Steelers Overcome Hurricane and Refs To Beat Defending Champs

Facing the defending champion New York Giants, on the road and in the midst of the emotional recovery of Hurricane Sandy, the Steelers had a huge challenge in front of them.  Not only did the Steelers overcome those challenges but they had to endure flying from Pittsburgh the day of the game, some terrible calls by the refs, a game ending injury to Antonio Brown and poor decisions by Coach Mike Tomlin.  In the end, the Steelers came away with a huge victory and kept pace with the division leading Baltimore Ravens as well.

While the first quarter was scoreless, the Giants were able to take a 14-10 lead into half and a 20-10 lead into the fourth but it was the Steelers who scored the final 14 points and came away with the victory. 

With Antonio Brown injured early and the offensive line not really able to protect Big Ben the way they have most of the year, Isaac Redman had to really step up and carry the bulk of the offensive load; and he did just that. Redman put together the best performance by a Steeler running back all season long, starting in place of the injured Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Dwyer. He carried the ball twenty-six times for 147 yards (both career highs) and a touchdown.  Putting up that kind of day against a very talented and tough Giant defense is very impressive and encouraging. With the team having just had two 100 yard games in a row by Dwyer, and knowing that Mendenhall will be back eventually, it’s a very encouraging thing to see they have, what appears to be, a three headed monster with Redman in the mix again. 

Always in the mix are Big Ben and the passing game. While Ben did throw a pick and lose a fumble, which was not a fumble in my opinion, he threw for 216 yards and 2 TD’s.  His second TD was a beautiful crossing route by Mike Wallace, in which Wallace burned everyone for 51 yards untouched. It’s about time Wallace utilized that lightning speed of his to make up for some of the recent drops he has had.  Jerricho Cotchery, seeing action in place of Brown put up a pretty big day with 4 catches and 50 yards receiving. He’s yet another guy the Steelers can bring in and who can deliver when called upon.  Emmanuel Sanders filled the role on punt returns as Brown was gone, and he too delivered with 3 returns and 76 yards. 

Defensively the team got the job done again, especially late.  Facing a top QB like Manning and an ace receiver like Cruz is no walk in the park, but the black and gold delivered. Led by Ryan Clark (8 tackles) and Larry Foote (7 tackles) the team had 2 sacks (Woodley and Timmons) 5 QB hits and an interception (Taylor).  Manning was held to 10 of 24 passing and only 125 yards, 67 of which went to Cruz.  The Giants, who are cut from the same cloth as the Steelers, also love to run the ball; they were held to 68 yards on the ground and only had 182 total yards on the day. 

While the Steelers won the game, it was not without having to overcome some poor calls by the zebras.  The “fumble” by Big Ben was no such thing. The league and the announcers can try to spin it any way they want, but his arm was moving forward and I will never be convinced otherwise.  The personal foul on Ryan Clark in the end zone that extended the Giants first scoring drive and gave them a TD when they shouldn’t have had anything more than a field goal, was also a bad call. That was a clean, legal hit by Clark, period.  Lastly, the 41 yard pass interference call on Keenan Lewis was nothing more than a good, clean defensive play, end of story.  Fortunately for the Steelers these calls did not cost them today, but they certainly could have if not for the resiliency of this veteran led team.

Not only did the team have to overcome those poor calls but they had to overcome a poor decision or two by Coach Tomlin as well; specifically, calling for the fake field goal, when an actual field goal would have tied the game at 20, late.  I’m unsure what his logic was on this call, but it was nothing short of moronic. It didn’t hurt the team in the end and that’s what the pro Tomlin folks will argue here, but again, it could have and you shouldn’t take stupid risks like that on the road, especially when you’re 4-3 and cannot afford to fall to 4-4 on a day the Baltimore Ravens already won. 

Nevertheless, the team beat a very good team today and proved they are legitimately back in the playoff picture in the AFC. They have now won their last 2 games on the road and 3 in a row overall. They still have a long way to go as we are only at the midway point of the year, but they are without question moving in the right direction, the direction towards the stairway to seven.

NEWS, NOTES, SUPERLATIVES:

Game Ball:  Isaac Redman-26 carries, 147 yards and a TD against the Giants is no easy line to record, great game.

Concern-Antonio Brown-We’ll need him back ASAP.

Finally-Mike Wallace used that game changing speed and his 51 yard TD was the turning point in the game today.

Use your head-Tomlin-Start making better decisions on when to call gadget plays and use challenges. Yeah you won the challenge but it was a useless one to use and not worth the risk at that juncture of the game. 

5-3, up next vs. Kansas City