Home Player Spotlight Steelers Mix of Young and Old Locks Up Playoff Spot

Steelers Mix of Young and Old Locks Up Playoff Spot

by Steeldad

The Pittsburgh Steelers ended two years of frustration with a 20-12 win over Kansas City today which propelled them into the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. While seeding is yet to be determined, for one day we can look on this version of the black n’ gold with some pride.

Today was as fascinating as any game this season when you look at the contributions on the stat sheet. If it wasn’t a wily veteran making a play, it was a rookie or relatively young player making another.

There was rookie Stephon Tuitt who had three tackles, a sack and forced fumble.

There was James Harrison who looked like he was shot out of a cannon at times. Deebo would collect seven tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack and half on the afternoon.

There was Antwon Blake who has never been thought of as anything other than special teamer and fill-in defensive back. He recorded seven tackles, six of which were solo and also had a pass defended.

There was Cameron Heyward who has emerged as a great player in the locker room and on the field. Heyward harassed Alex Smith all day picking up a sack and a half and four tackles not to mention numerous hurries and hits on Smith.

There was Jason Worilds who we’ve heard little of this season until his textbook hit, errrr, penalty last week in Atlanta. He was credited with two sacks on the day.

There was old man Will Allen, starting for Troy Polamalu, who was in on seven tackles and was involved with that key fourth down stop near the end of the first half with Lawrence Timmons.

The offense got in on the act as well.

Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant combined for three catches and 71 yards and Bryant also picked up nine yards on two carries.

The old man of the receiving crew Heath Miller was again a pain the defense’s side with seven receptions for 68 rumbling, bumbling, plodding yards.

Le’Veon Bell was quite pedestrian today with just 63 yards on 20 carries but the threat of him as a receiver opened things up for Miller and company.

And then there was the senior citizen of the offense…. Old number seven didn’t post astronomical numbers but he took care of the football and made plays we’re accustomed to seeing through the years.

Ben Roethlisberger was 18 of 25 for just for 22o yards and a touchdown and had a rating of 112. That’s “only” the 10th time he’s had a passer rating above 100 this year.

Roethlisberger’s young offensive line had some troubling moments today but they held strong and limited the Chiefs’ vaunted pass rush to just one sack.

There is no doubt this team is far from perfect but for one day we can celebrate a playoff berth. We can also celebrate the mixture of young and old players who seem to be getting better and better together as the season rolls on.

Marc Uhlmann writes for and co-owns www.steelcityblitz.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteelDad and the website @SCBlitz. Check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/steelcityblitz and on Fancred.com. You can hear him weekly during the season on game day on the Trib-Live Radio Steelers Pre-Game

photo courtesy sports.yahoo.com

 

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6 comments

bob graff December 22, 2014 - 6:19 pm

Very nice article, it’s was accurate and honest. I am man enough to admit that i have bashed the Steelers pretty hard this year. But to there credit they have started using the young guys and they have started rotating players.Martavis Bryant has emerged our a player who is very good with potential to be even better.I did predict a 10-6 season but this team is a little more dangerous than i thought. The post season is here and anything can happen at this point however gets hot will win it all.

bob graff December 22, 2014 - 6:22 pm

Sorry for the bad grammar merry Christmas all and happy New Year.

steeldad December 22, 2014 - 9:16 pm

Much thanks Bob and no worries. I’m no grammatical expert either. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Vittorio Di Stazio December 22, 2014 - 8:48 pm

Everybody thinks that the AFC title game is going to be Pats vs Broncos but honestly I don’t that. I have seen the Pats get to this spot many times before and end choking in the playoffs. Many examples I can provide of them choking or struggling with teams they consider beneath them. Look at past matchups of them playing the Jags or the Jets or even the Ravens. The Pats struggled with them and won at best 50% of the time against them. The ultimate fact of the Pats is both Tom Brady and Bill Belichick only care about the opponent if it’s either the Steelers or Peyton Manning and that’s it. Denver is very beatable if you take out the run game and limit the damage D.Thomas does to your Defense and you get in Peyton’s face as well.

steeldad December 22, 2014 - 9:19 pm

If I’ve learned anything about the NFL over the last 15 years it’s that individual match-ups mean more now than ever. I think the Steelers could have distinct advantages against the defenses of either New England or Denver. The problem is defensively; can we match-up with the Gronks, Thomas’ and Amendolas? I’m not sure we can unless there is consistent pressure.

Vittorio Di Stazio December 22, 2014 - 10:34 pm

Yes the athletic TE’s are a problem unless you neutralized what they do, in other words those first 5 yards for the TE are critical and for the Steelers to beat them take out the TE’s first. Look at NE if Gronk ain’t catching you can easily cover up the rest of those guys. In the case of Denver get in Manning’s face and force him into mistakes. I’ve seen this team get womped by both but I’ve also seen times where the D holds up against both so it’s not like it’s impossible for them to hold there own but I’ll never say it will be easy. I’ve seen this D cause Turnovers vs the Pats, just last year it happened in which yes they lost and a butt kicking but remember that was a close game for a long while, they stopped Brady and caused Turnovers and the same thing with Denver 2 years ago where yeah they lost but they caused turnovers. I know it’s a long shot but don’t think for 1 second this Steelers team will go down without a fight.

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