A Great, Great Super Bowl

... But not the best ever. Not the best that I've seen. Maybe not even top three. Rams-Titans, Patriots-Panthers, Patriots-Giants are all definitely right up there with this one. All were great football games. All came down to the last two minutes. All had their own subplots. 

Ranking Super Bowl games is actually quite worthless and infuriating, so I'm not going to go into a top 10 list of the greatest super bowls ever played, considering the first one I ever watched was the Packers and the Patriots in 1997, and I've only ever seen one played before then (old footage of the 1985 Bears' stomping of the Patriots). I will, however, share my thoughts from this game, probably in a couple of posts. 

There is absolutely no place or reason for the words "Move over, David Tyree" to come out of anyone's mouth when talking about Harrison's touchdown. SI.com's Don Banks was the first to drop what has already become my most hated phrase of all time in his column right after the game. David Tyree's catch (pictured, below) was the single greatest display of athletic ability I have ever seen. To make that play, in that situation, while being hammered by one of the league's strongest hitters is still mind-boggling to me. What makes the David Tyree play so great, though, besides Eli's ridiculous effort to get out of the pocket himself, was the fact that before the catch, Tyree had four catches for 35 yards ... DURING THE ENTIRE REGULAR SEASON. 

Now, I'm not here to slam Harrison, because if you pull off the longest play in Super Bowl history, you're something special. The image of him jumping that route, breaking tackles, and tip-toeing down the sideline for the score will forever be in football, and it truly was remarkable. Let's remind ourselves, though, that Harrison was the defensive player of the year this year. It doesn't take anything away from the play, but it made the idea of it happening plausible at the very least. 

Oh, and by the way, speaking of Harrison, in the post-game celebrations, let us not forget about the most despicable play of the game. Everyone completely forgot about it, because the very next play we saw Larry Fitzgerald scampering 50+ yards down the middle of the field for the go-ahead touchdown for Arizona. The reason the Cardinals were that far, though, was the 15 yard personal foul on Harrison. What for? Only punching a guy who tried to block him repeatedly in the back, and then, even though, the play was completely away from him, absolutely leveling the guy as he tried to stand up. Madden may have exaggerated when he said he should have been thrown out, but if he had, I don't think anyone would have argued too much. 

On a happier note for Pittsburgh fans, Ben Roethlisberger is truly a one-of-a-kind quarterback. He doesn't have the arm strength of Brady or the scary accuracy of Manning, but it is time that all doubters - including myself - concede the fact that Big Ben (pictured above, hugging MVP Santonio Holmes) has established himself in their class as the third best quarterback of our generation (I consider Brett Favre to be of the Aikman-Young generation. He kind of fits in between somewhere). I still put him third because of his obvious discrepancy in terms of numbers, and I don't think even the most die-hard of all Steelers fans will argue that point. He is above other peers, though, because of his uncanny ability to turn it on when the game is late. I, along with 60% of America, was screaming at the top of my lungs

 about how three Cardinals could be standing right next to Holmes, but not one can make a play on the ball, but the fact remains the same that Big Ben found Holmes there and the ball was delivered perfectly. Ben was impressive in the first and fourth quarters. In the second and third, he looked only mediocre, as he is prone to do during games, lulling you into a false sense about the kind of quarterback he really is. I've seen him do it twice against the Ravens already this season, though, and now on the biggest stage of all - the Super Bowl. He is as clutch as they come. 

(Photo Credits: allposters.com for Tyree; Getty Images for Roethlisberger)

AFC Championship: Why the Ravens Are Heading to Tampa

I abandoned the 12-part post thing as you can tell. This makes more sense; Tyler knows much more about the Steelers than I do, and neither of us really knows about the NFC. So if you were really looking for a Cardinals-Eagles preview, go to ESPN. As a rebuttal, here are my five reasons why the Ravens will emerge victorious today. 

Reason #1: The Steelers have already beaten the Ravens twice this year. Normally, that means that the Steelers would have the advantage here, but if you think that, you don't know the Ravens. Still instilled from the Billick era is a sense of pride in this team unmatched in any I know. Also instilled is a sense of undeniable hatred for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens are admittedly an arrogant bunch, but this will definitely play into their hands. There's no way the Ravens let the Steelers beat them three times in one year. 

