Pittsburgh 23 Denver 29, OT

Where do I even begin?

There are plenty of reasons the Steelers fell to the Denver Broncos. Take your pick.

The usually dependable defense gave up 447 yards to Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos offense, including the 80-yard game-winner in overtime. Tebow, who was not sacked, had 316 passing yards and 50 rushing yards. I can’t say I’m the biggest Tebow supporter, but he deserves the credit for playing one hell of the game and making the Steelers defense look downright foolish.

The offense decided to take the second half off, which is not ideal as the defense also decided to skip the second quarter as well. Things like dropped passes, missed opportunities, poor clock management, and settling for field goals instead of touchdowns tend to be magnified in losses like these.

I have to give the offense credit. The Broncos had all the momentum and a 20-6 lead. The game seemed over at halftime, with no hope of a comeback. Ben Roethlisberger and Isaac Redman brought the Steelers back from the dead, but it was perhaps too little too late.

Now it’s time to gear up for the long offseason. At least the Steelers didn’t lose to the Ravens.

AFC Wild Card

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos

Time: 4:30 PM

TV: CBS

Site: Sports Authority Field at Mile High

Last Meeting: 11/09/09, W 28-10

Broncos on Aerys: Denver Horse Force

Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow. Blah, blah, blah.

I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of hearing about Tim Tebow (for the record, I’m also tired of hearing about Philip Rivers, Tony Romo, and Eli Manning, but they shouldn’t be a factor in this game. As far as I know).

The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Denver to take on Tim Tebow and Those Other Guys. The Steelers are banged up on offense, to say the least. Isaac Redman will get the start at running back, in place of Rashard Mendhenhall who had been placed on IR with a torn ACL. Maurkice Pouncey will be out after aggravating his ankle injury, and Roethlisberger’s ankle continues to be an issue. At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if Mike Tomlin’s mother gets some playing time in at running back due to injuries.

On defense, the Steelers are somewhat banged up. Woodley, Polamalu, and Harrison are all listed as probable but will likely play. This will be the first time that Woodley and Harrison have played together in forever. The main defensive player of note who will be out is safety Ryan Clark. Clark will miss the game due to health concerns of playing in high altitude conditions.

What do all these injuries mean? I have no idea. Ben hasn’t been particularly effective since his ankle injury and has been prone to making mistakes while trying to do too much and force plays. In other words, my hopes aren’t too high for a spectacular performance from number 7. All eyes will be on Isaac Redman to take some pressure off of Ben.

» Continue reading “AFC Wild Card Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos”

Thanks for choosing the right time to finally win, Indianapolis!

The Steelers may not play until tomorrow night, but they have already secured a spot in the playoffs thanks in part to Indianapolis’ first win of the season.

The Steelers are currently the number 5 seed in the AFC. While the Ravens have yet to clinch a playoff spot, they hold the tie-breaker against the Steelers.

Heading into tomorrow’s game this may make things easier in terms of Roethlisberger’s injury. The Steelers aren’t pressed with a must-win situation, unless they want to keep pace with the Ravens in hopes that Baltimore will falter. Higher seeding and a bye would be nice, but at what cost? The Steelers are in the playoffs. Now they should concentrate on getting everyone healthy.