Here’s The Deal ...

[86WARD]

Say what you want about tonight’s game. One of the hardest losses we’ve seen in a long time...but it wasn’t an interception to lose a Super Bowl. It wasn’t giving up a 28-3 lead to lose a Super Bowl. It wasn’t an over turned TD to lose a playoff game. It was an overturned TD to lose a meaningful season game in a season that the Steelers are jockeying for playoff position. The season isn’t over and the playoffs haven’t started...it’s not over folks...and this is coming from one of the bigger pessimists on the site...lol.

Let’s hope AB is back in time for the playoffs...if he doesn’t return, that’s the bigger loss...

[st33lersguy]

This team ain't winning a Super Bowl, completely choked against the first above average team they in over a month

This team proved today that they are completely incapable of beating the Cheatriots, and there's no way in hell they won't completely choke yet again in Foxborough

[Hawkman]

That is very positive and optimistic of you 86!

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This team ain't winning a Super Bowl, completely choked against the first above average team they in over a month

This team proved today that they are completely incapable of beating the Cheatriots, and there's no way in hell they won't completely choke yet again in Foxborough

.......and that is not!

[EzraTank]

This team ain't winning a Super Bowl, completely choked against the first above average team they in over a month

This team proved today that they are completely incapable of beating the Cheatriots, and there's no way in hell they won't completely choke yet again in Foxborough

They did not choke. They played the two time defending champs down to the wire and lost on some questionable shit. Choking would have been a 38-17 loss.

[Steelerschik]

Say what you want about tonight’s game. One of the hardest losses we’ve seen in a long time...but it wasn’t an interception to lose a Super Bowl. It wasn’t giving up a 28-3 lead to lose a Super Bowl. It wasn’t an over turned TD to lose a playoff game. It was an overturned TD to lose a meaningful season game in a season that the Steelers are jockeying for playoff position. The season isn’t over and the playoffs haven’t started...it’s not over folks...and this is coming from one of the bigger pessimists on the site...lol.

Let’s hope AB is back in time for the playoffs...if he doesn’t return, that’s the bigger loss...

LOL way to be 86! See I'm with you. I mean don't get me wrong, I do think the Steelers were robbed at the end there, but the #%&#$ could have/probably should have lost. I don't care if the Steelers have to go to new fucking england, they should go as a pissed off team. That is IF we even see them. They ain't all that and crowning them anything is way premature. And seriously to cover thugowski, the D should just target his nose and they'd never miss a tackle. Fuck them and their luck, I'm not even sure they beat the Bills next week.

[EzraTank]

BTW, ESPN is reporting Brown has a partially torn cafe muscle and could be back for the playoffs.

We probably win with a healthy AB tonight. Once he went down the Patriots defense got a lot easier.

[DesertSteel]

After some loud yelling I immediately changed the channel to some PBS show and stared at the screen for 20 minutes. I was numb. Couldn't believe it ended that way. Now I'm over it. Heal up. Press on. Get ready for the real stuff in the playoffs.

I mean, more than the #1, this game was a pissing contest to show the Pats we weren't their whipping boy. That failed so let them get on to the strategy of winning the next game. I hope the coaches are already breaking down film of the Texans.

[st33lersguy]

They did not choke. They played the two time defending champs down to the wire and lost on some questionable shit. Choking would have been a 38-17 loss.

They did choke, they completely mismanaged the final 4 minutes of the game. Had they not choked, they would have won.

[86WARD]

Certainly feels like a playoff loss, but it’s not...

I think they have plenty of talent to win the Super Bowl on offense. Maybe just enough on defense with Haden back...however, I don’t think they have the coaching or the on field execution part of the game down to win it all. There is at least three weeks left of football though...so...we will see...

