Steelers drop another

Sunday morning I was thinking "this is what Steeler football is all about." A home game in December, the snow flying, a playoff spot waiting in the wings, a single victory was all that was needed to clinch it. The Steelers were looking to complete a perfect home record. They were even playing a Jacksonville team so used to playing in the warm Florida sun, that many of their players stared in wonder at the airport as they witnessed snow for the first time. These were the games Bill Cowher lived for, and in his day the game plan was simple: pound the shit out of the running game, play relentless defense, and control the ball and the clock. But instead, the Jaguars outrushed the Steelers on the ground, out played them on defense, maintained a 15 minute time-of-possession advantage, and just plain out-toughed the Steelers, who have lost two in a row for the first time this season. The Steelers won't have much time to heal up and improve the depressingly mediocre lines(both offensive and defensive) as they have to travel to St. Louis for a Thursday game against the Rams in what is even more of a must win game than Sunday was. With the Browns winning a defensive struggle against the Bills Sunday, they moved into a tie for first in the AFC North with the Steelers. With the Steelers holding the tiebreaker over the Browns, the magic number remains at 2 with just two weeks remaining. Any combination of 2 wins by the Steelers or losses by the Browns will give the AFC North title to rookie coach Mike Tomlin.

The big news of the weekend though was the Miami Dolphins. After being behind by 10 in the third quarter, the Dolphins looked doomed to pick up their 14th loss of the season, but the Ravens bailed them out and after Matt Stover missed a 44-yard field goal in overtime, the Dolphins took over and needed just 3 plays to get their first win of the season on a 64-yard Cleo Lemon to Greg Camarillo touchdown pass. It is somewhat fitting(or ironic or funny, I don't know, but I'm sure it's something) that the 2007 Dolphins picked up their first win of the season on the day that many of the 1972 Dolphins were in attendance to serve as honorary captains and celebrate the 35th anniversary of their perfect season.

Also in perfect season notes, the Jets took advantage of the New England weather to avoid getting blown out by the 14-0 Patriots, but were still handed a 20-10 loss at the hands of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick who moved one game closer to matching the 1972 Dolphins standard of perfection.