Not me. The Steelers are going to win this one, and by more than 3 points.Throw out the records for this one. It will be another game decided by 3 points and will probably come down to turnover differential. I'm feeling very uneasy.
  Have you seen Jay Ajayi run lately? Like maybe when Miami steamrolled us earlier this year? And Matt Moore doesn't look terrible. Plus it is getting tough to see a scenario where any team beats the Patriots up there. I'd say things are setting up poorly.If we can win this game though, things are setting up nicely. A win today clinches the 3 seed as near as I can figure. So they can use the week 17 game against Cleveland as a tune-up/bye week.
1st round would likely bring Matt Moore and the Dolphins to the frigid confines of Heinz Field. 2nd round would be a trip west to face Matt McGloin and the Raiders.
I like our chances of getting to an AFCC showdown in Foxboro with this road.
Rex and his brother have to be fired. Underachieved all year and the end of that game yesterday was pitiful.Unlike last year, Buffalo wasn't able to help us out. So now the playoffs pretty much ride on tomorrow's game.![]()
Patriots are going to be there. There's no stopping that unless KC or Houston can knock them off.Have you seen Jay Ajayi run lately? Like maybe when Miami steamrolled us earlier this year? And Matt Moore doesn't look terrible. Plus it is getting tough to see a scenario where any team beats the Patriots up there. I'd say things are setting up poorly.
 Oooof.Yep, it is setting up nicely for the Steelers, if they can win today, but if the Chiefs win tonight and next week and the Raiders lost next week, the Chiefs would snag the AFC West and the 2 seed.
And then the first round would feature Matt Savage vs. Matt McGloin.![]()
 Cheers to that! Merry Christmas GB.I get why Steelers fans are nervous about this game today, but I'll be surprised if the Ravens win. The Steelers are simply a better team and they usually show up for the big games (road games against bad teams are when Tomlin's Steelers often do not show up).
As a fan of the sport, knowing that my Broncos do not have the offensive line to do any real damage this year, I'll take a Patriots/Steelers AFCCG.![]()
There is also an in as the wild card if mia, den and pit are all tied at 10-6.fred_1_15301 said:Unlike last year, Buffalo wasn't able to help us out. So now the playoffs pretty much ride on tomorrow's game.![]()
Just like I said.Not me. The Steelers are going to win this one, and by more than 3 points.
 I had some perspiration.I try not to get too up or too down about games but my heart was pounding there at the end...and I would have been throwing stuff if they had lost. Best present all day!
 If I remember correctly from last year, it was Sunday evening.So Pitt is the 3 seed no matter what...when is it decided which game is theirs the 7th or 8th?
Most likely. However, if KC loses at San Diego next week and the Dolphins beat the Pats in Miami, then it's KC at Pittsburgh. That's the only way that it's anyone but Miami. Chiefs can end up with either the 2 seed, 5 seed, or 6 seed depending on how next week plays out.Shocked, happily so, that the offense could recover after two terrible turnovers deep in our own end. Great win, super impressed with Bell and Brown.
The defense needs to get healthy in the next two weeks. Looking like Miami, right?
He's so smart too. Earlier in the drive he ran back a step to get out of bounds rather than going for an extra couple of yards. How many WRs are that aware of their situation?Antonio Brown is unbelievable. What strength, what heart. Guy weighs less than 200 pounds. That was a season saving play.
I would assume a lot of professional WRs are aware that when you are trying to drive for the tie/win in a two-minute drill, you get out of bounds whenever possible. It's not some indication of incredible football IQ.He's so smart too. Earlier in the drive he ran back a step to get out of bounds rather than going for an extra couple of yards. How many WRs are that aware of their situation?
Absolutely. That's why I will keep banging the drum for him as the league's best wide out. He may not have the size/speed combo of a Julio Jones or the sheer one-step explosion of Odell Beckham, but he might be the most complete receiver since Jerry Rice. He can get the ball in space and juke defenders out of their shoes, he can run the 9 route, return punts, almost never fails to make the sideline toe tap catch, rarely drops a ball, makes heady plays like the one you mentioned, punches way above his weight in terms of strength/power, runs every route in the tree well, provides an example with his work ethic, etc. There's nothing the guy cannot do.He's so smart too. Earlier in the drive he ran back a step to get out of bounds rather than going for an extra couple of yards. How many WRs are that aware of their situation?
