Home Quick Hitters SCB Steelers’ Quick Hitters: The “Morning After” Ravens’ Edition

SCB Steelers’ Quick Hitters: The “Morning After” Ravens’ Edition

by Steeldad

Good morning Steelers’ Fans! What a wonderful feeling it is to have won the division, clinched a playoff spot and eliminated the Ravens all on the same day! 

I’ll look ahead to the playoffs later this week because there’s still one game left and I need to reflect on last night. 

ICYMI This was my Postgame article which centered on Ben, Bell and Brown. 

Ben Roethlisberger threw two horrible interceptions yesterday and for the longest time it looked like he would be the goat in yet another loss to the Ravens. How did things turn around? I really believe once Todd Haley spread things out and got more speed and less beef on the field that’s when things started to click. 

For once it was the Ravens with a key special teams’ gaffe. If not for that bad snap on Justin Tucker’s first half field goal attempt this game would have played out much differently. 

The two kickoffs by Chris Boswell that went out of bounds were awful. When you have a kicker like Tucker, starting at the 40 means you need just 20-25 yards and he’s in range. Bos doesn’t need me to tell him this though. He knows. 

I was stunned at the amount of missed tackles by the Steelers’ defense last night. At home we are usually much better than that. None was worse than Mike Mitchell’s failed tackle on the Ravens’ go ahead score. A little help from Bud Dupree who seemed to become a spectator on the play would have helped. 

Playing in his first career NFL game, Demarcus Ayres had one of the best blocks of the night. On Le’Veon Bell’s touchdown run, Ayres was able to engage a Ravens’ defender allowing Bell to slip past. It was one of those plays that often gets overlooked. 

Speaking of overlooked plays, how about that great “hands” catch by Eli Rogers in the fourth quarter? Big Ben threw a seed and Rogers snatched it out of the air. 

Tony Dungy isn’t the most exciting color guy in the world but credit him for saying Antonio Brown will be a bigger part of the game in the second half. He recalled some half times in his career where he knew Marvin Harrison needed more touches. 

Tweet of the Day… The OL plus Bell

I love watching special teams’ players especially on the All-22. Didn’t need that last night to see the hit Vince Williams laid on the Ravens’ return man. Talk about a textbook tackle. 

The personal foul called on Ryan Shazier in the first half was a perfect example of the subjectivity of the rule. The receiver had caught the ball and lowered his head to gain yards. How is Shazier supposed to alter his path in less than a second especially when the ball carrier has lowered his head to use it as a battering ram? 

Knowing the Steelers cannot lose their number three seed, I would strongly consider resting starters next week. Especially guys like Stephon Tuitt and Ladarius Green.

Jarvis Jones was a healthy scratch yesterday. If that doesn’t signal the end for him in Pittsburgh I don’t know what does.

Congrats to MattH who won the $1,000 last night in our final ‘Nail the Number.’

Have a terrific day after Christmas Steeler Nation!

 

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1 comment

bob graff December 27, 2016 - 1:41 pm

A couple of years back the scenario with Shazier’s tackle was brought up and it was said that if the runner lowers his head to initiate contact the penalty would be there. But to be honest with the level the NFL refs have been at this year that’s way too much to expect.

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