Tonight's game

[HollywoodSteel]

Normally I wouldn't think a non-Steelers game would be worth its own thread in this section, but since we're all flying a little high from yesterday's win, securing a playoff spot for the first time in too long, I figure a "just for fun" thread might be okay.

We discussed rooting interests a bit in another thread but I'm interested to see what most people think. I've decided to root for the Bengals tonight, but you guys can change my mind if I'm not considering everything.

First of all, anything that makes it a little harder for the Ravens to make the playoffs is a win in my book. I know some people think they are a relatively weak team, but post-season Ravens scare me just a little. Unlike the Bengals, that is one team that always seems to come up big in the biggest games. They were less talented than the Broncos when they beat them in the playoffs and less talented when they beat the Patriots in the playoffs, and both of those games were on the road! But make no mistake, my main reason isn't going for the softest target. I just hate the Ravens so much (and their knob-slobbering fans in the "media") that it would be really satisfying to make all those people eat crow. Pun intended.

The other reason I'd like to see the Bengals win tonight is that it would secure them a playoff spot and make their game against us just a little less important for them. I don't want to play a team that is playing for more than we are. Plus if Dalton and company have a big game tonight, they are less likely to do it again next week. That's just the kind of team they are.

Another fun wrinkle in tonight's game (which I also discussed in a different thread) will be to keep an eye on the officiating to see if the Broncos just happen to get a few more breaks. It is absolutely in the NFL's best interest that the Broncos win tonight. It will make the Steelers/Bengals game a little more meaningful (with one team fighting for their playoff lives) and it will make the Broncos have something to play for next week. While it's unlikely that the Bills will beat the Pats, if it happens then the Broncos have a shot at the #1 seed, but only if they win tonight. And on the Pat's side of things, if the Broncos lose tonight the Pats will have nothing to play for next week either.

Now far be it from me to accuse the refs of taking any of that into consideration (or being gently reminded of it by someone in Goodell's throne room) but just in the way off chance... oh, who are we kidding? The Bengals will be fighting the refs tonight as well as the Broncos. As much as I dislike the Bengals, I hate a slanted playing field even more, so that edges me a little onto their side as well.

Thoughts? Where am I going wrong?

[HollywoodSteel]

Keep track of the career of that ref who called offensive pass interference against the Broncos. Goodell is probably already on the phone to someone screaming for that refs head. The head ref looks scared, like "what the f*** did we just do?"

[fansince'76]

I already posted this in another thread, but it's appropriate here too:

Personally, I want the hardest road possible. I'm beyond tired of hearing that the only reason we won SBs XL and XLIII is because we were able to "duck the Pats," particularly from our own fans, and there are plenty who have an acute case of penis envy when it comes to the Patriots and truly believe that. And the coup de grace would be absolutely kicking the living dogshit out of the Seahawks in the SB to finally shut those PMSing whiners up.

If this team can match the level it displayed against the Colts and Ravens (and the 4th quarter of the Cincy game) earlier in the season, they can beat anybody, and beat them handily. I'm convinced of that. And recent history shows that this team generally plays its best against tougher competition and when nobody is giving them a snowball's chance.

[salamander]

I already posted this in another thread, but it's appropriate here too:

Personally, I want the hardest road possible. I'm beyond tired of hearing that the only reason we won SBs XL and XLIII is because we were able to "duck the Pats," particularly from our own fans, and there are plenty who have an acute case of penis envy when it comes to the Patriots and truly believe that. And the coup de grace would be absolutely kicking the living dogshit out of the Seahawks in the SB to finally shut those PMSing whiners up.

If this team can match the level it displayed against the Colts and Ravens (and the 4th quarter of the Cincy game) earlier in the season, they can beat anybody, and beat them handily. I'm convinced of that. And recent history shows that this team generally plays its best against tougher competition and when nobody is giving them a snowball's chance.

And we can have every call go against us and they would still cry that DA STEALERS PAY DA REFS!! :chuckle:

[Iron Steeler]

I want the steelers to beat anyone who stands infront of them . Any opponents anywhere

[st33lersguy]

I already posted this in another thread, but it's appropriate here too:

Personally, I want the hardest road possible. I'm beyond tired of hearing that the only reason we won SBs XL and XLIII is because we were able to "duck the Pats," particularly from our own fans, and there are plenty who have an acute case of penis envy when it comes to the Patriots and truly believe that. And the coup de grace would be absolutely kicking the living dogshit out of the Seahawks in the SB to finally shut those PMSing whiners up.

If this team can match the level it displayed against the Colts and Ravens (and the 4th quarter of the Cincy game) earlier in the season, they can beat anybody, and beat them handily. I'm convinced of that. And recent history shows that this team generally plays its best against tougher competition and when nobody is giving them a snowball's chance.

I don't believe that we would have lost to the Patriots in an 08 playoff game either, but people actually believe the sub-spectacular 05 Pats team that went 10-6 and lost by 2 touchdowns against the same Broncos team the Steelers destroyed a week later would have been the Steelers in a playoff game in 05? Geez people can be dumb. I know the Pats beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh back in week 3, but that was before they got hot. No one in the NFL was going to deny Pittsburgh that year the way they played in December and January

[polamalubeast]

The Pats not want to play against the steelers in the playoffs in 2005(in the first round)....In the last game of the season, the Patriots could be in the 3rd seed if they win against Miami, but Matt Cassell played in this game for almost all the game

The goal is to beat against teams that you play and the Steelers did it in his years