claim without reason.

Dallas had been on a heckuva run, starting in the mid-’60s when it battled the mighty Packers for the right to go to the first two Super Bowls. The Cowboys lost to Green Bay in the NFL title game two years in a row, with the second one being dubbed “The Ice Bowl,” and in my mind, the most intriguing NFL game ever played.

The Cowboys lost in dramatic fashion a year earlier down in Dallas, but the way they lost this rematch at Lambeau Field, in minus-13 degree temperatures and to a Packers squad that was clearly on its last leg, could have caused this young franchise to wither away. But the Cowboys made it to Super Bowl V a few years later before losing in heartbreaking fashion to an inferior Colts team led by an aging Johnny Unitas.

The Cowboys finally got over the hump with a victory over an expansion Dolphins squad in Super Bowl VI. After coming close a year later and failing to make the playoffs in 1974, Dallas was back in Super Bowl X following one of the greatest drafts ever when 12 rookies made the squad in 1975. The Cowboys lost to Pittsburgh, 21-17, but by acquiring so much young talent in one draft, they had paved the way for their success to continue.

  • It did two years later with a victory over the Broncos in Super Bowl XII.

Dallas was again in the Super Bowl one year later and looking to defend its crown against a Steelers team that was back in the dance after missing out the previous two postseasons.

Just to recap, the Cowboys had reached the playoffs 12 times between 1966 and by the time they met Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XIII. They had played in several NFL/NFC titles games, were making their fifth Super Bowl appearance and were going for their third Lombardi trophy.

A victory over a Steelers team that had as many Super Bowl titles as the Cowboys, Packers and Dolphins–two–could have easily earned Dallas the title of “Greatest Dynasty Ever.”

I don’t want to do a play-by-play of Super Bowl XIII, but I will say that it included the greatest collection of talent in league history, as a combined 23 Future Hall of Famers were involved.

Super Bowl XIII was the most exciting game in the then brief history of an event that was quickly growing into the international phenomenon it is today.

steelers vs cowboys, super bowl xiii, super bowl 13, terry bradshaw, mike webster

Terry Bradshaw behind Mike Webster in Super Bowl XIII. Photo Credit: Al Messerschmidt

The Steelers jumped out to a 7-0 lead before Dallas countered with two touchdowns–one on offense and one on defense–in a matter of minutes. Pittsburgh quickly tied the game at 14 a few plays later when Terry Bradshaw connected with John Stallworth on a 75-yard touchdown catch and run.

The game simply had everything. There were the improbable hops shown by running back Rocky Bleier late in the first half that netted a touchdown and a 21-14 lead for the men in black. There was the drop at the goal line by Jackie Smith, a future Hall of Fame tight end who was coaxed out of retirement after many years with the St. Louis Cardinals, that prevented Dallas from tying the score late in the third quarter.

There was the controversial interference call against Dallas that set up the Franco Harris burst up the middle on third and 10 that made it 28-17 early in the fourth quarter. One play before Harris’s touchdown, the normally quiet running back got into the face of linebacker Hollywood Henderson after Henderson “sacked” Bradshaw on a dead-ball foul. Maybe Franco was a little miffed because Henderson said in the leadup to the game that Bradshaw was so dumb that he couldn’t spell “cat” if he was spotted the C and the A.

A squib kick on the ensuing kickoff was picked up by defensive lineman Randy White, who decided to shift the ball into the hand that had a cast on it. Fumble. Pittsburgh recovered and quickly took a commanding 35-17 lead on a strike from Bradshaw to Lynn Swann, who made a levitating leap in the back of the end zone to secure the laser beam.

But just when it looked like it was over, Roger Staubach, a legendary quarterback who had developed a reputation for the impossible comeback, started to do his thing. Next thing you know, it’s 35-31. Thankfully, Bleier secured the second onside kick by the Cowboys (Pittsburgh flubbed a previous one that allowed Dallas to truly get back in the game) with mere seconds left to give Pittsburgh relief and a third Lombardi.

I know I said that I didn’t want to do play-by-play, but I changed my mind to prove a point: All the action I just described was totally from my memory.

How could I do that? Because I’ve watched Super Bowl XIII countless times throughout my life. I’ve seen just about every NFL Film’s feature on it. I know the participants and even their individual feelings on the controversial plays that helped to shape this classic. I know everything about this game. It’s the Super Bowl the Steelers should be the proudest of, in my mind, because it came against the greatest team they ever played on that stage.

Yet, I didn’t care one bit when the game was actually going on.

As I said, love is a funny thing. As my sports soulmate was doing its thing down in Miami on January 21, 1979, there I was in Pittsburgh thinking that Tarzan was the only “Super” hero I would ever have eyes for.

 

 

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Steelers Represented Well in The Athletic’s NFL Top 100. Troy Aikman? He Got Screwed

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With the Steelers bye week upon us let’s delve into something that there simply wasn’t time for during the off season, namely The Athletic’s NFL Top 100.

The Athletic kicked off their series on July 8th with Derrick Brooks at 100 and closed it on September 8th with, you guessed it, Tom Brady at number 1.

  • Overall, the series was an interesting and ambitious effort.

And like most Steelers fans my focus was to see how well (or poorly) the Black and Gold fared. Fortunately, the Steelers did well, landing 8 players on the list:

98. Dermontti Dawson
71. Mel Blount
69. Terry Bradshaw
57. Mike Webster
52. Jack Ham
37. Jack Lambert
26. Rod Woodson
14. Joe Greene

(Technically you could argue the Steelers have 9, as Bobby Layne made the list at 89 and Layne played 5 seasons in Pittsburgh.)

Sure, one can quibble (as many did) over Troy Polamalu not making it while Ed Reed did. One could also protest Franco Harris’ absence. (Few did, even though Franco still owns several Super Bowl records and of course authored the Immaculate Reception, greatest play in the history of the sport.)

  • On the flip side, naysayers could (and did) object to Bradshaw’s inclusion.

But no matter how you cut it, the Athletic’s writers clearly give the Steelers the respect they’ve earned.

The same cannot be said, however, for Troy Aikman.

Levon Kirkland, Troy Aikman, Kevin Greene, Steelers vs Cowboys, Super Bowl XXX, Super Bowl 30,

Levon Kirkland after sacking Troy Aikman in Super Bowl XXX. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

A Steelers Fan Takes up for Troy Aikman? Yes.

Troy Aikman remains only one of four quarterbacks to win 3 Super Bowls having pulled off that feat in 4 years failed to make The Athletic’s NFL Top 100 list.

This is insane.

