The football gods rewarded us with a wonderful conclusion to a weekend of playoffs in the National Football League. With highly anticipated duel between Pittsburgh and Kansas City, the game lived up to the billing—and then some.
Four Things We Learned About the Steelers This Weekend
- The red zone was trouble. The Steelers won, and that really is all that matters, but to leave it in a position the the Chiefs could have extended the game came down to missed chances. There were many opportunities to come away with a touchdown and those chances were blown. If the Steelers plan on taking out Brady & co., they better tighten that up.
- When the Steelers defense is running top flight, they can keep the team in games even when scoring is sub-par. The name ‘The Steel Curtain’ wasn’t thrown out as a token back in the seventies, and not every class of Steelers have lived up to the name. However, with a great combination of veterans and new talent they are getting enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks as well as great coverage against the run and downfield.
- Ben Roethlisberger has many tricks and weapons he can use—even the announcers have a hard time finding any fault with him. He is ‘Steeler tough’, as they say in Pittsburgh, and stays in the pocket longer than most would dare. He also isn’t afraid to scramble to extend the play or, much to the nerves of the SteelerNation, will put his own body on the line and take the ball himself for the yardage. What does this mean for defensive coordinators? Basically they can’t come in with just one plan to contain him. Also with the number of receivers and runners he has to choose from, the defense has to be spread thin.
- James Harrison is ageless. One of the oldest defenders ever, he runs around the field with a radar lock on the ball or the quarterback in a way that the younger players aspire to. With this kind of leader on the team, there is no doubt that the next generation of defenders is learning the things that simply can’t be coached. He definitely showed up with the game on the line.
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