Week #16
The good guys found their rudder just in time to lock up the AFC North for the first time since 2017. Juju put down TikTok and picked up nearly a buck in receiving yards and big time TD. Steelers came back to beat the ponies in dramatic fashion. Here are a few more takeaways from Sunday’s action through the lens of my forthcoming book, The Meaning of Life: Experience. Multiply. Learn. Share.
1st Quarter
I had a fascinating experience Sunday morning before the game. Scrolling through real estate on YouTube, a clip of a horse running around a pasture with what looked like an oversized medicine ball. And just as the pony was about to make it to the end of the fence, he dropped the ball. Couldn’t help but think of it as a premonition when TJ forced Philly Riv to cough it up. This defense is the truth.
2nd Quarter
I waited nearly a quarter of the season to allow the common denominator to multiply. What exactly is ailing the black and gold? Sometimes it’s a match up thing. Nope – 3 teams with vastly different offensive schemes downed em. Sometimes injuries pile up. Nah – everybody’s banged up in week #16. The Steelers problem is them. All the pieces are there. Only thing left is to put it all (back) together just in time for the run to a 7th chip.
3rd Quarter
I learn something every time I watch Mike Hilton play. We haven’t had a DB this versatile since… I shouldn’t… f@#k it, I’ll say it – since Troy Polamalu. He does everything and Sunday he gave us another great performance. Great ball skills on the pick, constant pressure on both the pass and run game, a heads up fumble recovery and all that swagger. Mike gon' get paid.
4th Quarter
I share this curious and relentless quality about my favorite NFL franchise with a mix of bewilderment and admiration – it’s never easy. I scratch my head at how often this team has to be slapped around for a half before they show up to the stadium. I’ll let the stat guys tell you how often they start slow only to rally late. Still, I salute the “want to” with which they play. Lesser teams tap out, snatch defeat from the jaws of defeat and yes, or make 3 straight losses, 4 straight losses. It’s never easy with this team. They’d have it no other way.
OT
You gotta belieeeeeeve! Apparently that was the theme of the conversation led by Ben and Pouncey at halftime in the locker room. I had the same convo at HarleauxWorld. Belief is powerful and its results need no further exposition.
Be Wright Back. Another hat tip to Matthew Wright filling in at “The Standard Is The Standard” level.
MarshnotMellow. Had to do some recon to learn that his father, Curtis Marsh Sr. was also briefly a Steeler (in 1997). Marsh, the younger flew around with no chill and the Steel city needed every bit of his energy. Good look, Cassius.
Bill Cowher was wearing pants during CBS’ morning show that were as slim the victory Coach T pulled off against the Colts this weekend. Whether the former Steelers legend was able to pull his pants off has not been independently verified – they were preTTy tight. You can rock that look when you’re a legend. Do you, coach.