Earlier today on ESPN former Cowboys running back Emmit Smith said that he didn’t think the Steelers were as good as they themselves think they might be. After watching the 4+ quarters of Sunday’s stunning 19-16 loss to the New York Jets, he might be right. The Steelers played by far their worst game of the season, and one week after people were putting them on the level of the Colts and maybe even the Pats, the black and gold were beaten up by a team that had won just one game heading into Sunday’s action.
The blame for this garbage are plenty for the now 7-3 Steelers. They could not, as usual as of late, protect Ben Roethlisberger much at all, and allowed a season-high seven sacks. They could not get the running game going, and their run defense was beaten for their first 100+ yard game in over two seasons. Thomas Jones had 117 yards on 30 carries. And of course, who could forget the coverge on kicks, as Leon Washington took a punt back 26 yards in OT to set up the game-winning kick by Mike Nugent.
Don’t forget about how bad the defense folded on the Jets final drive in regulation. Holding onto a 16-13 lead, they let Jets QB Kellen Clemens and the Jets to march from their own 14 all the way inside the Steelers five within the final two minutes to kick the game-tying field goal. In OT, the defense did step up a get a 3-and-out, but then went 3-and-out on their own before the punt that allowed the Jets to gain the win.
Clemens finished 14-of-31 for 162 yards and one touchdown with an interception to win for the first time in three NFL starts.
Roethlisberger finished 15-of-25 for 195 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Steelers allowed 297 yards to a bad Jets team, while they put up just 263 yards against the leagues 30th ranked unit. This one cannot be simply pushed aside. They blew a great shot to move to 8-2, and now must face the reality that maybe they are not as good as we once thought.
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BB
November 18, 2007 at 7:38 pm
This team is sooooo overrated! they can’t seem to beat a lowly team like the Jets.. They can’t even wipe the Pat’s asses. They are not even a second level team behind Dallas or The Giants or Colts!!
mark
November 19, 2007 at 1:16 pm
By far that was the worst game in a few years. To get pushed around by the JETS? please. I know that no game is a push-over, but this one was as close to being one as you can have. Now, facing the even lower tiered DOLPHINS has become a task. Lets see if the coach everyone is lauding over in Tomlin can get the team ready after such a humiliating defeat.I have a bad feeling that this loss is a mortal wound. Sure, beating the fish and gettting back in the win column will make everyone feel good, but are the wheels about to come off? If our o-line plays like this… all bets are off.
by the way, is it me or is Rossum just a wasted roster spot? can he please catch and advance a punt for a change instead of letting them get downed 20 yards from where they land! Yes, we may be overrated, but we are certainly capable of beating the JETS and Dolphins…right?
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