Deja Vu - Steelers Defeat Packers In Another Shootout, 38-31, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

They were able to get the ball back with barely enough time on the clock. Needing to absolutely get into the end zone to get a win, they would have to do so with the entire length of the field in front of them. If they score, it's a chance at the playoffs. If they don't, they're watching at home.

With time running out, the ball is snapped on the last play of the game and...Ben Roethlisberger connects with Mike Wallace just inside the left edge of the end zone line, lifting the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Green Bay Packers, 37-36, back in 2009.

On Sunday, history almost repeated itself, except that it was the Packers who were having to come back. But as Big Ben said in his postgame interview, "there's no quit in this team." - http://tinyurl.com/lvut6p6

Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:28 left on the clock to put the Steelers up 38-31. Micah Hyde returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards and the Packers (7-7-1) were quickly in good position. But as it was four years ago, a touchdown was needed to win, or in this case tie, the game.

The Packers moved across the legendary tundra of Lambeau Field and found themselves at the Steelers 1-yard line. A false start penalty on Green Bay moved the ball back to the six and also incurred a :10 second runoff. With just 10 seconds on the game clock the last-ditch pass by quarterback Matt Flynn was incomplete and the Steelers would leave Wisconsin with a 38-31 victory.

The Steelers' 38 points Sunday marked the fourth time in their last eight games where they have scored at least 30 points. It also marked the fifth time this season that they scored that much, including more than 35 points twice, which is the first time a Steelers team has done that in over 40 years.

Once again, the Steelers (7-8) did it in all three phases of the game, also.

Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and Bell led the way on offense, while the defense was led by cornerback Cortez Allen, safeties Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu, linebackers Jason Worilds and Lawrence Timmons, and defensive linemen Brett Keisel and Cameron "Candyman" Heyward.

A far cry from 2009's 503-yard performance, Big Ben put in a workman-like effort as he threw for two scores and ran for another - the 15th of his career, putting him 3rd on the Steelers all-time list.

For yet another week the offensive line protected the QB (just one sack again) and opened holes for Bell, who was the Steelers Digest Player of the Week. He rushed 26 times for a career-high 124 yards, ending the Steelers drought of no 100-yard rushers at 22 games. His 129 yards from scrimmage pushed him to 1,163 for the season and second all-time for rookies in Steelers history and just 72 yards from tying Franco Harris.

Antonio Brown had six receptions for 105 yards and almost broke another punt return for a touchdown, going 41 yards on one return in the second half. There was one thing he did break on Sunday, though, that being the Steelers' record for receiving yards in a season with 1,412.

But, despite giving up 31 points and two rushing TDs to Eddie Lacy, it was the defense that ultimately won the game for the Steelers. Mainly by way of splash plays.

Cortez Allen, as well as Ike Taylor and William Gay, provided tight coverage overall on the Packers' receivers, and Ryan Clark had 10 tackles to tie for the team lead with Timmons. But the splash plays - Tez Allen's 40-yard interception return for a touchdown at the end of the third quarter, Troy Polamalu's forced fumble, his fifth of the season, and Keisel's recovery of the fumble, leading to Bell's TD run - were the difference makers, especially in the second half.

Those plays not only made it possible to win the game, but to keep their ever-so-slim playoff hopes alive. Does Polamalu acknowledge that his play could end up being key in a playoff run? Are they looking ahead like that?

"It's irrelevant, to be honest. Nothing has changed from our standpoint", Polamalu said. "Our mental approach to the game has got to be a week-by-week thing."

It would be nothing short of a miracle for the Steelers to make the playoffs. They have to beat the Browns, who'd love nothing more than to play spoiler and assure the Steelers a losing season and to be home for the holidays. They also have a bit of a Warriors-like gauntlet in front of them, needing the Dolphins, Ravens and Chargers all to lose. Can you dig it?

Back in 2009, the Packers had entered the shootout at Heinz Field as one of the NFL's most penalized teams and did commit five (out of seven total) penalties resulting in first downs for the Steelers.

Fittingly Sunday, the last few seconds were disrupted by the false start penalty mentioned near the beginning of the article. It ultimately was the dagger in the heart of the Packers that disallowed history from repeating itself in favor of the home team yet again.

But the Steelers did come off victorious. They did keep their playoff hopes alive. And they did not quit.

~

TIDBITS: Tomlin Postgame presser: http://tinyurl.com/l2kbwl9

Around the locker room: http://tinyurl.com/kn4pz4m 

If It Ain't Steel's 2013 NFL Not-So-Midseason Reports, MVP and Super Bowl Predictions

by Jayden and Jason

The NFL season is now past the midway point and we at If It Ain’t Steel are once again throwing our two cents in to the 'midseason awards and predictions' hat.

(Aside: We were down for approximately two weeks and missed getting this out after Week 9 or 10 at the latest. The choices, though, are no different now from what they were a week ago.)

Week 11 is in the books and we're now at a crucial point for a lot teams. It's the time of year when the cream rises to the top individually and as teams are concerned. 

Without further ado, let's just get into the midseason awards and predictions for 2013. We'll start off with...

Comeback Player of the Year: Running Back LeSean McCoy, Eagles, or Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, Ravens - McCoy leads the league in rushing yards (1,009), averaging 4.7 yards per carry, and in total yards from scrimmage (1,408), touching the ball 247 times, all of this after missing four games and only rushing for 840 yards last season.