Reason #2: I don't know how beating a 4-12 and 9-8 team qualifies you as world beaters. The national media absolutely fell in love with the Steelers this week. They were on the cover of SI twice in a row, and the latest prognostication trend has been to shy away from predicting a close, hard fought game, and to say the Steelers are going to win along the lines of 27-10. Since the week 15 game - a truly epic game that showed just how much separates these two teams (a half-inch, if you recall), the Steelers have lost handedly to the Titans, beat a Browns team that quit in Week 10, had a bye, and then took care of a San Diego team that was only there because for some reason they have the Colts' number. In that same time frame, the Ravens beat the Cowboys in their last game in Texas Stadium, destroyed the Jaguars to clinch a playoff spot, walked all over the Dolphins in Miami, and made enough clutch plays to escape Tennessee with a win. You tell me who has more momentum.

Reason #3: I can fully envision a scenario in which the Steelers rely too heavily on Willie Parker for too long. That's been another theme of this Steeler resurgence: the resurgence of Willie Parker. I will be the first to admit that Parker was awfully impressive in gaining 146 yards against San Diego last week. However, that was against the Chargers' run D, ranked 11th in the league. I know, still solid, but not Baltimore's. Plus, there is Parker's history against the Ravens; he has never gotten over 70 yards. You can talk about what Chris Johnson did all you want, but Chris Johnson is faster than Parker is. Also, the Ravens were playing on a 6-day week last time, and they're playing an 8-day week this time. 

Reason #4: No matter what parts are around them, lined up in the middle linebacker spot for the Baltimore Ravens today will be Bart Scott (pictured, above) and Ray Lewis. You forget how good Ray Lewis truly was against the Steelers in Week 4 this year until you go back and watch the game. It was the most dominating performance by any Ravens player all season. Then, there is Scott, who seemingly plays two good games a year, both against the Steelers. These two players, being - and I kid you not - 2 of the 4 defensive starters from the beginning of the year who are still playing healthy, will anchor this defense, and will be the reason Parker will go nowhere. Suggs is going to play, but even if he doesn't, then the Ravens would go to the 4-3, stick Marques Douglas at defensive end, and line Scott up at the outside linebacker to he can blitz Ben all day. He will rush the passer with a scary fervor. 

Reason #5: As the saying goes, big time players make big time plays in big time games. No matter how much the offense struggled against the Titans and the Dolphins, if you look back at the games, plays were there that were left on the field. The offense has done a brilliant job of holding onto the ball and the defense has done a fantastic job taking it away. They played the two most turnover-savvy teams in the league these past two weeks and stole the game away from both because of the turnovers. Still, that may not be enough against the Steelers, and I expect rookie Joe Flacco to rise up the occasion. Remember what happened in the Dallas game after he fumbled on the 5? He led them down the field in a tone-setting drive that only netted three, but gave the offensive confidence for the rest of the game. Remember what happened in the Jacksonville game when Jacksonville went up 7-0? Flacco went off the deep end, completing something like 11 of 12 passes for 200 yards in the second quarter alone for three consecutive TD drives. Remember what happened in the Miami game when they up 3-0? The very next drive, Flacco led them down the field for the tying score. And remember what happened when Tennessee tied the game at 10? Flacco led the team down the field for the game tying field goal. He's done it all season. When he's needed to make a play, he has - more often than not to Derrick Mason (pictured, right), the Steeler Killer. He may need to make several plays today, and I think he will.

I'm saying the Ravens come away with this one, 17-16. 

And because I'm 6-2 so far on my picks for this postseason, better than 12 of the 13 "experts" on ESPN, I'll pick the other game. In upset II, I like the Cardinals 27-17. 

AFC Championship: Why The Steelers are heading to Tampa

Fittingly, the Steelers and Ravens face off on Sunday at Heinz Field in the AFC Championship game. The two bitter rivals will meet for the third and final time this season, with a ticket to the Super Bowl on the line. Here's why, in my opinion, the Steelers will be headed to Tampa.

Reason #1: The Steelers have already beaten the Ravens twice, so they have proven to be able to win. The wins were both extremely close (a combined 7 points), but a win is a win, no matter how you slice it. Not to mention when a team sweeps another team in the regular season and meets them in the playoffs, the team that swept has won 11 of 18 times. 

