A Fan’s Lament (Epilogue): Last thoughts on Indy, Cowher…look ahead to Denver

A Fan�s Lament (Epilogue):� Last thoughts on Indy, Cowher�look ahead to Denver

 

 

From last week�s article, some of you know that I was committed to attend my wife�s graduation ceremonies this past weekend, thus necessitating watching Steelers-Colts on tape.

 

The graduation weekend worked out well.� I was able to absent myself from the Saturday evening activities, by taking the kids back to the hotel so they could use the pool before closing.� Thus, I was able to watch Pats-Doncos from mid-1^st quarter on.� I was stopped by the Montepelier, Vermont PD for failing to stop enroute�but was sent on my way without a $194 fine�.phewww!!

 

We were joined for a celebration later by some of the graduates, so we had a nice little room party with Pats-Broncos as the backdrop�..me, my wife & kids, and assorted lesbians (�.actually, all 3 lesbos at this gathering were pretty hot!!!).

 

The next day, after graduation, we left for home in the midst of a winter storm watch.� Thanks to the treacherous driving, we decided to skip the pizza shop which was part of our original itinerary.� The earplugs that I had packed to deal with their TV were thus unnecessary.� We did stop at a Dunkin� Donuts that had no drive-thru.� As we entered, I heard what I thought to be an athletic event on the radio�.so I quickly exited, telling my daughter to get me a medium black.

 

Anyway, we arrived home around 5:30pm, ordered Chinese food, which I sent the kids in the restaurant to fetch.� We celebrated my wife�s earning her Masters degree�I picked at a few coconut shrimp�.and sat down to watch Steelers-Colts at 8pm.

 

Weird�.I had a sense that the Steelers won, just because my family was being nice to me�..but are they being nice to me �cause the Steelers lost.� My daughter told me that one of her friends, in an instant message, had said that she had rooted for the Steelers.� I quickly shushed her��how should I interpret this.� Did the girl root for the Steelers because????� My wife�s sister and brother both called with congratulatory phone calls for her.� I knew that the other 3 members of my family knew!!!!�� Wife stayed upstairs�.good move. Kids hung around the computer, which unfortunately, is by the TV.� One oddity with watching on tape is that, for me, knowing that the event has already occurred, even though I don�t know the outcome, somehow makes me less anxious.

 

Must confess, though�..I was plenty damn anxious at 11:00pm Sunday, when I saw Nick Harper take off with the football, seemingly unobstructed.�� Not sure of the existence of a Supreme being�.but this would be the week for a missionary to sell me on it.� Could certainly believe that it was God�s hand tripping up Harper, and diverting Vanderjagt�s kick.

 

Game thoughts:

 

Individuals

 

How �bout some props for Larry Foote,� even if nothing else, he kept James out of the end zone close to halftime�..huge play.

Bettis clearly fucked up�..and had we lost, he would have forever been associated with the fumble, but the guy made some big runs in the game, and clearly was responsible for Ben picking up the 1^st on 4^th & 1.

Manning:� WFAN (New York ) was killing Manning yesterday, saying that he�s a star when he can �play the whole game in a tuxedo.�� They were really questioning his courage, citing his short-arming of some throws.� Oh�.I don�t believe that it was Dungy�s call to go for it on 4^th & 2.� At the time, I was wishing that did bring out the punt team.� Good for Manning on that one.

 

Coaching

 

Okay�..what about Cowher �turtling�?

 

Initially, I thought he should have called timeout when the Colts were stopped on the 2 with just under 2 minutes left in the half, and then taken more of a shot at scoring.� It�s always been Cowher�s way to sort of stick his toe in icy water when it comes to this situation.� He typically starts off with a run, if that gains some yards, then he�ll make an attempt to move the football.�

 

In this instance, the Defense had just made a big stop, holding the Colts to a FG.� In this instance, the Defense had just been on the field for 15 plays, and 9 minutes.� While Cowher may have wanted more points, I think that more of a priority for him was going into the half, after having played so well, with a 2-score lead.� The Steelers still had all the momentum going for them.� Risk exceeded reward in this instance.� The Colts can strike quickly, as we saw in the 4^th quarter.� Steelers call time-out at the 1:50 mark, then go 3-out, Colts get the ball back at their 40 with 90 seconds to half, score a quick TD, it�s 14-10 at the half in a game we had dominated.�� So�.not troubled by this.

 

I assume no one had a problem with running the ball 6 times consecutively when set up at Indy�s 30, late 3^rd quarter, as we scored a TD by �turtling.�

 

We get the ball back, ahead 21-10, with 14 minutes left.� We�re able to run off 12 plays, 11 of them runs, before punting the ball back to Indy, at their 20, with 6 minutes left.� I would have signed onto this scenario if offered when the drive started.� For the record�.after the first 4^th & 1 pickup, the Steelers threw incomplete on 1^st & 10, then ran 3 times consecutively, picking up the 1^st down on 4^th & 1.� Yes�.Cowher could have thrown on 3^rd & 5 before the punt.� He could also have thrown on second down when getting the ball back up 21-18.� In hindsight, knowing the final result, Cowher was able to move the clock by keeping the ball on the ground.� Should he have taken more risk�..maybe�.but only to throw on 3^rd & 5 when up 21-10, and then to have thrown before 3^rd down when up 21-18.

 

The decision to run Bettis from 1^st down at the 2�..why are we even having this debate??� They could not have closed out the game with anything less than a TD.� In fact, I would have considered this 4-down territory for the Steelers.� If Bettis doesn�t fumble, but doesn�t reach the EZ in 3 tries, exhausting all of Indy�s timeouts, but still having a touch over a minute remaining, I do not kick a FG on 4^th down, giving us a 6-point lead.� No, I would rather go for it on 4^th.� We don�t make it, we�re still up 3 with a minute left with Indy having the ball at their own 1 or 2, which is preferable to being up by 6, but with Indy having a minute left, and having the ball at their own, say �..35.

 

I thought we would win this game.� I thought we would move the ball.�� I must admit being pleasantly surprised at our ability to pressure Manning throughout.� I didn�t think we could do this.

 

Denver:

 

The Denver blitz worries me.� Protecting our QB in the face of this kind of pressure doesn�t seem to be our forte this year.� KC ran very well against Denver, but KC has probably the best RB & line in the league. I don�t think that Denver will run successfully against us, and I�m not frightened of their receivers.

 

I didn�t see Denver extensively, but they did not impress me against Dallas, on Thanksgiving, or against New England on Saturday night.� They did impress me against SD in the regular season finale, but this was a suitcase game for SD.

 

I like our chances of going to Detroit��