Tag Archives: Steelers vs. Titans

Steelers Report Card for Win Over Titans: Passing by Guessing Right Edition

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Taken from the grade book of a teacher who understands all too well that his students passed by guessing right on a multiple choice test, here is the Steelers Report card for the win over the Titans.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers vs Titans, Joe Haden

Minkah Fitzpatrick recovers a fumble in the 2nd quarter. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger went 16 for 25 for an economical 148 yards and no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for one touchdown. Roethlisberger faced a lot of pressure and the running game was AOWL. The Steelers transformed 4 turnovers into 12 points. If this was Ben’s penultimate game at Heinz Field, he didn’t go out with a bang. Grade: C+

Running Backs
There have been days when Najee Harris hasn’t had good rushing numbers but got good grades nonetheless. The Titans game is not one of those. Harris had no room to run, what else is new, but made bad decisions and lacked the flash that he’s shown thus far this season. Grade: DSteelers, Report Card, grades,

Tight Ends
Pat Freiermuth had 4 catches but as usual made each of them count until leaving with a concussion. Zach Gentry had a 17 yard catch on the Steelers touchdown drive, Pittsburgh’s 2nd longest pass of the game. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
Diontae Johnson led the Steelers with 5 catches for… 38 yards. No, that’s no misprint. James Washington had 3 catches for 36 yards although his 19 yard grab came in garbage time. Chase Claypool had one rush for 12 yards that was credited as a reception even if he’s listed as having zero receptions. Yep, it was that kind of game folks. Grade: D

Offensive Line
The Steelers feature back averaged 1.5 yards per carry. Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 3 times and hit another three times. The Steelers offensive line is what it is, and “is” is terrible. Grade: F

Defensive Line
Whew. The Titans “only” ran for just over 200 yards and “only” averaged 4.8 yards a carry. Chris Wormley did have a sack on the Titans opening possession and Cam Heyward’s half sack did force a field goal and take 4 points off the board. Grade: D

Linebackers
T.J. Watt had a sack and a half and both were impact plays. Devin Bush had a deflected pass which he could have and should have intercepted. He continued to be blocked in run coverage. Joe Schobert intercepted a pass deflected by Taco Charlton. Grade: C

Secondary
Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered a fumble caused by Arthur Maulet that set up the first score. Joe Haden was the game’s MVP recovering a fumble caused by Cam Sutton and icing the game with a textbook tackle on 4th down. Grade: B

Special Teams
Ray-Ray McCloud did a decent job returning punts and his kick returns were OK. Punt return coverage was awful, at one point giving up a 55 yard return. That 55 yard return came after Pressley Harvin III’s 51 yarder which was an outlier as Harvin “booted” punts of 27 and 32 yards (his other punts were either OK or well-placed.) More consistency is needed.

Chris Boswell remained “Mr. Consistency” Knocking in field goals of 36, 28, 46 and 48 yards. Grade: C-

Coaching
The Titans have a talented defense, no doubt and the Steelers offense has its liabilities. Still, Matt Canada’s offense accomplished nothing, outside of a lone touchdown drive. No sticking with the rush until Harris ground out yards, no Jet Motions, no no-huddle. Given four turnovers and quality field position, the Steelers offense should have come away with more than 12 points.

Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers vs Titans

Ben Roethlisberger during the Steelers Titans game. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

It is true that the Steelers effort on defense had more to do with stars like T.J. Watt and Joe Haden making or taking advantage of big opportunities than scheme or out executing your opponents. But it is also true that before the turnover carnival began, the Steelers were only down 10 points.

  • That’s not bad given how poorly the offense and special teams played.

Overall, the 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers roster is one that features a number of All Pro caliber men playing along side either green rookies or retreads that are, at best, roster-bubble babies on any other NFL team.

The fact that playoffs remain a possibility this late in December is a credit to Mike Tomlin. Grade: C

Unsung Hero Award
He’s maligned by both fans and the professional press alike and has been since the day he was drafted. And if he hasn’t lived up to his draft position he’s been consistent since arriving in Pittsburgh and he’s also been delivering steady play under the radar. Against the Titans he made a couple of critical plays behind the line of scrimmage and for that Terrell Edmunds is the Unsung Hero of the week.

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Titanic Turnovers: Steelers Drop Titans 19-13 on Three 4th Quarter Turnovers

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Maybe what Mike Tomlin needs is for Steelers alumni to keep piling on. It happened after the loss to the Bengals, and the Steelers responded with a last minute win over the Ravens. Another embarrassing loss to the Vikings ensued, and the Steelers answered with another win. And it again happened against the AFC leader.

Go figure.

The Steelers prevailed in another barn burner, this time beating the Tennessee Titans in a 16-13 contest that only saw Pittsburgh prevail because the Steelers defense had just enough star power to take advantage of the Titans inability to master the most basic football fundamental: Ball security.