It might seem odd for a Steelers fan to take up for Troy Aikman, let alone one who insisted that the ’89 Steelers would should regret not having a shot a drafting Aikman because “we’ve got Bubby Brister.”

  • Six year later, Aikman would show that same 23 year old just how naïve his 16 year old self had been.

Against the Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, Troy Aikman played better than any other Dallas Cowboy on the field. As the legendary Will McDonough argued, he should have been the game MVP. True, Aikman’s Super Bowl XXX stats might not knock you on your ass.

Emmit Smith, Levon Kirkland, Greg Lloyd, Carnell Lake, Steelers vs Cowboys, Super Bowl XXX, Super Bowl 30

Levon Kirkland and Greg Lloyd tackle Emmitt Smith in Super Bowl XXX. Photo Credit: Steelers.com

But he played a mistake free game, and he did it against the Blitzburgh defense. Sure, that Steelers secondary was stuck together with spit, duct tape and bubble gum, but that same defense made Emmitt Smith look like a mere mortal (OK, like a mere mortal except for when he was in the Red Zone – but there’s a reason why they called it the “Emmitt Zone” back then.)

  • Troy Aikman didn’t do it just once against the Steelers, but he did it two other times in the Super Bowl.

“Ah, but performance in Super Bowls only goes so far….” Frankly, I’m not sure of that. A quarterback’s success or failure to get it done on the game’s biggest stage is one of the most critical metrics of his mettle. Terry Bradshaw would have zero justification for a place on this list had he not played so well in his Super Bowls.

  • But a “Stats not Super Bowls” argument falls flat when applied to Aikman.

Dan Marino’s (No. 18) career passer rating was 86.4. Brett Favre’s (No. 22) was 86. By comparison, Troy Aikman’s was 81.6. So maybe The Athletic used a passer rating of 85 as some sort of cut off? Nope. John Elway (No. 15) was 79.9. Roger Staubach (No. 78) had a career passer rating of 83.4.

It says here that all of the other quarterbacks discussed here as well as others not mentioned deserve a spot on The Athletic’s NFL Top 100. But if they do then Troy Aikman certainly does as well.

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Minkah Magic! Steelers Defeat Cowboys 25-19 as Fitzpatrick Helps Pittsburgh Avoid Trap Game

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Google “Trap Game” and you’ll get many definitions. Some are better than others. The best had nothing to do with sports and came from the late, great Mr. Jim Baker, my 8th grade World Studies teacher, who would chide the class:

  • This was a ‘gimmie’ and you blew it.

Mr. Baker was talking about blowing assignments that should have been an easy “A.” A trap game is one you “should” win but end up losing.

Mike Tomlin has been unfairly criticized for many things during his tenure, but there’s no arguing that Tomlin teams tend to get tripped up by trap games. On Sunday, against the Dallas Cowboys, the Steelers almost tripped again. But they didn’t because this time they had Minkah Magic on their side….

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Cowobys

Minkah Fitzpatrick intercepts the ball, saves touchdown. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Half Full or Half Empty? How About Just Half a Glass?

NFL teams rarely play 3 consecutive road games. Winning 3 straight road games is rarer yet. Winning two of the three against the a conference and division heavyweight is more difficult yet. But both of those wins came with a half-full/half-empty element to them.

Cam Sutton, Ezekiel Elliot, Steelers vs Cowboys

Cam Sutton tries to stop Ezekiel Elliot. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune Review

The Steelers played a phenomenal first half against the Titans, only to cling on to victory thanks to a missed field goal. Against the Ravens, the Steelers played one of their worst first halves of offensive football in the Tomiln era, gave up tons of yards, yet delivered decisive play after decisive play in the 2nd half to win.

  • And so it was against the Dallas Cowboys.

On paper, the Steelers should have steamrolled the Cowboys, a team that was reeling even before it found itself needing to start its 4th or 5th string quarterback. It should have been so simple. Yet, it wasn’t:

  • James Conner struggled, plodding for 2.4 yards a carry instead of running strong
  • Ben Roethlisberger struggled to connect on the deep ball and couldn’t convert 3rd downs
  • Garrett Gilbert played more like Dallas’ next Tony Romo than its next Babe Laufenberg
  • It was Dallas, and not Pittsburgh that moved the chains and possessed the clock

So instead of dominating Dallas, the Steelers were looking at a 13-0 deficit with 3:50 left to play. Just as they had against Baltimore, and just as they had against Tennessee, the question wasn’t whether the glass was half empty or half full, but rather why the Steelers seemed to be stuck with half a glass.

Steelers Come Alive @ 2 Minute Warning

The key word there is “seemed.” Just after the two minute warning, Ben Roethlisberger tweaked his knee, and almost as if on cue:

Dallas got the ball back, and a quick pass from Garrett Gilbert to CeeDee Lamb looked promising until Cam Sutton knocked the ball loose, regaining possession at the Cowboy’s 39. Mason Rudolph came in to complete a few passes, but those amounted to little more than chump change.

  • Still, it was enough for Chris Boswell to kick a franchise-record 59 yard field goal.

Instead of heading into half time on the ropes, the Steelers had narrowed the score to a very manageable 13 to 9.

Special Teams Snafus Nearly Sabotage Steelers

Steelers fans with long memories know of the team’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde relationship with special teams coaches. Jon Kolb was a legendary tackle for Chuck Noll, but a nightmare as a special teams coach. George Stewart followed him, and his special teams strike force helped craft the 1989 Steelers Cinderella story.

Bobby April gained cult hero status for his special teams prowess during the 1995 Steelers failed Super Bowl run, while Jay Hayes disastrous special teams foul ups paved the way for the Tom Brady era in the 2001 AFC Championship loss to the Patriots.

  • Many fans in Steelers Nation have felt Danny Smith was on the wrong side of that divide.

I’d argue that wouldn’t have been fair to Smith, but not one can argue that during 2020, special teams have been an asset for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Until they set foot in Jerry’s World, where:

  • Chris Boswell missed his first extra point
  • Boswell then missed his next field goal (although a penalty gave him a re-try)
  • The Steelers got suckered on a lateral during an 83 yard punt return
  • The Cowboys blocked an extra point
  • Rico Dowdle transformed a picture perfect 64 yard “mortar kick” into a 64 yard return

The math is pretty simple, the 83 yard punt return set up an easy Dallas field goal, and the two botched extra points took two points off the board for the Steelers. That’s a 5 point swing against Pittsburgh…

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers vs Cowboys

JuJu Smith-Schuster scores a touchdown. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Review

Steelers 2nd Half Comeback That Almost Came Up Short

True to form the Steelers fielded a different team in the 2nd half, that featured the following fireworks:

  • 75 and 79 yard drives that ended with touchdown passes to JuJu Smith-Schuster and Eric Ebron
  • Another 75 yard drive that started at Pittsburgh’s 1 and ended with a field goal
  • A 5-play negative 1-yard Cowboys drive at the 2 minute warning

That Cowboy drive ended with a hellacious Cam Heyward/ T.J. Watt sack on 4th and 8 with 1:45 left.

