Nearing the � Pole�
�down the stretch we come
By Swissvale72
Dateline: Elba (AP)
It�s 27 days until Christmas, less than 4 short weeks. Christmas is undoubtedly my least favorite holiday, for a plethora of reasons��
- I�m a cheap bastard�.and it costs too much damn money (write SignPlax about the beer I still owe him two years later).
- I�m scared of Fat Fucks in red & white (Vince Wilfork, Bob Kraft�Santa Klaus).
- Too damn much traffic and people scowling when they should be smiling.
- The holiday�s intrusion into the very very best segment of the football season.
I know, I know�..one would think, given my work with children and youth, that I would embrace the Holidays, as a time of unbridled joy and celebration. Two words�Fuck That!! First off, it�s busy as hell here. Secondly, four other words�rejection, heartbreak, abandonment, despair�.the Four Horseman of the Group Care Apocalypse�.make this less than a time of rejoicing within this workplace.
My favorite holidays are Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Neither involves gifts; neither involves family gatherings, both involves very good sports activity. Thanksgiving�s okay, but only if I can spend it with other dagos�plus, can�t eat 44 homemade raviolis any longer, so what�s the point.
I always breath a sigh of relief once it�s December 26th on the calendar, though it is Boxing Day in
First, the historical view�..what about Steeler playoff teams during the Final Five�.
The Noll Years
�72: 4-1 �73: 2-3 �74: 4-1 �75: 4-1 �76: 5-0 �77: 4-1 �78: 5-0 �79: 3-2 �82: 3-2 �83: 1-4 �84: 3-2 �89: 4-1
The Emperor lost more than once in the Final Five only 4 times in 12 Playoff years. One of these teams (�79) produced a Super Bowl winner, one squad (�84) won a very big playoff game in
Conversely, in those eight years where his team lost only one game, or none at all during the Final Five, only one team (�77) failed to win a playoff game�.though Joe Greene did land a roundhouse right into the solar plexus of Paul Howard on Christmas Eve in the Mile High City.
The Cowher Years
�92: 3-2 �93: 3-2 �94: 4-1 �95: 4-1 �96: 2-3 �97: 3�2 �01: 4-1 �04: 5-0 �05: 4-1
Cowher�s playoff teams lost more than once in the Final Five 4 times in 9 playoff years. Only one of these teams (�97) won a playoff game. All five of Cowher�s teams that lost only once, or none at all during the Final Five won at least one playoff game.
So�..we reach the conclusion that it�s damn important to finish strong. What a f uckin� surprise. Having established that working assumption�we�ll go on to the current situation.
The Tomlin Year
The Debacle in the Meadowlands should have proven, beyond any doubt, a point I�ve oft-repeated on this site, that being that there�s no such thing as a gimme on the road in the NFL�particularly when you bring a porous offensive line on the overnight. And�looking at the remaining schedule, I see zero gimmes, home or away.
Cinci: Lost two years in a row to this team at home, both following Monday Nighters. They�re improving, Chris Henry�s back. DB�s gotta be playing tough�.let�s hope & pray for #43�s return. And what the fuck with Marvel Smith�.he better get his ass back in there. Santonio�please�gotta have ya. Let�s also not wish too hard for Cinci injuries�more on that later. I�m very scared of The Homo Carson Palmer in this one.
NE: Not countin� on nothin� in this game. Maybe we get a miracle�.I�ll be in Foxboro�.hook up with Jumbo Head Youks�.get shitfaced �cause TonyV15220 can drive home (what if I end up in Pittsburgh �s South Hills..how will I explain that!!), hope to stay the fuck outta jail (somehow�I�m suspecting that JumboHead is not a positive influence�.never did know where the name JumboHead comes from either�have seen NH License Plates with FatHead and FatBob�but JumboHead???).
Jax: Hugely important home game. Crucial to the Division, to potential tiebreakers for a longshot #2 seed, and hell�..we lose 2 games in a row�.in December�..none of the eight two-loss Final Five teams just referenced won a playoff game after losing two in a row (this would be the �73, �82, �83, �92, �93, & �96 editions). Forget about running during this game. Put it on Ben�s back�.let him carry us to victory. D will be big�..17 points wins for us�.maybe less.
St. Louis: Don�t like it�..short week, which could also serve as an equalizer�.liable to be beat to shit after the Jax game�.dome�.yeah, I know we had 3 dome wins in our glorious SBXL 8-game run�.still don�t like it. We�ll be mighty mighty pissed to lose this one�.but not a gimme.
Our Rivals
@AZ�..c�mon, Whiz�help us out�.one of the best shot for a Brownies loss
@NYJ�beat us�..can take the Brownies, too
@Cinci�.this is why we don�t want The Homo, the Terrorist, or CJ to break their fuckin� legs against us�.best chance for a Brownies loss
SF�no way the Browns should lose this one
Obviously, we lose one, no way the Browns can catch us. We lose two, one Browns loss, Steelers still take the Divison�and the Browns will lose one. We lose three�.I think we�re fucked for any strong showing in the playoffs, regardless of whether we�re #3 or #6 seed. Still even money, IMO, for Steelers to take the Division, even with 3 losses in the final 5�..but please, let�s not do that.
Indy:
Might we still contend for the #2 spot??
Jax�..best chance for an Indy loss
@Balt�.unlikely, but maybe Ravens are inspired
@Oakland�Indy wins�end of story
TN�..Indy likely wins
We lose once, we need Indy to lose twice to grab the #2�and if one of those 2 losses is
Jax:
Indy�root for Jax
@Pittsburgh�gotta beat Jax
@
Even if Jax beat Indy this week, Indy still has the divisional tiebreaekers in their favor.
Okay�.tired of writing, have had work issues thrust at me (WTF??)�.so I�ll cut to the bottom line.
Consistent with some prior prognostications��Steelers close the season 11-5 (yes�I know that losing 2 of the Final Five has not served us well over the years). We go down in Foxboro, one other TBA. We draw the Clevelanders�again�.first round�win another close one at Heinz�..then it�s off to Indy. Repeat of that glorious day in January of �06. Stay tuned!!
Signing off�.
S72