This weekend was absolute hell for the city of Pittsburgh and their beloved sports teams. The University of Pittsburgh had an epic meltdown that I was actually able to witness in person. The Pittsburgh Penguins lost in overtime, but they collected a point and if not for a hot goaltender on Chicago’s side, the Penguins may of pulled out a win all together. Then the predictable as of late happened, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Oakland Raiders.
Pitt losing wasn’t a big surprise. I figured they would of got blown out, with their offense sputtering into the ground, however it was the
Cincinnati Bearcats Big East Champions
other way around with their vaunted defense displaying a nice choke job and giving it up at the end. I’m pretty sure all Pitt fans were excited to be up by two scores going into the 4th quarter against an insanely good offensive team. I also felt, that if the defense kept playing like the Steelers, it was over. They committed stupid personal fouls, couldn’t sustain pressure, and let the Bearcats walk all over them in the end. This wasn’t much the coaches fault this game as it was the players. It was on them to convert their chances into a BCS bid. They couldn’t convert and now they play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against ACC opponent North Carolina.
This brings me to my next issue, regardless of record, they need to go back to the old bowl format of having the major ones and stop playing around with teams that don’t deserve the spotlight. Pitt couldn’t convert, and as much as I hate to say it, they don’t deserve to play anywhere because they “were” in control of their future. Speaking of people/teams that deserve a BCS bid, TCU and Boise State continually get screwed, when they are real monster teams, especially TCU.
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The Pittsburgh Steelers were to “unleash hell” in the month of December. What we saw yesterday however was far from it. The Oakland Raiders put up 400 yards on the Steelers defense and pulled out a come from behind win against the Black and Gold. Bruce Gradkowski, was a journeymen second string Quarterback that unleashed his own brand of hell, scrambling and exposing the Steelers weak secondary all day long.
William Gay is not the answer. He’s not a starting corner and he could very well be not even a starting nickel package player. He continually get’s attacked every week because he gives a ton of cushion and can’t cover worth a damn. Ike Taylor is pretty much in the same boat at this point.
He’s regarded as a cover cornerback, but he’s got the worst hands in the NFL and yesterday an even more poor ability to cover and knock the ball away from receivers catching the ball.
Tom Cable congratulates Luis Murphy after a touchdown.
This all leads me to my next argument. Troy Polamalu would not create wins if he were in the line-up. He merely makes our soft secondary look above average. Kansas City and the Raiders both took it to the secondary and beat them, embarrassingly. I’d be thinking of drafting a top flight corner coming out of college next year if I was the Steelers, they need one desperately.
In other news however, it’s not a surprise that the Steelers lost. However the greatest thing about it, is that even the best of teams have down years. Look at the Cowboys. If someone said to me, the Steelers will win a Super Bowl this year, and have a terrible season after that, I’d be all for it.
Mon, Dec 7, 2009
Sports