Joe Haden, Steelers vs Titans

Joe Haden recovers a fumble. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Ask Lambert for a Tongue Lashing?

Did the Steelers simply need a good kick in the pants? After the Vikings loss, the “honor” of delivering the kick fell to Joe Greene.

Greene pulled no punches labeling the first half against the Vikings as “the saddest day that I’ve had” as a Steeler, concluding “That was a poor, poor example of the Black and Gold. It disappointed me.”

Whew. The only thing that could top a tongue lashing from Joe Greene would Jack Lambert coming out of the woods to lay into this group of Steelers. Hum, maybe Art Rooney II should seek out the recluse?

No. That would be a waste of time. Pittsburgh’s problems are tied to talent and/or health. Or lack thereof. And the Titans game illustrated that reality once again.

First Half – Like a Rerun of Bad 70’s Sitcom. But with a Twist….

The 2021 Steelers first half performances are becoming about as rote as a Three’s Company rerun (if you’re too young to remember, don’t bother Googling it take my word for it, its not worth it.) The Steelers punted four times, with Presley Harvin’s punting getting so poor that one has to wonder if it wouldn’t be wiser for Mike Tomlin just to have Ben Roethlisberger pooch it the rest of the way.

To add insult to injury, his 51 yarder got returned 55 yards….

That return set up a Titans touchdown. With 7:41 left to go in the first quarter a 3 or 4 touchdown lead at halftime seemed to be a mere formality. Except that didn’t happen.

Yes, Pittsburgh played pretty haplessly in the first half, save for a few key plays. Arthur Maulet forced a fumble early in the 1st quarter which Minkah Fitzpatrick recovered. The Steelers offense muddled around for 5 plays, but an 11 yard-hookup to Pat Freiermuth was all they needed set Chris Boswell up for a 36 yard field goal.

With the Steelers run defense again AWOL, the Titans proceeded to milk over 10 minutes off of the clock, driving all the way down to the Steelers 4 yard line. A touchdown seemed certain, when T.J. Watt sacked Ryan Tannehill on 3rd down, effectively taking 4 points off the board.

The Steelers couldn’t get into position for Chris Boswell to kick his own field goal, but the first half foreshadowed what was to come.

2nd Half Happy Days Are Here Again? Not Quite

The 2021 Steelers have followed a pretty standard script. Atrocious run defense allows the opponent to wrack up a large lead. Terrible offensive line play keeps the Steelers offense stranded in first gear, until Ben Roethlisberger rallies the team to a dramatic 4th quarter finish.

Steelers-Titans game featured its own dramatic 4th quarter finish, but it followed a new template.

That’s because Roethlisberger and the offense never found their 4th quarter roar. On the Steelers lone touchdown drive, their biggest plays were a 17 yard pass to Zach Gentry an a 15 yard penalty called for a concussion hit on Pat Freiermuth. It took a pass interference penalty on Chase Claypool to get them to the one, then it took 3 tries from Najee Harris and Ben Roethlisberger to get them into the end zone.

If watching the first half of the Titans game was like watching a Three’s Company re-run, the second half was like watching Happy Days. Because, while hardly television excellence, at least Happy Days featured Ron Howard, Henry Winkler and Tom Boswell at their best.

T.J. Watt, Steelers vs Titans

T.J. Watt after recovering a Titans fumble. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune Review

The Steelers 2021 defense is a model of mediocrity, featuring one of the worst defensive lines in franchise history.

But the Steelers defense has a few stars, and when they shine, good things happen. Such was the 2nd half against the Titans which saw:

  • T.J. Watt scuttle a promising Titans drive with a 10-yard sack
  • Cam Sutton forcing a fumble which Joe Haden recovered
  • Taco Charlton deflecting a pass which Joe Schobert intercepted and returned 24 yards
  • T.J. Watt recovering a bobbled snap

The Steelers defense forced turnovers on 3 straight drives. Each of those came in Titans territory. And each time the Steelers offense sputtered, leading to Chris Boswell field goals of 28, 46 and 48 yards. Those field goals were enough to give the Steelers a 19-13 point lead, but not enough to close the deal.

In fact, Tennessee tried to close it themselves, moving methodically down the field. On 4th and 7 at the Steelers 16 Ryan Tannehill hit Nick Westbrook-Ikhine about a yard shy of the first down marker. Joe Haden hit him instantly, wrapping to keep him from extending his arms.

  • Even a gift spot from the officials wasn’t enough for the first down.

Pittsburgh had prevailed at the wire. Again. The win improved their record to 7-6-1 keeping their playoff hope alive for yet another week.

