Monday, January 15, 2018

Monday morning NFL recap - playoffs week #2

Steelers: I opted to stay home and watch in my Steelers room. Sad, sad, day.
  • Not the beginning the fans expected. Not after the hype, the interviews, the hashtag Shalieve. What happened to the Steelers defense? What happened to that momentum of playing for Ryan Shazier who came to practice and tried to keep them motivated? This has been the question for the past five years. When will this team become a team instead a bunch of individuals out for themselves?
  • Maybe the players were worried after that bomb scare by some nutjob who was arrested before the game for saying he was going to take out a few Steelers fans while taking his own life.
  • Then the offense came out rusty. Not sure who to blame there. Ben? Offensive coordinator Todd Haley? 
  • Ben with an interception and a fumble right out the gate. Ugh. Was like watching one of those bumbling, black and white, silent, short films where the characters run around in circles and fall over themselves.
  • Jacksonville's offense was clutch. Kudos to Bortles who showed better leadership today than the Steelers.
  • Once again, two big touchdown catches by #84. Brown, who was sent home on Friday due to illness, worked his magic. Tell me, please, why we weren't throwing to him again, and again, and again?
  • Onside kick? Oh, Tomlin. Oh, Tomlin. Great coaches make great decisions. If only...
  • I felt bad for the fans as they left the stadium. Ugh. That feeling is heartbreaking. 
  • The media thought the Steelers were too sure of themselves, thinking they had moved on to the Patriots, and to me that just goes back to the team thing. Gotta take it one game at a time as Ben is always quoted saying, but some players and even Tomlin seemed to be elsewhere. Hell, I even started jumping ahead and I'm constantly saying not to get cocky, but that's the coach's job to rein in the troops. Maybe the helm needs a stricter leader.
  • Now the whining, and the egos, and the rumors will start. It's enough to make me delete my Steelers app until next season.
  • Jaguars have fought all season long to prove their detractors wrong. Props to them. I'd say they have shut them up, but of course, that will only happen if they take down the Patriots.
Others: But then the last game of this weekend happened...OMG! Best game ever!
  • Eagles quarterback Nick Foles' baby face always looks frightened.
  • I thought Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was trying way too hard. His passes looked forced and were off kilter. He did not play at a high caliber.
  • Boring game to lead off the weekend.
  • When the Titans scored quickly in that first drive, I did not get excited. I figured that would be their only score. I'm not surprised that their coach was fired this morning. They really were not that great.
  • Who else thinks New Orleans defensive back Marcus Williams didn't sleep last night? On the other side, I bet Stefon Diggs didn't either.
  • Jimmy Johnson's take on Williams diving under Diggs was to avoid an illegal hit. He brushed the stupidity option aside and instead discussed how Williams was certainly hoping to avoid a fine and an illegal tackle. Interesting. And that, people, is the other side of the hitting debacle. One team is heading to the championship and one team isn't because of a split decision. Right or wrong?
  • Three of the four teams left have never won a Super Bowl. If the Steelers can't be in it, then I'm thrilled for those three. It's always fun cheering for someone who hasn't had the experience and the fun. 
  • This image had me cracking up. Look how excited these three were to be working.

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