Quick Yinzing: Steelers win the AFC North!

OMG OMG OMG… that’s all I can say at the end of this incredibly stressful holiday weekend, and even more stressful Steelers game!

In true Pittsburgh/Baltimore fashion, this game was a nail-biter: but afterward, I feel like the Bengals girl that was crying, except a completely different result!

The Steelers win the AFC North!

And the Ravens are eliminated from the playoffs!

Contributions from the unknown

Holy cow folks… clutch catches by Jesse James (twice), Cobi Hamilton, Demarcus Ayers and Eli Rogers on the game-winning drive opened up the go-ahead score by Antonio Brown.

I mean, just, WOW. What else you can say about that? The team wanted to win this game, and it was a team effort which opened up the last-second finish.

Big Ben still stands tall

It’s not easy throwing two interceptions, and essentially losing the turnover battle against a solid division rival… and still wining.

Ben had a 103.0 QB rating on the day, after throwing three touchdowns, two of those in the fourth quarter.

I’d say for making those earlier mistakes, which gave the Ravens gifts (of the football possession variety) near the Steelers 20, twice in the third quarter. One of those picks came on the very first play of the second half, and the other, only the second play of the Steelers third, third quarter possession.

Ben standing tall, and taking the bull by the horns, is the reason Pittsburgh won.

Tomlin & Haley

If I had a nickel for every time someone blamed these two during the game (and not Ben, you know, the guy who throws the interceptions) I’d be a rich man.

Please, give credit where it’s due: these two put together a game plan to finish with a victory!

Defense

The D was put in a hole more often than not, so I’ll take the effort, considering they were without Stephon Tuitt, and already down Cameron Heyward, upfront.

I felt the secondary had a very strong game: the longest play of the game was by Steve Smith Sr., following a missed tackle by Mike Mitchell.

Sean Davis‘ knockdown of a would-be touchdown in the second half was huge. This kid gets better every game.

Boswell

Ugh! Two kicks out of bounds?!

That put Baltimore at their own 40 on two separate drives: each a gift in addition to those turnovers mentioned above.

Notice how Boz booted it out of the endzone the remainder of the game? Yeah, that’s part of the field position battle, and one where I said you live, and die, by the sword.

The sky kick worked earlier in the game, with Vince Williams making a crushing tackle early on, but after that, it wasn’t worth the risk.

Chris: work on those kicks.

Coaches: kudos on recognizing it wasn’t worth giving up another 15 yards to gain, maybe, 4 or 5 as an “advantage”.

Conclusion

Many said if the Steelers didn’t win this game, they didn’t deserve to be in the playoffs.

Well, they won the game: and now are guaranteed a home playoff game.

Know what I say to that?

Merry Christmas Steelers Nation!


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