  • The game should have ended there. Except it didn’t.

The Steelers got the ball back at the Dallas 24. James Conner ran twice for little effect. On third down Ben Roethlisberger connected with Chase Claypool, but Claypool only got 5 yards, bringing up 4th and 1. On 4th and one James Conner got stoned for a 4 yard loss.

Dallas was not only in it, it had a chance to win it.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Cowboys

Minkah Fitzpatrick after saving the day for the Steelers. Photo Credit: Boston Globe.

Minkah Magic = Difference Maker for Steelers

Steelers fans have seen these situations before and suffered from them all too often – just remember the 2nd half of the 2018 season. But Dallas didn’t close the deal here, for the same reason it failed to put Pittsburgh away at two other points in the game: Minkah Fitzpatrick.

  • Minkah recovered the Cowboys fumble late in the first half, setting up the Steelers field goal
  • Dowdle’s 64 yard kick return gave Dallas perfect field position, only for Minkah to intercept the ball

And so it was. Dallas got the ball back with 38 seconds left. Gilbert moved the team 58 yards. The prevent defense looked like it was about to prevent the Steelers from winning. Then, on 3rd an 4 from the Pittsburgh 23 with 0:04 left, Gilbert fired at CeeDee Lamb.

  • As he did last week, Minkah Fitzpatrick stepped up and batted away the final pass.

Once again, Minkah Magic put the Pittsburgh Steelers over the top.

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Stop Worrying About a Steelers Loss Until They Have One

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The Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Dallas Cowboys this Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Lamarr Jackson, Steelers vs Ravens

Minkah Fitzpatrick after batting away Lamarr Jackson’s final pass. Photo Credit: New York Times.

The Steelers (7-0) will face a Dallas squad that will be down to either its fourth or fifth-string quarterback, depending on who starts and where you want to rank the candidates: Cooper Rush and Garrett Gilbert.

That’s right, no Dak Prescott (severe ankle injury), no Andy Dalton (concussion) and no Pittsburgh’s own Ben DiNucci (poor play).

Pittsburgh is a two-touchdown favorite to win this game and improve to 8-0. As far as many are concerned, the Steelers should be doing so well in this contest that Mason Rudolph gets his most extensive work since starting eight games for the injured Ben Roethlisberger a season ago.

I can see that. I can get behind that. I’m fairly confident these Steelers will walk into the JerryDome and leave with a thoroughly enjoyable blowout victory against America’s Team.

But what about the annual Tomlin loss? In case you don’t know, a “Tomlin loss” refers to a defeat, usually on the road, against an inferior opponent. This is the kind of loss folks didn’t see coming early on in the career of head coach Mike Tomlin, but it has become so prevalent over the years — think the Chiefs in 2009, the Raiders in 2009 or the Browns in 2009 (wow, there were many such losses in 2009) — that fans just naturally begin to circle possible candidates on the schedule the moment it’s released every spring.

  • As I already said, I don’t think the Steelers will lose this Sunday.

Unfortunately, the game against Dallas (2-6) marks the first of three-straight match-ups that can only be described as trap games. After the Cowboys, Pittsburgh will take on the Bengals (2-5-1) and the Jaguars (1-6 heading into this Sunday’s action) before the epic rematch with the Ravens on Thanksgiving.

Plenty of opportunities for the fans and the media to worry about and speculate on the possibility of the team’s first loss of 2020. After all, if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen against a team that Tomlin will not have his players ready for.

  • What is it with this attitude?

I’m not trying to be all rah rah about the Steelers. I get that it’s natural to always think about the worst-case scenario, but my goodness, Pittsburgh is 7-0 for the first time since Star Wars was gripping the nation, and all we can talk about is a possible first loss?

If you’re looking at 1978 (the year I alluded to in the previous paragraph) in a superstitious manner, the Steelers first loss really should happen this Sunday in Dallas. The eighth game was when the eventual Super Bowl champions suffered their first defeat in ’78.

  • And, get this, it was against a team from Texas: The old Houston Oilers.

If it’s not in Dallas, surely it will happen against the Bengals and their stud rookie quarterback, Joe Burrow. OK, but these are the Bungals, right? No way Pittsburgh will give up its chance to make history by losing to them. Fine, but those Jags are always a pain in the butt.

Maybe it will happen over these next few games, but I don’t think we need to sit around and worry about it. One thing these 2020 Steelers seem to be is extremely focused. Yes, many games have been a little too close for comfort, so far, but, believe me, Pittsburgh isn’t alone in that category.

  • The NFL is a tough league, and that’s what makes the Steelers start so remarkable.

Enjoy the ride. Will a loss happen? Probably–the odds suggest that it will happen sooner rather than later. However, that’s for the Steelers to worry about.

As for you, just enjoy those undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers.

Not many NFL fans get to do that in November.

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Back in Block! 2018 Steelers Throwback Jersey is Perfect if Bittersweet Choice for Generation X

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The 2018 Steelers throwback jersey choice to revive the 1978-1978 jersey with block numbers has electrified Steelers Nation. After all, who could argue?

Those two championships don’t simply mark milestones in franchise accomplishment, they represent milestones in football excellence.

2018 steelers throwback jerseys, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Franco Harris, John Banazack

JuJu Smith-Schuster donning Steelers throwback jersey. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

The 1978 Steelers win over the Dallas Cowboys made Pittsburgh the first team to win three Super Bowls, and gave the Black and Gold its SECOND win over a fellow multiple Super Bowl winner. Victory in Super Bowl XIV over the Los Angeles Rams made the Steelers the first team to win four Super Bowls and the only team to win four Championships in six years.

  • It took ten years for another franchise to tie the Steelers 4 Super Bowl mark, and no one, not even the Patriots have matched Pittsburgh’s record of winning four Super Bowls in 6 years.

The Steelers changed the block numbering after the 1996 season much to the chagrin of some fans. Honestly, I’m old enough to remember Jerome Bettis and Kordell Stewart modeling the rounded number jerseys and thinking, “That just doesn’t look right.” Some fans still argue that the franchise has never been the same since.

Still, conjuring images of Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward decked out in block letters just as Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Joe Greene, and Jack Lambert did before them is the perfect recipe for raising the hair on the back of your neck just a little.

