Loss to division rival bruises Steelers' start

[stillers4me]

Monday, October 04, 2010
By Gene Collier (http://www.post-gazette.com/search/archive.asp?cCat=150), Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/201010/dianasteelers100310_17_330.jpg
Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
Quarterback Charlie Batch scrambles against the Ravens Sunday at Heinz Field.

View all related images (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/201010/dianasteelers100310_17_500.jpg)


For the fourth time in these six most recent ultra-violent collisions, the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens delivered another tight-as-the-wallpaper three-point game Sunday, this one falling to the purple and black, the primary colors of a deep bruise.

That's precisely what it felt like in the Steelers' locker room, too. More important, as deep bruises go, this one's going to be there for a while, at least until everyone in the AFC North proves they can beat somebody else in the AFC North.

A quarter of the way through this NFL season, we know the Browns can beat the Bengals (really?), the Bengals can beat the Ravens, the Ravens can beat the Steelers, and the Steelers can beat ...

Yeah, see that's a problem........................



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10277/1092511-150.stm#ixzz11O0lD1f5

[stlrtruck]

It's less of a bruise and more of a red mark from the slap.

I mean really, while it's a loss to a division rival, it isn't that bad. This season is young we are 3-1, the sky isn't falling, and we've got a stretch of games coming up to prove ourselves and get control of the division.

One at home (browns), three on the road (phins, saints, bungals). then home for 2 more (patriots*, raiders), and realistically the Steelers can be 7-3 or 8-2 by this point.

One game doesn't make the season, although as the season progresses, the season can be ended in one game!

I'm confident the Steelers will take care of business ONE GAME AT A TIME!

[X-Terminator]

I don't know, I'm still really upset over it. Yeah, 3-1, not expected to be in this position, etc. It's of little comfort to me right now. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me - I usually don't stay this mad this long after a loss.

[Butch]

To me it's just one game that we played very very conservatively, so much so that in the end it bit us in the butt. I was over this shortly after the clock ran out. I am confident that changes will be made during the bye week. I am ready to see what Ben brings as well. We have a long two weeks let's just hope it goes by quickly and we get back on our winning track.

[SteelerSal]

To me it's just one game that we played very very conservatively, so much so that in the end it bit us in the butt. I was over this shortly after the clock ran out. I am confident that changes will be made during the bye week. I am ready to see what Ben brings as well. We have a long two weeks let's just hope it goes by quickly and we get back on our winning track.

To conservative in my opinion..it's not like we had a rookie QB out there...we had a freaking veteran of over a dozen years who used to be a starter and that has been with our team for a long time, playing.
Somebody game planned scared...and I'm not even gonna type that persons name.

Tired of reading that the defense is to blame for giving up leads at the end of the game...the freakin offense keeps putting them in that situation to fail.

[stlrtruck]

To conservative in my opinion..it's not like we had a rookie QB out there...we had a freaking veteran of over a dozen years who used to be a starter and that has been with our team for a long time, playing.
Somebody game planned scared...and I'm not even gonna type that persons name.

Tired of reading that the defense is to blame for giving up leads at the end of the game...the freakin offense keeps putting them in that situation to fail.

I agree, it was as if they were afraid they might give the game away with a turnover or something. When in reality it was this fear that caused the offense to not produce and win this game. Regardless of the bend don't break in the defense or the two missed FG's the game was still in hand and could have been won with a little more aggressive play calling and use of players on the field.

What I find not so humorous is Wallace went deep several times and the safety was playing way off him. Why not run him deep about 5-6 times then when the safety bites on the deep route, stop and turn for the ball. Let Wallace run with it from there on in. He's got the speed and the ravens obviously respected that speed, so utilize that to our advantage like the ratbirds did on their last score when TJ acted like he was running an out and then went inside. That's called, "setting them up for failure" and they did it well.

[BPS3akaWirels3]

I don't know, I'm still really upset over it. Yeah, 3-1, not expected to be in this position, etc. It's of little comfort to me right now. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me - I usually don't stay this mad this long after a loss.

That's why I was watching the Pen's dump on the Wings last night.. It helped with the pain

[tube517]

I agree. While Flaccid did his job and brought his team back, the defense didn't stop him. However, if we are talking about the team not doing their job, the offense failed to get the 1st down when it needed it the most. Special teams failed with the penalty during the punt. So, the "blame" goes around to all 3 phases of the team, not just the defense.

I'll take 3-1. Yeah, losing to the Raisins sucks but that's life. Time to focus on the Stains. We'll get another shot at the Raisins in December. By then, the big picture may look different. The ultimate prize is the Lombardi Trophy, not bragging rights for the division.



To conservative in my opinion..it's not like we had a rookie QB out there...we had a freaking veteran of over a dozen years who used to be a starter and that has been with our team for a long time, playing.
Somebody game planned scared...and I'm not even gonna type that persons name.

