Steelers Ben Roethlisberger Injured, Overshadows Victory

"The armies separated; and, it is said, Pyrrhus replied to one that gave him joy of his victory that one more such victory would utterly undo him. For he had lost a great part of the forces he brought with him...." - Plutarch

Do you know what a Pyrrhic victory is? A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with such a devastating cost that the heavy toll negates any sense of gain or profit.

Both Ben Roethlisberger and Ryan Clark, the Steelers offensive and defensive MVPs in the first half of the season, went down with injuries in the Steelers 16-13 overtime win on Monday Night Football.

Ryan Clark seems to have a concussion. He may miss the Ravens game next Sunday night. Big Ben may be more serious.

Big Ben left the game in the third quarter after being sacked by Kansas City Chiefs defenders Justin Houston and Tamba Hali. He was taken to the locker room and then to hospital for further evaluation.

Adam Schefter tweeted from his Twitter (@AdamSchefter) account that the "Steelers officials have not been told anything about Ben Roethlisberger having a separated shoulder. They have been told it is sprained."

"Ben Roethlisberger at hospital. Maybe shoulder will turn out to be separated. But all Steelers have been told so far is it is sprained."

Tomlin confirmed that Big Ben left the stadium and was evaluated at a nearby hospital, but didn't speculate on Big Ben until more is known. He said he doesn't "live in the hypothetical world." He simply said they did enough to win. - http://tinyurl.com/a2ucy7f

There is no official word at present, however there is speculation that Big Ben suffered a shoulder sprain. No word as to what grade it is or whether it's an acromioclavicular joint sprain or sternoclavicular sprain.

Cliff notes version is that in Grades I or II sprains, the injury is treated with what we in the industry (I've revealed in previous blogs that I studied and worked in E.M.S. and Massage Therapy) PRICE: Pressure, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Anti-inflammatories, or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as naproxen sodium (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Motrin amongst others) are used. This is a two to three week situation.

If it's a Grade III sprain, where major tearing of the connective tissue is involved, surgery may be required. But, either way, IF this is the situation, no Big Ben for the Ravens games. - http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/8625787/ben-roethlisberger-pittsburgh-steelers-leaves-game-injury

With Big Ben missing most of the second half with a right shoulder injury, overtime was needed and Lawrence Timmons’ interception on the second play of the 5th period set up Shaun Suisham’s 23-yard field goal to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 16-13 in overtime over on Monday night.

In danger of losing to a team that hadn’t led in regulation all season, receiving their first lead Monday night, the Steelers were able to pull out the victory. A victory that many, including yours truly, said should've been easy.

“We made it hard on ourselves,” linebacker Larry Foote said. “We never make it easy.”

Though, again, the Steelers haven't yet revealed the severity of Big Ben's injury or how long he'll be out. The players are naturally concerned over their leader. Some didn't at all hold back their feelings on the matter.

“It scares you,” said offensive lineman Willie Colon. “Hopefully it’s not as bad as they’re saying.” - http://tinyurl.com/as7w7oy

Hopefully, Willie. Hopefully.

Without Big Ben, the Steelers turned to Byron Leftwich for their fourth straight victory.

Leftwich hadn't played in almost two years. It showed as he was very rusty at first, before hitting Emmanuel Sanders on a 31-yard pass that set up one of Sushi's three field goals.

Whether or not Big Ben had played the entire game, the Steelers didn't look ready for this game from the beginning. It isn't unusual for the defense this season to start slowly, but the offense usually generates early points.

Steelers offensive players said all week that they wanted to win this one for Haley. They did. Barely.

The normally on-point Steelers quarterback was just average in the first half. He was just 9-18 for 84 yards and a touchdown when he left the game.

The defense picked it up and kept the Chiefs scoreless most of the second half after being gashed early on the ground, but the offense never did come around.

Jamaal Charles put the Chiefs up, 7-0, with a 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and an Isaac Redman fumble gave the ball back to the Chiefs at the Steelers’ 10-yard line, but they weren’t able to punch it in and had to settle for a 22-yard Ryan Succop field goal to take a 10-0 lead.

A Sushi field goal gave the Steelers three points before Mike Wallace made a circus catch off of a Roethlisberger seven-yard pass in the end zone to even the game at 10-10 late in the second quarter. Wallace somehow kept the ball off the turf by holding it between his knees and securing it before rolling out of bounds.

Many of the details of the second half are all a blur for most Steelers fans as the only thing that really matters is that the Steelers mid-season defensive MVP and franchise quarterback are down and their status is uncertain at present.

If the injuries end up being relatively minor, we'll look back at a game that should have been won by a lot more than three points.

If the injuries are as feared, the victory could be a meaningless one. A Pyrrhic victory.

All Eyes On Steelers To Make Statement Against Chiefs

Todd Haley and the Pittsburgh Steelers will feel like Tupac Shakur, all eyes on me, when they take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football this week. - http://tinyurl.com/bawafzd

The Steelers offensive coordinator is preparing his current team, which hasn't lost at home on Monday night since 1991, to go against his former team, which hasn't won much of anything this season.

The hapless Chiefs (1-7) haven't had a lead in regulation all season. Their only win saw them finally beating the New Orleans Saints in overtime. In fact, the Chiefs are the first team in more than 50 years not to hold a lead during a game through eight games. Even the 2008 winless Detroit Lions at least did that much.

In his weekly press conference, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is known for making the next weeks' opponent sound like Super Bowl champs. But, trust me, Tomlin was not describing the same Chiefs team I, or anyone else, have seen play this season. - http://tinyurl.com/b2emow4

Tomlin said that the Chiefs are 1-7 because of turnovers, and there is truth in that. The Chiefs have turned the ball over 29 times already this season, resulting in 104 points scored. Still, this assessment isn't exactly the rain water Tomlin wants you to believe it is.