But If It Ain't Steel's choice for the midseason winner and the season-award prediction is Terrell Suggs. Suggs suffered a partially torn Achilles tendon requiring surgery in the Spring of 2012, sidelining him for the first six games of the season and causing him to miss a total of eight games. He was largely ineffective and finished the season with just two sacks

Fast forward to 2013 and a fully recovered Suggs is wreaking havoc once again. He is tied for 6th in the NFL in sacks with nine (in 10 games) and has 65 tackles, which is 26 more than the NFL sack leader Robert Mathis - keep that name in mind for later.

Coach of the Year: Andy Reid, Chiefs - Andy Reid is the only one in the discussion. The one-loss Chiefs have already improved upon its win total from 2012 of 2-14. The NFL record for win improvement from one season to the next is 10 (the Colts from 3-13 in '98 to 13-3 in '99, and the Dolphins from 1-15 in '07 to 11-5 in '08). Reid and his team are well on their way to breaking that record. At 9-1 they are tied atop the AFC West with the Broncos and could easily make it to 13-3 or better in the regular season and could go a long way in the playoffs - earning Reid the award in the process.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Outside linebacker Alec Ogletree, Rams, or middle linebacker Kiko Alonso - With 65 tackles, 55 solo, six passes defended, three forced fumbles and a 98-yard interception return for a touchdown, Ogletree is definitely in the consideration for defensive rookie honors.

But our choice for the midseason winner and the season-award prediction is Kiko Alonso. Alonso, the second-round pick out of Oregon, leads his team with 112 tackles (including amassing a very impressive 22 tackles in a loss to the Bengals), leads them in interceptions with four (which is also tied for second in the NFL), has four passes defended and both a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. More worthy candidates could emerge over the next few weeks, like Sheldon Richardson or even our pre-draft favorite Kenny Vacarro, but Alonso is the current leader in the clubhouse.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Quarterback Geno Smith, Jets, or running back Eddie Lacy, Packers - The talented West Virginia product has the requisite tools to be a starter and star in the NFL. Smith was thrown into a difficult situation when Mark Sanchez went down for the season and has played well, leading the Jets to a 5-5 record so far after the team was 6-10 all of last season.

But the one we've chosen as the midseason winner and the season-award prediction is Eddie Lacy. Coming out of Alabama, there were concerns about Lacy: he had injury issues, he had bigger numbers against lesser opponents and he was the beneficiary of an NFL-caliber offensive line in college. Well, he's silenced his critics, yours truly included, and has become the main back in the Packers offense. He leads all NFL rookies with 696 yards rushing and a 4.0 yard average. While there's still time for him to be caught, say maybe by DeAndre Hopkins, he has a strong hold on the lead for now.

Defensive Player of the Year: Free Safety Earl Thomas, Seahawks, or DE/OLB Robert Mathis - Thomas is the "Road Runner", because when he catches you you're through! (Thank you, John Gruden.) He has 78 tackles this season to along with seven passes defended, four interceptions and two forced fumbles. According to his coach, also, the 2012 All-Pro is just hitting his stride. "There's no end to the potential Earl has," said Pete Carroll, "because he's so fast and he's so tough, but more than that, he's just so driven to be great."

Even with such a résumé, though, our midseason winner and the season-award prediction goes to Robert Mathis. The 6'2" 245-pound Mathis has been a strong-side defender throughout his career. Now with the switch to 3-4 defense, Mathis is the primary rush LB and doesn't have to set the edge and so just pins his ears back and attacks. Because the position change has buoyed his sack total, Mathis no longer has a pre-game meal - he simply eats left tackles for lunch. With 13.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a safety, Mathis is in good position for 21.5 sacks - a career-high - and DPOY award.

Offensive Player of the Year: RB Jamaal Charles, Chiefs, or QB Peyton Manning, Broncos - Charles is all over the field. He runs the ball, catches passes out of the backfield, plays the option (w/QB Alex Smith) and even runs the Wildcat. He is the key to the Chiefs' offense.

However, our choice for the midseason winner and the season-award prediction needs no introduction. Peyton Manning has been nothing short of brilliant all season. Seeing Joe Flacco's image all over Peyton's city before the NFL's opening Thursday Night Kickoff caused this Bronco to stampede the Ravens and then never looked back. With a 118.3 QB Rating, almost 12 points higher than the next passer, a 69.9% completion rate, and 34 touchdown passes against only six INTs (a near 6-1 ratio), Manning just may get the award that eluded him last season. If so...

MVP: QB Peyton Manning, Broncos - Yes, Cam Newton, Calvin Johnson, Jamaal Charles and Drew Brees are in the discussion, but it may be against the Law to choose anyone but The Sheriff this season. His numbers are better across the board over every other QB in the league and he's poised to break Tom Brady's record of 50 TD passes set in the 2007 season, on a pace for 54. He isn't just the best player on the best team, he is the captain that drives the wagon train - they won't arrive at their destination in February without him. You don't get much more valuable than that.

Super Bowl prediction:

A few years ago, this would have been a prediction for the AFC Championship game. Now it's the final game. And while the 49ers, Patriots and Bengals may have something to say about it, Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos.

Three months of football are in the books, and in three more months we'll know how many of these will have come to fruition. Until then.