Tired of reading that the defense is to blame for giving up leads at the end of the game...the freakin offense keeps putting them in that situation to fail.

[SteelGhost]

On a side note this game wasn't as brutal as I thought it was going to be, even Lewis and Clark weren't hitting as hard as usual :noidea:

[steelpride12]

At first I was like hey were 3-1 and Ben is coming back no big deal, but it's always tough losing to division rivals and def. the Gayvens. The hardest part is that game was in our hands to win and prevent D broke like a piece of cheap Ikea fur furniture.

Oh well we get them again in December and promise we will be better prepared. Just gotta keep a short memory and move onto the Stains. The sky is not falling and if you would have told me we would be 3-1 during Bens suspension I would be loving life.

[BlastFurnace]

We are 3-1, they are 3-1. What hurts is that this was a home loss. I didn't think this was a 16-0 team, nor do I think it's a 15-1 team. I don't think Baltimore is a 15-1 team either. What the team needs to do is focus on Cleveland because there is a huge differerence between 4-1 and 3-2.

[Craic]

To conservative in my opinion..it's not like we had a rookie QB out there...we had a freaking veteran of over a dozen years who used to be a starter and that has been with our team for a long time, playing.
Somebody game planned scared...and I'm not even gonna type that persons name
Tired of reading that the defense is to blame for giving up leads at the end of the game...the freakin offense keeps putting them in that situation to fail.

I understand what you're saying. However, when the offense puts up points at the end of the game to take the lead, the defense seems to allow the other team to come back and score again WAY too often. THAT is the blame on the defense that we are discussing. Should have they gotten the first down? Yes. However, why did the D allow the other team to drive to the 2 before stopping them, trapping the Offense to running plays out of the endzone, and causing them to play MUCH more conservatively in order to avoid sacks and safeties?

There is no argument the offense should have put up at least another TD, or at least two more fieldgoals. I just wonder why the D always gets a pass on late game meltdowns.

As far as this game is concerned. yes, it hurts. But as others are saying, it is just ONE game. Take care of business next game, and we are equal with the rest of the division at 1-1. Things could be much, much much worse.

[SteelerSal]

There is no argument the offense should have put up at least another TD, or at least two more fieldgoals. I just wonder why the D always gets a pass on late game meltdowns.

.

The way leBeau has these guys playing at such a high motored level, I honestly can see them peter out late in the 4th especially when our offense keeps throwing them out there after they failed to move the chains and put points on the board.
Heck Ike finally found Lester Hayes(sp) can of "Stick Um" and got an interception and if I'm not mistaken, 4 plays later the defense was back on the field with no points to show for it...

[PalmerSteel]

I don't know, I'm still really upset over it. Yeah, 3-1, not expected to be in this position, etc. It's of little comfort to me right now. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me - I usually don't stay this mad this long after a loss.

your not alone. normally it dont itch at me either but it is. i think its not because of the offense. its how we lost in the end. its because that feeling of dejavu from last year, where we gave up all those 4th quarter leads. brought back a bad taste in my mouth! but maybe if our kicker can not be hung over and ben stays a good boy, we can keep our D off the field a little bit more and we will be stronger than ever in less than 2 weeks.

[Crow-Magnon]

A quarter of the way through this NFL season, we know the Browns can beat the Bengals (really?), the Bengals can beat the Ravens, the Ravens can beat the Steelers, and the Steelers can beat ...

Yeah, see that's a problem........................

Pretty stupid write-up, considering the Steelers have only played against one divisional opponent so far in 2010. Luckily for the Ravens, they have already played 50% of the divisional match-ups and are 2-1 in the AFCN. The Bengals are 1-1, as are the Browns. Pittsburgh is 0-1, as they have only played one divisional opponent.

Where do these goobers dream this stuff up? On the toilet?

[SteelerSal]

.

Where do these goobers dream this stuff up? On the toilet?

Hey!!! I do my best thinking on the toilet! :)

[stillers4me]

Well, considering the year we won XLIII, we lost to the Giants, the Colts, and the Titans...all good teams that year, I'm not panicking about Joe Flacco getting in one TD on us.

[oneforthetoe]

I don't know, I'm still really upset over it. Yeah, 3-1, not expected to be in this position, etc. It's of little comfort to me right now. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me - I usually don't stay this mad this long after a loss.

Well, unless it is a Penguins game.:bolt: ;) (joking)

[X-Terminator]

Well, unless it is a Penguins game.:bolt: ;) (joking)

:lol: Touche!

[SMR]

I don't know, I'm still really upset over it. Yeah, 3-1, not expected to be in this position, etc. It's of little comfort to me right now. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me - I usually don't stay this mad this long after a loss.

I got this same feeling and I'm tryin' to shake it. Grrrr......