The Chiefs rank 30th in the NFL in defensive points allowed, surrendering 30 per game. This is by no means only because of turnovers. They're 23rd in the league in run defense, giving up 126 yards per game at over six yards per carry (YPC).

This is good news for a Steelers team that has rediscovered its running game of late with Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman. Rashard Mendenhall got the ball rolling when he averaged over 5.2 YPC against the Eagles. But it's been Dwyer and Redman who've caused memories of Black-Italian Army riding a Bus to the promised land to resurface. - http://t.co/tdMyOvo5

It hasn't just been a resurgent run game, but a punishing one. Against the Redskins, Dwyer carried 17 times for 107 yards, with 68 coming after first contact. Plus, 114 of his 122 yards came after contact in the win over the Bengals. That’s 71% of his yards coming after contact (YAC).

Redman also had a 100-yard rushing game, against the Giants, as well as a 100-yard receiving game in last two starts. Add Redman's YAC to the equation and that's over 77.5% of the Steelers rushing yards over past three weeks coming after contact. - http://tinyurl.com/b9ns95o

So, Haley isn't any longer concerned with unproductive running backs as he was early in season, but rather figuring out who will be good against that week's opponent.

The two of them may just be best together for now in a two-back rotation. Many teams around the league have done it effectively for years now. It's something the Steelers running backs don't seem to mind, either.

"I think it's good to rotate. Everybody gets a feel for it and everybody gets a role." - http://tinyurl.com/ar6f2mr

Dwyer also had specific praise for his fullback. He said that Will Johnson is playing "lights out" football right now. Will it continue? - http://t.co/vaCxVHal ~ http://t.co/oXjKdNMe

Still, it's the dynamic duo of Haley and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger who've kept the team above water overall. Big Ben's play has been stellar all season which has been due to Haley's diverse play calling. - http://tinyurl.com/a86lxs4

Plus, this is Monday Night Football, and Big Ben has loved the big stage. As an undefeated starter on Monday night at Heinz Field, he's 182-292 for 2,017 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 completions of more than 25 yards (splash plays). - http://tinyurl.com/aqp6ztr

So, despite the stage, the Chiefs ineptitude and considering the hated rival Baltimore Ravens follow, is Big Ben concerned about this being a letdown or his teammates looking ahead?

"I hate that whole 'letdown game' thing because everyone knows that any week in this league, any team...can be bad and anybody can win."

That, then, requires he, Tomlin and Haley to have the team prepared regardless. According to Brett Keisel and LaMarr Woodley, they are. Woodley posted on Twitter earlier in the week that the team is preparing for the Chiefs as if they were an 8-0 team. He repeated it to reporters in the locker room on Friday: http://tinyurl.com/at7mwav

Keisel also said this week that the team was reminded of the Steelers 2009 upset loss to a bad (2-7) Chiefs team in a morning meeting. He said they know the entire nation will be watching only them and they're "excited to play in front of our home fans." - http://blog.steelers.com/2012/11/08/coordinators-corner-haley-lebeau-2/

Mike Tomlin, known for his 'Tomlin-speak' catch phrases, called the Chiefs' Dwayne Bowe one of best "combat/catch" guys in league. He will test the cornerback put on him, most likely Ike Taylor.

Lance Williams of Steel Curtain Radio brought up some good stats regarding Bowe and the other two players whom the Steelers must watch. He said that of the 553 total plays by the Chiefs offense, Jamaal Charles, Dexter McCluster or Bowe were either targeted or ran it 293 times, or 53% of the time. So, containing them is key. - http://steelcurtainradio.com/?p=332

Another key for the Steelers is maintaining a high level of physicality and continuing their propensity for splash/explosive plays. We've already pointed out that KC will turn the ball over, so be prepared for the gifts they're sure to the Steelers way. Then capitalize and create splash plays of their own.

As for the physicality, the Chiefs are expecting it.

"When you play the Steelers," said Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, "you've got to be ready for a really tough, physical football game."

So, then, don't disappoint him. The defense has been more physical lately and recently has even been reminiscent of seasons past. - http://tinyurl.com/b2xhx5a

There's no real reason to go into great detail about the Chiefs offense because the containing of Charles, McCluster and Bowe is all that needs to be said. They're a deflated team. Hit them in the mouth early and they'll wilt. That's they're m.o. lately. Step on their throat and make a statement. - http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8608124&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The bottom line is that the Chiefs aren't giving anyone much completion lately and shouldn't Monday night, either. The nations eyes will be on them and their former coach's new team pummel them into submission. A 30-10 score is completely possible.

Kansas City, here we come: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mypHZmXdU3o

~

TIDBITS: Final Injury Report for Chiefs game: Troy Polamalu (calf), Antonio Brown (high-ankle sprain, out for a few weeks), Marcus Gilbert and Stevenson Sylvester are out; Mendenhall is doubtful; Chris Carter is questionable; Chris Rainey, Dwyer and Suisham are probable.

Chris Rainey told Steelers beat reporter Mike Bires that he is playing Monday vs. Chiefs as long as he can run.

The Chiefs report that both DE Glenn Dorsey (calf) and QB Brady Quinn (head) are out for MNF. - http://blog.steelers.com/2012/11/10/four-ruled-out-for-monday-night/

~

Emmanuel Sanders will mostly play his normal slot position in 3-wide receiver sets when Jerricho Cotchery is on field. Sanders takes Antonio Brown's spot in 2-wide receiver sets.