It was a great play by AB; however I think it was a mistake on Ben's part. With no timeouts, you have to go sidelines/endzone in that situation; you can't throw an inside route short of the endzone. If AB doesn't make that herculean effort to get the ball across the GL, it's very possible the Steelers don't get lined up to clock the ball, thus costing them the shot at the FG, and the game.Although Antonio's drive to the goal line is what everyone will (and should) remember from that last drive, I hope that people will also remember Eli's leap in the air a few plays earlier. That was an incredible grab.
It wasn't even about knowing he needed to get out of bounds, it was the way he did it. He was cut off to the sideline but baited the DB with a cut inside, then turned back outside to get to the sideline. It was a brilliant piece of running.I would assume a lot of professional WRs are aware that when you are trying to drive for the tie/win in a two-minute drill, you get out of bounds whenever possible. It's not some indication of incredible football IQ.
I'm not saying AB isn't smart, but midway through the season, when the Steelers were down with little time left & were basically in need of a "Stanford Band" type play, rather than throwing a lateral or "being aware of the situation" at that time, he just ran up field as far as he could, & stepped out of bounds, with the clock expired. The chances they would have successfully lateraled the ball multiple times without a penalty to score and win the game were virtually nill, but there was no advantage to doing what he did. He did the right thing today, and then made an amazing play to seal the win, but we don't need to go to extremes to sing his praises about how smart a football player he is. He makes mistakes, just like everybody else.
I don't think that's a drum you need to bang. While you can make an argument for Beckham or Jones, at this moment, right now, Brown is the best WR in the NFL.Absolutely. That's why I will keep banging the drum for him as the league's best wide out. He may not have the size/speed combo of a Julio Jones or the sheer one-step explosion of Odell Beckham, but he might be the most complete receiver since Jerry Rice. He can get the ball in space and juke defenders out of their shoes, he can run the 9 route, return punts, almost never fails to make the sideline to e-paper catch, rarely drops a ball, makes heady plays like the one you mentioned, punches way above his weight in terms of strength/power, runs every route in the tree well, provides an example with his work ethic, etc. There's nothing the guy cannot do.
Absolutely correct. Knowing you need to get out of bounds, and being able to do it (especially on that play) are two different things though. He shouldn't have been able to get out of bounds; the DB should have taken an outside angle & forced him back inside; giving up a few yards in exchange for seconds off the clock or a Pitt timeout. However, when AB made that inside move, it didn't look like he'd be able to reverse field & get back out; when the DB made the effort to tackle him, AB left him tackling air. That's his physical talent, though, not indication of how smart he is. Like I posted previously, a would think the vast majority of pro WRs know they should try to get out of bounds in that situation. I'm not sure how many would have been able to do so, however.It wasn't even about knowing he needed to get out of bounds, it was the way he did it. He was cut off to the sideline but baited the DB with a cut inside, then turned back outside to get to the sideline. It was a brilliant piece of running.
I agree totally but if I'm not mistaken I saw a feature on ESPN recently that had him ranked 3rd or 4th. This season, he hasn't had quite the state line some expected, with no real threat on the other side, he's been facing nearly non-stop double teams. I'm hoping next year will see a healthy Coates and the return of Martavis Bryant, which would really open things up for AB.I don't think that's a drum you need to bang. While you can make an argument for Beckham or Jones, at this moment, right now, Brown is the best WR in the NFL.
But I think Evilgrin is not simply saying that Brown is the best WR right now; he's suggesting that Brown might be the best we've seen since Jerry Rice, which means Brown is among the very very few that we could call the best ever to play.I don't think that's a drum you need to bang. While you can make an argument for Beckham or Jones, at this moment, right now, Brown is the best WR in the NFL.