[st33lersguy]

The offense completely turtled and called awful plays, the defense let Brady go right down the field for a TD, then after the overturned TD, which (James did lose control of like the scrub he's always been), Ben suddenly transforms into a complete moron, short pass inbounds with time running out then rushes a play and throws into triple coverage and it gets picked. That's choking. Playing someone down to the wire is completely meaningless if you choke the game away at the end

[EzraTank]

They did choke, they completely mismanaged the final 4 minutes of the game. Had they not choked, they would have won.

Again they did not choke. Yes the play calling was brutal with 4 minutes left but they showed heart and Juju's run proved it. They should have won IMO. That was a TD and there wasn't enough evidence to over turn it. Plus on the Pats INT the Patriot was riding Rogers back, textbook PI.

At this point they need to win out and get the #2 seed to get AB an extra week of rest for his partially torn cafe muscle.

[DesertSteel]

The worst part was my 12-year old son running through the house screaming "Touchdown!!!" about 30 times (literally) and then to come back and see how that ended. He just sat their in silence.

Welcome to being a sports fan, son.

[dislocatedday]

As said above, this feels like a playoff loss........but the beauty is that it is not. As strange as it sounds, I think they may actually be better off going to Foxborough for an AFC Championship game if both teams get there. Nobody will expect them to win, and I think they could play more free and focused not being the number one seed. Just get a first round bye to get that week of rest.

The team did a lot of good things today. I did not like the turtle ball play calling in the 4th with only an 8 point lead, but that is the only real coaching issue I saw today. I liked the man coverage overall. It would have been great if Sean Davis could have made a single play on Gronk, or caught that easy interception, but he did not come through at all today.

[Craic]

The worst part was my 12-year old son running through the house screaming "Touchdown!!!" about 30 times (literally) and then to come back and see how that ended. He just sat their in silence.

Welcome to being a sports fan, son.

Funny you mention that. I was listening to Sirius XM on the way home (one of the sports radio shows, don't remember which one). They were talking about the same thing, how people in sports bars and whatnot all over the country can't even cheer for touchdowns anymore because they never know if it will be overturned. You have to wait until a ref shows up a few minutes later with a ruling. It's taking the fun and emotion out of the sport as they're trying to get so scientific about every single element.

Years ago, I was against replay because I thought part of the game was the human element of reffing and how to manipulate things. A receiver back then knew how to make a non-catch look like a catch by the way he'd cradle the ball after, or by the way he'd shield the ball with his body as he went down so a ref couldn't see him. THAT was part of the game.

[DesertSteel]

Funny you mention that. I was listening to Sirius XM on the way home (one of the sports radio shows, don't remember which one). They were talking about the same thing, how people in sports bars and whatnot all over the country can't even cheer for touchdowns anymore because they never know if it will be overturned. You have to wait until a ref shows up a few minutes later with a ruling. It's taking the fun and emotion out of the sport as they're trying to get so scientific about every single element.

Years ago, I was against replay because I thought part of the game was the human element of reffing and how to manipulate things. A receiver back then knew how to make a non-catch look like a catch by the way he'd cradle the ball after, or by the way he'd shield the ball with his body as he went down so a ref couldn't see him. THAT was part of the game.

On the other hand, if it was Gronk crossing the goal line and losing possession as the ball hits the ground and there's no replay, this place would be going crazy. It was the right call based on the rule.

[Neversatisfied]

They did not choke. They played the two time defending champs down to the wire and lost on some questionable shit. Choking would have been a 38-17 loss.

The choked ,0 points in the 4th and allowing the Pats to move down the field with ease.

[st33lersguy]

Keep in mind they also just lost to the first above average team they played since they got their dicks kicked in by the Jaguars. They barely squeaked by a bunch of bad and mediocre teams all year, and now they finally play a legit Super Bowl contender, and they folded in crunch time.

[DesertSteel]

Keep in mind they also just lost to the first above average team they played since they got their dicks kicked in by the Jaguars. They barely squeaked by a bunch of bad and mediocre teams all year, and now they finally play a legit Super Bowl contender, and they folded in crunch time.