~

Mike Tomlin hinted this week that Troy Polamalu might play against the Ravens. But Polamalu still hasn't practiced since Oct. 5th. The defense has been playing very well lately and is in a groove. Is it time for youth to be served? Should Polamalu get his starting job back? - http://t.co/j2iNmYkU

~

New practice squad addition and Penn St. grad Derek Moye grew up a Steelers fan living outside of Pittsburgh in Rochester. - http://blog.steelers.com/2012/11/07/moyes-childhood-dream-comes-true/

~

Steelers rookie Alameda Ta'amu apologizes for his arrest after court appearance http://t.co/Hq1lIfBS

~

David DeCastro is working out and does run-throughs as far as practice is concerned. He should return to practice in December, but won't play unless there's an emergency.

~

Steelers have 2nd easiest second-half schedule in NFL.

~

Ryan Clark leads all NFL safeties with 30 tackles on run plays.

Steelers OC Todd Haley Says He Has "Moved On."

In 1940, a novel written by Thomas Wolfe was posthumously published called, "You Can't Go Home Again." The novel tells the story of fictional author George Webber who realizes that the unfair passing of time makes it nearly impossible to ever return to the narrow confines of your previous life.

Todd Haley, the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator, would agree.

Per Haley, "I've moved on..."

When Haley was interviewed on Thursday about the Steelers game this week on Monday Night Football, questions naturally were asked about what he may be able to bring to the table when preparing for the Kansas City Chiefs. The normally outspoken and definitive coach was abnormally subdued and judicious in his responses.

Being that Haley will be facing the team from which he was fired as the head coach 11 months ago, you'd expect him to have some...interesting things to say about the Chiefs. No dice.

"Every game of the week is the biggest game of the year," Haley said. "This is the biggest game of the year as far as I am concerned because it's this week."

Good for Haley, but too bad for those of us who wanted sound bites. Nonetheless, Haley isn't concerned with rehashing what happened in Kansas City.

"I know the Chiefs have moved on, and I have a lot of fond memories and am proud of things that were accomplished." - http://tinyurl.com/cdpovqa

Look, nobody likes getting fired. Especially when it's done as publicly as Haley's firing was back on December 12, 2012. The Chiefs were coming of a 37-10 loss to the New York Jets that dropped them to a 5-8 record.

Haley was fired the next day. This was a lot worse than just a firing, however. To say that the relationship between Haley and Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli was tenuous or contentious would be like saying Superman and Lex Luthor simply had a tiff.

The Kansas City Star chronicled the series of events and the bad blood between the two men in an article back in January. - http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/14/3371495/arrowhead-anxiety-turnover-off.html

It says a lot as to why Haley looked like a homeless bum on the sidelines and in press conferences last season in KC - he was obviously doing it out if spite. That being the case, you might expect Haley to play the role of George Webber.

Instead, he has played this off a just another game and hasn't provided any sort of "bulletin board material." Players say they've noticed a difference this week, but he has shown no desire to tip his hat to what he's actually thinking.

Though there's been no sign of the fiery iconoclast this week, or this season, his former quarterback assures us that the fire is there, even if it is a slow burn.

"Coach Haley is a demanding coach," said by Chiefs QB Matt Cassel early in the week. "He'll challenge you. He's not afraid to get in your face and let you know and hold you accountable."

It's a side of Haley we've yet to see this season. Maybe it's because the Steelers are a better team. Maybe it's because they are a better-run organization than his previous locale.

Whatever the reason, he's seemingly content now with where he is and what he's building. There's no reason to look behind him. He's "moved on."

~

TIDBITS: Friday Injury Report: Marcus Gilbert, Antonio Brown, Stevenson Sylvester and some guy named Troy missed practice, won't play Monday night. Rashard Mendenhall was limited, but Jonathan Dwyer, Chris Rainey and Sushi were full participants. Isaac Redman and Dwyer should see time together against the Chiefs.

After participating in practice on a limited basis on Thursday, Marcus Gilbert does not practice at all on Friday.

Teammates are intentionally making Chris Rainey laugh so that he experiences pain associated with his rib injury. "Not fair," Rainey says. Regardless, Rainey says he will play Monday against the Chiefs: "If I can still run, I'm definitely going."

~

The NFL owes Ryan Clark an apology. First of all, it wasn't even close to a helmet-to-helmet hit. So, there should be at least a private apology. Will a mea culpa come? I doubt it.

~

The NFL fined Steelers $35,000 and wide receiver Emanuel Sanders $15,000 for him faking an injury against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Next time, Manny, do a better job of acting.

Making The Case For Ben Roethlisberger As MVP; Tomlin Coolest Coach

Ask any member of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization, any member of the media or any Steelers fan and you'll get the same answer as to whom the Steelers mid-season most valuable player is. There's no question: Ben Roethlisberger.

The position of NFL quarterback is the hardest in sports at which to excel. So much goes into just being a successful quarterback, let alone one who is a multiple Super Bowl winner.

This year, there is another trophy the Steelers quarterback should add to his mantle: NFL MVP.

Remember, the award is for the most valuable player. I believe that the evidence points to his being a viable candidate for the 2012 version of the award.

In If It Ain't Steel's mid-season's reports and predictions blog post, we said that Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons has to be the mid-season MVP and that our belief is that the Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning would probably be the season MVP. We also, however, said that Big Ben was definitely in the discussion. We decided to start the campaign for that right here.

The first thing to consider, naturally, is whether or not his numbers are on par with the other quarterbacks who may be in the MVP discussion. The answer is a resounding yes.

Big Ben is currently ranked 5th in the NFL in passing with a .671 completion percentage (200-298, or an average of 25-37) for 2,203 yards, 16 touchdown passes, only four interceptions and a 101.1 QB rating.

To properly measure him against the four quarterbacks ahead of him, we have to set certain parameters in order to have a level playing field. We'll set them to at least 290 pass attempts and at least 260 yards per game (YPG) from the top quarterbacks.

