2018 NFL Monday morning recap week 14

Steelers: Ugh. Put a fork in us. If we can't beat a 2-10 team, we certainly aren't going to beat the Pats and the Saints in the last two games, not to mention any playoff games. Once again, a mediocre performance from an offense that on paper should be excellent.

• Poor officiating again only this time it went our way. I think the officials would huddle up and say, "Listen, we blew their game last week, let's give them something this week." The problem was we still couldn't win even with their help!
• The Raiders tried to give the game away with 13 penalties, and we still couldn't win.
• No running game. Thankfully, no mention of Bell, but with Connor out, we couldn't get run the ball to save our lives. Thirty-two yards rushing on sixteen carries? Please.
• The field apparently was in lousy shape, and the Steelers equipment managers had to bring out new cleats for some of the players who complained about slipping. Well, the cleats obviously didn't work for kicker Chris Boswell who blew the tying attempt by slipping on the field as time ran out. And, that's after he missed a FG and almost blew an extra point. Can't blame it all on a lousy field.
• The defense sucked. No easy way to say that. Lackluster as they have been in the last three games.
• Big Ben went down with a "rib injury" and headed in early to the locker room where we were told he was examined by a doctor. He returned several minutes into the second half and stood on the sidelines while back up quarterback Joshua Dobbs looked more like a better running back than he did a QB. The Steelers were ahead by four, so Tomlin felt things were okay enough? But once the Raiders went ahead on a TD, suddenly Big Ben had a helmet on his head, and he took the field. Bing Bada Boom, we scored to go back up. In his postgame conference, Tomlin said he made the decision not to put in Ben earlier. Oh, Tomlin, you made way too many mistakes in the end, but that one? That one was a BIG one. 
• But I'm also throwing shade at Ben. Why wasn't he arguing on the sideline to go back in? If I'm the leader of the team and believe I'm the best, believe me, I'm fighting for it. This is why this team isn't glorious. It's the same thing each year--no heart.
•  And, how bad is this rib injury? Because we have a lot of players with injuries, but Ben out? Yeah, like I said previously, stick a fork in us.
• Just like the Miami Dolphins, the Steelers attempted a last attempt with a lateral that actually worked. JuJu Smith-Schuster ran 43 yards along the sidelines to set up the potential tying FG. Smith-Schuster received the lateral toss from James Washington, who caught the first pass from Big Ben. Unlike the Dolphins, Smith-Schuster didn't get as far as the end zone.
• Kudos, however, to Smith-Schuster for two unbelievable catches and tiny toe taps to complete the passes. He was the MVP of the game in my book. The kid is special.
• AB threw another fit on the sidelines, according to Twitter. Yeah, we get it. All the fans feel the same way, Brown.

Other: Crazy football day as we wind down the season. Crazy!

• Packers interim coach Joe Philbin challenged and lost two different complete catch calls on Atlanta's Julio Jones in the first minute and a half of the game. What? Who was the blind man in the box telling him to throw the red flag? If Philbin did that on his own, I'd say he isn't going to be on the shortlist for the head coach position. And the man needs some glasses.
• How about the local cameraman in Miami who was captured on film tripping as he chased Dolphins Brandon Bolden in the end zone? Yeah. He's going to have to live that one down for years to come, I bet. Made for good TV, though.
• The Chiefs had some trouble but pulled it out in overtime, and then the Cowboys did the same thing. Surprisingly for Kansas City, they were in that position with Patrick Mahomes not as on point as usual. Not so much for Dallas, who suddenly is now a contender for the playoffs. This is why you keep chugging!
• How about the win the Dolphins pulled off in the final seconds of their game against the Patriots? HUGE. Instead of the Hail Mary, the Dolphins went for the old lateral hot potato toss. Ryan Tannehill to Kenny Stills, who tossed it to Parker, who ran and then threw it to Kenyan Drake, who took that thing and ran like a dog playing keep away. Left, right, and straight into the end zone for the game-winner. Exciting stuff that will go down in history guaranteed.
• Love that the Pats' Gronkowski stumbled in his pursuit of Drake. As the last defender, he ran, made an oopsie trip, and let Drake eek past him into the corner of the end zone. That'll haunt him.
• More craziness? The Browns win, and Dallas is knocking on the wildcard door. The Colts ended the Texans' nine-game winning streak on Andrew Luck's arm. 
• Then came the Rams with Jared Goff throwing four interceptions and the Bears defense keeping Todd Gurley tied up and unable to run. Unbelievable protection by Da Bears and proof defense is still needed in this age of offensive and quarterback gunslingers. I'm hopping on the Bears' train. Fun, fun, fun.