Sunday, October 29, 2006

The Steelers Are the Best Team in the NFL

How can I make that seemingly ridiculous assertion? Simple--the Steelers are determined not only to beat the team lining up across the ball but to also beat themselves. It isn't enough to post a mere W and move on to the next foe. Oh no. They have to beat the defending Super Bowl champions too. The fact that they ARE the defending champs doesn't seem to give them pause.

Three season's worth of mistakes and miscues in 5 games. They gave Cinci 21 points, gave Atlanta 21 points, and gave the Raiders 21 points today. Can't do that and expect to win in the NFL. Even against the Raiders. Still, give the Steelers credit, even after doing everything in their power to ensure defeat they had a chance at the very end to win each of those games. And then they dug deep, and found a way to mess THAT up too.

Last week Steeler QBs combined to go 24 for 35 for 433 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions. They lost. This week the Steeler D held the Raiders to 98 total yards. They lost. It takes a very special team to pull off that double.

Season's over, alas. No chance to defend their title, no playoff run. I can't quite find the anger you'd expect. Frankly, after the emotional toll of the last two seasons, a year where the Black and Gold repeatedly crap the bed will give me a somewhat relaxing winter. No playoffs, no nail-biters in January. My buddy Mark and I are already talking about the Draft. Which is in April. Gotta have something to look forward to. Since the only thing to look forward to the rest of this season is maybe keeping the Bengals out of the playoffs.

And hoping Big Ben can somehow turn it around. That's probably the whole point of the rest of the season--getting Roethlisberger playing at a non-disasterous level. It's sad to say, had Roethlisberger not played this season, we're probably 4-3, at the very worst. Maybe even 5-2. Maybe 6-1. And it pains me to say this, but he's the worst player in the NFL right now. Or, he's played the worst. Nine games left before the season ends, and all we have to root for the rest of the way is that he returns to form. Because the playoffs are gone, gone, gone. It could get ugly. A 4-12 season is not outside the realm of possibility. Though that would make the Draft more interesting.

posted by Gene @ 8:00 PM   |