That leaves Big Ben with three other QBs who could keep him from bringing the award to the South Side: Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Peyton. Of those four QBs, Big Ben has the fewest interceptions (4) and is right in the mix in completion percentage (comp. pct.) and the other criteria that a QB must meet.

Over his career, Big Ben's comp. pct. has hovered around 63%, but has been much more statistically reliable this season. Where Big Ben separates himself, though, is on third down percentage and and when under duress. Not one of the above QBs even comes close to him in those two categories.

Big Ben has been nothing short of excellent on third down. He leads all NFL QBs in ESPN's Total QBR grading scale at over 97.0 this season, 121.2 in the NFL QB rating. On that key down, he has thrown seven TD passes against no interceptions.

Last sunday against the New York Giants was no different as he was 8-9 for 89 yards on third to six different receivers, including a 51-yard touchdown to Mike Wallace.

When under duress or when hit while throwing, Big Ben is also tops with a comp. pct. of over 56%, including three touchdowns (55.9% and eight TDs total over the last two seasons). He's also the best against Nickel and Dime coverages, completing over 72% of his passes.

Big Ben also excels inside the 20-yard line. Per ESPN's Total QBR again, he's top three in the league at 94.4 in the red zone. Not to mention the fact that up until the last three weeks he'd been doing all of this without the semblance of a running game.

Do you really need more convincing that Big Ben should be on the short list of MVP candidates? He is far and away the most valuable player on a winning team that's starting to coalesce as it head toward the playoffs. Like the gentlemen at SteelerAddicts.com so aptly pointed out, despite all of this, for some fans it's never enough. - http://www.steeleraddicts.com/2012/10/for-some-its-always-bens-fault/#.UIh1dbe9Kc0

If you're one of those, and if my word isn't enough, consider what Greg Cosell of NFL's Inside The Game had to say about Big Ben before the season even started.

In the article "Cosell Talks: Re-Examining Roethlisberger", he presents a third-and-8 play from 2008 against the Jacksonville Jaguars where "he had defenders hanging all over him and was still able to deliver an accurate throw to Hines Ward" late in the game. The play was a microcosm of what Big Ben has routinely done over his career. - http://tinyurl.com/ac9nuyo

Nothing has changed this season. He's still making defenders miss, he's still shrugging off pass rushers and he's still confounding defensive coordinators with "sandlot" plays where he improvises like no other QB in the league today can.

Even the great Tom Brady narrowly misses the top five QB rankings, sitting currently in the No. 6 spot, making he and Big Ben neck-and-neck. As ESPNBoston.com columnist Jeremy Lundblad pointed out in an article written right before Super Bowl 45, they actually always have been. - http://tinyurl.com/4nfwrdm

With all this being considered, one main reason for Big Ben's elevated success has been the time he's had to be able to get his passes off. Thanks, in part, to a rejuvenated offensive line that is paving the way. - http://t.co/AfZb2rYA

During the offseason, and occasionally since, Big Ben provided several sound bites regarding new offensive coordinator Todd Haley's playbook. The most famous being the "Rosetta Stone" reference.

The Rosetta Stone turns out to be an appropriate term as it has translated into three straight wins, taking the Steelers to 5-3.

On Wednesday, Big Ben gave the credit for this to Haley's streamlining the playbook. He said that they've been going with the plays that they know work, choosing order over confusion.

"We've always felt we've got deep-play guys," said Big Ben, "but as we saw the other night, we can also get it to them quick and let them go the distance....It's demoralizing for defenses."

So is what it has allowed him to do to Steelers' opponents this season. What he'll certainly be able to continue to do this season. An MVP season.

~

Ask any Steelers fan and they'll tell you that Mike Tomlin is the coolest coach in the NFL.

It seems the rest of the NFL has caught on. Overwhelmingly so.

In a Sporting News player poll of over 100 NFL players, Tomlin's was voted the coach for whom players most wanted to play. - http://tinyurl.com/bjvu6nl

But, we already knew he was the coolest...

If It Ain't Steel's NFL Mid-Season Reports And Predictions

The NFL season is at the midway point and we at If It Ain’t Steel are going to throw our predictions out there at the midway point along with some others. Week nine is in the books and we're now at a crucial point for a lot teams. This is the time of year when the cream rises to the top and the men separate themselves from the boys.

Starting off, we are going to talk mid-season MVP. The clear cut winner right now has to be Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. Matty Ice, or the “Matural” as he has been called as of late, has the Falcons sitting at 8-0 and has been playing rather well a fifth year starter. Do we think that he will win the MVP hands down, if it was decided today? Yes, but it's not being decided today, so time will tell. There are some very viable candidates out there who could make a case for having their names mentioned in this discussion.

One who could emerge from the rubble as the 2012 NFL MVP is "The Sheriff”, Peyton Manning. He is playing extremely well coming of a neck injury (and four neck surgeries) that sidelined him for all of 2011, so I would not stick the fork in him just yet. There is also his little brother Eli who is having a very good season as well. Then there are also ones like Drew Brees, Percy Harvin, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger who are leading for their teams in the right direction. So, as of right now there is no clear cut winner.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: Peyton Manning

As of right now, the Defensive Player of the Year is clearly J.J. Watt's to lose. He is playing lights out on defense and leads the league in sacks (10.5) and has been batting down passes like a wild man (10...as a DEFENSIVE END). He is helping this Texans defense show why they are to be feared and one of the most complete defenses in the league. Bears cornerback Tim Jennings is making a good case for consideration as well with a league-leading six interceptions, one for a touchdown, and 15 passes defended. Clay Matthews is making a good case, as is Demarcus Ware, but I again say it is Watt's to lose.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: J.J. Watt