Reason #2: Rookie Joe Flacco has been calm and collected during the playoffs, but he had a QB rating of 53.4 in two games versus the Steelers, and was sacked 7 times. In his two playoff wins so far, Flacco has been extremely average, with a QB rating of 59.1 versus the Dolphins (9 for 23, zero TDs or INTs) and 89.4 (11-22). Those numbers are far from fantastic, but Flacco has done a good job protecting the ball and he has been sacked ZERO times. The Steelers have brought pressure against Flacco in the two matchups. In the first game at Heinz Field, Flacco was good in the 1st half, but struggled in the 2nd half, the key play being a lost fumble for a Steelers touchdown. In the 2nd matchup, Flacco was bad: 11-28 with 2 interceptions. He was also sacked twice. The Ravens utilized an unbalanced line against James Harrison, and you can bank on Dick Labeau having a way to break that. Flacco will need to be on his game on Sunday, because he was very mediocre in Tennessee and his touchdown came on a deep ball. If the Steelers cover the deep ball to Clayton, they will be in good shape.

Reason #3: The Steelers offensive line has finally resembled a solid unit. Throughout the season, the offensive line has failed to produce a push off of the line of scrimmage and has failed to produce a reliable pocket for Ben Roethlisberger. The result: 46 sacks, a 3.8 yards per carry average for Willie Parker, and a 22nd ranked offense. Against the Chargers, the offensive line had arguably its bes

t game in 2 seasons, as it opened up holes for Parker and gave Roethlisberger time to throw (he was sacked once, on a cornerback blitz that Mewelde Moore failed to pickup). Parker had 5.4 yards a carry and ended up with 146 total yards. Rarely was he stopped in the backfield and he had numerous 10+ yard carries. He will most likely not have another 100 yard day against the stout Ravens defense, but a solid 75-80 yards from Parker may be enough to give the offense balance. Also, in pass protection, the line has improved mightily down the stretch, which allows Roethlisberger to get in a rhythm. Not to mention offensive coordinator Bruce Arians finally decided to utilize the I-formation and quick, easy throws, both of which moved the ball well for the Steelers.

Reason #4: The Baltimore Ravens have not had a rest since week 2, which wasn't much of a rest. Starting tailback Le'Ron McClain has

 powered the tough running game, but he is banged up and no doubt beginning to get worn down. Terrell Suggs (T-Sizzle) injured his shoulder against the Titans, and will not be at 100% on Sunday. A reduced role of Suggs is a huge factor in the Ravens pass rush, as he led them in sacks with 8 during the regular season. How much will fatigue play in the game? The Steelers had their bye week during the season and had another before the playoffs. They were clearly rested against the Chargers, the most obvious example being Willie Parker, who missed most of the season with injuries.

Reason #5: The Heinz Factor. Heinz Field was absolutely rocking last Sunday and it will be this weekend as well. Flacco has played in Miami and Tennessee, both good fanbases, but Heinz Field is a different demon. Ravens fans were able to infiltrate Nashville and Miami; do not expect the same in Pittsburgh. How will Flacco respond to such a hostile environment on such a big stage? I don't expect him to get flustered, but what if he's forced to turnovers early? And, of course, the other Heinz: Hines Ward. No one has gotten in the Ravens' heads more than Hines Ward. He hits hard, he makes big catches, and his smile makes defenses want to destroy him (and even put a bounty on him!). The problem is, they haven't been able to, and Ward has had key catches/plays in both matchups: the first game, he drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Ravens linebacker Jarrett Johnson and in the 2nd game, he had 3 enormous catches on the Steelers game-winning drive, all of which turned out to be first downs. Another interesting tidbit: Hines Ward is now the Steelers all-time leader in playoff receptions. Come playoff time, Hines comes to play.

Pittsburgh Steelers: What I Thought I Knew

Now that my heart rate has recovered from a crazy divisional playoff weekend, it's time to do a little posting. This is going to be a 12-part posting about every team in the playoffs. For each team, I am going to do a little post about what I thought I knew, what I know now, and what I expect. 

