Steelers lose Super Bowl
It’s 12 hours after the game ended, and I finally feel up to typing an article in response to last night’s game.
Yes, I’m a writer, and I’m supposed to be prompt in recapping Steelers games. But the reality is that I’m a fan too, and I take it hard when the Steelers lose. Especially when they lose the Super Bowl.
But now that I’ve had time to mourn, I’m back at the keyboard.
First of all, I have to congratulate the Green Bay Packers. They won the Super Bowl and are now the NFL Champions. Steelers fans know what that feels like, and we can appreciate how proud the fans in Green Bay feel right now.
Frankly, I’m amazed that the Packers were able to do what they did with all of the injuries that they’ve suffered during the season. They had 13 players on injured reserve, and then they lost Charles Woodson and Donald Driver during the game. If I were a Packers’ fan, I’d be ecstatic about that team’s potential next year when they get all of those injured players back.
As for the Steelers, they have nobody to blame but themselves. Ordinarily, if a team dominates the time of possession clock by a full 8 minutes, that team is usually going to win. Moreover, if a team rushes for 126 yards, while holding their opponent to 50 net rushing yards, you’d probably guess that they won the game.
But the most costly thing in the NFL is turnovers, and the Steelers made 3 of them. I said in my pregame analysis that these two teams were very evenly matched, and that the team that won the turnover battle would probably win the game. The Steelers turned the ball over 3 times, and the Packers scored on each of those turnovers. That was basically the story of the game.
The Steelers made a valiant comeback, and had an opportunity to win the game in the final 2 minutes. But despite all of the big comebacks we’ve seen Ben Roethlisberger orchestrate over the years, he couldn’t work his magic against the packers’ defense. The Steelers failed to drive the ball down the field, and the Packers won the game.
Like the Packers, the Steelers have reason for optimism. Their offensive line was decimated by injuries, yet they successfully ran the ball against the Packer in the Super Bowl, and against the New York Jets in the AFC Championship game. When they get Willie Colon, Max Starks, and Maurkice Pouncey back next year, they should be even better.
The Steelers also have to be optimistic about their young receivers. Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown will be experienced veterans next year, and Limas Sweed will be coming off of injured reserve and will compete for playing time.
Hopefully, the Steelers will get a talented cornerback (or two) in the draft. If they do, the team will be even stronger next year than they are this year.
So congratulations Packers. You won this time. But we’ll see you next year.
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Pretty much sums it up! It is amazing the boys only lost by 6, considering the mistakes. I am hoping for some better corners too…the D will be a step beyond!
1Healthy Oline and Ben… Ok I feel better now!
First of all I am proud of our Steelers for making the Super Bowl. Many counted them out at the beginning of the season. I would like however to see them work more on becoming a more disciplined team. Some of the penalties they have accumulated over the season are ridiculous. Come on guys. The personal fouls need to stop. They do nothing but hurt us. Still love my Steelers though. Have since 1971! Next year is the year of reckoning.
2Very well put if it were not for the turn overs it might have been a different game.I agree with you on our corners they have needed help in that position for awhile Troy can not play the whole field all of the time. Hats off to greenbay they played a very good game and deserved to win
3Yes indeed this was a hard lost to swallow….the only reason I will watch ESPN is to check up on the Lakers…..Steelers and Lakers are two of a kind with comeback wins and turnovers….In the end the way of play from behind will leave you on the edge of your seat with a smile or frown…In another aspect, I’ve been a fan of the Steelers since 1994…not to mention that I am born and raised from Louisiana…..It hurts to be a true fan and understand how good Greenbay fans feel right now with such die hard fans as Steeler Nation has….we’ll be back….Black n Yellow…hearts of lions….
4We as a Steeler Nation have a lot to be proud of,
5we have the best fan base for the greatest team in the NFL
We will be back , with style!
Thanks for a great year
You summed it up great, we do need better cornerbacks because I think our defense let us down. Love to reading your blog daily. Thanks !
6Yeah, the Pack earned it. It doesn’t bother me as much losing to them as it would losing to the Ravens or Pats. The Steelers just shot themselves in the foot.
also, no chance Sweed returns next year. We have 7 WRs better than him.
7Dan,
8I was being kind to Limas Sweed. It’s the off-season, so anything is possible. He won’t start proving that he has no future with the team until training camp. But until then, he’s a potential Pro Bowl player. Hey, I can dream, can’t I?
I have not turned on ESPN since the game ended (actually I left the party immediately after the 4th down incompletion). Instead of doing my ususal and picking apart our effort, I will take your lead (and that of the other contributors) and say “Thanks” to the Steelers. I never thought we would be in the Super Bowl before this season. They gave us quite a ride! Some tremendous efforts by this ‘band of brothers.’ We became accustom to the last minute heroics of the Black-n-Gold. While we all KNEW that despite what had gone on in the first 58 minutes, we were going to march down the field and score–it was not meant to be. It was the Packers’ day.
9Thanks to Steelers Today for a great season (and reminding us of the fun of Haiku) your hard work is appreciated. Have a great off season!
Can’t wait until we start to break down the draft!
I could not watch ESPN or the NFL Network for the last few days. Too sick. Maybe I am a bad fan, but I would much rather they lose in the playoffs then to see them go to a Super Bowl and lose. Oh well, if there were no turnovers, the Steelers have 7 in the case. Can we start talking about the draft now?
10One of the best super bowl games
11Well folks, the combine is in one month! I’m one of those strange folks who loves to watch it.
I say the Steelers needs next year are CB and OG, followed by depth at DL and S. A new back-up TE would be swell, too. This team is still loaded, if we can avoid having the OL fall apart.
12Dan,
Now that the season’s over, we’ll all be turning our attention to the draft. So you’re right on schedule.
As those who have followed this blog for a while know, my favorite time of year is draft season. I LOVE the draft. I spend more time following college players than anybody should be allowed. And I think it comes through in my draft coverage.
Go back and look at what every other Steelers site writes about our draft picks, and then check out my reviews of each draft pick. Everyone else has the same short blurbs that they find on the internet. I always have a detailed synopsis of each player, and my review is always on-line within 30 minutes of when the pick is made.
That’s why I originally started blogging. My friends and I were watching the draft, and I would tell them about all of the college kids. They’d always say that Mel Kiper Jr. is probably the only person on the planet who knows as much about those players as I do. So they encouraged me to share my draft knowledge with others, and that’s basically how Steelers Today was born.
I will be taking a short hiatus to rest from the season, and then I’ll jump in with my pre-draft coverage.
13There’s no question that you have by far the best draft coverage. I look forward to reading it carefully every year.
14I love draft season, too. I can’t wait until Path to the Draft comes on the NFLN. I love discussing prospects.
15Give credit where credit is due. Guess you forgot that the steelers had 25 super bowl experienced players, Packers had 15 injured players. Steelers got beat. Plain and simple. I strongly believe a sexual predator should not be at the super bowl. Guess non of you have sisters, mothers, or females relatives.
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