Comeback Player of the Year is also Peyton Manning’s to lose. He came back this season under the cloud of “can he play like the Peyton that we are all used to?” It turns out that the answer is a resounding "yes!" He sat out all last season and a lot of people, including myself, thought he would never be the Peyton of old. But, he proved me and a lot of others wrong. He is playing very well and, just like always, is making no-name receivers household names. Adrian Peterson is also a consideration as he leads the NFL in rushing (957 yards) through eight games after missing most of last season with a devastating knee injury. Matt Schaub’s name could also be put into this mix, coming off a foot injury last season and having the Texans poised to take the first seed in the AFC. Time will tell.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: Peyton Manning

Rookie of the Year is still up for grabs in my opinion. Yes, right now Robert Griffin III is the front runner, but don’t count Andrew Luck out of this race just yet. Luck has been impressive so far in his rookie campaign as well, including setting a single-game rookie record Sunday for passing with 433 yards. He does not have the running yards that RGIII has, but he is playing well and has the Indianapolis Colts already at a better record than they had at this point in the season last year and is slowly making the people of Indy forget about that other guy. Russell Wilson is also playing well, but I believe this one will be a tight two-man race until the end.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: Andrew Griffin 1.5

Coach of the Year is a tough one in my opinion. These guys are responsible for what goes on with their teams. If their team is having a bad season, then it is their name that gets tossed around as being on the proverbial hot seat. If the award was given today it would go to Mike Smith. The Falcons are playing perfect ball right now, but won't go undefeated.

Another coach that sticks out to me who should be in the conversation is Gary Kubiak of the Texans. The Texans are 7-1 and playing almost as well as the Falcons. They had one bad game against the Green Bay Packers, but that happens to teams. How did they respond? They came back and knocked the feathers off of the Baltimore Ravens, a team they had never beaten. They scored the most points in a single game in their franchise history and controlled the game almost from start to finish.

Another that could be in this conversation soon is John Harbaugh of the Ravens. If the Ravens manage to take the North and the second seed in the AFC with the injuries they have piled up, then he very well should be. He probably won’t be, however, because Mike Tomlin was not named coach of the year when he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 3-1 record without their starting quarterback, to a 12-4 overall record and to the Super Bowl again in 2010. But, I do not personally see the Ravens keeping the second seed, but just some food for thought.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: None yet. It can still be any one of several coaches.

OK, now that we have those predictions out of the way, we want to touch on another prediction that everyone will start making now: which team will go to the Super Bowl and win it all. The NFC is not as much of the jumbled mess right now that the AFC is. There are several teams right at or above .500 that could very well make a late season push, so things are not completely written in stone yet in the AFC. I think the only team that is close to set in stone is the Texans. They're currently the #1 seed, are the most complete team in the AFC and I just do not see them going into any sort of spiral.

So, this is what I like to call my spin on this, or what my partner-in-writing calls “Jaydenisms." We do this a lot when coming up with ideas for our blog, we bounce off each other ideas and then the pieces take life. This one was no different. So, here goes some food for thought, so to speak.

There has not been a team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the New England Patriots did it in '03 and '04, to find the next team to do it goes back to '97, '98 Broncos. So, to be a repeat champ is even harder than taking it all the first time. There have only been three teams since the 2003 season to represent the AFC and those were the Patriots ('03, '04, '07, and '11), the Colts ('06 and '09) and the Steelers ('05, '08 and '10). We predict that will change this year, but we will touch on that a little later.

The NFC on the other hand has only had one team to make a repeat appearance in that time frame - the New York Giants. Every year since '04 there has been a different NFC team represent the conference. So, the Giants being the current SB champs and representatives of the NFC does not assure them of going to the big dance.

For instance, in 2010 the New Orleans Saints went marching in to Seattle as the reigning champions. They were to play a team that was 7-9 and had won their conference. I'm sure they were thinking that this would be an easy win considering they were 11-5 and, again, the reigning champs. They thought wrong. Marshawn Lynch went Beast Mode on them with a 67-yard touchdown run by mowing down a supposedly good Saints defense. He made them look like a high school defense. Junior varsity. Similarly, last year the Packers, coming off a SB win and a 15-1 record got sent packing despite hosting a 9-7 Giants team on the (in my best John Facenda voice) frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.

Recently, though, the team that gets hot at the right time seems to be the team to take the championship regardless of the conference. Don’t believe me? Look back at who has gone to the SB six of the past seven seasons (Steelers, Colts, Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Packers and Giants). Those teams came from the wildcard rounds and all except one went on to win it all.

So, it really doesn't matter what your record is going in to the playoffs, it matters how you are playing when you get there. Right now, the Falcons are the best team in the NFC right now, but history has shown that it may not matter who has the best record. It is more of one of those “who wants it more” kind of things. Note the examples above.

That gets me to another point: just because a team looks good right now, and has a great record, does not mean they are going to be the team to beat. History has shown that a team with a sub-par early record can get hot late and win it all. Just because a team is sitting at or below .500 does not mean that they are done by any means.

Anything can happen. There are still a lot of games to be played and some of these teams sitting with winning records right now can see that change in a hurry. There are several teams that start out hot and falter second half of the season. Maybe they benefitted from an easy early schedule and then face better opponents late. Maybe they lose key players for the season. Maybe rivals want to play spoiler because they have nothing else left for which to play.

For teams that surge at the end of the season, the reverse could have been the case. Once early-season injuries that had initially set them back are behind them, they suddenly are true contenders. There are lots of things that factor into why.

The teams that stand out to me that are in that boat in the AFC are the San Diego Chargers, Broncos, Steelers and Colts. Those four teams could very well make the playoffs or end another teams playoff dreams, depending on the scenario. All four of these teams have the ability to turn their seasons around they are already on that path and could be spoilers for the ones sitting on top right now. Time will tell, because, again, there is a lot of season left.