What I Thought I Knew Heading into the Playoffs: Steelers

1. Their defense is the best in the NFL, led by their linebackers, the best in the NFL. Post-divisional round analysis: TRUE

Don't let the 24 points San Diego put up on the board fool you. First, Philip Rivers was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season. Second, Darren Sproles was arguably the hottest player in the NFL after his game against Indianapolis. Third, after the Chargers' first drive, where they hit Vincent Jackson over the top for a brilliantly thrown 41 yard completion, the Chargers' offense was completely shut down until the game was out of reach. Rivers got his, but Sproles only finished with 15 yards on the day. As much as it pains me, I will concede that the Harrison-Woodley-Farrior-Foote (pictured, left)-Timmons group is the best position group in the NFL.

2. Pittsburgh has a very underrated group of receivers, and they get open often enough to make Ben's job a little easier. Post-divisional round analysis: TRUE

This is not to slight Ben's performance at all, but one drive to me stands out in particular. It was in the third quarter, when the Chargers desperately needed a stop, and they backed the Steelers into three separate 3rd and 8+ on the same drive. Every time, a Steeler wide receiver threaded his way into the middle of the San Diego zone and made the catches Ben rocketed in there. Hines Ward (pictured, right) is the leader of the group and a possession guy, but both Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington can beat you deep. 

3. Pittsburgh's offensive line woes will come back to haunt them; their lack of production running has been on them, not Willie Parker. Post-divisional round analysis: FALSE

Perhaps I shouldn't be so quick to throne them, but it's hard not to when you look at the game and you saw the lanes that Willie Parker had to run through the entire day. Also, unless I heard mistakenly, Roethlisberger was only hit one time the entire game. Of course, the offensive line has a much harder task ahead of them this Sunday, as they play the second, not the 25th, ranked defense. So far, so good, though, for an oft-maligned group. 

(Photo Credits: AP)

Steelers vs. Chargers Preview

Next Sunday the San Diego Chargers will travel to Pittsburgh, PA to take on the AFC North Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in a rematch of a week eleven 11-10 Steelers win. If the Chargers want to upset the Steelers next week, here is what they have to do:

Get pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. In their previous matchup, the Chargers got to Roethlisberger a total of 4 times. They will have to not only repeat their performance, but improve on it. Roethlisberger completed 31 of 41 pass attempts for 308 yards and moved the ball on the Chargers' defense all game long. He had plently of time on the majority of his throws and he did not turn the ball over once. The 31st-ranked pass defense of the Chargers will have to step up in the cold Pittsburgh weather and cover Roethlisberger's numerous weapons - Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, Mewelde Moore, Nate Washington (not to mention backup tight end Matt Spaeth, who had 6 catches in week 11 with Miller sidelined with an injury). The 3-4 defense will have to bring pressure and bring it often. In the wildcard matchup with the Colts, the Chargers sacked Peyton Manning a mere one time (though it was an important sack). They allowed 310 passing yards to the Colts' QB and NFL MVP, even though the Colts had a 2:1 pass-run ratio and one of the worst rushing attacks in the league. Which leads to my next key for the Chargers.

Stop the Steelers running game. It is no secret that the Steelers want to run the ball. They averaged 105.6 yards a game during the regular season, but torched the Browns defense for 176 yards in the week 17 blowout. In that game, Willie Parker finally looked like his old self and Mewelde Moore continued to prove why he was an excellent pickup with 33 total yards (6 yards per touch). In week 11, Parker had 115 yards rushing on 25 carries. The Steelers dominated time of possession because of their adequate rushing attack. The Chargers are going to have to stop the running game so that their pass rushers can tee off on the Steelers pourous pass protection and force turnovers. If the Steelers can run the ball at will, it will be a long day for the Chargers defense.

Avoid 3rd and long. With Landanian Tomlinson most likely out with an injury (at best, he plays, but is nowhere near 100% percent, and likely not used much, if at all), the Chargers will look to tiny Darren Sproles to handle the load. He did an outstanding job in the wild card game, but the Colts' rush defense is near the bottom of the league; the Steelers were 2nd in the NFL in rush defense. The Chargers will have to use Sporles, Vincent Jackson, and Antonio Gates (even if he is not 100%) to manage each set of downs. 3rd and long is a bad idea against the #1 defense in the NFL. In situations where the Chargers will be forced to pass, Steelers defensive coordinator will bring anyone and everyone at the NFL's #1 rated passer in Phillip Rivers. Rivers was ineffective in the week 11 meeting, completing 15 of 26 passes for zero touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He cannot afford to be turnover prone on Sunday. James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley - the Steelers' franchise record holders for most sacks by 2 players in one season - are due for big games; if Rivers is faced with numerous 3rd and longs, Woodley and Harrison will be running at Rivers all game long. To avoid long 3rd downs, look for the Chargers to utilize the draw play - the kyrptonite of an over-aggressive defense. Tashard Choice of the Cowboys and Kevin Faulk of the Patriots used the draw plays to great success, and other teams are beginning to use these kind of plays (along with screens) to force the defense into over-pursuing. Sproles' speed will be key in these kind of plays. He's fast enough to get open quickly and run free after the catch. Look for the Steelers to have Troy Polamalu somewhat shadow him throughout the game - he may be the only player on defense quick enough to shut him down.


