Playoffs: Week 1

January 13, 2005 by Swissvale72

The Preparation:� Packed my bag on Monday.� Had to make decisions while consulting with weather reports, and the discrepancy between TWC and the PG (went with the locals).� How many layers?� How important to have Steeler gear in the underneath layers where nobody will see them (least I don�t think so!).� What about footwear?� Bulky boots or bring a carpet remnant to warm my feet (�done that before, don�t want to be lugging a rug around with me).� Binoculars?� Yep.� Oh!!� Almost forgot my Terrible Towel.� Monday night�.I�m ready to go.� Flying out of Manchester Saturday morning, 6:05�hope USAirways doesn�t go under before then!!!
The Anxiety:� Still struggling with the now irrelevant question of whether SD would have been a better matchup.� WHY do I put such energy into useless activities.� Anyway, I�m useless at work (�nothing new there).� I have the radio in my office tuned to WEEI Boston, and to the local ESPN radio.� I�m constantly running out to my car to pick up WFAN New York. I tell my secretary, who�s new, that I don�t always act that way.� It�ll be over in a month.� Whoever backs the Steelers this week (Mike Golic, Sean Salisbury) is my friend.� Whoever does not (Boomer Esiason) is the enemy.� I hear Brenston Buckner on NFL Network criticizing the home crowd at one of the Wild Card sights for lacking the playoff intensity/atmosphere.� Buck assures the listeners that this atmosphere WILL exist in Pittsburgh this weekend.� I remember seeing Buck in a scrap with the Cleve Brownies during introductions in the �94 Playoff.� I hear Takeo Spikes tell listeners that the Steelers need to �just show up� on Saturday to win.� Dan Patrick expresses his surprise.� Takeo says, �I know what I�m talking about�.trust me.�� I watch and re-watch the Jets tape from the December game, assuring myself that the Steelers will win.� People ask me how I can possibly manage my anxiety next week should the Steelers win?� Would I not be better off personally if they lose?� I assure them that Anxiety trumps Depression every single time.
The Prediction:� Here�s what will happen.� Don�t underestimate the benefits of the Steelers� two-week rest & home-field advantage, versus the Jets 2 overtime road games the last two weeks, and playing in front of the Pittsburgh crowd.� I also truly believe that we are significantly better-coached than this Jets team.� They�re not necessarily undisciplined, but their preparation seems to be lacking (ala 10 men on the field on consecutive plays last week).� I would also not underestimate our having played them last directly following the Jacksonville game: a hard-hitting, emotional Sunday night win.� We were in the midst of the �Non-Plax� streak, where our offense during the Cinci, Wash., Jax & Jets games was limited, scoring less than 20 each week, but winning them all.� Simply put, I don�t think that the Steelers played their best game against the Jets but still won. It also seems as though pundits predict that if Ben needs to do more, that we�ll be in trouble.� Not so.� The O-line will generally play better, blocking the tackles better.� Steelers will have success going downfield early in the game.� Ben will throw at least 15 times in the first half, no more than 10 in the second half.� Once establishing our downfield capability, we will have success pounding the ball on the ground.� The defense will be all over Pennington.� He still seems to have little zip on the ball, which those QBs most successful against the Steelers (Leftwich) have had.� We will once again hold the Jets to 10 point or less, and win, as predicted earlier by a 20-7 margin.
The aftermath:� Should the Pats win, my anxiety will be supercharged.� I will research moving companies, as I can�t stay in New England should the Pats beat the Steelers.� Should the Colts win, I will be doing rain dances all week.� I�ll leave my Steeler gear in Pittsbugh; I�ll be repacked within an hour of touching down in Manchester on Monday.� I�ll, I�ll, I�ll��.Go Steelers!!

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