So, to end this we are going to make our prediction of who we think will make the Super Bowl this year. It may surprise some people. But, hey, we aren’t known to think inside of the box, now are we?

If It Ain’t Steel's Super Bowl Prediction: Texans vs. Bears

I know, we don't have our Steelers in the big dance. We have a lot of work to do, even after the Giants win. And let’s face it, we're not delusional, we are realistic. The Texans are the best team in the AFC and are going to be hard to put out of the playoffs if they play at home. The Bears are getting it together and quietly demolishing teams. Jay Cutler and crew will be hard to beat the second half of the season.

Trust us, we hope our Steelers prove us wrong, we would love nothing more. And if they do, that is one big helping of crow we will be more than glad to eat.

Steelers Get Giant Victory Despite Referees Interference

I have to admit that my partner-in-crime said she felt the Steelers would win. I called a 27-24 Giants win. I was wrong.

And I couldn't be happier.

The quarterback who had the ball in his hands lastly was the one I and many thought would win. That's exactly what happened, but it wasn't expected to be in a victory formation.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger led the Steelers to another fourth-quarter comeback victory Sunday in the Meadowlands over the reigning champs and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, but it was Isaac Redman who was the true star Sunday afternoon.

Redman is the Steelers third-string running back behind injured Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Dwyer, but played like a starter Sunday by running roughshod over the New York Giants.

Redman was dealing with an injury of his own that had kept him out of the game against the Redskins, so it wasn't known how much he'd be able to run.

He silenced any questions by finishing with 26 carries for 147 yards and the touchdown that gave the Steelers a 24-20 lead with 4:02 left in the fourth quarter. Those 147 yards were a career-high for Redman.

He also ran right for a 28-yard run at the two-minute warning to allow the Steelers to take a knee three straight times and get into that aforementioned victory formation.

It wasn't as if it was an easy game against the defending champs, though. Especially not in their house. The Giants are a very strong team, who going into the game, had recorded two or more turnovers in their six victories this year.

The Steelers were able to reverse that trend tonight as they won despite having a "fumble" retuned for a touchdown and an interception lead to a score. Also despite having three punt/kick returns of 40 yards or more that didn't lead to points.

The Steelers pulled together, though, and played well in all three phases of the game overall.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said last week that he felt this team was coming together when speaking on how important the second half of the season is.

"I'd like to think we are a group on the rise," he said. "I've always thought that the eventual world champion needs to be the one on the rise."

They proved just that Sunday against the Giants, as Tomlin acknowledged in his post-game press conference. - http://tinyurl.com/bctoucn

Some are even saying that by beating the champs that the Steelers are contenders again. Like they say, to best the man you have to beat the man. The Steelers beat the man Sunday. - http://tinyurl.com/aneoavt

One thing that did bother me today was some...questionable refereeing in favor of the champs, mostly in the first half.

As a rule, If It Ain't Steel doesn't blame or bash the referees for ineptitude. We neither do it individually nor in the blog.

Yeah...have to change that policy a little bit today.

The refereeing was HORRIBLE early in the game. I'm not a conspiracy guy, but I did see a black helicopter or two over the stadium. It was pathetic!

First, there was a pass interference call on the ever-emerging Keenan Lewis. Terrible call! Look at replay! Lewis got a pass interference call for just touching him. It wasn't even enough contact to influence catch. College basketball referees even thought that was a ticky-tack call! Absurd!

Next, it looked like Ike Taylor almost had another interception. Oh, yeah, by the way, Swag had an interception. (I know, right?!? He did, though! I promise, check the tape.) Anyway, just as he missed the pick, Ryan Clark stirred Victor Cruz's salsa with a shoulder-to-rib/shoulder hit that was called a helmet-to-helmet hit.

TERRIBLE CALL AGAIN. No blow to the head! RIDICULOUS! Clark hit Cruz in the head so hard that Cruz had BRUISED RIBS.

Craig Wolfley, former Steelers lineman and current Steelers analyst said on WDVE that he thought he heard the referee say "I think I messed up."

YA THINK?!

Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review said: "Bad call [on] Clark but to be honest, his reputation is starting to catch up to him -- right or wrong."

BULLCRAP!

The referees have a job to do, not reputations to worry about. The only thing the officials could say is that Clark hit a defenseless receiver. Which Cruz wasn't. Terrible call.

Then Ed Bouchette tweeted this: "Bill Leavy's crew of officials not distinguishing themselves in early going of #Steelers, #Giants. Phantom fouls, bad spot now a TD?"

At that point I was thinking, "Aww...crap, the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl referee. He better at least kiss Tomlin....cuz we're gettin f*cked harder than Jenna Jameson."

Then there was a clip on Heath Miller, a hold (or three) on James Harrison and a questionable non-call on Corey Webster for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Mike Wallace. Wallace wasn't defenseless and he was getting up to run, so I'll let that slide for now. But...

"It was a pass by Roethlisberger, says NBC official consultant @RefereeJimD. - Pro Football Talk.

The Tuck Rule seems as if it should've been in play or maybe simply an incomplete pass as Big Ben's arm was going forward as it was hit by Osi Umenyiora.

Former head of NFL officials, Mike Pereira, agreed: "Leavy felt ball was loose after contact by Osi. Very tight play. I think he still had control. In my opinion it was an incomplete pass."

Even The Bus, @JeromeBettis36 on Twitter, chimed in: "I try not to talk about the refs but that was the worst call and review I have ever seen!!!! #BadCall"

This was all in the first half, mind you. There was nothing else to say except at that point, though, that the referees gave the Giants at least seven points in the first half. Terrible calls.

