December 8th, 2015
Whew. Sports are a metaphor for life. Things can be looking extremely bleak, and then all of a sudden, your whole outlook on everything can be completely turned around. That's what the 2015 Pittsburgh Steelers have been all about, as this has been the craziest Steeler season that I can ever remember experiencing. We have seen a lot of ups and a lot of downs, but last night was in my mind the most encouraging game that the Steelers have played this season.
After that aggravating loss in the Emerald City, the whole city was down on the Steelers. After last night's domination of the Colts, things are once again popping in the Steel City, and with good reason. The Steelers kicked the living hell out of the Indianapolis Colts. Yes, they were playing an average team in a weak division with a fossil for a starting quarterback, but I don't care about any of that. What I do care about is that Ben Roethlisberger, all injury issues considered, may be playing the best football of his career. I also care that the Steelers offense has totaled over 2,000 yards over the past four games, a feat that has not been accomplished since the "Air Coryell'' Chargers did it in 1982. I care that Antonio Brown is growing closer to being the best receiver in the history of this franchise (Mark Madden thinks he already is). I care that DeAngelo Williams has done the unthinkable and turned the loss of Le'Veon Bell into a minor setback. I care that James Harrison appears to have turned back the clock seven years, and most importantly, I care that this team may very well be the most dangerous in the AFC, and every other contender in that conference better pray that they do not see the Black and Gold come playoff time.
I wrote an article last week that was skeptical of the Steelers playoff chances.http://joesmeltzer775.blogspot.com/2015/12/steelers-fans-brace-yourselves-for.html It would have taken a pretty special performance on Sunday night for my attitude to change, but that's what the Steelers produced. Aside from Jacoby Jones being an absolute special teams bum, Pittsburgh did everything well, and the most telling team stat of all was that they ended the game with 39 unanswered points (39!). A lot still has to be done for the Steelers to make the playoffs, and wins by the Jets and Chiefs on Sunday do not make things any easier. The Steelers will still likely have to win one of two games against the AFC's top two teams (Denver and Cincinnati), and if I had to predict, I still would say that Cincinnati would complete a season sweep over Pittsburgh. The Denver game is in my mind, winnable. Brock Osweiler still has a lot to prove, and it will be interesting to see how he fares against a good team in a tough road environment.
Now on to the moment that everybody is talking about: Antonio Browns ''nutcracker'' touchdown celebration. I loved this. I thought it was hilarious, and I'm ok with the fact that there may have been a risk of injury. He didn't get hurt, and people who are complaining should get a sense of humor. Now you could make a case that Brown should not have been in the game in the first place as it was well in hand, but oh well. He was in there, and we got a legendary and heroic moment as a result. AB is the best in the game, as Indy's Pro Bowl cornerback Vontae Davis learned the hard way. As of right now, I'd say AB is the 3rd greatest receiver in team history behind Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, but if he has another great year in 2016, he very well could move into the #1 slot.
With all due respect to Terry Bradshaw, #7 is, in my mind, the greatest QB in Steelers history. He has firmly cemented that status, and he proves time and time again how special he is. The big man has been through a lot health-wise this year, but he keeps on fighting back. For whatever anybody wants to make of his personal life, Big Ben is a special player, and we should cherish every moment that we get to watch the man do his work.
And what about DeAngelo Williams? This is a guy who was asked to do a daunting task in filling the shoes of arguably the NFL's best running back, and he has done a fantastic job that should not go unnoticed. Williams had a hell of a night, running 26 times for 134 Yards (6.2 yards per carry, pretty good), and his 697 rushing yards for the season rank 13th in the leagues (not too bad for someone intended to be a backup). Williams is essential to this team, and the Black and Gold would be not be in playoff contention if it were not for his contributions.
All is not sunshine in rainbows for the Steelers. Make no mistake, the defense is still a ticking time bomb, and you never know when another nightmare like that Seahawks game will take place. As mentioned above, Pittsburgh needs help from other teams in the AFC wildcard race, and the tiebreakers do not play in their favor. There is still a lot of football to be played, and things can go back to dark just as fast as the lights turn on. However, if Pittsburgh does miss out on postseason play, it should be a huge relief to other AFC fanbases, but it should also be disappointing to Roger Goodell. The best thing for the league and neutral fans would be to have this historically good offense in the postseason. With all due respect, I don't think Ryan Fitzpatrick and Alex Smith would be able to provide the entertainment that Big Ben and company provide time and time again.
This season has been a wild ride. All the Steelers need to do is keep the rollercoaster moving uphill for a consistent period of time. If they can do this, Godspeed to everybody else.
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