Steelers 41, Browns 0

Who’s your daddy?

Good teams are supposed to beat bad teams and today the Steelers demonstrated why the playoffs are a very real possibility. The Steelers dominated the Browns from the opening warm-ups to the closing interviews. The Steelers ran for more than 200 yards and threw for another 250 while limiting Cleveland to 178 total yards for the game, sacking rookie quarterback Charlie Frye eight times.

Welcome to the NFL.

The Steelers hit everything in a Browns uniform that walked onto the field, and hit them hard. Even a local fan tried to mix it up on the field, but he felt the full force of James Harrison as ol’ Silverback body-slammed him to the Cleveland turf and held him there until local officials could take him away.

Linebackers Gone Wild.

Next week the Steelers can clinch a playoff spot by beating the Detroit Lions. That seems like an easy enough thing to do, but the Steelers have to go into that game knowing that if they slack off they can be beaten – on any given Sunday any team can be beaten. If the Steelers take care of business next week then it’s likely that the first round of the playoffs will find the Steelers in Gillette Stadium, reintroducing themselves to the New England Patriots who have ended the Steelers’ playoff runs the last couple seasons.

But first things first – the road to Detroit XL begins with beating the Detroit Lions next week.

Steelers 18, Vikings 3

Total domination.

The Steelers made the Metrodome their home today by beating the Minnesota Vikings in every aspect of the game. This was a game between two playoff-caliber teams but the Steelers were the only team to show up and play like it belonged in the playoffs, forcing three Viking turnovers, sacking Brad Johnson twice, and forcing a safety.

The Vikings had an excuse for their sloppy play – four Vikings were charged this week in the now-infamous Love Boat party – but quarterback Brad Johnson denied that theory, saying, “Our focus was great all week. I don't think that had anything to do with it.”

Maybe the Vikings just aren’t that good.

The Vikings had a six-game winning streak coming into this game, but it was primarily against teams with losing records – St. Louis, Detroit (twice), Cleveland, Green Bay, and the New York football Giants, the only team of the six with a prayer of making the playoffs. Perhaps the Vikings weren’t as stiff a challenge as some had assumed, but the Steelers did not take them lightly and did everything that was necessary for victory.

Next up for the Steelers are the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland has not provided the Steelers with much of a challenge since their rebirth after Art Modell abandoned the city, but the Steelers will have to bring their best nonetheless – one more loss and the playoffs will be nothing more than a far-flung dream.

Week 15 Prognostication

I've been working from 7 AM to 10 PM every weekday and 11 AM to 9 PM every Saturday recently, so I apologize for being a bit behind on everything - sleep deprivation and all. Here's this week's wild guesses well-researched selections. (Home teams capitalized) If picks aren't in by game-time I'll just fill in the favorites as the default pick.

THE GAMES	TIME/DAY	DAVE'S PICKS	DON'S PICKS	OSCAR'S PICKS
NEW ENGLAND 4 1/2 over Tampa Bay	1:30 today	NE	New England	Brady
N.Y. GIANTS 3 over Kansas City	5:00 today	NYG	G-MEN	Eli
Denver 8 1/2 over BUFFALO	8:30 today	Denver	Pale White Horse	Jake The Snake
Arizona 2 over HOUSTON	1:00 Sunday	Arizona	Cardinals	Kurt
INDIANAPOLIS 7 1/2 over San Diego	1:00 Sunday	Indy	Nap-Town	Peyton
JACKSONVILLE 15 1/2 over San Francisco	1:00 Sunday	Jax	Jaguars	Garrard
MIAMI 9 over N.Y. Jets	1:00 Sunday	Mia	Fish	Gus
Carolina 9 over NEW ORLEANS (at Baton Rouge, La.)	1:00 Sunday	Carolina	Carolina	Jake The Man
Pittsburgh 3 over MINNESOTA	1:00 Sunday	________	STEELERS	Big Ben
ST. LOUIS 3 1/2 over Philadelphia	1:00 Sunday	Philadelphia	Rams	Harvard Alum
Seattle 7 over TENNESSEE	1:00 Sunday	Seattle	Seahawks	Matt
Cincinnati 8 over DETROIT	4:05 Sunday	Cincinnati	Bengals	Carson
OAKLAND 3 over Cleveland	4:05 Sunday	Cleveland	Browns	Tuiasosopo
WASHINGTON 3 over Dallas	4:15 Sunday	Washington	Redskins	Drew
CHICAGO 3 over Atlanta	8:30 Sunday	Chicago	Hotlanta	Kyle O
BALTIMORE 3 1/2 over Green Bay	9:00 Monday	Baltimore	Green Bay	Gomer Kyle
Week 14		11-5	13-3	13-3
Season		112-47	103-58	109-52

Steelers 21, Bears 9

This is a bit late in coming, but I am sure many of you rejoiced the way I did. Something about seeing those black uniforms in the cascading snow playing what should be patented as Steeler Football made me nostalgic. But since that isn't a healthy state for an honest writer, I must press on in addressing the current Steelers state.