Yeah they've sucked all year. Tomlin should be on the hot seat and Ben needs to retire.

[86WARD]

Hurts because the NFL basically took away:

• Game Winning TD
• AFC #1 Seed
• Ben Roethlisberger’s First MVP

As Tony Dungy said in flag football, high school football, college football, any other football, that’s a TD. A TD anywhere by the NFL.

[teegre]

Say what you want about tonight’s game. One of the hardest losses we’ve seen in a long time...but it wasn’t an interception to lose a Super Bowl. It wasn’t giving up a 28-3 lead to lose a Super Bowl. It wasn’t an over turned TD to lose a playoff game. It was an overturned TD to lose a meaningful season game in a season that the Steelers are jockeying for playoff position. The season isn’t over and the playoffs haven’t started...it’s not over folks...and this is coming from one of the bigger pessimists on the site...lol.

Let’s hope AB is back in time for the playoffs...if he doesn’t return, that’s the bigger loss...

This

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As said above, this feels like a playoff loss........but the beauty is that it is not. As strange as it sounds, I think they may actually be better off going to Foxborough for an AFC Championship game if both teams get there. Nobody will expect them to win, and I think they could play more free and focused not being the number one seed. Just get a first round bye to get that week of rest.

The team did a lot of good things today. I did not like the turtle ball play calling in the 4th with only an 8 point lead, but that is the only real coaching issue I saw today. I liked the man coverage overall. It would have been great if Sean Davis could have made a single play on Gronk, or caught that easy interception, but he did not come through at all today.

This, too.

[steelreserve]

They did not choke. They played the two time defending champs down to the wire and lost on some questionable shit. Choking would have been a 38-17 loss.

Two-time defending champs? How are they defending two times? Unless you mean two championships total, which is about all I think the Patriots can legitimately claim.

[GoSlash27]

Anybody wants off the bandwagon, now's the time. The reality is the Steelers are tied for the best record in the division and have a guaranteed playoff berth. We'll have Hayden and AB back when the time comes, and I don't think there's a team in the league that can handle us, so I say "bring it".

[RunNGun]

"They are who we thought they were...and we let em' off the hook."

[cubanstogie]

It’s looking very much like Steelers will host jags in playoffs. Then on to NE unless ravens or chiefs upset them, which is a good possibility. Even though I’m deflated, I know they can do it after tonight. They need AB and a TE to show up for the game. I really wish martavis would have been targeted in second half, he was stellar in the first half. They had a ton of missed opportunities, easy pic dropped, holding after 9 yard gain. How Gronk got 130 yards in second half is inexcusable. Watch some tapes when he was shut down, have they figured out David can’t cover him by himself

[Hawkman]

Hurts because the NFL basically took away:

• Game Winning TD
• AFC #1 Seed
• Ben Roethlisberger’s First MVP





As Tony Dungy said in flag football, high school football, college football, any other football, that’s a TD. A TD anywhere by the NFL.

.....and sometimes in the NFL

[86WARD]

The Patriots would destroy the Chiefs second time around...best bet is for the Ravens to go to NE and play them like the Ravens do...

[cubanstogie]

The Patriots would destroy the Chiefs second time around...best bet is for the Ravens to go to NE and play them like the Ravens do...

probably but Kareem has been solid last two games and you never know with their secondary. They seem like they get more pic sixes than anyone.

[steelreserve]

Yeah, on the bright side, we shouldn't be so worried about the playoffs, because we finally found the blueprint for beating the Patriots, and actually beat the Patriots with it.

[DesertSteel]

The Patriots would destroy the Chiefs second time around...best bet is for the Ravens to go to NE and play them like the Ravens do...

To be real, I'd rather see a rematch between these two teams... anywhere.

[Rotorhead]

I am pretty sure this is a TD as he possessed the ball, made a football move, then broke the plane. The end zone should have been a fumble and recovery in the end zone if anything.