If there is anything that the Pittsburgh Steelers can learn from a layman like me it is to pay very strict attention to what I am about to tell you. Beware of fiddling around with things “just because.”
The late Thomas Bertram “Bert” Lance , former Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Jimmy Carter might say; “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” All this hemming and hawing about firing Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin and his Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley now seems to be on the back burner.
All of the emotional rambling by a bunch of bobble headed bloggers with nothing else better to do seems to be fading just a bit.
Ya know what? All the Steelers offense has to do is carry out Haley’s offense and all Steelers defense has to do is tackle and put pressure on the quarterback and presto; contrary to popular belief Halloween does not come twice a year for the Black and Gold when the Baltimore Ravens play the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers offense otherwise known as the Pittsburgh trick or treater’s, no longer need be in fear of the bullies from “Joe’s Crab Shack.” You know who I’m talking bout Willis, “the big bad Ngata” and his candy stealing comrade, “slippery thug Suggs.”
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. See, a, a, see, hold up, I’m starting to stutter a bit. No one, even Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs, became a true believer in the newly found Pittsburgh Steelers offensive weaponry until he noticed the smell of burning toast and witnessed flames arising from the Ravens secondary.
“You could have never sold me that during the week, even though he did it last week,” Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “But he had a helluva game, and that’s a reflection on us all. You have stop him in some certain situations.”
Certain situations became almost certain Steelers TD’s. For the Ravens, when the Steelers entered the “red zone” it became the “dreaded zone” for the Ravens defensive backs.
The festivities began with a “let’s get it started” skull session with the Black and Gold featuring the Steelers Valhalla bound defensive lineman Joe Greene, whose playing jersey was retired at halftime. The Steelers senior citizen-in-residence, linebacker James Harrison who is fresh from snatching his playing jersey out of mothballs, harassed Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, maybe to the point of Flacco wishing that Harrison’s jersey was the one flapping from the rafters as opposed to number 92 hanging around his neck area for much of the game.
Bringing back Harrison and defensive lineman Brett Kiesel were two of the best moves that Tomlin and Steelers GM Kevin Colbert (along with defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau) have made in a few years, especially in terms of reigniting the fire in the Steelers defense.
On the other side of the ball, one of the “old men” of the Steelers wide receiving corps, Antonio Brown, keeps adding on to his “streak.” Brown caught 10 passes for 138 yards.
The “young buck” of the group, rookie Martavis Bryant reached the end zone twice and is causing a few people to look at him and Antonio Brown as the “pick your poison” twins.
Bryant was looking confident and sounding more relaxed. “Everybody has to wait for their opportunity. It’s just when the opportunity presents itself whether you take advantage of it or not.”
Over the next few weeks, not including their bye week, the Black and Gold will face the NY Jets, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Cincinnati Bengals, (twice) Atlanta Falcons and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Looking over the schedules of the rest of the Steelers AFC North comrades, if the Steelers have a 4-3 won loss split to close out their season, they will finish at 10-6 and may win the AFC North and/or a possible wildcard spot.
If they fall to a 3-4 split for these next several games, that will leave them at 9-7 and most likely leave them channel surfing until their 2015 minicamp.
But if they can go 5-2 that will leave them at 11-5 and may possibly hand them the AFC North crown because presently the Bengals are only 1 game ahead of the Steelers and Cincy has a tougher schedule and a dreaded tie game with the Carolina Panthers to overcome.
Ben Roethlisberger’s NFL’s record breaking performance has been at the friendly confines at Heinz Field. The jury may be still out deliberating as to him being able to duplicate his recent record breaking exploits on the road.
Aubrey Bruce can be reached at: abruce@newpittsburghcourier.com or 412.583.6741 Follow him on Twitter@ultrascribe
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