Deebo must've gotten to them at halftime, however, because things leveled out for the most part in the second half. It was actually the Steelers themselves who were making the game interesting.

On fourth and one at the two, instead of running Redman or running a quarterback sneak, they ran an inexplicable fake field goal that looked doomed from the start. I don't actually mind the concept, but they were killing them on the ground. Thankfully, it ultimately didn't hurt them.

At the end of the third quarter the Steelers were down 20-10. The real fourth-quarter comeback QB had them just where he wanted them.

Big Ben threw a slant pass to Wallace and Mike just used his speed to weave his way across the field to get into the end zone for a 51-yard score that made it 20-17...and everybody loved Wallace again.

It was the ninth touchdown of 50-plus yards for Wallace's career. It came at the right time too, considering he'd had another drop, his fifth in the last 10 quarters, earlier in the game.

Guys, you know that girlfriend you had who was either crazy or high maintenance, but you put up with her because she was THAT DAMN FINE? That's Mike Wallace. Fans will yell and scream, but that "Oh, sh**!" speed is a mighty big bandaid. - http://tinyurl.com/ag9d37j

A bandaid that allowed Redman to eventually seal it with his touchdown.

Statement win. One that could propel the Steelers back into contention.

~

TIDBITS: Antonio Brown was hurt early in the game on a deep pass. Seems to be minor, but he didn't return to the game. AB has a high ankle sprain. - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000090320/article/injury-roundup-antonio-brown-darren-mcfadden-hurt

~

Eli Manning threw for only 125 yards in one of the worst games of his career.The Giants were only 2-10 on third downs with Eli being only 1-6 on third. Steelers' defenders said earlier in the week they were out to prove they're still one of NFL's best. A lot of proof on Sunday. - http://t.co/ecU3KIlJ

~

Chris Rainey needs X-rays and could be going to hospital per Wolfley. He also said they had a hard time getting the pads off of Rainey because of a rib cartilage tear. More to come Tuesday.

Steelers vs Giants Is Absolute 'Marquee Matchup'

On September 20, 1933 the Pittsburgh Steelers, then the Pirates, were born. They were manhandled in their inaugural game at Forbes Field by the New York Giants, 23-2. In what is the oldest rivalry the Steelers have via length of time, the two teams would go on to meet 77 more times (Giants leading 46-29-3) and again this Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

The game features possibly the best quarterback matchup the NFL will see this season: the Steelers Big Ben Roethlisberger and the Giants Eli Manning. Both quarterbacks are in their prime and look to give the fans what has been billed as "one of the marquee quarterback matchups ever." - http://tinyurl.com/bpp5dr3

There have only been six previous meetings ever between two quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl rings.

Even their teammates recognize the weight of this weekend's elite pairing.

"Maybe (Nos.) 1 and 2 quarterbacks in the league when it comes down to 4th quarter, two, three minutes left...two of the best in the business," said Steelers wide receiver Mike Wallace.

He made sure to finish off his assessment by saying, "I'm gonna ride with my guy, No. 7, everyday."

Wallace, whom we'll highlight later, is right in having such confidence in his quarterback, but both QBs are capable of taking over the game.

Each future Hall of Fame quarterback boasts gaudy numbers with Big Ben having a 101.4 QB Rating and Eli manning (no pun intended) the NFL's 2nd-most prolific offense.

Each has talented wide receivers and tight ends.

Each has the ability to scare defenses with their ice-water-in-their-veins fourth-quarter prowess.

Each has an offensive line that is adequately protecting them this season. The Giants have only given up seven sacks, six against Eli, and the Steelers offensive line has given up 12, but only 11 against Big Ben with four being giveaways.

This Steelers team in particular, though, will go where Big Ben takes them. They don't have the dominant defense they've had in previous years, nor do they have the running game they've had in the past.

This team, Sunday and this season, lives and dies with its quarterback.

And that's just fine with Big Ben.

Ben has been open about wanting to be the best QB on the field each Sunday. Though he has great respect for Eli, he hasn't forgotten being passed over and being picked 11th-after Eli and Philip Rivers.

He hasn't forgotten either that he lost to both Mannings in the 2008 season. He doesn't want to repeat that.

Ben is definitely focused this season and it shows in his play. He's led the offense to 29 splash/explosive plays through the air so far this season and has thrown 14 touchdown passes in a pretty good "dink and dunk" offense. - http://www.steelers.com/video-and-audio/videos/Ben-Roethlishberger---1031/3b4ac1ee-69ec-42e6-8406-d5d868d7e328

Not only Big Ben, but others on the team have been commenting on how well the offense is starting to click.

"Right now, we're clicking on all cylinders and it looks really good," said Emmanuel Sanders.

Max Starks also said that he can tell that Todd Haley is getting increasingly comfortable with the Steelers personnel as the season goes forward.

It comes at a good time ,too, because the Steelers are facing a defense that's hurting.

The Steelers may be down a couple of running backs, neither Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles) nor Jonathan Dwyer (quad) will play, but the Giants linebacker corps is hurting as well.

Chase Blackburn and Jacquian Williams are out, and Keith Rivers is doubtful for Sunday. That means Mark Herzlich now will get the start at middle linebacker for the Giants.

Isaac Redman will get the start Sunday, but don't discount the Steelers running game. Not only are the Giants hurting badly, but Todd Haley's "dumbing-down" of the run game has been a success and could continue to be Sunday. - http://t.co/ZrtdLiHA

Speaking of hurting badly, the Giants are also dealing with injuries to free safety Kenny Phillips (questionable) and strong safety Antrel Rolle (probable).

That might mean a lot of Big Nickel and/or Dime packages from the Giants to offset their ailments. Given that their cornerbacks have shown themselves to be very inconsistent, such an approach would be expected.