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Outtakes: Remembering Steelers 1st MNF Win @ Heinz, Plaxico’s Break Out Game 20 Years Later

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Editor’s Note: Today is the 20th anniversary of the first Monday Night Football game at Heinz Field. It also marks the first Steelers game yours truly watched from Buenos Aires. So here is Steel Curtain Rising’s “Outtake,” taken from post-game email written after the game. Aside from minor edits, text appears as written in 2001! Thanks to @PGH_Sports_Date for the reminder!

Steelers vs Titans, 1st MNF Heinz Field, Plaxico Burress, Plaxico Burress 1st 100 yard game,First Monday Night Football Heinz Field, Daryl Porter, Perry Phoenix

Two firsts. Plaxico Burress first 100 yard game & the first MNF game @ Heinz Field. Photo Credit: Archie Carpenter, UPI, via UPI.com

The commentary was in Spanish. The game was broadcast at 1:00 am here in Buenos Aires. I was drinking Quilmes (an Argentine beer) and Brahma (a Brazilian beer) instead of my beloved Iron City. And, I was alone, without my usual buddies from the Goose [that’s Baltimore’s legendary Purple Goose Saloon.]

  • But you know what? It was still great.

I was quite impressed with the Steelers effort against the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football. The new stadium looked great (first time I’d seen it on TV), the fans seemed to be louder (heard that was an issue before) and the Black and Gold was kicking some ass!

Although this was the first game I’d seen this year, I thought that the team put together an overall great effort. It wasn’t a perfect game, but whenever one area faulted, it seemed like another area picked up the slack.

  • On the offensive side of the ball I was a little concerned about the offensive line play.

After reading about how well the O-Line’s been playing, I was looking forward to seeing them manhandle the Tennessee Tuxedos front seven (BTW/ my friend Bill ., a devoted Ravens fan but great guy all around deserves credit for the “Tuxedos” moniker.) For the most part, that didn’t happen. Jerome Bettis got didn’t get the light to rush that I’d like – except when it counted. The blocking was phenomenal on the two Bettis runs, moreover, the Bus did grind out some yards in the 4th quarter, allowing us to put the Titans away.

  • In a sense however, the mild difficulties experienced by the running game were a positive.

I really thought the passing offense did a good job of coming together. Plaxico Burress had a hell of a game, especially on the long catch in the 3rd quarter, on a ball that would have been intercepted had the defensive back been concentrating. Hines Ward had a few drops, but really impressed me with the tough catch he made in the 2nd quarter and, as usual, he was their when we needed him on the TD drive.

Although it came in garbage time, I thought that Tommy Maddox did well in mop up time when playing from his own goal line, and the much maligned Troy Edwards (OK, he brought it on himself, no argument) made a great effort.

Steelers vs Titans, Kordell Stewart, 1st MNF game Heinz Field

Kordell going down? Nope. He escaped to hit Hines Ward for a TD. Photo Credit: AP via ESPN.com

Although he had a couple ugly throws, I thought Kordell Stewart did a good job of sticking in the pocket and finding his receiver and moving around, although Tennessee did a good job of spying the QB.

  • The defense was excellent. I was really impressed by the play of Kendrell Bell.

OK, he did get burned by Frank Wycheck on two plays, including the Tuxedo’s only TD. But he had good position on both plays, and remember, he’s only a rookie. A year from now those passes, I’ll wager, get broken up. Otherwise the D-line impressed me, as did the play of Chad Scott and Dwayne Washington.

  • I noticed improved play on special teams, and I was particularly impressed with the play of Mike Logan there.

Well, folks, I’d love to be able to offer more insight into how this game fits into the bigger picture, but seeing as how it’s the first game I’ve seen, I can’t. Nonetheless, the offense showed that can use weapons other than Bettis to get points on the board, if not win. (OK, the Tuxedo’s don’t exactly have Baltimore’s pass D, but we still looked good.)

The Steelers are off to a great start, but our next four games come against some tough division opponents, including Baltimore whom we’ve not beaten at home in two years. Cleveland looks to be much improved (how do they really look, some one let me know, please?) And Jacksonville could likely be playing with their backs to the wall.

In its final season, the AFC Central looks WIDE open. That means these are games you’ve got to win. Credit the Steelers for putting themselves in good position. Now its up to Bill Cowher and company to see that they take advantage of it.

So, as we say at the Goose,

Chew tobacco, chew tobacco, spit, spit, spit, if you ain’t a Steelers fan you ain’t shit! Go Steelers!

KT
President,
Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Club of Buenos Aires

*(I had to go bed early and get up, then go to bed again to get up at 6 am, that really kicks your ass.)
** This was my first Steelers game away from the Goose since October of 1997!

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#ICYMI: Steelers Just Schooled Browns on How Respect is Earned in the NFL

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Before the Steelers set foot in Nissan Stadium to take on the Titans in a battle of unbeatens last Sunday, many wondered just how credible of a contender Pittsburgh was.

