Overreaction Monday is over so here's some thoughts on win over Chiefs

[zulater]

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.

[Seven]

Very similar observations to my own. Anyone still think Brown is overpaid? Wallace and Sanders couldn't get separation all night.

[oneforthetoe]

Excellent post Zu.

You can go back and find ugly wins in every season the Steelers have won Super Bowls, for sure.

[Kittyfish]

One of the guys on the local shows was saying that the more he looked at the Giants, the less impressed he was and the less he liked them, while the opposite was true for the Chiefs. Lord knows the Chiefs gave the Steelers all they could handle and it was far from the walkover nearly everyone expected. Though as my dad said when I was telling him the 0-18 Browns weren't as bad as their dismal record reflected, "Yes - they're the best 0-18 team in the league." It's all in the Win and Loss columns in the end and an ugly win is better than a pretty loss.

[zulater]

Anyone else notice Suisham making a fantastic tackle on the opening kickoff? Between the wind and rain the ball just wasn't going to travel that well on kicks ( notice Butler's subpar night) So rather than focus on a subpar kickoff ( fielded at the 8) Suisham hustles down and takes the guy out at the 32. That had the look of one that could break a long way if sushi doesn't step up.

- - - Updated - - -

One of the guys on the local shows was saying that the more he looked at the Giants, the less impressed he was and the less he liked them, while the opposite was true for the Chiefs. Lord knows the Chiefs gave the Steelers all they could handle and it was far from the walkover nearly everyone expected. Though as my dad said when I was telling him the 0-18 Browns weren't as bad as their dismal record reflected, "Yes - they're the best 0-18 team in the league." It's all in the Win and Loss columns in the end and an ugly win is better than a pretty loss.

Their lb's were difference makers all game. Maybe the best overall group of LB's we've face all year? 52 in particular was a demon. They didn't block him all game long. And I'm talking Heath Miller was getting ate alive by that guy. That just isn't going to happen very often.

In the end I think this is just a team we match up poorly against.

[zulater]

Reports of James Harrison's total demise as an impact player are premature. He's playing the run extremely well. Granted he's nowhere near his normal level as a pass rusher. But he's making a difference on the field. This team's overall turnaround on defense traces directly to 92's return.

[polamalubeast]

Reports of James Harrison's total demise as an impact player are premature. He's playing the run extremely well. Granted he's nowhere near his normal level as a pass rusher. But he's making a difference on the field. This team's overall turnaround on defense traces directly to 92's return to the field.

The steelers are 5-1 with Harrison in the lineup

[zulater]

The steelers are 5-1 with Harrison in the lineup

Good fact PB. And not a coincidence.

[zulater]

Getting back to the game (which I'm watching on game rewind) The dropped pass by Sanders on the first series went a long way to setting the early tenor of the game in a bad direction.

If you remember the Steelers held the Chiefs to one first down, then 3 and out on their first series, with a Brett Keisel sack on the Chiefs 3rd down play. The Steelers opened up with a nice seem pass to Heath Miller ( where was that play the rest of the game?) And then from the their 40 yard line Ben hits Sanders in the hands for what should have been a 17 yard gain (to the Chiefs 43). Instead 2 plays later we punt and they drive for a score and gain the game's early momentum.

With bad teams if you can get them down early they often quit the fight.

Headed out the door now. More on this later.

[zulater]

I forgot what a huge penalty that was on Colon. Instead of 2nd and 2 from the Chiefs 29 with some offensive momentum finally mounting, we end up first and 29 from the 8 and Redman tries to do too much and fumbles for a Chiefs red zone possession.

On the Steelers first 3 series the damage was mostly self inflicted. A drop, and a missed throw stopped the first possession. A poor play call on 3rd down killed the second, and a poor call by the ref ( bogus hold), combined with Colon's overreaction and Redman trying to do too much killed the 3rd. The Steelers were actually doing some things right, but stupid individual breakdowns killed any chance at early offensive momentum.

You let a bad team hang around it will always come back and haunt you.

r

[Dwinsgames]

It is always better to find a way to win ugly than to lose regardless of the opponent , that being said I still am discouraged at how this team always finds a way to lower their level of play in games they are expected to dominate in ... all the while other teams just pummel lower level of competition this may not be as true vs the Chiefs on this occasion because they clearly have some ballers on that roster they do lack at QB although you can win with Cassel he is not the ideal candidate ... they have some real talent on both sides of the football but lack true leadership and a quality head coach to put all those pieces in place ..

as a side note ...I stated on another forum when Haley got the boot from KC and they had named Crennel the HC it was a HUGE mistake Crennel does not have what it takes to be a leader of a team in this league he is in fact the poor mans version of Norv Turner , a quality assistant but failure as the main man .. you need a guy who can manage personnel as a HC someone who can walk that fine line between the players and the rest of the coaching staff ... at seasons end Crennel and Turner would make a GREAT duo for some team in need ( because both will be needing a job ) and they have a great chance at succeeding elsewhere as long as neither of them are the top man

[Count Steeler]

Bengals 28-Chiefs 6 in KC.

Yeah, we talk about the Steelers lowering their game to their opponents, but we also must consider the opponents really get jacked up to play the Steelers. They probably have a mental hi-lite circled around the game when they play the Steelers.

It is kind of the same when hockey players come to play against the Leafs here in Toronto. They put out their best effort, because this is the center of the hockey universe. And that is my excuse for the Leafs not winning a Cup since 1967.