And yet, the Steelers 2018 throwback jersey choice efficiently serves another, if less pleasant, purpose….

Why 2018 Steelers Throwback Jersey Choice is Bittersweet for Generation X

…The Steelers 2018 throwback uniforms are also the perfect remedy for making us Generation Xer’s feel old. Yep. If you’re a Fortysomething Steelers fan admit it, when you saw the announcement about going back to block letters, you probably thought, “Gee, that’s not much of a throwback.”

  • Well, yeah, it’s been 20 years since the Steelers last wore the block jerseys.

IT can really be that long can it, you demand? Yes, it can. The last time Pittsburgh wore the block jerseys was Fog Bowl II, the 1996 playoff loss to the Patriots, which was Rod Woodson’s final game as a Steeler.

Fans from Generation X have earned a special niche in Steelers history.

Lynn Swann, Mark Washington, Super Bowl X, 8 greatest Steelers Super Bowl plays, Super Bowl 10, Lynn Swann Super Bowl X, Lynn Swann Super Bowl 10

Lynn Swann Super Bowl X catch. Credit: AP, via NY Daily News

Our first memories of the Black and Gold are wrapped in Super Bowl glory. The Immaculate Reception was  established history by the time we were able to fully grasp its spectacular nature. Those of us growing up outside of Pittsburgh enjoyed our grandparents sending down Steelers t-shirts, jackets, hats and gloves which drew envy from everyone else on the playground, because we were the champions!

  • Be honest fellow fortysomething fans. Raise your hand if as a kid you really thought that the Steelers had inspired Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”

Our parents had to explain to us, and it took a long time for us believe them, that the Steelers had been terrible when they were our age. Then, just as we were taking the Steelers excellence for granted, the 1980’s arrived, and with it came mediocrity.

Yet we remained faithful. Always feeling, often times feelings fueled by little more than naiveté, that Chuck Noll’s really wasn’t that far from making the Steel Curtain Rise again. The 1987 tease at a playoff run and late season surges in 1986 and even in 1988 seem to legitimatize our optimism.

  • And of course the 1989 Steelers improbable playoff run steeled our passion for the Black and Gold in a way that fans from both earlier and later generations struggle to understand.

Of course the 9-7 and 7-9 finishes of the 1990 and 1991 Steelers amounted bit of a buzz kill, yet Bill Cowher’s 1992 return to Pittsburgh awoke the sleeping giant we now call Steelers Nation. Steelers fans from Generation X had expected One for the Thumb to come before we got out of elementary school. Now Cowher Power promised to deliver in the 1990’s. Yet, after teasing in Super Bowl XXX (thanks Neil), it came up short.

  • Instead, we had to wait until our 30’s for Lombardi’s 5 and 6 to arrive in Pittsburgh.

And now, with the window closing on bringing home Lombardi Number Seven during the Roethlisberger era, we now hope that a return, albeit for one game, to the block letters, will be the talisman the turns the trick.

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Excellent Mike Tomlin Clock Management Skills (yep, just “went there”) Displayed in Steelers Win Over Titans

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The Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday Night trashing of the Tennessee Titans offered Steelers Nation a lot to like and a lot of what the fan base has been waiting for. Among those highlights include:

  • Ben Roethlisberger in rhythm with his receivers
  • 5 sacks for the defensive line and linebacking corps
  • 4 interceptions from a secondary (albeit with a long TD given up)
  • A booming special teams field goal block
  • Another example of excellent Mike Tomlin clock management

Say what? Yep, now that you’ve had time to do your double take on the final bullet point, let’s get this out of the way, yes we went there.

Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin clock management

Mike Tomlin’s clock management is ALWAYS under fire from fans. But is the criticism justified? Photo Credit: AP, via Yahoo Sports

The “Poor Mike Tomlin clock management” mantra has become an article of a faith that it is so ingrained that it is so rote that even Tomlin defenders repeat it just as drivers in the Northeast must automatically condemn the conditions on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Is Mike Tomlin the NFL’s best clock manager? Probably not. Are there times when the Steelers inexplicably take time outs (see the two point conversion against the Colts) or perhaps fail to get plays off before the two minute warning? Yep.

But Mike Tomlin isn’t nearly as poor as a clock manager as his reputation would suggest, and the Titans game is a perfect example of it, which we discuss below along with other examples.

Tomlin Manages the Clock to Win

Coty Sensabaugh’s interception set up the Steelers with the ball at Tennessee’s 20 yard line with 3:11 left. Lost in the sound and fury of Pittsburgh’s 40 point explosion is that the Steelers were inept on this visit to the Red Zone, which included a series of incomplete Ben Roethlisberger passes to Le’Veon Bell, a sack, a penalty on David DeCastro and a 10 yard run that set up Chris Boswell’s field goal.

  • But Titans coach Mike Mularkey was playing to win, buruing his 2nd & 3rd time outs at the 1:48 and 1:39 marks.

After the field goal and ensuing kickoff the Titans got the ball back at their 25 with 1:32 left to go in the half. Mike Hilton dropped DeMarco Murray for a 5 yard loss on the Titan’s first play. The Titans had no timeouts left, and the safe money in that situation is to let the clock continue to tick and get into the locker room as fast as you can.

  • Mike Tomlin called a time out.

Tomlin in fact aggressively used the Steelers remaining time outs, so that when all was said and done, the Titans had only bleed 14 seconds off of the clock. 1:11 is not a lot of time to work with when you get the ball at your own 33, but passes to Jesse James and Antonio Brown (with an assist from Martavis Bryant) set up a 50 yard field goal, which while no gimmie at Heinz Field, was enough.

  • At the end of the night those 3 points were little more than the chocolate jimmies on the sundae, but that hasn’t always been the case.

Against the Colts, Mike Tomlin found himself in somewhat of a similar situation. Bud Dupree sacked Jacoby Brissett for a 13 yard loss, bringing up 3rd down with 1:48 left to play. Again, after an atrocious 1st half, it would have been easy to let the Colts bleed the clock, take a knee and head into the locker room.

Tomlin instead took a time out, and with 1:39 and 2 timeouts left, Ben Roethlisberger was able to connect with Vance McDonald, JuJu Smith-Schuster as well as Brown and Bryant to set up another end of first half field goal, this one coming in a game that was decided by 3.

Looking Further Back for Examples of Tomlin’s Aggressive Clock Management

Mike Tomiln’s aggressive clock management didn’t suddenly start in 2017. Think back to opening day 2014 when the Steelers hosted the Browns on Chuck Noll Day. When the Steelers got the ball at their 20 with 1:44 remaining, Pittsburgh was holding on to a 24-3 lead.

