Uncle

Sometime you just have to know when to admit defeat. My younger cousin Carol, the smart one in the family, owns me in all word games - Scrabble, Boggle, et al. - but I challenge her to a game every time I see her because she's younger than me and I am supposed to beat her. Never mind the fact that in nearly 40 years I don't recall ever beating her - or even coming close - but I dutifully take my beating every time I see her because one of these days I'm going to take her down.

I don't have that obligation when it comes to Dave. I'll just admit defeat now as he has thoroughly defeated Don and me in the weekly prognostication exercise. Next season you will all have the opportunity to pick against Dave, and we will have some kind of prize for the super prognosticator(s) relating to Super Bowl XLI.

Congrats Dave - you know your football.

Steelers 34, Broncos 17

Two roads diverged in a yellowing wood, and the Steelers –
The Steelers took the XL road.

The Steelers today affirmed that which was known since at least last week – the Bus’ last stop will be in Detroit, XL style. A wide-open offense coupled with trademark Steeler defense led to a dominating outing that quieted Investco Field almost from the onset as the mile-high denizens watched as the Broncos were turned into glue sticks before their very eyes. Big Ben threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns while The Bus rumbled and ran over defenders for an additional touchdown. The Steelers’ defense unleashed their favorite reality series – Linebackers Gone Wild – and transformed Jake Plummer back into Jake “The Snake” of Arizona Cardinal fame, intercepting him twice and forcing him to fumble twice.

Frosty.

Two months ago there were many who thought that it would be a cold day in the Lake of Fire before the Steelers – 7-5 at the time – would make it to Super Bowl XL. Seven straight wins later (5 on the road) the Steelers are heading to Detroit, having avenged two regular-season defeats (Bengals, Colts) and made a statement against the teams with the three best records in the AFC. The Steelers know what it is like to have a lower-seeded opponent come into your home and walk away as the AFC Champion, bound to defeat an unimpressive NFC Champion. Today, the Steelers played the role of usurper and are heading to the Super Bowl to face the Seattle Seahawks.

Nobody gives Seattle a chance.

Hopefully, the Steelers have learned about what happens when people don’t expect you to win, when people expect you to get blown out of the dome. While the Steelers bask in all the adulation that is truly due them for reaching the Super Bowl, let us hope that Coach Cowher has them ready to play in the big game because Seattle – disrespected as they are – will have something to prove, and if the Steelers lose the edge with which they’ve played these past two months then Super Bowl XL will end a lot like Super Bowl XXX. Enjoy the moment, but the Steelers need to win and send The Bus out as a champion.

And that will make all the difference.

Steelers 21, Colts 18

Faith.

The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.

Tell the truth – did you really think the Steelers had a chance of winning this game? Sure, we all hoped that they’d win, we all cheered for them to win, but when did you begin to believe that they could actually win? Was it when Big Ben opened the game throwing the ball like his name was Marino? Was it when the Colts’ offense self-destructed like a ’72 Pinto? Was it when the Steelers went up 14-0, or 21-3? When did you believe that the Steelers actually would win this game? Was it when Troy intercepted Manning (before the reversal)? Was it when Jerome was heading into the end zone to ice the game? Was it after The Tackle™? When did you first believe?

Coach Cowher is worth every penny that he is paid because he believed in his players from the very beginning of the season, and his faith in them has been rewarded in spades. The Steelers flew to the ball, made spectacular catches, sacked Manning when Manning most needed to make plays, and flat-out played like champions – overcoming adversity like they belong in the Super Bowl. Cowher had his team ready to play, and he unleashed Ken Whisenhunt and Big Ben in a way that has not been seen since teams were trying to avoid the University of Miami (Ohio) in the 2004 Liberty Bowl.

The Steelers needed every point from that offensive onslaught as the referees did everything that they could to keep the Colts in the game. Troy Polomalu’s interception was ruled an incompletion – to the surprise of even the Colts – and the Colts’ mugging of Steeler receivers was never called, but the Steelers overcame all of that, although they almost gave it away at the end. Jerome Bettis, possessing one of the best pairs of hands that the NFL has seen, fumbled on the goal line as the Steelers were about the finish the game. The fumble was returned by Nick Harper and, if not for a shoestring tackle by Ben Rothlesburger (hereafter to be known as The Tackle™), would have sealed the game for the Colts. Then, after the Steelers held the Colts to three plays, the Colts’ sure-footed kicker, Mike Vanderjagt, missed a field goal by a good 30 yards, double-wide right.

O ye of little faith.

Tell the truth – did you doubt that the Steelers would win this game? I know that I did – a lot – but there will be no more backsliding from here to the XL. Next up is the Denver Broncos and Jake “The Snake” Plummer. Jake has done an excellent job of putting his Arizona Cardinal days behind him, looking more like the heir to John Elway that many in the mile-high community were hoping that he would become. The Steelers’ job next week will be to force Jake to relapse into the panicky, snake-bitten quarterback that he’s always been.

Do you believe?

Steelers 31, Bengals 17

Who Dey?
We Dey!

The Steelers made an Extra-Large statement today, sending the inexperienced Bengals packing as the men of Steel move on in their quest to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl XL. The Bengals’ Carson Palmer started the game with a hot hand – completing his first pass for 66 yards to Chris Henry – but that would also be his last pass as Kimo Von Oelhoffen fell into Palmer’s leg, tearing two ligaments in Palmer’s knee, ending Palmer’s season.

The Bengals were devastated.

For two quarters the Bengals tried to ride the emotion of winning one for Palmer, but in the second half the Steelers reminded the Bengals why Kitna had been benched in favor of Palmer, intercepting Kitna twice and forcing him to fumble once. Without Palmer the Bengals reverted to the Bungles of old, and that’s not good for anyone. Our prayers go out for Palmer, that he has a full recovery and that he is able to play next season – we don’t want the Bengals to have any excuses when the Steelers beat them again, and again, and again…

Next up are the Indianapolis Colts. Nobody gives the Steelers a chance to win this game since the Colts virtually went undefeated during the regular season and since the Steelers laid such an egg the last time they played in the RCA Dome. The Steelers, however, are acutely aware of last season’s 15-1 run, how nobody gave the Patriots a chance to win against the Steelers after they’d laid an egg earlier in the season at Heinz Field. The Steelers have nothing to lose next week, so let’s hope that they play some inspired Steeler football against the Colts.

HERE WE GO STEELERS! HERE WE GO!

Steelers 35, Lions 21

Got ‘r done.

The Steelers secured the final spot in the AFC playoffs by beating a surprisingly tenacious Detroit Lions team. Many people – starting with yours-truly – expected the Lions to roll over and play dead: they have nothing to gain, most of the principles will still be there next year, and they flat-out stink. That said, they are still professional football players, and on any given Sunday – you know the cliché.

The Lions came to play, but in the end there is still a reason why they finish the season with a 5-11 record – they’re just not that good, and the Steelers did what was necessary to secure the win.

That won’t be enough next week.

Next week the Steelers visit Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers won there this year – while the Bengals won in Heinz Field – so the home-field advantage should mean little next week for the Bengals. The Steelers will need to put much more pressure on Carson Palmer than they put on Joey Harrington today – Joey threw three touchdown passes against the Steelers secondary.

Joey Harrington.

Carson Palmer, whose play is improving daily, will eat the Steelers for lunch if they play that sloppily next week. Palmer threw for three touchdowns in their win at Heinz Field so Coach Perry and Dick LeBeau will have their work cut out for them this week, but the Steelers are still playing, following that Black and Gold brick road to Detroit and Super Bowl XL.