Prince Amukamara and Corey Webster both have been victimized lately. Amukamara was especially targeted against the Cowboys as Dallas was within a knuckle of beating the Giants last week.

As Mike Wallace pointed out earlier this week, "Yeah, they give up a lot of yards, but at the same time they have guys who take the ball away a lot."

He speaks the truth. The Giants are 24th in the NFL in yards allowed, 26th in passing yards, have given up approximately seven touchdowns of 25 yards or more and have allowed 35 pass plays of 20 yards or more.

Yet, their defense has 16 interceptions. By contrast, the Steelers have three.

A big part of that for the Giants is Stevie Brown, who has five interceptions and two fumble recoveries leading the league in takeaways. - http://t.co/SJgX0K6s

Wallace went on to reveal the main reason the Giants remain a formidable defensive opponent: "They have probably the best defensive front in football."

The Giants' front four is as good at getting to the quarterback as nearly anyone. They have 21 sacks on the season with 16.5 coming from the defensive linemen. Jason Pierre-Paul leads them with 5.5 sacks.

They are long, athletic and scary...and interchangeable. It isn't Justin Tuck or Osi Umenyiora who is second in sacks, but Linval Joseph with four.

Speaking of Justin Tuck and his one-sack season thus far, he made some comments claiming that the Steelers hold all the time. This is what he had to say: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6jT3Q3gyvs

The Steelers will need to double-team, chip with a running back and Ben will need to get the ball out of his hands quicker via shorter drops in order to keep their pass rush at bay.

Like David Todd of ESPN 970 said on his personal Twitter (@DavidMTodd) account, "This, maybe more than any other week, is a week when people should be happy that Haley is #Steelers offensive coordinator. #checkdown"

Speaking back on Wallace and in his defense for a moment, Todd also brought up a very salient stat regarding the wide receiver.

Wallace has been receiving his share of flack for his drops this season, but Todd made pointed that the fans, If It Ain't Steel inclusive, have overreacted a bit.

"What does this group of WRs have in common? Decker, Megatron, B. Lloyd, Victor Cruz, A. Johnson, Jordy Nelson, Maclin, Dez Bryant? .... They all have a higher drop rate than Mike Wallace. #onebadgame #Steelers"

"One bad game" is right. Wallace had only one recorded drop prior to the three-drop performance against the Bengals. He also ahead of last season's pace for drops. He's getting better at catching with his hands instead of letting the ball hit his body first.

What else is that Wallace is on pace for a season of 80 receptions, 1,000 yards and 9 touchdowns. "Tha Kidd" has the speed threat that keeps defenses honest (read: "that scares defenses sh**less), and which is why there tends to be so much room underneath.

Defenses have to decide whether they want to chance letting Wallace get them deep, or to be 'dinked and dunked' by Heath Miller, Antonio Brown or Manny Sanders.

All-in-all, Wallace is adjusting nicely and "happily" in the new offense. - http://tinyurl.com/aevtsp4

Big Ben can accommodate either of those approaches, as he's basically been in a 'pick your poison' mode and Heath Miller in particular has benefited. The underrated tight end is finally seeing the end zone this season. - http://tinyurl.com/am4laqg

It wouldn't even be a stretch to say that Miller is probably the one player who absolutely doesn't miss Bruce Arians. Haley mentioned Miller as soon as he was introduced in the offseason and he has put his money where his mouth is. - http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Coordinators-Corner-Haley--LeBeau/6120243b-71f5-4c11-adcd-2e10d661e905

The other quarterback on the field Sunday has a plethora of weapons as well and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised him accordingly. - http://tinyurl.com/ajkpyfj

Eli ranks among the league leaders in accuracy and splash/explosive plays, as the Giants also have 29 such plays. Eli loves the deep ball and Victor Cruz is a big part of that.

Cruz has 52 catches for 650 yards and seven touchdowns. Hakeem Nicks hasn't been quite as effective, but is still dangerous.

In their base offense, the Giants will use the fullback, Henry Hynoski, and try to establish the run to make use of the play-action, but can just as easily go three-wide.

When in a three wide receiver set, expect to see Cruz in the slot and Nicks and Domenik Hixon on the outside. The coverage should show Ike Taylor on Cruz most of the game, even in the slot, and Keenan Lewis on Nicks.

The key to keeping Eli from gashing them and to keep Cruz from doing the Salsa too much, is a pass rush. That means Dick Lebeau has to have his unit ready and trusting one another in order to increase their 12 sacks so far this season. - http://tinyurl.com/ccl9eoh

This isn't something the Steelers have shown the ability to do. In fact, as seen in the Coordinator's Corner video link above, LeBeau realizes that splash plays are important and have been missing. For instance, 77 of the 234 points that the Giants have scored this season have come off of turnovers. In contrast, the Steelers have just 18 points off of turnovers this year.

It's a bit of a cliche, but turnovers and sacks can be the difference in this game. With the quarterbacks, offenses and defenses being fairly even (though, the Steelers' D is better statistically), it may just come down to such splash plays. Force them into turnovers and limit your own. - http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8581118&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

In years to come we may be able to look at this game and appreciate this game as something more than it was. For now, though, all either team is truly concerned with is getting out of the Meadowlands with a victory and moving themselves closer toward gelling and peaking at the right time in order to be ready for that all-important playoff birth.

Also, can the Steelers road win become a trend? The Giants aren't exactly the best team at home over the last few years (2007-2011) with only a 24-16 home record. It could be the salve the Steelers need.

Regardless of all considered, this marquee quarterback matchup may be a precursor to something later down the line, or it may just be a great Sunday afternoon game. Either way, the one who has the ball in his hands lastly just may be the one walking out of MetLife with that victory.