Stillers 24, Browns 10 ……. Dec 30, 2012 …………Game # 16
Stillers-Browns brief Postgame Review
The Stillers hosted the hapless Browns in an entire meaningless game, with the Stillers winning the who-cares event. For no good reason, I watched this meaningless slopfest. It simply doesn’t warrant a complete analysis or grades, so this will be quite abbreviated.
Offense: Another slop n’ slather. Ben threw for a paltry 134, but did have 3 TD passes. Dwyer and Redman each averaged over 4 yards per carry. Leggo came in quickly for an injured DeCastro, and then Beacham got cheapshotted, forcing Malecki, of all stiffs, into duty. Plex actually snared a TD grab. I was stunned he didn’t drop it.
Defense: Clev started Thaddeus Lewis at QB, a prac squad greenhorn who had never started an NFL game. Lewis often had his way with the vaunted “#1 ranked defense”, completing 22 of 32 for 204 yards and a TD against STARTERS at nearly every defensive position the entire game. His butterfingered receivers kept coughing the ball up on RACs.
Clev also played without starting RB Trent Richardson.
Big LaMarr Woodley played nearly every snap and again did NOTHING. Jack shit, nothing. Never sniffed the QB and played pussy paw-paw with the opposing blocker.
Larry Foote, to the surprise of no one, got tooled and abused on the TD pass. We can only hope this will be Foote’s last game in a Steeler uniform.
Cortez Allen had a couple FFs and had 6 tackles. He looks to be a keeper on an otherwise mostly lackadaisical defense. Cam Heyward had hhis most extensive PT ever -- only because Keisel sprained a knee -- and Hey actually resembled an NFL defensive end.
Special teams: Drew Butler once again punted like orangutan shit. The punt return team once again allowed a fake punt, this one run up the gut for an easy 35 yards.
Coaching: Momlin, like the myopic fool that he is, refused to use backups much at all, instead going with starters 99% of the game.
Dick LeBeau was contacted after the game by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They were so awestruck and impressed by the way he was able to partially stave off Thaddeus Lewis that they want to induct him into the HoF as a coach, with a big ceremony during halftime at the Super Bowl.
I had to do chores during halftime, so I missed the big award ceremony during this game where by the NFL presents the “#1 defense in the league” trophy. It must have been quite a gala ceremony, considering how incredibly important this feat is.
Synopsis: A meaningless game that, frankly, would have been better to lose in terms of draft position. It might only be 4 spots (or perhaps 5), but that’s huge. 4 spots is the different between getting a Roethlisberger and a shitbag like Michael Clayton (just ask Tampa Bay). 4 spots is the difference between getting DeSean Jackson and Limas Sweed. With how poorly Colbert has fared lately in the draft -- particularly after round 1 -- he needs all the help he can get.
And forget the babble about “momentum”. What bullshit. The next meaningful game won’t be until early Sep ....over EIGHT months from now. At least 15 and perhaps 20 players won’t even be on the team come Sep. There is no “momentum”, particularly when the win is over a hapless team with a coach that will be fired; and used a practice squad QB making his NFL debut.
Thus ends this shit-laden, vomit-inducing 8-8 season; the offseason beckons. Stay tuned for our always-superb offseason analyses.
(Still Mill and Stillers.com -- when it comes to the analysis of the Pittsburgh Stillers, no one else comes close….)
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