  • The only question at that point wasn’t whether Bruce Gradkowski would play in the 2nd half, but how soon he would enter the game.

Mike Tomlin declined to take a series of knees, and Ben Roethlisberger methodically moved the ball down to the 3 yard line, where Shaun Suisham kicked a field goal. The extra 3 points seemed academic, but the Browns roared back in the 2nd half, and the Steelers ultimately won the game with a field goal at the buzzer.

Le'Veon Bell, Le'Veon Bell touchdown, Steelers vs Falcons

Le’Veon Bell runs for 1 of 2 touchdowns in the Steelers 2014 win over the Falcons. Photo Credit: Scott Cunningham, Getty Images via NY Daily News

You could also argue that Mike Tomlin’s clock management at the end of both halves in the Steelers 2014 win over the Atlanta Falcons was nothing short of impeccable.

In the afterglow of Super Bowl XLIII, fans tend to forget just how many come from behind, 4th quarter and/or 2 minute comebacks the 2008 Steelers needed. Their December 7th 2008 win against the Cowboys provides a perfect example.

After trailing for much of the day, the Steelers finally pulled even with the Cowboys as Ben Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller in the End Zone with just over 2 minutes left to play.

Dallas got the ball back, ran one play that James Farrior stuffed for a 2 yard gain. Again, the safe money says let the clock run and play for overtime.

  • Instead, Mike Tomlin called a time out.

By his own account, Tomlin’s aggressive posture rattled Tony Romo as he was heard saying heading back to the huddle, “What, they called a time out?” although given that they’d just played Renegade at Heinz Field, perhaps he should have known better. If your memory is fuzzy, here’s how things unfolded, starting with Renegade:

Notice, no one was complaining about Tomlin’s clock management after that game.

Which is part of the point. As Rebecca Rollett as pointed out on Going Deep with the Steelers, clock management is something that generally only comes up after a team loses. In fact, Rollett set up to find examples of good clock management, and while she came up with a few, most were hard to find.

So while Mike Tomlin does make clock management mistakes, he does a lot better than most fans give him credit for.

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Looking @ the Steelers Thanksgiving Record – Can Pittsburgh Break the Turkey Day Curse?

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The NFL is “honoring” the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 8th time by putting them in the national spotlight on Thanksgiving Day. Given the Steelers Thanksgiving record, one can imagine Art Rooney II saying a heartfelt “Thanks but no thanks” the next time the NFL offers them a turkey day slot.

  • Overall, the Steelers are 2-6 when playing on Thanksgiving.

Here is a look at the Steelers Thanksgiving record that has made for many a memorable turkey day that most of Steelers Nation Wish they could forget.

steelers thanksgiving record, steelers thanksgiving history, le'veon bell, le'veon bell concussion ravens, steelers ravens thanksgiving

Le’Veon Bell loses his helmet in the Steelers 2013 Thanksgiving loss at Baltimore. Photo Credit: Matt Hafley, Post-Gazette

Pre-Noll Era Steelers Thanksgiving Record 1-2

The Steelers played the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving Day in 1939 and 1940. The Pittsburgh Pirates, as they were still known then, lost to the Eagles on Thanksgiving in 1939 17-14. In 1940 the newly renamed Steelers had no better luck, losing to the Eagles 7-0.

The Steelers would have to wait another ten years, including their World War II stint as the Steagles, before playing on Thanksgiving Day. However, the NFL matched the Steelers up with the Chicago Cardinals on Thanksgiving day in 1950 and Pittsburgh prevailed led by Joe Geri’s 101 rushing yards, two touchdowns and 3 extra points.

1983 – The Thanksgiving Day Massacre

November 24th, 1983 @ The Pontiac Silverdome
Detroit 45, Pittsburgh 3

The 1983 Steelers had played the entire season without Terry Bradshaw, but despite that Cliff Stoudt combined with a defense that looked to be Super Bowl caliber had given the Steelers a 9-3 record and command of the AFC Central Division heading into their Thanksgiving Day game against Detroit. Detroit for its part was only 6-6.

As defensive coordinator Woody Widenhoffer admitted later, the Steelers weren’t prepared. And then some:

  • At the time, it was the Steelers worst loss in 36 years.

Cliff Stoudt threw 4 interceptions Mark Malone threw 1, Franco Harris gained 16 yards on 5 carries as both Harris and Walter Abercrombie’s combined totals were less than Frank Pollard’s. Meanwhile, Bill Sims looked like genetic fusion between Jim Brown and Barry Sanders, and Eric Hipple looked like Johnny Unitas.

The Steelers would lose the following week in Cincinnati. The week after it would take the last throws left in Terry Bradshaw’s arm to left them over the Jets as the Steelers stumbled into the playoffs where the LA Raiders quickly eliminated them.

1991 – Joe Walton Fails the Steelers. Again.

November 28th, 1991 @ Texas Stadium
Dallas 20, Pittsburgh 10

Considering that Dallas went to the playoffs and won a game and followed the next season with a Super Bowl Championship, one might wonder why this game was close at all. But it was.

  • And in many ways it symbolized all that was wrong with the Joe Walton era of the Steelers offense.

The Steelers still had a talented defense that had finished number 1 overall in 1990, led by players such as Rod Woodson, Greg Lloyd and Carnell Lake. It still had the offensive core that had led the rallies that fueled the 1989 Steelers improbable run. But unfortunately, Chuck Noll’s last hire was his worst one, as he’d name Joe Walton his offensive coordinator and gave him total control.

The Steelers defense kept the Dallas Cowboys to 13 points until late into the third quarter, when Warren Williams narrowed the score to three.

  • Alas, Steve Beuerlein to Michael Irvin pass put the gave the Cowboys a 10 point lead.

And under Joe Walton’s offense, Neil O’Donnell couldn’t muster more than 167 yards, and no other skill player could break the 60 yard mark. In other words, in those days 10 points was far too much to overcome in a quarter.

1998 – The Phil Luckett Coin Flip Thanksgiving Day Fiasco

November 26th @ the Pontiac Silverdome
Detroit 19, Pittsburgh 16

For as bad as 1983’s Thanksgiving Day Massacre was, the Thanksgiving Day Coin Toss Disaster is standard by which every disappointment on the Steelers Thanksgiving record will be judged because it signified the end of an era.

The 1998 Steelers had had their ups and downs. Without a doubt, this Steelers team was missing something and Kordell Stewart clearly lacked the mojo he’d shown in the season before. But these 1998 Steelers had authored enough Tease Games – convincing wins over serious contenders – to give fans legitimate hope Bill Cowher’s boys could pull it together for a deep playoff run.

