AFC Divisional Game 1; Jets vs Steelers

[Guest Failed Mascot]

A lot of people tend to forget that New England (Last Season's AFC No.1) also struggled to beat Tenn. (No. 5 seeded Team last Season) 17-14 on their way to a SuperBowl win. I'm just saying...

and the Titans had the co-MVP at their helm.

[NYU 0]

Check yourself again because It sounds like bitterness to me.

I checked myself twice. It'd be silly for me to do it again.

[justcoz 0]

hey played an absolutely dogshit game against a team they were an overwhelming favorite against.

 

Jets are good, but admittedly, they are not near the skill of the Patriots or the Colts.

 

If the Steelers "eeked" the win out tonight on the basis of hoping Brien will miss two field goals, what the hell are they going to do next week against either one of two teams that actually have it all together?

 

I just checked myself again. Nope, it's not the bitterness this time. It's the practicality.

 

Again, don't forget NE escaping with a difficult win over a lesser team en route to the Super Bowl last year. This is the best Steeler team I've seen in years and this was a bad game. I was wanting them to lose going into the playoffs just to come back down to earth a bit. That didn't happen but today's game could actually be a blessing in disguise in the fact that it's a wakeup call and reality check without actually having to lose. They looked like a defeated team on the sidelines during much of that game. They haven't been in this position very much this season.

 

They've already beat New England this season. Beat them up pretty bad as a matter of fact. Indy and Payton rely on getting the ball and making big plays. A little scary after seeing how the Steelers choked on big plays in today's game. However, if Pittsburgh attacks on the ground, eating away the clock and not giving Indy's offense a chance to work their magic, they can easily beat Indy. Or at least eeke it out like they did today against the Jets.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I'm sure a healthy Corey Dillon, Deion Branch, Troy Brown and others will have something to say against Pitts repeating that, should they make it past the Colts tommorow.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

Much agreed with Frigid. The Patriots only ran the ball 6 times against the Steelers in their Week 8 matchup and were still able to score 20 points. With a healthy Corey Dillon, expect 20-25 carries for Dillon and much better time management. The Patriots also were plagued by turnovers(2 INT and 2 lost fumbles). If Brady doesn't turn the ball over(He lost a fumble as well) then it should be a lot tougher for Pittsburgh to stop them on offense.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

After watching 3 AFC playoff games, I can say with a certainty the Patriots looks the best out there (though we'll see for sure against Colts tomorrow).

[justcoz 0]

I'm sure a healthy Corey Dillon, Deion Branch, Troy Brown and others will have something to say against Pitts repeating that, should they make it past the Colts tommorow.

 

And Pittsburgh has a healthy Ben Roethlisberger, healthy Plaxico Burress, Duce Staley, Clark Hagans, Kendrell Bell and Deshea Townsend. They were winning without all of those guys but now they have them back so one would think that would make them stronger. Like I said, today's game was probably a HUGE wakeup call and I think you'll be seeing a very pumped up Steeler team with a different attitude.

 

The Patriots only ran the ball 6 times against the Steelers in their Week 8 matchup and were still able to score 20 points. With a healthy Corey Dillon, expect 20-25 carries for Dillon and much better time management. The Patriots also were plagued by turnovers(2 INT and 2 lost fumbles). If Brady doesn't turn the ball over(He lost a fumble as well) then it should be a lot tougher for Pittsburgh to stop them on offense.

 

But the Steelers' defense are capable of stopping that run and the only reason today's game was so close was because the Steelers were "plagued by turnovers" twice on otherwise successful drives where it looked like they would score.

[Vern Gagne 0]

  Jets didn't play an outstanding game. They stunk offensively, and Pittsburgh had two TO's near the red zone. So it wasn't like Pittsburgh wasn't able to move the ball down field.

 

Oh and they were supposed to move the ball up and down the field all day on the Pittsburgh defense, and deserve NO CREDIT for causing the turnovers right?

 

  My point is you never settle for a FG from that distance. Considering conditions and how difficult it is to kick at Heinz Field.

 

Under normal circumstances I would agree with you but I completely understand the logic here a) had the first FG been one yard closer Brien would have made it b) there was no wind so the conditions werent really that bad even though he was on the river side of the field (I think) . The bottom line is Brien has to make the second FG so its not on Herman Edwards IMO.

Not all day, but the reason they where in the game was the TO's, and kick return. Edwards and Henderson deserve credit for the play by the defense.

 

I understand you're point, and yes Brien should make the FG. I just think with close to a minute left, the Jets needed to try to get closer. Nothing to lose, outside of a fumble...but that could happen if you're just trying to run the clock out. Another thing is the Jets should of gotten the ball in the middle of the field. Makes the kick so much easier.

