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Leave YOUR Writing on the Wall! Send your postgame critiques, analysis, ranting and raving about the last game as well as your predictions, smak, & insults about our upcoming opponent. Whether your message is a simple "Go Steelers" or detailed, in-depth analysis, tell us what you think and we'll post it below.
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Steelers vs Ravens (34-31)
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Fan Poll |  |
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Who deserves the game ball for the Ravens game?
• Amos Zereoue
• Ravens Penalties
• Jeff Blake's INTs
 Click to Vote
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Scoring Summary
First Quarter
PIT - TD, Hines Ward, 23 Yd pass from Tommy Maddox (kick is good).
BAL - TD, Alan Ricard, 0 Yd fumble return (kick is good).
Second Quarter
PIT - FG, Jeff Reed 23 Yd.
PIT - TD, Amos Zereoue, 1 Yd run (kick is good).
BAL - TD, Alan Ricard, 6 Yd run (kick is good).
PIT - FG, Jeff Reed 28 Yd.
Third Quarter
BAL - FG, Matt Stover 43 Yd.
BAL - TD, Todd Heap, 31 Yd pass from Jeff Blake (kick is good).
Fourth Quarter
BAL - TD, Chester Taylor, 20 Yd pass from Jeff Blake (kick is good).
PIT - TD, Amos Zereoue, 5 Yd run (for 2 Pt. Conversion failed).
PIT - TD, Antwaan Randle El, 8 Yd pass from Tommy Maddox (Tommy Maddox pass to Plaxico Burress for 2 Pt. Conversion).
Key Stats & Facts
• Notable numbers: Various stats, facts, and relavent comments will go here following the game.
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Steelers Offensive Leaders | |
PASSING |
ATT |
CMP |
YDS |
TD |
INT | |
Maddox |
30 |
20 |
194 |
2 |
2 |
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RUSHING |
ATT |
YDS |
TD |
LG |
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Zereoue |
26 |
104 |
2 |
22 |
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Fu |
8 |
49 |
0 |
17 |
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RECEIVING |
REC |
YDS |
TD |
LG |
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Burress |
3 |
52 |
0 |
21 |
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Ward |
5 |
46 |
1 |
23 |
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Randle El |
3 |
34 |
1 |
14 |
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Ravens Offensive Leaders | |
PASSING |
ATT |
CMP |
YDS |
TD |
INT | |
Blake |
26 |
19 |
336 |
2 |
2 |
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RUSHING |
ATT |
YDS |
TD |
LG |
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Lewis |
14 |
86 |
0 |
24 |
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Taylor |
5 |
17 |
0 |
5 |
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RECEIVING |
REC |
YDS |
TD |
LG |
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Heap |
7 |
146 |
1 |
42 |
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Hymes |
2 |
76 |
0 |
43 |
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Taylor |
5 |
62 |
0 |
19 |
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Key Defensive Players | |
DEFENSE |
T-A |
SCK |
INT |
FF |
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Flowers |
5-2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
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Gildon |
3-1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
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Townsend |
3-1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
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Washington |
2-1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
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Bailey |
2-1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
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Key Defensive Players | |
DEFENSE |
T-A |
SCK |
INT |
FF |
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Hartwell |
10-1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
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Harris |
5-2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
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Parker |
3-2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
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Mitchell |
2-4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
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Trapp |
2-0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
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Bill-Bashing
In spite of taking his team to the playoffs for the 8th time in 11 years, Cowher is under fire from fickle fans.
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Gotta Hate Someone
Anti-Kordell fans set sites on Cowher
Article by McMillen & Wife
It never ceases to amaze me how it's generally the least-knowledgeable fans who seem to bitch the loudest. I can't decide whether they just don't know the game or are so afraid of being let down that they continually tear the team down so that -- should the Steelers falter -- they can smugly say, "I told you so."
The anti-Kordell mob, in need of another object to zealously hate now that Stewart is holding a clipboard, has shifted their angst toward Bill Cowher.
After today's close call vs. the Ravens, even more fans than usual seem to be rallying behind the battle cry of "the Steelers are winning in spite of Cowher." Man, what utter bull$#!&. This win over Baltimore is a perfect example of why Cowher is a great coach.
Consider what was at stake, people. This game was, quite literally, Baltimore's Super Bowl. To have any shot of staying alive, they HAD to have a win. This was by FAR their biggest game of the season, and they played HARD. I give Billick a lot of credit for getting the most out of those guys. They're a very gutsy team, and they played their hearts out today.