The scenario for the 1998 Steelers Thanksgiving Day game had all the trimmings for one of The Chin’s late season surges. The Steelers were fresh off a win at home over the division leading Jacksonville Jaguars and took a 7-4 record to Detroit. Jerome Bettis’ parents even had the entire team over for Thanksgiving dinner the night before.

  • It was not to be.

The Steelers played a sloppy game filled with blown coverages and easily catchable balls that receivers dropped. Nonetheless they opened a 13-3 lead in the third quarter, only to see the Lions kick a field goal, followed by a Charlie Batch to Herman Moore hook up that tied the score. Jacksonville added another 3 and the Steelers had to fight to get into position for a Norm Johnson field goal to tie the game.

  • Carnell Lake and Jerome Bettis approached midfield, called tails, the coin landed on tails but referee Phil Luckett awarded the ball to the Lions as Detroit’s captains struggled to suppress their laughter.

Jerome Bettis, Steelers Thanksgiving Record, steelers thanksgiving coin flip, phil luckett

Jerome Bettis clearly called tails, but Phil Luckett said he heard “heads” in the infamous Thanksgiving Day Coin Flip. Photo Credit: USA Today For the Win

The Lions got into scoring position thanks to another Herman Moore reception that came at Carnell Lake’s expense. A ticky tacky face mask penalty gave Detroit even more yards as they kicked the overtime field goal for the win.

The loss knocked the wind out of the 1998 Steelers sails, who would go on to lose their next 4 games. The Pittsburgh Steelers had been contenders since Bill Cowher and Tom Donahoe began in 1992, but that era ended on Thanksgiving Day 1998 in Detroit.

2013 – The Tomlin Two-Step and the Failed 2 Pointer

November 28th @ M&T Bank Stadium
Baltimore 22, Pittsburgh 20

Outside of Pittsburgh, everyone remembers this game because of Mike Tomlin’s sideline two-step, but inside Steelers Nation this one was a heart breaker – not because the Steelers played poorly, but because they played so well. The 2013 Steelers had of course started at 0-4 and the 2-6 yet had clawed their way back to 5-6. A win vs. the Ravens would have restored the Steelers record to .500 and put Pittsburgh within striking distance of the AFC North title.

  • Alas, it was not to be.

The Ravens scored a quick touchdown, but the Steelers defense held Baltimore to field goals for the rest of the night. The Steelers offense stalled during the first half, but in the second half Le’Veon Bell and Emmanuel Sanders scored touchdowns, as Ben Roethlisberger connected with Heath Miller 9 times.

With time expiring the Steelers moved into scoring position:

  • Ben Roethlisberger hit Heath Miller for 19 yards and an apparent touchdown. Overturned on replay.
    Le’Veon Bell rammed it in from the one. Overturned on replay because his helmet slipped off as he was being concussed.
  • Two plays later Roethlisberger hit Jerricho Cotchery in the end zone…
  • ….but the two point conversion failed.

The Steelers tried an on-sides kick, but failed and the Ravens ran out the clock. While this loss was disappointing, it was Steelers-Ravens slugfest in the truest sense of the word.

Can the Steelers  break their Thanksgiving Day curse vs. the Colts in 2016? Time will tell.

2016 – Snapping the Turkey Day Curse

November 24th, 2016 @ Lucas Oil Stadium
Pittsburgh 28, Indianapolis 7

The Steelers snapped a 66 year Thanksgiving Day losing streak with a convincing win over the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Steelers triplets, Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown led the team to a quick 14 point first quarter lead. Indianapolis would score a touchdown early in the 2nd quarter to cut the Steelers lead to seven, but the Steelers would score before the half, before putting the game out of reach in the 4th quarter with another Antonio Brown touchdown.

  • While the Killer Bees were in fine form on this night, the story of the game came in the contributions from the supporting cast.

 

Steelers vs Colts Thanksgiving, Ladarius Green

Ladarius Green gets his 15 minutes of Steelers fame. Photo Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski, USA TODAY Sports

Eli Rogers set up the first score with a 30 yard reception, while Ladarius Green penned a good portion of his 15 minutes of fame with the Steelers by setting up Pittsburgh’s 3rd and 4th touchdowns with “field flipping” 32 and 35 yard receptions.

  • This is also the game where Keith Butler’s boys began turning into men.

2016 did not start well for the Steelers defense, culminating in a humiliating last-minute defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys two weeks prior to this game.

However, William Gay and James Harrison helped force early punts with sacks, while Sean Davis, Mike Mitchell (no, that’s not a misprint) Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Shazier and Stephon Tuitt came up a combined 8 critical stops on the goal line as Colt’s coach Chuck Pagano went for all the marbles twice and came up short both times.

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As Cameron Heyward’s Season Ends – Steelers Nation Collectively Cries: “Game Over!”

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the middle of what is already their 2nd worst losing streak of the Mike Tomlin era, and the news just got worse. Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Heyward’s season ends thanks to a pectorial muscle injury he suffered in the loss to the Cowboys.

The Steelers haven’t announced the move yet, but Cameron Heyward made this posting via Twitter and Instagram:

One can only imagine that Mike Tomlin, Keith Butler and defensive line coach John Mitchell must be channeling their inner Bill Paxton:

In truth don’t expect anyone on the South Side to throw in the Towel, but the Pittsburgh Steelers are 0-4 when either Cameron Heyward or Stephon Tuitt has missed a game over the last two seasons. Cameron Heyward is easily both the Steelers best and most consistent player on the Steelers defense. He is also a leader both on and off the field. Losing Cam Heyward for the rest of 2016 would be akin to losing Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell or perhaps even Ben Roethlisberger.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Ron Cook broke the news on Twitter this morning before Mike Tomlin’s press conference.

Heyward was still being evaluated when Mike Tomlin addressed reporters, so no update came, but the Steelers have confirmed the news.

Mathews and Hargrave Next Men Up

With Cam Heyward out for the rest of 2016, the Steelers will likely turn to Ricardo Mathews and or Javon Hargrave to take his space. Hargrave has been splitting time at nose tackle with Daniel McCullers, but he has gotten reps at defensive end. Mathews started with Heyward missed the Dolphins and Patriots game with a hamstring injury, and the Dolphins targeted him in route to their 200 yard rushing game.

  • The Steelers also have Johnny Maxey and Caushaud Lyons on their practice squad, either of whom could be activated.