[iggymcfly 0]

God, that was an excruciating loss. If anyone's questioning it, the Jets absolutely should have tried to get closer there. They had a minute and a half left on the clock on second down, and they just ran out the clock.

 

Was Herman Edwards too busy fighting with his assistants to watch the Chargers game last week? How could he have completely missed that Schottenheimer had made the exact same mistake to give the Jets the game.

 

I could have maybe understood it if they were playing the Colts or something, but if Brien made the FG, there was pretty much no danger of Roethlisberger engineering a 50 yard drive to tie the game. All they had to do was make the field goal and they were in the AFC Championship. They should only have let it run to about a minute and then passed the ball for a first down.

 

Edwards has to know that his kicker's already missed from five yards further out, and that he's not going to be confident at all unless they get inside 40. I'd say the 1 in 25 chance that Pennington's going to throw an interception is a lot more acceptable risk than the 1 in 3 chance that Brien's going to miss a lengthy field goal.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I'm sure a healthy Corey Dillon, Deion Branch, Troy Brown and others will have something to say against Pitts repeating that, should they make it past the Colts tommorow.

 

And Pittsburgh has a healthy Ben Roethlisberger, healthy Plaxico Burress, Duce Staley, Clark Hagans, Kendrell Bell and Deshea Townsend. They were winning without all of those guys but now they have them back so one would think that would make them stronger.

and this is where you start getting ignored by every one of the intelligent sports fans on this board since the Steelers had all those players in the regular season match-up between the Pats and Steelers.

 

In an unrelated note, I'm forever gonna be called "Frigid", huh?

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

No, they didn't.

 

Haggans, Bell, and Staley were all hurt.

[justcoz 0]

No, they didn't.

 

Haggans, Bell, and Staley were all hurt.

 

Thank you for clearing that up for the intelligent sport fan.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Staley played in the game. He said that Tedy Bruschi was punching him in the thigh all game.

 

Haggans was the only one out. Bell was in there for a bit as well.

 

Tyler is surrounded by idiots.

[justcoz 0]

Well, I think Duce was out for the first time in the Philadelphia game, which was after New England.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I still think the best thing I've heard from a random Steeler's fan about that game was "We didn't have our number 1 QB. We beat you with our back-up. We were just as injured!".

[justcoz 0]

So New England has some key players back... my point was the Steelers do as well... and Dillon's presence may or may not be a huge impact because the Steelers play well against the run.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Tyler, don't make me point you in the direction of my signature.

[justcoz 0]

I know man, it's fun to come down from a beer buzz and do this though...

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

"In there for a bit" is a lot different than "healthy"

 

Staley played for the first half and then went down. Granted, that was enough to blow out the Pats, but hurt his hamstring in that game and essentially for the rest of the year after Bruschi's cheap shots. He barely played for the last half of the season after that first half.

 

Haggans was down (freak injury, I believe, but he didn't play against the Pats) and Bell was out. Bell's been gone basically the entire year, with the exception being some spot work filling in for Foote about midway through the season before he hurt his groin again. He's explosive when he gets a chance to play, however.

 

They've got a lot of players that are now healthier than they've been all year. I'm gonna break this game down in a few hours, and honestly, I'm positive that teams will underestimate them like you guys are after that piss poor game.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Staley was in there for like 3 quarters. Also nobody can prove Bruschi was punching him...I don't see Tedy doing that as its not the type of player he is. Maybe Ted Johnson.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

It was a little more than a half. Bettis was in during the third quarter.

[Chazz 0]

Failed Mascot: Are you a Pats fan, or do you just hate The Steelers?

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

He's a Patsies fan.

[Chazz 0]

Figures, as I 've heard nothing but excuses from N.E. fans ever since The Steelers beat them handily on Halloween. As you pointed out, The Steelers had key players Injured for that game, as well as for much of the Season but still found ways to win. That being said, It should be a good game next week no matter who The Steelers play. We'll see.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

Great analysis of the game from a Steelers' fan's perspective

[KingPK 0]

He's not very confident in Cowher's postseason coaching abilities, is he? He's right though; the Steelers aren't facing a team with a shitty offensive co-ordinator NEXT week, so they will have to take it to them right off.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

No, he certainly doesn't. That's actually one of my favorite sites; he's had a history of writing about Cowher's playoff failures.

[KingPK 0]

Hmm, looks like snow tomorrow in Foxboro....

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

Wow. Jon Vilma had 8 tackles and 9 assists. Killer game.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Vilma's a monster. Best LBer coming out of this year's draft won't even come out as a LBer. Dan Cody the DE of Oklahoma. Move him to OLB and you have one nasty pass rushing and run stopping LBer. He'll have to learn coverage types.