Steelers Answer the Challenge

Pittsburgh gets road victory @ Jacksonville, 26-21

One thing about playing the Pittsburgh Steelers is, they don’t concede a defeat. They aren’t giving anything away. However I still cowardly picked them to lose this week because the game was in Jacksonville and I felt the Jaguars were going to feel the urgency of staying within 2 games of Tennessee. And honestly the Steelers offense has struggled. But I am proud to say that “I WAS WRONG!”

In fact a sure sign of a winner in professional sports is a team who has a short memory. Which is a result of each player putting the immediate past behind them. The Steelers have that. Whether it ’ s a great run or getting stuffed for a loss, an exciting pass or throwing an INT, sacking a QB or getting burned on a blitz, the Steelers move on to the next play, the next series and play until the final whistle.

Last night in Jacksonville they needed that. Coming off of a few weeks of offensive breakdowns was reason number one. And injuries have piled up. And then there were points in this game that they could have imploded. For instance the 72 yard pick 6 by Rashean Mathis on the Steelers first drive. However the Steelers went right back out on the field and posted 12 play, 71 yard, 1 penalty, 7:31 drive that ended with a Heath Miller touchdown catch.

Then another bite in the butt came during the ensuing Jacksonville drive that was aided by a 39 yard defensive passing interference penalty called on CB Ike Taylor of Pittsburgh. This helped the Jaguars take a 14-7 lead when Maurice Jones-Drew excepted Taylor’s “kindness” and scored from the 1 yard line. Here we go again?

Putting that behind them Pittsburgh finished a drive they started at the end of the first quarter and put a Jeff Reed 38 yard field goal on the board to make up some of the deficit. It was now 14 - 10 Jacksonville in the second quarter.

By this point in the game it was evident that the Steelers defense was playing the usual road block style attack against Jacksonville. That was no surprise to anyone, including the Jaguars. But what   was a nice surprise was the effectiveness of running back Mewelde Moore starting for injured Willie Parker, Rashard Mendehall, and Carey Davis. Of course anyone who knows the Steelers knew that they would not abandon the run, but it was unclear what   to expect. But Moore and ‘ promoted from the practice squad ’ running back   Gary Russell both had a solid night rushing against the Jaguars defense. 99 yards from Moore on 17 carries and 25 yads for Russell on 6 carries.

The Steelers then   added to   their scoring in the second quarter with a 4 play, 82 yard, 1:57 drive that ended with beautiful 48 yard strike from Ben Roethlisberger to Nate Washington. On that play Washington made a nice inside fake while Ben made the perfect double pump to spring Nate down the sidelines. And they finished off the scoring in the second quarter by tacking on a Jeff Reed 23 yarder to head into half time with a 20 - 14 lead over Jacksonville.

The third quarter turned out to be a stalemate. Which frankly is the way I thought most of the game was going to be played going into Sunday night. But with the lead it looked like this wouldn’t hurt the Steelers maintaining the lead.

The Jaguars however mustered up a drive that started at the end of the third quarter and resulted in a Jacksonville touchdown pass from David Garrard to Mercedes Lewis. To make matters worse was the bogus roughing the passer call against Pittsburgh that helped sustain the drive. It was suddenly Jacksonville 21 and Pittsburgh 20 55 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Pittsburgh put that behind them also, and finally put together a nice 11 play, 80 yard, 4:40 drive that ended in a Hines Ward touchdown catch. The Steelers also needed amnesia on this drive thanks to Nate Washington unable to just be happy with his 12 yard first down catch. He foolishly had to draw a unsportsmanlike conduct for being an idiot. “Act like you are a pro Nate!” Actually this game had a couple bonehead displays like that called for penalties from both teams. Inexcusable.

It was now Steelers 26 and Jaguars 21 since Pittsburgh failed to convert a 2 point conversion attempt after the Ward touchdown. This gave Jacksonville 1:53 to score a winning touchdown. The Steelers defense was having no part of that.

All that was left was for Roethlisberger was to take a knee and the Steelers to leave town with a win and a 4 wins 1 loss record atop the AFC North. And now they have an extra week to rest because this week is the bye week for Pittsburgh.

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All in all this was an outstanding win. Especially since it was on the road. I am still not happy with the amount of physical abuse that Ben Roethlisberger is taking nonetheless. Yes some of it is his own doing. He holds onto the ball   at times when he shouldn ’ t or doesn ’ t make the quick read on a blitz from the opponent. And this probably sounds as if I ’ m being picky after he threw for 309 yards going 26 for 41and 3 touchdowns. But the offensive line is still not protecting him enough. He is taking too much of a pounding.

But one thing I know for sure is they will put that behind them and get ready for Cincinnati in two weeks.

By Andy Natalie
ProFootball-fans.com Pittsburgh Steelers Correspondent