The Steelers picked up Caushaud Lyons last year off waivers and kept him on the active roster through the end of September. The Steelers then cut Lyons and resigned him to the practice squad. Regardless of who the Steelers bring onto the roster, the man has extremely big shoes to fill.

Johnson Out Forte Back In

It never rains but it pours. Before losing Cameron Heyward the rest of 2016, the Steelers annouced that reserve inside linebacker Steven Johnson going on injured reserve. To replace him the Steelers will active L.J. Forte, whom they cut this weekend to make way for Ladarius Green.

 

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Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the Loss to the Dallas Cowboys

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Taken from the gradebook of teacher who wonders just how far his once star student will slip, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Ezekiel Elliot 85 yard touchdown reception Steelers, Mike Mitchell, Steelers 2016 defense implodes

Mike Mitchell is helpless to stop Ezekiel Elliot on his 85 yard touchdown catch as Cowboys beat the Steelers. Photo Credit: Pete Madia, Tribune-Review

Quarterback
Substandard quarterback play from Ben Roethlisberger was clearly at issue in 3 of the 4 losses the Steelers had coming into this game. That’s not so this week. Ben Roethlisberger hit 8 receivers, threw 3 touchdown passes and managed a patented 4th quarter comeback. Roethlisberger’s play wasn’t flawless, however, he was 0-4 on two point conversions, and went 0-3 from the 7 to start the third quarter. Pittsburgh needed a flawless performance from Roethlisberger. Instead it got “Very good.” Grade: B

Running Backs
Le’Veon Bell got the ball 17 times on the ground, but only managed 54 yards, although he did punch it in in the end zone. While that stat might look like a liability, the truth is on many of those runs Bell transformed an almost certain loss into some positive yardage. He also caught nine passes, including a touchdown. Bell was the only back to get a carry, although David Johnson and Roosevelt Nix did some time at fullback. Grade: Bsteelers, report card, steelers grades, steelers vs. cowboys, coaching, special teams, unsung heros

Tight Ends
Ladarius Green made his long awaited debut and caught 3 passes although his stretch the field speed was nowhere apparent. Xavier Grimble had on catch and another drop. David Johnson had one catch for two yards. Overall, a solid performance by the tight ends. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Todd Haley and Ben Roethlisberger had to work at it, but they managed to get the ball to Antonio Brown to the tune of 14 catches for 154 yards. Part of the reason why they were successful is that Eli Rogers and Cobi Hamilton stepped up, both of whom made big catches, including Rogers with a difficult touchdown catch. No one, however stepped up on the 2 point conversions attempts. In past losses, the lack of a number two WR. That wasn’t the case vs. the Cowboys. Grade: B

Offensive Line
Ben Roethlisberger was only sacked once and only hit twice, so it must have been a pretty good day for the Steelers offensive line, right? No, this unit doesn’t get let off the hook so easily. First, the only Dallas sack came on 3rd and 3. A conversion there would have allow the Steelers a chance to establish a rhythm and get back in the tempo of the game.

  • But that was only one play.

The truth is that the run blocking of the offensive line was below the line. On too many occasions, Le’Veon Bell got hit as soon as he touched the ball. In fact, ESPN is crediting the Cowboys with 6.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Given that, it’s a miracle that Bell managed 3.4 yards a carry. Part of the Steelers game plan was to control the clock, which is hard to do when you running back is getting hit in the backfield. The Steelers need their offensive line to run block and pass block effectively – in the same game. This hasn’t happened in far too long. Grade: F

Defensive Line
On the positive side the Stephon Tuitt got to Dak Prescott in impressive fashion and he also logged a tackle behind the line of scrimmage and, with the two glaring exceptions, the Steelers defensive line did its part to contain Ezekiel Elliot. But any time a running back waltzs into the end zone not once, but twice untouched, the defensive line isn’t doing its job. Much less with the game on the line. Grade: F

Linebackers
Again, Anthony Chickillo started things off with a strip-sack and Ryan Shazier finished them. James Harrison should have been credited with a half sack, and looked good in run support. By all accounts Jarvis Jones whiffed his assignment on the Elliot’s final run. And aside from the two examples above, the Steelers pass rush was sparse. Grade: F

Secondary
Artie Burns continues to look like a rookie, failing to cover Dez Bryant on a critical Dallas touchdown pass. Once again, the secondary more or less watched as Ezekiel Elliot ran through them on his way to the end zone. 3 times. Sean Davis played a strong game overall, but his face mask penalty provided yet another example of the Steelers uncanny ability to self-destruct. Grade: F

Special Teams
Chris Boswell missed another 55 yarder. On the positive side, the Steelers saw signs of life from both their punt and kick return teams, as Antonio Brown and Fitzgerald Toussiant had some respectable returns. But on a critical series in the third quarter, after a Steelers drive had been stalled with a sack, Jordan Berry boomed one off, only to have it Lucky Whitehead return the it 39 yards.

  • Within 3 plays Dallas taking the lead.

These types of self destructive sequences are killing the Steelers. Grade: F

Coaching
Again, starting with the positive, Todd Haley came out with a petty strong game plan that the Steeler executed. It wasn’t quite enough to win and one cannot gloss over the fact that Mike Munchack’s offensive line cannot seem to play a complete game – a little road grading along side strong protection of the passer could have gone a long way in this game.

  • Keith Butler’s defense is a disaster.

Sure, the unit can string together a strong series or two, but it can’t be counted on to pressure the passer, and at this point it is failing to execute basic fundamentals, having gotten smoked by a running back who ran untouched for 3 touchdowns.

Clearly, some of the talent assessments that Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and Butler made going into the season were wrong, but thus far Butler has failed to scheme or game plan enough to compensate for those deficiencies.

  • And then there comes Mike Tomlin.

Mike Tomlin found himself as the favorite whipping boy in Steelers Nation this morning, and not without reason. There are reports that Ben Roethlisberger met with Tomlin and expressed concern about how the team was practicing. Other players have chimed in. Then after the game, Ben Roethlisberger repeatedly insisted the Steelers needed more “Discipline and accountability.”

  • Is this the equivalent of Tom Donahoe saying “The Steelers are better than Cincinnati” and Bill Cowher saying “I can only win with the player they give me?” late in the 1999 season?

Time will tell. But the Steelers are in a slide not seen since the 5 game losing streak of 2009 and there’s no real sign that it will stop. Mike Tomlin needs to find a way to do that, quickly.

Unsung Hero
One of the biggest non-stories this season has been Ladarius Green’s absence. Ladarius Green made his debut on Sunday and looked OK, but he wasn’t the biggest most impactful tight end on the field. Ben Roethlisberger looked Jesse James way 4 times, and each time James came up with the ball, including once on an impressive 24 yard catch on what should have been the game winning drive, and for that Jesse James wins the Unsung Hero Award for the loss to the Cowboys.