The Steelers’ first five victories came against teams that were either suspect–the Giants, Broncos, Texans and Eagles — or the Browns.

However, thanks to a 27-24 victory over Tennessee, the Steelers are now not only the lone undefeated team in the NFL heading into Week 8, but they’re also legit for real.

  • That’s how you earn respect in the NFL.
Bud Dupree, T.J. Watt, Baker Mayfield, Steelers vs Browns

Bud Dupree sacks T.J. Watt. Photo Credit: Joe Sargent/Getty Images, via WJAC.com

If you’re a Browns fan or supporter who is reading this, I want you to heed these words: You don’t earn respect by saying you want it or by your supporters insisting on it. You don’t gain respect by being on Hard Knocks and gaining many sympathetic fans that way. You don’t earn respect by being glib and/or disrespectful with reporters–I’m talking to you, Baker Mayfield.

You don’t earn respect through offseason rankings and/or predictions. You don’t gain respect by beating your rival and its backup quarterback. You don’t earn respect by beating that backup quarterback over the head with his own helmet — I’m talking to you, Myles Garrett.

  • You gain respect by beating your rival with its franchise quarterback and then doing it again and again.

Many people may not even remember this, but Cleveland went into M&T Bank Stadium early in the 2019 season and beat up the Ravens pretty good. You might say it was a bit of a statement game for the Browns, if not for the fact that nobody remembers it. Why? Because Cleveland then went out and lost four-straight games to the 49ers, Seahawks, Patriots and Broncos, respectively.

OK, if you wanted to be fair, you could say the Browns were a young team, still searching for answers. Maybe the true answers came in the form of a 21-7 victory over the Steelers in the infamous Body Bag game. It was Thursday Night Football. It was nationally televised. It was controversial. Garrett became both a villain and a hero to many at the same time.

  • The Browns were proud of their victory. Their fans were proud of their victory. Even the media was proud of their victory.

The only thing left for the Browns to do was finish the job 17 days later in the rematch at Heinz Field. A victory would not only improve the Browns’ record to 6-6, it would also put them in a prime position to earn a playoff spot.

What happened? The Browns, those upstarts, those offseason champions, those Hard Knocks heroes, couldn’t knock off the Steelers and the third-string quarterback — Devlin Hodges — who replaced Mason Rudolph, the backup quarterback who helped to turn Garrett into both a villain and a hero at the same time.

  • The Steelers prevailed, 20-13, and were the ones now sitting in prime playoff position.

As for the Browns. They went on to lose three of their last four–including a rematch against the Ravens at home–to finish the season at 6-10. They had regressed from their 2018 record of 7-8-1.

Fast-forward to 2020, and the Browns are now 5-2 and look to be in great shape to earn a trip to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Where’s the respect? Where’s the hype?

Maybe those things don’t exist right now because Cleveland’s two losses came against their two biggest rivals–the Ravens and Steelers–and by a combined score of 76-13.

Also, two of the Browns’ victories were against the Bengals — and just barely.

  • Both Pittsburgh and Baltimore showed the Browns what true respect looks like.

Is it any surprise that the Steelers, just one year after barely missing the playoffs without an injured Ben Roethlisberger, are now the only undefeated team in the NFL?

Are you ever truly shocked when Pittsburgh takes on a juggernaut like the Titans and wins?

  • Championship organizations do many things to continue to earn respect.

They don’t just win Super Bowls as the number one or number two seed. They become the first team in NFL history to do it as the number six seed as the Steelers did in Super Bowl XLIII.

The Browns still have a chance to earn respect before 2020 is over. They have one more shot at both Pittsburgh and Baltimore. After that, they’ll likely have a chance to earn some in the postseason.

  • Will they? That remains to be seen, but while they’re busy trying to earn respect, the Steelers are busy trying to win a title.

Maybe that’s the difference between the two teams. Until that changes, no respect will be coming the Brownies’ way.

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Steelers Report Card for Win over Titans: Learn the Right Lesson Edition

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From the grade book of a teacher who hopes his students don’t learn the long lesson from their experience of starting strong, stumbling badly and still passing, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers Report Card for the 2020 win over the Titans.

