zulater
11-14-2012, 12:19 PM
1. The Chiefs played better than their record.
The first thought by everyone is that the Steelers played down to their competition. There's some truth to that. But by and large this was as much about the Chiefs playing more in line with the team many had prognosticated would win the AFC West before the season started. The Chiefs have talent. Get this team better leadership and they're going to win games. And for this week, for a number of reasons the Chiefs came with something close to their "A game" While the Steelers didn't bring anything better than their "C game."
2. Haley factor worked against the Steelers.
Coming into this game many assumed that Todd Haley would be motivated to run up the score on the Chiefs. You think that wasn't posted all over their bulletin board? I think part of the reason the Chifs played more motivated than they had all season was because they were determined not to let Haley show them up on national TV.
Also in this category I heard some noise that several Steelers claimed after the game that Chief defenders were screaming out the correct play call of the Steelers prior to the snap. In other words they were well versed on their former coaches tendencies and play calling relative to down, distance and formation.
3. Antonio Brown was really missed.
Not using this as an excuse. Just an observation. He's Ben's most reliable target on 3rd down. The other guys didn't do a very good job getting open.
4. They match up well against us.
Sometimes in sports you can throw the record out and certain teams give a team better than them fits. Just because of the way they match up against each other. Their strenghts, though limited, are perfectly suited to expose our greatest vulnerabilities. And vice versa.
5. Classic sandwich game.
Athletes are human. Sometimes they bring more emotion and focus to the party than other times. They can say the right things, think the right things, but somewhere deep down inside the fire doesn't burn with the same intensity 16 times a season.
The Steelers got way up for the Giants ( notice the Giants crashed this last week too in a game they took for granted). They knew the Ravens were coming up the following week. Their focus wasn't entirely on the Chiefs. And that's always a dangerous thing in this league.
6. In conclusioin you're welcome to disagree, but I'm not going to crucify any indidual player for a somewhat lackluster effort. In other words I'm not going to sit here and proclaim that the 3 games prior to this didn't exist, and that we have to judge how we stand relative to the rest of the league by one piss poor win.
Going foward this team is still one of the better teams in the league, and can compete with the Ravens if they play solid across the board.
The first thought by everyone is that the Steelers played down to their competition. There's some truth to that. But by and large this was as much about the Chiefs playing more in line with the team many had prognosticated would win the AFC West before the season started. The Chiefs have talent. Get this team better leadership and they're going to win games. And for this week, for a number of reasons the Chiefs came with something close to their "A game" While the Steelers didn't bring anything better than their "C game."
2. Haley factor worked against the Steelers.
Coming into this game many assumed that Todd Haley would be motivated to run up the score on the Chiefs. You think that wasn't posted all over their bulletin board? I think part of the reason the Chifs played more motivated than they had all season was because they were determined not to let Haley show them up on national TV.
Also in this category I heard some noise that several Steelers claimed after the game that Chief defenders were screaming out the correct play call of the Steelers prior to the snap. In other words they were well versed on their former coaches tendencies and play calling relative to down, distance and formation.
3. Antonio Brown was really missed.
Not using this as an excuse. Just an observation. He's Ben's most reliable target on 3rd down. The other guys didn't do a very good job getting open.
4. They match up well against us.
Sometimes in sports you can throw the record out and certain teams give a team better than them fits. Just because of the way they match up against each other. Their strenghts, though limited, are perfectly suited to expose our greatest vulnerabilities. And vice versa.
5. Classic sandwich game.
Athletes are human. Sometimes they bring more emotion and focus to the party than other times. They can say the right things, think the right things, but somewhere deep down inside the fire doesn't burn with the same intensity 16 times a season.
The Steelers got way up for the Giants ( notice the Giants crashed this last week too in a game they took for granted). They knew the Ravens were coming up the following week. Their focus wasn't entirely on the Chiefs. And that's always a dangerous thing in this league.
6. In conclusioin you're welcome to disagree, but I'm not going to crucify any indidual player for a somewhat lackluster effort. In other words I'm not going to sit here and proclaim that the 3 games prior to this didn't exist, and that we have to judge how we stand relative to the rest of the league by one piss poor win.
Going foward this team is still one of the better teams in the league, and can compete with the Ravens if they play solid across the board.