I think it's both. Knowing how to set a DB up to make that play is a big part of it, and having the athletic talent to execute is obviously crucial as well.Absolutely correct. Knowing you need to get out of bounds, and being able to do it (especially on that play) are two different things though. He shouldn't have been able to get out of bounds; the DB should have taken an outside angle & forced him back inside; giving up a few yards in exchange for seconds off the clock or a Pitt timeout. However, when AB made that inside move, it didn't look like he'd be able to reverse field & get back out; when the DB made the effort to tackle him, AB left him tackling air. That's his physical talent, though, not indication of how smart he is. Like I posted previously, a would think the vast majority of pro WRs know they should try to get out of bounds in that situation. I'm not sure how many would have been able to do so, however.
Seriously?I agree totally but if I'm not mistaken I saw a feature on ESPN recently that had him ranked 3rd or 4th. This season, he hasn't had quite the state line some expected, with no real threat on the other side, he's been facing nearly non-stop double teams. I'm hoping next year will see a healthy Coates and the return of Martavis Bryant, which would really open things up for AB.
 Injury and whomever takes the snaps for the Steelers after Ben retires could be mitigating factors. If things break right for him, he could end up in the conversation for #2 all time. His maniacal (and very Rice-like) workout regimen could keep him viable well into his 30s, just like Rice was. He needs to stay healthy and stay in a good situation but if both of those things occur, he's ticketed for Canton easily.But I think Evilgrin is not simply saying that Brown is the best WR right now; he's suggesting that Brown might be the best we've seen since Jerry Rice, which means Brown is among the very very few that we could call the best ever to play.
Yeah, Rice for all his gifts had TWO Hall of Fame QBs throwing to him- how many guys get that lucky?Injury and whomever takes the snaps for the Steelers after Ben retires could be mitigating factors. If things break right for him, he could end up in the conversation for #2 all time. His maniacal (and very Rice-like) workout regimen could keep him viable well into his 30s, just like Rice was. He needs to stay healthy and stay in a good situation but if both of those things occur, he's ticketed for Canton easily.
OK, that's getting into arguments that are almost always flawed. If some earlier WRs had played their careers in today's NFL, with the rules benefiting the passing game/WRs one would assume their stats would be better.But I think Evilgrin is not simply saying that Brown is the best WR right now; he's suggesting that Brown might be the best we've seen since Jerry Rice, which means Brown is among the very very few that we could call the best ever to play.
There's the rub. Steelers don't have any one in the pipeline, and Brown has looked much more mortal when anyone but Ben was behind center. If they can hit on a QB of the future pick in the next year or two, that would be big.Yeah, Rice for all his gifts had TWO Hall of Fame QBs throwing to him- how many guys get that lucky?
Even in his twilight years, he played with Gannon in an offense that chucked the ball around. I have no idea if AB is going to have the desire to play anywhere near as long as Rice did, but he reminds me more of Jerry than any other great receiver in terms of his preparation and his game. He's only 28 so he could theoretically have a lot of years left to keep piling up numbers.Yeah, Rice for all his gifts had TWO Hall of Fame QBs throwing to him- how many guys get that lucky?
Pretty sure the play was going to AB no matter what. It was intended for AB to go deeper but the DB's played it perfectly and cut his path shorter. If the obvious facemask had been called the clock would have stopped but glad it wasn't needed.It was a great play by AB; however I think it was a mistake on Ben's part. With no timeouts, you have to go sidelines/endzone in that situation; you can't throw an inside route short of the endzone. If AB doesn't make that herculean effort to get the ball across the GL, it's very possible the Steelers don't get lined up to clock the ball, thus costing them the shot at the FG, and the game.
The score happened with 9 seconds. If Brown doesn't get in, the Steelers could have spiked the ball if they were quick enough. Glad we didn't have to test their speed skills in liking up. Nine seconds seems tight, even with home cooking from the clock manager.Pretty sure the play was going to AB no matter what. It was intended for AB to go deeper but the DB's played it perfectly and cut his path shorter. If the obvious facemask had been called the clock would have stopped but glad it wasn't needed.