T.J. Watt, Ryan Tannehill, Robert Spillane, Bud Dupree, Steelers vs Titans

T.J. Watt sacks Ryan Tannehill. And then some. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger started this game as he had so many others this year – on fire. By Jim Wexell’s calculation’s Big Ben had a passer rating of 99.4 in the first half, and 17.0 thereafter. His interceptions alone accounted for a 6 point swing. To his credit Roethlisberger manned up after the game, but that doesn’t count as “extra credit for showing your work.” Grade: C-Steelers, Report Card, grades,

Running Back
James Conner had 82 yards on 20 carries and ran strong in addition to 3 catches for 29 yards. Benny Snell only had 2 carries, but found paydirt on one of them with a touchdown. Jaylen Samuels returned to the offense and got 5 yards on his only carry. Anthony McFarland 6 yards on one carry. Grade: B

Tight Ends
Vance McDonald had two catches for 14 yards while Eric Ebron had 6 catches for 50 yards, while Jerald Hawkins sealed the corner on Snell’s touchdown playing as the third tight end. Grade: B

Wide Receivers
JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson did something that not easily measured by statistics – they showed that the can and will make opposing defenses pay for double-teaming Chase Claypool. JuJu Smith-Schuster had 9 catches for 85 yards and they were combat catches. Diontae Johnson also had 9 catches for 80 yards, but he also scored two touchdowns. Ray-Ray McCloud had 2 catches for 12 yards. The one combat catch that JuJu missed was the end zone touchdown, and that brings this group’s mark down. Grade: B

Offensive Line
Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t sacked the entire day and he was only hit 3 times per ESPN’s stats. James Conner and the other running backs ran very well in the first half and the line had a lot to do with that. Their rushing average plummeted in the 2nd half, which contributed to two very short drives when clock milking was in order. Grade: B-

Defensive Line
Derrick Henry is, daresay, a running back cut out of the Jerome Bettis mold, yet agaisnt the Steelers he only managed 3.8 yards a carry. Certainly some of that is due to the Titans playing from behind, but part of the reason they were behind late was because Henry couldn’t get started early. Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt’s stat sheets are slim, but they impact was deep. Grade: B

Linebackers
T.J. Watt had a sack and dropped Henry for losses twice the second of which was a key play in forcing a punt. Bud Dupree’s name doesn’t appear on the stat sheet, which is strange, but he was tasked in part with helping ensure Henry remained contained. The real hero of the day is this unit’s work horse, Vince Williams who led the team with 10 total tackles, a sack and another tackle for a loss. Grade: B+

Cam Sutton, Corey Davis

Cam Sutton deflects a pass against Corey Davis. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune Review

Secondary
Joe Haden, Cam Sutton, and Terrell Edmunds all batted away passes at critical moments. Joe Haden made some critical stops on the final drive. Steven Nelson’s name was seldom heard which is very much a good thing. However, the secondary gave up a 70 yard touchdown which came early enough to allow Tennessee to get back in the game. Minkah Fitzpatrick either slipped or perhaps hesitated and A.J. Brown outran the rest of the secondary. These types of slips hurt. Grade: C

Special Teams
In his return to Pittsburgh Jordan Berry averaged 50 yards on two punts, delivering an immediate improvement. The Steelers kick and punt coverage remained strong. Chris Boswell was 3 for 3 on PATs and hit two field goals. The special teams also quashed an impromptu fake punt attempt. The real star was Ray-Ray McCloud, whose 57 yard punt return gave the Steelers an easy score inside the 2 minute warning. That’s 9 points score by special teams and another 6 directly set up by special teams. Excellent. Grade: A

Ray-Ray McCloud

Ray-Ray McCloud (almost) takes it to the house. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

Coaching
Randy Fichtner’s offense did what it had not done in 24 games, score a touchdown on its opening drive. This immediately knocked the Titans off of their game, which is to ride Henry from ahead. The Steelers offense authored drives of 9, 7 and 7 and a half minutes.

Keith Butler was forced to play without two critical players, in Mike Hilton and Devin Bush, and knew his run defense would be tested by the NFL’s best rusher. The Steelers defense proved to be up to the task, and their early shut downs of the Titans offense were critical to establish and padding a lead which would become quite slim by the end of the afternoon.

  • It is true that Butler’s defense did suffers its share of hiccups, on the long pass play and the goal line, but they delivered.

When a team is on the road, goes negative 3 in the turnover category, gives up a 70 yard touchdown pass and STILL wins to remain undefeated, you suspect the coaching staff is doing something right. But when that team’s players exit the game with a humble, rather than triumphant attitude you simply have to credit head coach Mike Tomlin. Grade: B

Unsung Hero Award
OK. We’ve given the coaches their due. But there’s another reason why a team can turn the ball over so many times, give up long touchdowns and still win. It’s because of plays like this:

Sure, the Titan’s scored two plays later. It doesn’t matter. Good things happen to teams who see their heretofore no-names take on NFL All Pros head on and win and for that Robert Spillane wins the Unsung Hero Award for the Steelers win over the Titans.

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Looking Glass Tales: Steelers Defeat Titans 27-24, Start 6-0, Evoking Memories of ’92 Win over Oilers

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It was the middle of the season. Time for the two biggest boys on the block to fight. The competition was intense. Hits were hard. One side went up big. The game appeared out of reach. The other fought back. The outcome hinged on a final kicked ball….

