Steelers:
- I felt really good going into the game despite our lackluster past evening performances. I really believed that in three days Michael Vick would catch up. I mean what the hell do these back up quarterbacks do during practices? With a power offense around him and a Baltimore defense that has been struggling, I thought we'd be okay. And we were. For a half.
- The defense came out blazing. They sacked Joe Flacco five times. They intercepted twice. They made a couple of stops on fourth downs. But by the time the game went into overtime they were defeated. After working their butts off and then watching the offense not do their jobs, I was defeated too. There is only so much one side can do.
- I suppose I should have started with Josh Scobee, but really it is all moot now. The guy has been fired and replaced with a newbie who has never kicked in an NFL season game. Scobee was a powerhouse with the Jaguars, but since losing that starting position this year he just collapsed. Instead of coming into Pittsburgh determined to show Jacksonville what a mistake they made he fell victim to their belief. I mean, missing the extra point? Come on, kid. That's suppose to be a gimme despite the new ruling. Scobee missed two field goals that would have put the Steelers up by 6 and stopped the overtime, shafting both kicks wide right. I knew when I got the news via my various sports app that we had lost Shaun Suisham for the season that we were in trouble and boy was I right.
- Then there was the fact that coach Tomlin didn't trust Scobee in the latter part of the game. Hell, he hasn't trusted him at all this season really if you go back to the other three games the Steelers have played. Everyone has questioned Tomlin's calls to go for it on fourth down in the fourth quarter and in overtime, but frankly, I would have bet on Antonio Brown and my offense over Scobee too. The real problem were the plays that were called. Not giving our two running backs a chance? Stupid.
- Michael Vick was fine. He'll have ten days now to practice with the squad and to try to get in sync with his receivers. I hope Todd Hayley doesn't stifle Vick's urge to run because I think Vick needs that. And yes, I realize that we can't afford to have him hurt either, but I think Vick is best when he can do some running if necessary so schedule him for that if you want to protect him. Plus, let's not forget that Antonio Brown can throw a football too. Bring out the trick plays guys!
- Antonio Brown's streak of continuous games over 100 yards came to an end Thursday night, but frankly I blame Brown. I think he was getting way too big for his britches and his cockiness might have done him in more than Vick's missed throws. At some point teams are going to work to stop Brown. He has to work harder at being humble.
- Kudos to that huge block that Michael Vick put on Ravens Lardarius Webb so that Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell could get into the end zone for a touchdown. Without that we might have had to rely on Vick to get a TD some other way and at that moment he wasn't doing so hot in that department.
- Steelers Safety Mike Mitchell has cracked me up in the last two games. He seems to always be at the right place at the right moment...to officiate that is. Whenever there has been a questionable play he has been there with his official hand motions. Thursday night he was there to make the call on the ball Flacco fumbled, kicked with his knee, and lost to a Steelers defender as it was heading out of bounds. Mitchell immediately jumped for joy and signaled Steelers ball which turned out to be correct. Mitchell is two for two on calls. Now if we can just get him to do his real job on the field.
- Of course, we now have drama with the Ravens Steven Smith Sr. threatening his former teammate, Steelers Mike Mitchell. The two played together for the Carolina Panthers and Smith Sr. must not have like Mitchell as he said, "I kind of know his character and who he is." He claimed that Mitchell hit him and then said a few words to him. This prompted Smith Sr. to let reporters know that Mitchell was now on his lifetime hit list. Problem number one with this is that Mitchell wasn't the one who hit him. Smith Sr., who reportedly has four broken ribs from the hit, was tackled by Steelers defenders Lawrence Timmons and Antwon Blake. Problem number two with this is Smith obviously is a liar since Mitchell wasn't even near him to make comments. And problem number three, which should really be problem number one, is the fact that this guy has a "hitlist" and is dumb enough to tell reporters about it. Roger Goodell, are you listening????
- It is too bad we had to lose to the Ravens at home. That will sting for sometime. But on the up side, the Ravens looked like crap.
Other:
- After last week's game Cam Newton reported that referee, and one of my favs, Ed Hochuli, told him he didn't draw a flag on a play in the end zone because he was, "too young to get that call". Newton told reporters this in the post game conference and Hochuli later refuted it. He claims he explained to Newton that he was a runner as soon as he took off and didn't warrant the protection a quarterback would have received. Newton was asked about his on Wednesday during another meeting with reporters and he retorted with, "Well, did you expect him to say anything else?" This was a big discussion on Fox's NFL pregame show with Jimmy Johnson annoyed that Newton was still hung up on it, "lighten up a little", and Terry Bradshaw reporting that Newton last year had more opponents penalized than any other quarterback. Curt Menafee tried to get the guys to comment on the he said/he said portion of the incident, but Howie Long and Michael Strahan went too in depth on the play itself and on quarterbacks. It seemed these four were more uptight about why Newton was still annoyed on Wednesday. I'll tell you why, guys. Because Hochuli called him a liar! Newton will have to move on this week and let it go. As the guys said, "he isn't going to win this", but I understand his irritation.
- Howie Long reporting on old guys still playing in the NFL said, in talking about Ravens Steven Smith Sr., "...and the only wide receiver with a lifetime hit list, you gotta love that..." Really Howie? What is to love about a guy that is threatening to hurt another player? So much for really changing the NFL. Nothing will change as long as guys keep making these stupid comments.
- Panthers Josh Freeman riding the football in the end zone after scoring on a pick six? Yeah, not a celebration that looks good on camera, dude. It made me think you needed a girlfriend, and it cost you a penalty. It was a great interception, but just be humble and keep on working.
- Tampa's kicker Kyle Brindza missed three kicks and an extra point last week and his leg wasn't much better this week. Brindza, a Notre Dame graduate, acquired from Detroit this season missed ......
- The Washington Post revealed that the Jets shipped 350 rolls of toilet paper to London for this weekend because a savvy traveling intern reported that England's TP was "very thin". Tell me again why we fly these poor guys to places where they have to bring their own supplies? And will they ship home the remaining rolls or leave it at the hotel for the next team traveling there to play football? Psst...boys, save some money and just double up the wrapping around your hand.
- Wow! The Jacksonville Jaguars had two opportunities to win their game against the Indianapolis Colts by kicking field goals; once with mere seconds on the clock in regulation and once in overtime. Josh Scobee's replacement, Jason Myers, missed both of them. Hey, Jacksonville! Scobee is back up for grabs!
- At one point while watching NFL Redzone I had three games on the screen, all of them down to the wire, and all three announcers shouting out what was happening in their games. It was crazy, made even crazier by my husband who was replacing a toilet and who took that moment to ask me for help. What?
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