GOOD
There were many good things in this game, some coming from unexpected sources. Who would have thought back in training camp that a rookie kicker that wasn't even with the team would make 4 field goals on the road, in the rain, including the game winner? Not this Steelers fan, that's for sure. Thumbs up to Boswell for the job he has done this season. Hopefully the Steelers can continue to ride his leg all the way to the Super Bowl. Boz is boss.
But Boz wasn't alone last night. Called out by QB Ben Roethlisberger earlier in the week to step up his game, WR Martavis Bryant came through in a big way. In the 3rd quarter he went 44 yards on an end-around that set up a field goal to give the Steelers a 9-0 lead. Later in the quarter Ben found him in the end zone for an incredible acrobatic 10 yard TD reception. Way to step up, Martavis!
No DeAngelo Williams this week? No problem. RBs Fitzgeral Toussaint and Jordan Todman carried the rock and the load for the running game. Todman had 11 carriers for 65 yards. Fitz rushed 17 times for 58 yards and had 4 catches for 60 yards. Next man up, indeed!
For the last several years, the Steelers have made it a habit of drafting linebackers in the 1st round. Those picks finally paid off. Jarvis Jones had a strip-sack of Bungles QB AJ McCarron that led to a field goal. Bud Dupree recorded 2 tackles for loss. Ryan Shazier led the team with 13 tackles, 2 for loss, a QB hit, 2 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. It was Shazier that stripped the ball from Bungles RB Jeremy Hill with Cincy leading 16-15 late in the 4th quarter. CB Ross Cockrell recovered and the rest is history, as were the Bungles.
WR Antonio Brown was his usual brilliant self. AB hauled in 7 passes for 119 yards. One was a 23 yarder to the sidelines to help set up a Boz field goal. And how #84 managed to hold onto the ball when Bungles LB Vontaze Burfict blatantly laid him out with a cheap shot on 4th and 3 for a 6 yard gain is truly amazing. As AB likes to say "Business is booming".
And it wouldn't be GOOD if Big Ben hadn't played big last night. He was 18 of 31 for 229 yards and a touchdown for a 92.0 QB rating. Not spectacular numbers but he didn't turn the ball over. And, of course, he came back onto the field after Burfict sacked him in the 3rd quarter and Ben landed hard on his throwing shoulder. Ben sucked it up and led the Steelers on the game-winning drive, going 74 yards on 9 plays in 1 minute, 9 seconds. Ben being Ben again!
BAD
Unfortunately, Steelers fans have to take the bad with the good this week. It looks like AB suffered a concussion on the hit from Burfict. Ben has a banged up throwing shoulder, too. Their status for the divisional round game in Denver next Sunday is currently up in the air. Without them, it could go from BAD to worse. Get well soon AB and Big Ben!
UGLY
Penalties, fights and garbage turned this game UGLY late last night. After spending all week saying they wouldn't play the penalty game with the Bungles, what did the Steelers do? The exact opposite. O-Line Coach Mike Munchak was flagged on the sidelines for getting into it with the Bungles.
Can someone please explain to S Shamarko Thomas that it's illegal to run into the return man, for crying out loud?
G Ramon Foster was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that gave the Steelers 2nd and 25.
CB William Gay drew a 15 yard penalty for a touchdown celebration. The problem was, the refs ruled the touchdown didn't stand. How is it that the penalty did then? When Burfict intercepted QB Landry Jones, he and several teammates took the ball and ran into the opposite endzone to celebrate what they thought was a Cincy victory. Where was the excessive celebration flag for that? Or at least a delay of game?
The Steelers weren't the only ones getting flagged on this night. When Cincy looks back at this loss, they'd do well to look in the mirror, too. Burfict was penalized for the hit that knocked AB out of the game, a totally uncalled-for, cheap shot to the head. A testy discussion ensued on the field, when Steelers officials came out to attend to AB. LB Coach Joey Porter was among those surrounding the downed receiver and CB Pacman Jones took exception. Penalty #2 on the play that turned the game the Steelers way.
You know the rest. Ben comes in, leads the team down field. Boz kicks the game-winner. Ben came back into the game after being showered with debris from the Bungles faithful as he was carted to the locker room following his injury.
The Steelers left the field as victors to a sickening display of bottles and cans thrown like confetti from the Cincy fans. Very classless Cincinnati. No wonder you haven't won a playoff game in 25 years. Karma is a bitch. So is Vontaze Burfict.
Now the Steelers must concentrate on getting rested and healthy. They travel to Denver next week to face Peyton Manning and the Broncos in the divisional round. The last time the Steelers played a playoff game in the Mile High City, they were upset by Tim Tebow. No one will confuse Tebow with Manning, even if Manning's best days are behind him. Time to exorcise the demons of Denver and put another one in the win column. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!
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