  • That summarizes the Steelers 27-24 win over the Tennessee Titans.

It also summarizes a similar contest two franchises waged in the fall of 1992. Today’s game was between the AFC’s last undefeated teams, whereas yesteryear’s was for AFC Central supremacy. Two games, 27 years apart would mirror each other to a T. With one critical exception….

Diontae Johnson, Malcolm Butler, Steelers vs Titans

Diontae Johnson reminds Malcolm Bulter the Steelers have receivers not named Claypool. Photo Credit: AP, via Tribune-Review.

First Half – One of the Best Halves of the Tomlin Era

Pittsburgh’s first half against the Titans has to rank as one of the top ten best halves that the Steelers have played during the Mike Tomlin era. Ben Roethlisberger set the tone by asking his coach to receive should they win the toss.

The Steelers won, and Roethlisberger delivered as he, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner, and Diontae Johnson presented a clinic on possession football. By mixing short passes and aggressive runs Pittsburgh piced together a 16-play drive that burned more than  9 minutes off the clock.

The Titans All-World running back Derrick Henry could do nothing but watch as Diontae Johnson put the Steelers up by 7 with barely 5 minutes left in the first quarter.

Vince Williams limited Henry’s next carry to one yard, Cam Sutton saw to it that Ryan Tannehill’s next pass fell incomplete, and just like that the Titans were punting back to the Steelers.

  • In a nutshell, that is the story of the first half.

Benny Snell, Steelers vs Titans 2020

Benny Snell puts the Steelers up 14-0. Photo Credit: AP via Tribune-Review

The Steelers got the ball back and executed another 13 play drive that consumed another 7 minutes off the clock, this time ending with Benny Snell pounding it in at the goal line.

  • The Titans responded with a long drive of their own.

But by the time Tennessee scored a touchdown just over 5 minutes were left in the half, and the Steelers used two and a half of those tack on a 30-yard field goal. Then it was T.J. Watt’s turn to stuff Henry for a loss, which set up another Titans 3 and out.

Backed up against his own end zone Brett Kern boomed off an impressive punt, which Ray-Ray McCloud returned 57 yards all the way to the Titans 17. Three plays later Ben Roethlisberger was hooking up with Diontae Johnson for his 2nd touchdown of the afternoon, putting Pittsburgh up 24 to 7.

The Steelers forced the Titans to turn over on downs, and instead of playing it safe, Mike Tomlin went for the end zone, but unfortunately Dane Cruikshank picked him off. Disappointing, yes? But an interception with 14 seconds remaining in the half when you’re leading 24-7 really isn’t anything to worry about. Is it….?

Historical Interlude – Steelers vs. Oilers at Three Rivers Stadium November 1992

Bill Cowher’s 1992 Steelers shocked the NFL by upsetting the Houston Oilers on opening day and followed that victory by winning four of their next six to set up a showdown at Three Rivers Stadium for sole ownership of the AFC Central lead.

Rod Woodson, Steelers vs Oilers, Three Rivers Stadium, 1992 Steelers

Rod Woodson terrorized the Houston Oilers

  • This was one of those games that NFL Films couldn’t have scripted better if it tried.

The first half saw the Steelers and Oilers fight to a 7-6 advantage in a game that evoked some of the contest the two teams had fought in the 1970’s. Yet, in the 3rd quarter the Oilers took control, scoring a touchdown and then with in minutes returning a strip sack to score another, to hold a 20-7 lead late into the 4th quarter against and offense not known for its speed at scoring points.

Yet, Neil O’Donnell rallied Pittsburgh, hitting tight ends Adrian Cooper and Eric Green for touchdowns, the latter of which gave the Steelers a 21 to 20 lead just ahead of the two minute warning.

Sloppy Second Half Raises Blood Pressure Across Steelers Nation

…As it turns out, Roethlisberger’s interception at the close of the first half foreshadowed things to come. Sure, T.J. Watt started the half with a sack that set up a Titans 3 and out, and the Steelers responded with another Chris Boswell field goal, making it 27-7. But things unraveled after that.

  • Minkah Fitzpatrick blinked, allowing A.J. Brown to take it to the house for 73 yards
  • A tipped ball gave the Titans an interception at the Steelers 30
  • The defense limited Tennessee to 3, but the score stood at 27-17 with a quarter remaining
  • The Steelers stopped Tennessee on 4th & 1 at the goal, but committed a penalty
  • The Titans took advantage and made it 27-24, with 10 minutes to play

The Steelers responded by milking 7:38 off the clock, but the Titans intercepted Ben Roethlisberger in the end zone, giving them the ball at the Steelers 20 with 2:34 left to play and a chance to win it all.

