Monday Sports Recap

Steelers:

• First I'm giving a shout out to Brett Keisel, who as an alternate to the Pro Bowl, was bumped on to the team because Indianapolis Colts' defensive end Dwight Freeney is injured and can not make it.  While this is great news for Keisel and the Steelers I'm guessing he won't be there in the end...
• The first drive for the Steelers made me excited.  They looked pumped and ready driving down the field for the touchdown.  Ben was stoic and the crew lined up behind him.  And then suddenly it all went wrong.  When Roethlisberger's arm was hit and he fumbled, I thought it odd that no one was making a move toward the ball.  Ben was obviously not in forward motion so it was a fumble.  I mean, seriously, not one person even looked at the ball.  They all just stood there while the live ball lay on the ground.  Why Cory Redding decided to pick it up is the big question of the day.  Did someone yell from the sidelines?  Did the fact that the refs weren't moving penetrate?  Whatever it was it was a huge mistake that went worse when Redding picked up the ball and ran into the end zone.
• The next scoring drive by the Ravens just killed our crowd and our players.  Ben was shell shocked.  Players were hobbling left and right off to the sidelines hurt.  The offensive line was letting Terrell Suggs through.  The Steelers were off balance, and I tweeted, "Birds in their heads...see how Tomlin does in the locker room." as the two teams headed off the field for halftime.  Hines Ward has tweeted and facebooked that Tomlin did nothing in the locker room, that the men just knew they were more capable then what they were producing, and I don't care what transpired in that locker room.  Whatever it was we came out on to that field a different team.
• My Steelers Official Facebook page alerted me before the game that this team of officials was tied for the most penalties called this season and lord they didn't stop working their way up to the first team.  I've never watched more commercials in my life as flag after flag after flag was thrown for penalties.
• Grandpa Bob told us at halftime that he would rather be down by 14 then up by 14 and we seriously thought he had lost it, but he explained that being down made them more angry and wanting to come back.  I don't agree with that 100%, but it worked.  He kept patting me on the back and telling me no worries.  
• I said we needed the defensive to come out on that field after halftime playing their game and they did.  Now we need to get our offense to score every time our defense makes those plays.  Next week I'd like to see our defense score as well on those plays they make.
• Defensive got into Joe Flacco's head just like I said they needed to.  His fumble and interception was key.  Our defense rocked in that second half.
• Troy Polamalu lost two key tackles and that is unusual for him, but I love him anyhow. You can't always be Superman, and I guarantee he will make the big plays next week to make up for his lack of them this week. Just watch...

Other:

• Thought the Falcons and Packers started out rough and ready, but the Falcons just couldn't do it.  Maybe that week off isn't the coup that everyone believes it is.
• Packers' quarterback Aaron Rogers is certainly light on his feet when he chooses to run.  His run into the end zone certainly shut up Falcons John Abraham who had earlier mocked Rogers after sacking him.
• Which brings up my pet peeve of sackers getting up and acting like they just won the whole damn game.  You did your job, the game ain't over, shut up and do it again.  I don't mind firing yourself up with an atta boy, but all this mocking and dancing and stuff is just plain silly, not to mention dangerous.  No matter what people say that kind of stuff irritates the opposition and if they are good they make you pay for it.
• Thought Falcons coach Mike Smith missed two key challenges, one of which being that run by Aaron Rogers into the end zone.  Either he wasn't getting good advice from upstairs or he thought it a waste of his time, but both times a score was involved.
• Jay Cutler, quarterback of the Chicago Bears, actually smiled while being interviewed at the end of his romp of the Seattle Seahawks.  He is a nice looking guy and the smile made him more human and he had a lot to smile about.
• Seattle looked like the 7-9 team that they were this season in this game until the end.  Unfortunately, they ran out of clock in their bid to close the gap.
• Again, and I've said more than one, I'm not a fan of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, but I have to admire his benching of Wes Welker for the remarks he made regarding feet...a reference to Rex Ryan's supposedly foot fetish.  Belichick made it clear to his team that he wouldn't tolerate any trash talking.  Welker crossed that line and Belichick benched him for the beginning of the playoff game with the Jets.  Unfortunately, Rex Ryan doesn't understand...
• The Jets did well getting into Brady's head and their defense made some key plays, especially intercepting Tom Brady after 335 straight passes without one.
• Another unbelievable catch from Santonio Holmes in the end zone.  
• After the Jets beat the Steelers during the regular season, Rex Ryan meet in the field to shake hands with Mike Tomlin and he said, "We'll see you again.  We'll be meeting again."  And so we are.
• Hear about the McDonald's employee who let in Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson at 3:00 AM to use the bathroom?  Apparently the dining room is closed at that hour, but the drive thru is open.  The female employee was working the night shift when Peterson appeared in the window asking to use the restroom.  She unlocked the doors and let him in to do his business and the next day she lost her job for going against the rules.  The story appeared in the paper, the public was outraged, and McDonald's let her have her job back.  I just want to know...was anyone questioning why Adrian Peterson was wandering around at 3:00 AM, sticking his head in drive thru windows?