'BAMA82

�BAMA82

....hope

By Swissvale72

It�s all about keeping hope alive, keeping excitement going, as long as it can go. �At 2-6, how many thought that we�d be going into Christmas weekend still hopeful of a playoff spot. �Hell, even the players were talking about making statement for next year.

Too many great posts on the message board that fully explain the scenarios that land the Steelers a playoff spot, but�.chances are�that should the Steelers take care of business vs. the Ravens on Christmas Eve, they�ll still be alive going into the final weekend�.perhaps just barely, but still alive.

However, if three favorites win their games, the Denver Broncos (at� home), the Miami Dolphins (at home), the New England Patriots (away), the Steelers playoff hopes are transformed from faint to solid, a glimmer to both handfuls.

So�this week�s bite of the elephant (�.not that Crimson �Bama elephant�but the elephant that resides in all of our minds)�..plays itself out, dramatically enough in differing timeslots.

Not necessarily key to our hopes, but let�s root for KC to beat Oakland on Saturday night. �Then, 1:00 Sunday.� I�ll have TVs stacked�.bottom tube, via satellite will bring me Steelers vs. Ravens. �Top TV, via cable on Boston�s Channel 4, will bring me NE vs. JAX. ��I�ll be rooting for the despised Patriots like never before�.I�ll be lovin� Tom Brady�.don�t break your leg this week, Tommy. �Tedy Bruschi�..you�re the greatest!!� Damn�.maybe Rodney Harrison can come back. �Corey Dillon�run like a mother-fucker!!

Both those games in our pocket, NFL SundayTicket will bring me Broncos-Bengals at 4. �Jay Cutler looked GOOD last week!! Nobody�s as smart as Shanny. �Go Doncos!!� Supposed to go out at 6�.damn�.I�ll tape, watch the rest later.

Then�.Christmas night�..8:30�..got to have the Dolphins bring their A-game. �Please, let Jason Taylor break Pennington�s leg�.or even just a concussion that sends him out of the game�.or better yet, a head� injury that keeps him in, and makes him do stupid shit!! �Gotta hope that Taylor, Zach Thomas et al wanna play strong on national TV. �These Fins�beat the Pats, 21-0 won week, lose to the Bills by the same score the following. �Go Fins!!

Let�s hope that the Titans beat the Bills, too. �Probably won�t happen, then we�ll be in the bizarro position of placing our fate in the hands of the hated Ravens the following week, who will need to win to likely keep their #3 position and play, first round of the playoffs�the Pittsburgh Steelers!!! �I remember all too well, Bill Belichick just about tanking last year�s finale vs. Miami, thus avoiding a first-round matchup with the Steelers.

Okay�.enough of that�.getting ahead of ourselves�..two bits of the elephant left. �Let�s be careful�.one fuckin� bite at a time!!

Game #15 approaches�..we�re still alive�still hopeful.