As It Was in 1992, It is Again in 2020: Wide Right!

It’s ironic how two games between two franchises separated by 10,221 days can evolve as mirror images of each other.

The 1992 Pittsburgh Steelers had clawed their way back from defeat to hold a 1 point lead with little more than two minutes separating them from a win over the Houston Oilers and the division lead.

The 2020 Tennessee Titans had clawed their way back from disaster and two minutes separated them from turning the tables on the Steelers and establishing themselves as the AFC’s last undefeated team.

  • The 1992 Oilers marched down the field reaching field goal range as time threatened to expire
  • The 2020 Titans marched down field reaching field goal range as a 4th and 13 made it now or never

Mirror images indeed, except that ending was the only element to escape the reversal of fortunes that all looking glasses trap in their reflection:

  • Like Al Del Greco 27 years and 11 months earlier, Stephen Gostkowski field goal sailed wide right!

And the Steelers left Nashville with a 6-0 record.

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13 Games in a Row? No Problem for the Pittsburgh Steelers

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“We do not care.”

That was Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s response during a virtual question and answer session with reporters on Thursday when asked his thoughts on the possibility of his team playing 13-straight games to end the season, thanks to the Week 4 game against the Titans being postponed due to 11 members of that organization testing positive for COVID-19.

Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin press conference

Mike Tomlin addressing the press. Photo Credit: Gene J. Puskar, AP via ESPN.com

You know what?

  • I say kudos to Tomlin for quickly throwing a tarp over any potential excuse-making breeding ground before it even has any time to grow.

Not to sound old — and I am a member of Generation-X, which means I’m now getting there — but I remember the days when teams played 16-straight regular season games without a bye. Nobody thought anything of it. Nobody rattled off stats about how teams that had their byes after a certain point in the season had a greater chance of winning a Super Bowl than teams who had them much earlier.

  • Teams just fulfilled their schedules and either went to the playoffs or to a tropical destination.

I realize this is a new era, and the physical toll the game of football takes on players is far too extensive to ignore. I know the health and safety of these athletes is paramount. I do have a heart. I’m not rotten to the core.

But that’s not what everyone is really worried about when they suddenly “concern” themselves with the brutality these Steelers players will potentially be putting themselves through over the course of thirteen weeks.

They’re worried about how it will affect Pittsburgh’s chances if it makes the postseason for the first time since 2017, something that seems quite likely now, thanks to a 3-0 start to the 2020 regular season.

I get it, but I also know of a lot of people who get concerned when a team earns a postseason bye— “Oh no, it’s going to ruin their momentum!”

There are folks who simultaneously worry about a team playing on a Thursday night because they think the quick turnaround from the previous Sunday will hinder its chances of winning and also worry that the team will be rusty for the next game thanks to the extra days off.

It’s not just the fans, either. Yes, at the moment, Coach Tomlin and his players may say they’re not worried about playing 13 weeks in a row, but let’s see what their attitude is, come January, when game number 14 is of the playoff variety.

  • My guess is someone will care by then.

When it comes to too much time off vs. playing too many games in a row, you can always find an excuse for poor play with either scenario if you really want to.

The fact of the matter is, if someone wouldn’t have pointed out on Thursday how potentially damaging it could be to the Steelers if they didn’t get some time off between now and the end of the season, it never would have crossed my mind that it could be detrimental to their health and/or their chances at a playoff run.

If the Steelers really want to guarantee themselves some time off right before the playoffs, they need to keep winning and earn that precious number one seed—the only one that now comes equipped with a bye.

Wait a minute, what if that extra week off leaves them rusty for the divisional round…….? 

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The Bright Side to the Steelers Loss To The Patriots? Was It Wasn’t A Playoff Game

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You’ll have to forgive me for my sour mood, but I haven’t been this angry after a Steelers loss in a very long time.

  • In fact, the last time I was angry–really angry–after a Steelers loss, Pittsburgh wasn’t even playing.

I’m talking about the Ryan Succup missed field goal at the end of regulation during the Chiefs/Chargers 2013 regular season finale that, had it been made, would have put Pittsburgh into the playoffs with an 8-8 record.

Steelers vs Patriots, Tom Brady, Jacob Hollister, Sean Davis

Tom Brady Jacob Hollister celebrate a 1st quarter touchdown over the Steelers at Heinz Field. Photo Credit: Nancy Lane, Boston Herald

If I had to think of another time I was this angry, we have to go back almost 15 years, to the moments after Tommy Maddox‘s Steelers lost in overtime to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the 2002 playoffs, thanks mostly to a running into the kicker penalty on Steelers cornerback Dwayne Washington, who ran into Joe Nedney, after Nedney missed a short field goal, thus affording the kicker with the great acting skills another shot at sticking the dagger into the heart of Steeler Nation (he did).