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1 Lesson from Cowboys 35-30 Win over Steelers: The 2016 Steelers Simply Aren’t That Good

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The Cowboys defeated the Steelers to the tune of 35-30 at Heinz Field, in a thrilling game that came down to the wire, but ultimately gave Pittsburgh its 4th straight loss. But the game revealed something about the Steelers that can’t quite be measured in numbers.

  • The Cowboys 35-30 win over the Steelers confirmed an unpleasant truth this team:

The 2016 Steelers simply are not that good and, worse yet, the process of finding out just how bad the are may not yet be over.

Former Dynasties Heading in Opposite Directions

The history that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys have authored together makes any matchup between these two NFL flagship franchises special. They are the only two Super Bowl dynasties to collide twice in contests that ended with a Lombardi Trophy presentation. A generation later, Dallas’ win in Super Bowl XXX conferred extra legitimacy to the Jerry Jones/Jimmy Johnson dynasty of the 90’s – no one could claim the Cowboys simply benefited by beating a series of snake bitten Buffalo Bills teams.

  • The Steelers-Cowboys matchups of the 21st century haven’t been as definitive, but all of them have been revealing.

The Steelers 2004 win in Texas Stadium helped Ben Roethlisberger prove he was for real. The 2008 Steelers win showed just how resilient the eventual Super Bowl Champions were. And Pittsburgh’s 2012 loss at Jerry’s World unveiled a Steelers team in rebuilding mode, unable to summon the rebound magic of season’s past.

  • And so it is with the Dallas Cowboys win over the 2016 Steelers.

Mike Tomlin’s crew certainly made several impressive plays in all three phases of the game. But it was the plays they failed to make that defined the game and have defined the season as one where the Steelers are most certainly slipping. (The Dallas Cowboys for their part, are clearly on the rise.)

A Few Things that Went Right….

When the history books close on the 2016 Steelers season, larger events will likely relegate much of what comes in this section to footnotes. And so it should. No team ever won a Lombardi Trophy because of its “almosts” “could haves” or “would haves.” With that acknowledged, let’s highlight some of the things the Steelers did right on this occasion.

And there you have a flash of what the 2016 Steelers are capable of when they’re at their best. When things are clicking, the Steelers offense can play with any team in the league. But things didn’t click all of the time for the offense and, of course, there’s the matter of the defense….

For all intents and purposes, the Steelers lost this game in the third quarter. The Steelers seemed to be making a decisive statement by starting out the second half with a 36 yard strike to Cobi Hamilton. Three plays later, a pass interference penalty put the Steelers in the Red Zone, but Pittsburgh had to settle for a Chris Boswell field goal.

Up until that point, the Steelers had been winning the time of possession battle, but on the next series, the Cowboys turned the tables, burning 7:35 and converting multiple 3rd and 1’s along the way. Dallas had to settle for a field goal, but the Cowboys were now dictating the tempo of the game.

The Steelers looked primed to get that back when two Le’Veon Bell runs gave Pittsburgh a 3rd and 3, but protection broke down, Ben Roethlisberger got sacked, and the Steelers went 3 and out. Then, as if on cue, things began to unravel, as they do for this Steelers team:

  • Jordan Berry boomed off a spectacular punt, only to have Lucky Whitehead return it 39 yards.

Although Dallas had a short field, the Steelers defense appeared to have the Cowboys on the ropes, when a penalty transformed 3rd and 1 to 3rd and 11. What happened next shows why Keith Butler’s defense has regressed so badly this season.

Keith Butler turned around the Steelers defense in 2015 by producing sacks and turnovers. This year both have been in short supply. Butler has as much as admitted that one reason he has blitzed less frequently is because his young secondary can’t be counted on to take care of business downfield.

The Steelers next possession began at the end of the third quarter, lasted 6 plays and just 3 minutes and ended as the 4th quarter began with a punt. The Steelers began the quarter nursing a 15 to 13 lead. They ended it trailing 23 to 18. That tells you (almost) everything you need to know about the game and the 2016 Steelers.

Ezekiel Elliott Exposes 2016 Steelers Defense

Hats off to Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and/or Jason Garrett for drafting Ezekiel Elliott. Elliot is the type of blue-chip player that, if he remains healthy, could help revive the forgotten “Franchise Running back.” But the Pittsburgh Steelers defense once prided itself on shutting down players like this (see holding Emmitt Smith to under 50 yards, albeit in a loss, in the Super Bowl.)

  • Those days are over.

A lot of what is wrong with Steelers 2016 defense can be explained by the fact that Keith Butler is playing two rookies in the secondary before either is really ready. The Steelers were counting on Bud Dupree and Senquez Golson, neither of whom have played a snap. Outside of Chickillo’s strip-sack and the Stephon Tuitt James Harrison sack, the Steelers defense generated zero pass rush.

Fair enough. Pressure, tight coverage, sacks and turnovers go-hand-in-hand and the Steelers are missing many pieces they expected to have as recently as the run test in Latrobe.

  • But there’s something else amiss with this Steelers defense, as exhibited by Ezekiel Elliott.

Ezekiel Elliot logged 209 yards from scrimmage and he scored 3 touchdowns where nary a Steelers defender laid a hand on him with the last one coming when everyone knew the game was on the line.

I’ll leave it to the more educated eye to pick apart the film to finger what scheme and/or which players were at fault, but the bottom line is simple: A good defense doesn’t allow that to happen; an average defense doesn’t allow that to happy. Only bad defenses allow that to happen.

There’s no sugar coating things, the Steelers 2016 defense is bad. Very bad.

Steelers Spiral Continues, with No End in Sight.

Steel Curtain Rising opened the season arguing that the 2016 Steelers would only go as far as their defense could take them. Nine games into the season, Steelers Nation can see this painful dynamic at work: Ben Roethlisberger getting the ball into Antonio Brown’s hands 14 times doesn’t cut it when your defense plays spectator to Ezekiel Elliott running though the secondary. That is bad enough, but right now something more insidious is at play:

  • The 2016 Pittsburgh Steelers are learning how to lose games.

The Steelers started down this path during the 0-4 start in 2013 and only truly broke out of it at the end of 2014. Now they’re a team headed so far in the wrong direction that even victory against the 0-9 Browns on the road is far from a sure thing.

Mike Tomlin can talk all he wants about “We own what we put on tape,” he can continue to “Accept responsibility for everything.” He needs to find a way to get his players to stop losing games, and he needs to do it fast.

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