What's the perfect compliment to any Terrible Towel?
McMillen and Wife's very own handmade
Steel City Soap!
(pictured above)
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Yet, we still beat 'em.
Conversely, the Steelers had nothing to gain by winning. Win or lose, our position in the playoffs would be identical. If you're a nit-picker, I suppose you could make the claim that Pittsburgh was playing for a potential first-round bye, but let's face it... the Texans were NOT gonna beat the Titans. Technicalities aside, this was a meaningless game for the Steelers.
YET, WE STILL BEAT 'EM.
Furthermore, we did it with one hand tied behind our back. Look at the injuries, people! We all know that Bettis was out, but I'm willing to disregard that since I'm well aware that the very vocal Bettis-hating contingent brewing out there (presumably joining the anti-Cowher crowd to help fill the anti-Kordell void) will claim that we're better off without him. I totally disagree, but Amos filled in admirably and played one heck of a game, so I'm not gonna do battle on that issue right now. I'm also gonna put aside that fact that our starting TE (Bruener) is on I.R., leaving the decent but vastly inferior Jerame Tuman to fill the void (Tuman did make a nice grab today). I'm also going to disregard Hines Ward's hammie problems and Tommy's gimpy ankle.
I am NOT, however, going to allow the massive problems caused by our injuries on defense to be minimized.
If you have truly followed the team this year and watched every game, then you should remember the problems we had earlier in the year when there was instability at ILB due to Kendrell Bell's ankle injury. The early struggles of James Farrior, Larry Foote, John Fiala and Mike Jones were well documented on this site. Those same problems were evident again today.
It's easy, I suppose, to blame the coach for a lackluster performance if you're a casual fan. But if you know the team beyond Cowher, Bettis and the QB position, it should be pretty clear that the absence of James Farrior was the primary cause of our defensive woes.
Mike Jones, who filled in for the injured Farrior, disgraced his number (#95) today, putting on a textbook display of how NOT to play linebacker in the Steelers 3-4 system. Jones was horrific. The Ravens went right at him (and though him) throughout the first half. Jones was at the heart of every single big run the Ravens had in the first half. EVERY SINGLE ONE. If you doubt me, go back and watch the tape. I don't know if I've EVER seen a linebacker be more consistently out of position than Jones was today, and that includes rookie Larry Foote's awful debut in New Orleans. Jone's primary job in run-stopping is to fill the lanes that our linemen funnel the ball carrier to. Jones never hit those holes. He played most of the game as though he had blinders on. He repeatedly failed to react, so much so that I truly believe he played most of the first half running to his diagramed spot on the field without bothering to consider what was actually going on in the play. And on those occasions when Jones DID react, he zigged when Baltimore zagged. He was also victimized on a number of passes. It was brutal.
Am I picking on Mike Jones? Really, I don't mean to. But folks, Pittsburgh wins games by having our linebackers shoot gaps and stuff ball carriers, and Jones failed miserably at his job. Is that Cowher's fault? In my opinion, no.
As a result of the ineffectiveness of Jones, we gave up more big plays than we have been allowing recently. When you're forced to play a lot of man coverage because your safeties are having to juice up against the run (since a guy up front is totally blowing it), you'll have that. Lee Flowers also missed a lot of tackles today. I'm not defending Flowers' less-than-stellar play, but James Farrior would've kept Lee from having to make some of those tackles.
Compounding the Farrior's hiatus was the absence of starting CB Chad Scott (broken hand). I know Scott has taken his lumps this year, and frankly, I think Townsend has played better than Scott. But I'll take Scott over Poteat ANY day in our nickel and dime packages. And when Kendrell Bell went down, well... my heart just sunk. In my opinion, Bell has been the real difference-maker for our defense over the last 6 weeks or so. Pray that he can play through the injury next week, folks. Thankfully, Farrior should be back in the lineup by then. But seeing Mike Jones or Larry Foote in place of Kendrell Bell will most certainly give the Cleveland Browns (who have suddenly developed a pretty good running game over the last month) some serious warm fuzzies. We need 'ya, Kendrell... get well soon.