  • After the game Nedney himself even joked about his “Oscar winning performance” if memory serves.

Anyway, in-case you’ve been living under a rock, the source of my current anger is the Ben Roethlisberger to Jesse James 10-yard touchdown catch with 28 seconds left that would have clinched a bye for the Steelers, a touchdown that was ultimately overturned due to the NFL’s ridiculous idea of what a catch is.

Was it the right call?

  • By the letter of the law, yes, yes it was.
  • Is the catch rule a stupid one that totally insults the intelligence of anyone with two good eyes?
  • Yes, yes it is.

But there’s nothing you can do about it. Fortunately, however, unlike those previous anger-inducing moments I referenced, the Steelers can actually step up and do something about this clear miscarriage of justice.

The 27-24 loss to the Patriots, Sunday night, didn’t end Pittsburgh’s season; it merely dropped the team to 11-3 and took the control of the number one seed out its hands and placed it firmly into the Patriots’ with just two games left.

But the Steelers still control their own fate with regards to the number two seed and a bye, which, while not the perfect scenario, isn’t exactly chopped liver.

And guess what?

If the Patriots lose one game, while Pittsburgh wins two, the black and gold could still get the top seed in the AFC playoffs. And wouldn’t that be delicious? You lose-out on the head-to-head tiebreaker to both the Patriots and the Jaguars, who came into Heinz Field in Week 5 and had their way in a 30-9 beat-down, but it doesn’t matter, as you some how finish ahead of both in the win/loss column.

I would relish that, because I would welcome the opportunity to see both or either team have to come crawling back to loud and crazy Heinz Field for a playoff game, which, believe me, Heinz Field in a playoff setting is so much different than it is in the regular season.

But regardless of how the playoff seeding ultimately shakes out, the Steelers will actually be in the dance, and that angry feeling I have right now? That won’t last an entire offseason, and there’s still a chance for redemption.

The Steelers 2017 story isn’t over yet, and the final chapter can still go many different ways.

 

 

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Brown Bests Big Ben by a Nose in Steelers-Titans Game Ball Winners Poll! And No Love for Todd Haley

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The Steelers Thrusday Night trashing of the Titans certainly energized Steelers Nation if voting in our Steelers-Titans game ball winners poll are any indication. And this time the race was hotly contested and for good reason.

Antonio Brown, Steelers vs Titans, LeShaun Sims, Steelers Titans Thursday Night Football

LeShaun Sims couldn’t ground Antonio Brown and neither could Ben Roethlisberger, at least not in our game ball poll! Photo Credit: Barry Reeger, Penn Live

Steelers vs Titans, Steelers Titans Game Ball Poll REsultsAt first glance, it appears that Ben Roethlisberger narrowly out polled Antonio Brown by a single vote to win the poll. However, if you scroll down, you’ll see that someone wrote in “AB” which can only be interpreted as Antonio Brown, so when we had his two votes to his 24, he comes out ahead of his quarterback by one

  • And for good reason, the duo was outstanding Thursday night, with both players in championship form.

The next highest vote getter was Cameron Heyward. That’s not much of a surprise, given how thoroughly Cam Heyward dominated the Titans, including making a critical sack on third down to force a field goal when the outcome remained very much in doubt.

Support for Heyward built slowly however, and one can speculate on whether it was influenced by Tony Defeo’s didactic piece on whether the Steelers 2017 defensive line is simply too talented to contain.

Coty Sensabaugh was the next highest vote getter, with 9 votes, which is a bit of a surprise. Sensabaugh’s interception did come at a critical moment, and did set up a Chris Boswell field goa, but Coty Sensabaugh also bears responsibility for the long bomb the Steelers defense gave up.

Vince Williams came in fifth in the pecking order, after another strong night that included a sack, which was enough to get him six votes. Ryan Shazier and Mike Hilton tied for 6th place with each player polling four votes.

Le’Veon Bell and Stephon Tuitt tied for 7th place with each man garnering 3 votes. Sean Davis was next with 2 votes, followed by Jesse James, Robert Golden and L.T. Walton who got one vote a piece. Both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Martavis Bryant had their moments against the Titans, but neither got a ballot slot and no one saw fit to write their names in.

  • On a night when the Steelers offense exploded for 40 points, the one person who found no love was Steelers offensive Todd Haley whose name was on the ballot.

That’s not a terrible shock, given that hatred for Haley runs strong in Steelers Nation, as many fans were quick to point to the usage of the no-huddle to discredit any role Haley had in the Steelers success. Yours truly doesn’t share that opinion, but poll is about what you the readers think, and the readers have rendered their judgement.

Thanks as always go out to all of you who took time to vote. Go Steelers!

 

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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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