It seems last weeks impossibilities of the playoffs have given way to this weeks relative possibilities.


Kansas City goes to New York to play the Giants
San Diego goes to Indianapolis to play the Colts
Steelers in Minnesota

Losses by both put the Steelers in Major playoff contention, especially considering they play each other the following week, while the Steelers go to Cleveland for Christmas Eve.


I guess football season isn't over after all.

Week 14 Prognostication

Here's this week's wild guesses well-researched selections. (Home teams capitalized.)

THE GAMES	TIME/DAY	DAVE'S PICKS	DON'S PICKS	OSCAR'S PICKS
GREEN BAY 6 over Detroit	8:30 Sunday	Green Bay	Green Bay	Tails: Persians
CAROLINA 5 1/2 over Tampa Bay	1:00 Sunday	Carolina	Carolina	Calicoes
CINCINNATI 12 1/2 over Cleveland	1:00 Sunday	Bengals	Cinci	Tabbies
Indianapolis 8 over JACKSONVILLE	1:00 Sunday	Colts	Indi	Big Brother
MINNESOTA 7 over St. Louis	1:00 Sunday	Vikings	Minnesota	Pillagers
New England 3 1/2 over BUFFALO	1:00 Sunday	Patriots	New England	Denny Crane
Oakland 3 over N.Y. JETS	1:00 Sunday	Raiders	Oakland	Heads: J.E.T.S. Jets! Jets! Jets!
PITTSBURGH 6 1/2 over Chicago	1:00 Sunday	Steelers	Pittsburgh	I DO believe in Cowher power...
TENNESSEE 7 over Houston	1:00 Sunday	The OLD Oilers	Tennessee	Arrested Development
N.Y. Giants 9 over PHILADELPHIA	4:05 Sunday	NYG	Giants	Little Brother
SEATTLE 16 over San Francisco	4:05 Sunday	Seattle	Seattle	Alexander the Great
Washington 4 over ARIZONA	4:05 Sunday	Arizona	Washington	Indigenous Persons
DALLAS 3 over Kansas City	4:15 Sunday	Kansas City	Dallas	Metroplex
DENVER 14 over Baltimore	4:15 Sunday	Denver	Denver	Mile High
SAN DIEGO 13 1/2 over Miami	4:15 Sunday	Chargers	San Diego	Aztecs
ATLANTA 10 1/2 over New Orleans	9:00 Monday	Atlanta	Atlanta	The Red Light District (ATL)
Week 14		11-5	13-3	13-3
Season		112-47	103-58	109-52

Bengals 38, Steelers 31

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain,
or command locusts to devour the land
or send a plague among my people,
if my people,
who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven
and will forgive their sin
and will heal their land.
Now my eyes will be open
and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
I have chosen and consecrated this temple
so that my Name may be there forever.
My eyes and my heart will always be there.
2 Chronicles 7:13-16

This year will serve as a reminder of what could have been. The Steelers COULD have provided the NFL with a worthy counterpart to the runaway favorite that is the Indianapolis Colts, but they haven't. What they have done is frustrate us beyond belief. We have sat and watched them make mistake after mistake and put themselves in difficult positions on a continual basis. Yes, injuries - especially to Big Ben - played a large part, but even without him, they were in every game, losing twice in overtime to teams that simply are not supposed to be as good as they are.

Even yesterday, with 4 turnovers and countless penalties at the wrong time, they found themselves just short.

Again.

Three loses where victory seemed within reach, two at home have made this season almost a lost cause. The destiny of the Steelers is not in their hands alone, but in the hope of OTHER teams making the very mistakes that have plagued the Steelers all year long.

Even MORE disconcerting is the fact that this game was a bellwether in the future of Football in the AFC North.

The Bengals are not flawless, but all the pieces are coming together. The Steelers' window can close as quickly as it opened if they do not fix the mistakes.

As if it the problems for the Steelers aren't big enough, they have arguably the best defense in football coming to town, and a four-game losing streak a very REAL possibility.