Enough. You anti-Cowher people crack me up. I'm not talking about those of us who justifiably criticize Cowher from time to time. There's nothing wrong with calling Cowher out when he blows it. I hear a lot of fans saying Cowher has lost his spark, and at times this season, he has indeed seemed to lack intensity. But to hear someone repeatedly call Bill Cowher "stupid" and say he "sucks ass" is a little more than I can stomach... particularly when the same lunkhead claims that the Steelers "should have been to more Super Bowls in the 90's than the 70's with the talent they had." Now THERE is a statement that truly "sucks ass."
I suppose it's only a matter of time before someone starts up the bogus affair rumors again.
'Nuff said. Let's go get those Brownies, bruthas & sistas.
Tim McMillen
Webmaster, McMillen & Wife
Mac & Wife is Hosted and Sponsored by Pittsburgh's Finest!
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Fan Smak & Analysis
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The following articles are listed in the order they were received (with the most recent entries at the BOTTOM). This isn't a "guestbook" format... I read and manually insert every message, so you may not see your submission show up immediately. Thanks a million for your comments, people!
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Author: Steeler Sam in Portland
Comment: Fans are spoiled
Greetings from Portland Oregon. I read your article. It's pretty simple. A good number of fans never played the sport of Football. This is important, to understand the game in it's entireity. The fact is that once we win the Super Bowl, Cowher will get the respect he deserves. And don't let the fans forget that Kordell may have struggled in the A.F.C. Championship games, but he also got us there.
As great of a fan as I am I don't play or coach in the N.F.L., so what makes any fan think they have the answers. People need to just support the team or shut up. We are a great team and this is our year. Mark my words one for the thumb is coming up. I wish I lived in Pitt and could go to games every year. I wish I had the priviledge of being a part of that city. People are never happy.Just wait till we win the Super bowl. It will only get worse. Thanks for the site and keeping it real.
4 more games to glory.
Steeler Sam
Portland Or.
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Author: McSteelerfan
Comment: Re: Postgame: Anti-Kordell mob shifts anger, angst toward Cowher
As usual , Tim , you're right on the money. Some people aren't happy unless they're miserable. Trying to bring the rest of us down seems to be their life's work. I wonder if these idiots realize what they're trying to get rid of. Cowher's tied for 5th. place ALL-TIME in division championships , behind such names as Shula , Chuck Noll , Grant , Landry.....to be associated with , and spoken of in the company of THESE names.....at such a young age.....This coach is considered to be the "DEAN" of coaches in the NFL and is just ONE Lombardi away from shutting up the nay-sayers....maybe....but then , they'll find SOMEONE to hate. (Sometimes its nice to "vent", isn't it ?)
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Author: Marcus
Comment: Are you a lawyer or politician?
Either way you're wrong. You could've just said you like Bettis and Cowher so everybody that doesn't is wrong 'cause you're always right. No wate, you did say that. You just mixed it up in enough jumbo to stretch it ten paragraphs. Here's how simple it really is without trying to confuse it all like a lawyer. Pay attention here.
1. Maddox is a better QB than Kordell. Everyone knows that, we do, the commentators do, the players do. No haters here just people with eyes and common sense.
2. Amos and Fu are younger, stronger, faster,
and better than Bettis. Yds per carry speak for them selves.
3.I like everything about Bill Cowher as coach except for the missing brain part. We'll do alright with him here. If you're happy with 15 3rd or 4th places instead of a Super Bowl so be it. An intelligent coach is priceless, lets get one.
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Author: Representing LA Style
Comment: Cowher Haters?
We were not playing for anything? If we were not playing for anything Tim, Why didn't Coach Coward sit some of our starters? Maybe this way Kendrell Bell wouldn't of got hurt. The reality is that we were playing for a first round bye!!! "The Texans were NOT gonna beat the Titans" How in the hell did you know this? Just like the Texans were NOT supposed to beat our steelers?? For your information Tim, the Texans had an excellent chance in winning yesterdays game. A few missed field goals and missed catches and we would of had a 1st round bye thanks to the Texans!!! Cowher is a good coach!! A great coach? Great coaches win Great games. Until that big jawed freak wins a SUPER BOWL, I then will consider himself a GREAT COACH.
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Author: Your name here
Comment: Coming soon
Leave YOUR Writing on the Wall! Send your postgame critiques, analysis, ranting and raving about the last game as well as your predictions, smak, & insults about our upcoming opponent. Whether your message is a simple "Go Steelers" or detailed, in-depth analysis, tell us what you think and we'll post it here.
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Author: Your name here
Comment: Coming soon
Send us your comments!
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