My Hines Ward Blog

The Steelers (9-5) lost their second straight game 29-22 to the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4). Jacksonville is the first team to beat the Steelers at home this season, bludgeoning the Steelers for over 200 rushing yards en route to a thrilling 29-22 victory, which was capped by a 12 yard td run by Fred Taylor with just under 2 minutes to play. The game ended when TE Heath Miller came up a yard short on fourth and 7 on the Steeler's final drive.

Pittsburgh led 7-3 late in the first half. Facing 2nd and 12 from inside their 35, Roethlisberger hit Hines Ward in the chest with a pass that would have given the Steelers a first down, and Ward let the ball bounce off his shoulder pads onto the snowy Heinz Field turf. The Steelers ended up punting, and the jags scored on the ensuing possession to go into half time with a 10-7 lead.

In the second half the Steelers defense, playing without Pro-Bowl defensive end Aaron Smith, was dominated. The Jaguars had a 20 play drive that consumed 9 minutes. Then after a three and out by the Steelers, Jacksonville scored on a 55 yard pass play over Anthony Smith and Ike Taylor. Thanks to two missed PAT's the Jags only lead by 15.

At this point fans started exiting the stadium. I don't feel like ranting about the insanity of leaving an NFL game when your home team is trailing by two scores with 20 minutes to play. The Steelers are supposed to have this "amazing fan base" which follows the team from Seattle to Miami, and when the Steelers were faced with a chance to pull off an amazing comeback, many of these fans apparently left Heinz field to get a start on their trip to Missouri, where the Steelers will play the St. Louis Rams on Thursday in a game they must win.

Anyway, things did look bleak, but when Anthony Smith intercepted a David Gerrard pass the Steelers were back in the game and Roethlisberger hit Ward on a tough seam pattern that atoned somewhat for his earlier dropped pass to make the score 22-14. Then after the defense held the Jags, Roethlisberger lead the Steelers on an amazing game tying drive. Roethlisberger was nearly in the grasp of a Jacksonville defender when he flipped a lateral to Willie Parker who ran for 27 yards. This uncanny playmaking has become vintage Roethlisberger.

The Steelers are always in the game with a QB like Ben. If the Steelers don't lock him up for the rest of his career, I may stop watching the NFL. Roethlisberger is so talented he makes Nate Washington look good. Roethlisberger hit Washington for a 30 yard TD pass to tie the game at 22, and Cedric Wilson fired a pass to Holmes for the game tying two point conversion. After 15 unanswered points, I thought they were going to snatch victory from the Jaws of Fred Taylor, but it was not to be. The defense let Roethlisberger down all game. It can be argued that the offense's inability to sustain drives left the defense on the field for too long, but I put the blame squarely on the defense.

Great teams have the ability to overcome injuries to star players, which Aaron Smith certainly is, and the defense could not overcome the loss of their D-end. On the games decisive drive, the Jaguars converted on third and ten on a draw play to RB Maurice Jones-Drew. It was the second time the Jaguars used a draw to MJD on third and long to gain a new set of downs.

Now there are some new injuries, Klint Kreidwalt, and Clark Haggans could miss the Rams game. The Steelers have two weeks to find a way to compensate for Smith, or it could be a short post-season.

Once again the Steelers offensive line looked terrible. While Willie Parker was able to get free for over 100 yards on just 14 carries, but Roethlisberger was sacked 5 times, and was running for his life most of the game.

The Steelers loss coupled with the Browns-Reprise 8-0 victory over the Bills leaves Pittsburgh and Cleveland tied atop the AFC North with two games to play. The Steelers can miss the playoffs entirely if they lose out, while the Titans win their last two, and the Browns win one of their final two games.

I'd hate to think the Steelers can't win their last two games against the Rams and Ravens, but all of the sudden the defense can't stop the run, or the pass, and has been held without a sack in the last two games. Still, Roethlisberger is the Steeler's wild card, he has the escapability to overcome the o-line's short comings and allow his receivers extra time to get open.

It would be a terrible collapse if the Steelers manage to miss the playoffs this season.

Harrison vs. Porter.

James Harrison (9-5): 8 tackles.

Joey Porter (1-13) 2 tackles, 1 sack.

Joey Porter's Dolphins finally won. Miami beat the Baltimore Ravens in OT, for their first victory of the season, which would make the Ravens the new worst team in the league, if the NFL used the BCS. If the Steelers fail to beat the Ravens in the season finally with the AFC North on the line, or God forbid a playoff spot, it would be an even bigger travesty now that the Ravens have lost to one of the worst teams in history. The future may be bright for the Dolphins, who play the New England "Pretty Hate Machine" this week. Logically speaking, the Ravens only lost by three points to New England, and the Dolphins beat the Ravens by 6, therefore, Miami is three points better than New England. Never mind the early season beating Miami took at the hands of Tom Brady and locker-room cancer Randy Moss, the disgruntled woebegone WR whom NE acquired from Oakland for a 4th round draft pick.

Battle of the 4th Round Draft Picks

The Steelers drafted two time Ray Guy Award winner, All-Universe Danny Sepulveda from Baylor with their fourth round draft pick, he put forth a stellar effort in a losing cause, kicking the ball high and far, and often with great precision. Randy Moss didn't even score a td, who says the "Steeler Way" doesn't work?

Dan Sepulveda: 7 punts, 41 yd avg., 2 inside the 20, long-55yds.

Randy Moss: 5 rec, 79 yards.

Becker Lynn blog at the Pittsburgh Steeler's Ultimate Fansite http://www.SteelerManiacs.com