If the Steelers want to play in the AFC Championship game, the following themes will be very important:

Limit the turnovers. I'm looking at you, Big Ben. Ben has a knack for turnovers, given his nature of trying to make a big play as much as possible. He's finally learning to check down to his running backs, a trait that greatly cuts down on the interceptions. In week 11, Ben was more than fine - he passed for more than 300 yards and made plays all game long. He will need a repeat performance, especially if the running game never materializes. He has to be smart with the football and take what the defense gives him. The offensive line will have to give him time to throw and Bruce Arians has to gameplan effectively. He has to get Roethlisberger in a rhythm early on with short passes out of the bunch formation and he has to get Heath Miller involved. If Roethlisberger can get in a rhythm, he is tough to stop. He is less turnover-prone when he is throwing the ball short with safe patterns. Note: This is assuming Ben is healthy enough to play, and I think he will be.

The old Willie Parker needs to show up. He did in week 11 and he certainly did against the Browns just one week ago. He needs to repeat his performances and a 100-yard day from him would be a huge boost to the offense. Hopefully, Mewelde Moore gets some touches (most likely receptions) to change things up and give Parker a break. A healthy Parker is an effective Parker. A solid running game will keep pressure off of Roethlisberger, which will lead to a relaxed offense.

Score touchdowns, not field goals. The Steelers dominated in every statistical category in the week 11 matchup, but could not punch the ball into the endzone. Field goals and a timely safety were the only points for the Steelers. The red-zone offense has to improve. In the playoffs, field goals will not win games. Touchdowns do. The red-zone deficiencies can be attributed to a bad offensive line and running game. Goal-line stands by opposing defenses are nothing new for Steelers fans. That will have to change. The offensive line will have to dig deep as does Willie Parker. Look for Gary Russell to get some goal-line carries in an effort to punch the ball in.

Final prediction: Steelers 24, Chargers 17

They are who we thought they were

Steelers 23, Ravens 20.

A bit disappointing for me, obviously, but I can tell you that this was a great game to watch, and I wasn't even too upset after it. This game reaffirmed a couple things I already knew about both teams.

1. The Steelers have offensive line troubles. They could not really run the ball at all, and Big Ben was being pressured all game. He did not get sacked that many times, though, which leads us to ...

2. I am willing to admit it. Big Ben is a very good NFL quarterback. His ability to maintain contact and still make a play is phenomenal, and he really showed it tonight. He won the game with his toughness. And because they won the game, I will say what I've said before ...

3. The Steelers are the class of the AFC North. They will most likely win the division this year. But because the Ravens gave them such a game ...

4. It may not be the Ravens season this year, but as a fan, I love the direction this franchise is heading. We are not that old on defense. Lewis, Reed, and Pryce are all old, but we have pieces behind all of them that can step in. And as far as the offense goes, its so young its amazing they're doing anything right now. The Ravens need some receivers, but other than that, they will be fine. I can say this confidently because ...

5. Joe Flacco is a rookie, but he will be good in this league. He showed he was a rookie in fumbling a snap, and fumbling on two sacks tonight. The Ravens told you he was a rookie when they didn't decide to go get a score when they got the ball back with 1:40. But the truth of the matter is that Flacco played better tonight than almost anyone expected him to. He made some very clutch throws, and showed he could find the open man. He lacks some pocket presence, but there are many NFL veterans who still struggle with that. I have been on several message boards and I can tell you that the Steelers are worried.

In conclusion, the Steelers won a game that they were expected to - and deserved to - win. It will be interesting to see how both teams do on their short week against tough opponents.