Posted on 12/18/2004 3:42:18 PM PST by airborne
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -(AP) Eli Manning's best game as a pro wasn't enough to stop Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Roethlisberger threw for a career best 316 yards and threw four straight passes to set up Jerome Bettis' game winning 1 yard run with 4:57 left in the game, leading the Steelers to a 33-30 come from behind win over the New York Giants.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.espn.go.com ...
I think the officiating has gotten so poor, especially where it concerns interference, that the game is being ruined. Argh.
This guy is headed for greatness IMHO. The way he looks over the field, looks off defenders, and then has every pass in the books in his repertoire is beyond belief for a rookie.
Not only that, he's a wide load and should be very durable.
My hat's off to Pittsburg. No rookie has ever done what he's done so far--but he may just be warming up. No rookie ever won the Super Bowl either.
We have a pretty good young quarterback in Houston so the competition between Pittsburg and Houston should get back to its glory days very soon.
The Steelers would clinch a first round bye with just one more win or Colts/Chargers loss. Actually, they may have clinched it with today's win depending on tie-breakers. I'd hate to be the Patriots, though. They could go 15-1 and NOT have home field advantage in the AFC Championship game!
A bitter writer making a case against replay and a Darth Vader message board fanboy? Give it up already! ;-)
Nice game by Roethlisberger, BTW. I was sold on him when the Steelers beat the Pats on Halloween. The running game got all the credit, but he has poise and is a very good QB.
I'm tired of hearing these "experts" saying that the Steelers can't win with a rookie QB. The Steelers are the one team that scare me as a Pats fan.
That's what you call the NFC being crap this year. Heck, if the Pats and Steelers both win out, the Pats would be 15-1 and NOT have home field advantage, courtesy of the whipping the Steelers gave us. And an 8-8 team is certainly getting into the playoffs in the NFC. Ugly.
We're also hoping Tomlinson's groin pull finally heals up and he can shift into fourth gear again. He ripped off a 35-yard run last week so we're hoping he's picking up some speed here. After we take Cleveland today and Indy next week, we have to beat KC at home to hopefully get homefield advantage against the Dolts. Qualcomm Stadium will not be Peyton's Place in January. But I will admit to all Steeler/Patriot fans that it will be awfully tough for the Chargers to go east and win the AFC Championship game. We pulled that off in '94 but only because Barry Foster was not running hard and fell down on the first hit all day long. Next year we have to get home field advantage all the way through the playoffs and then take down the Pats and wipe that sinister grin off of Belechek's face.
You're right, there was no controversy at the time and nearly none afterward. There were only a few who brought it up. Stunning, but the Steelers were robbed.
If you read all of # 69 you will see that Cower had no challenges left, and the replay people upstairs were strangely unwilling to show the play over again too much after the play. It was a stone ripoff.
I don't have one now, but I'll get them from some of my little newsie buddies like Myron, The Planet or Hillgrove. (By the way did you see post #'s 67, and 69? - read Boswell's entire article on the Steeler/Patriot playoff game)
I played some professional baseball back about 35 years ago, and for some reason I follow a ball well. Remember Brown's lateral in the playoff game with the Patriots and Steelers? We had our punt blocked at a crucial time in the game and Brown goes smokin' down the field with the ball. He gets to just short of the 50 and sees he's going to get smacked and he laterals the ball to another Patriot, Harris. Since Brown was moving at such speed, as he lateraled the ball (thinking directly sideways - which is cool) it went about a yard forward OVER the 50 yard line before it was caught by Harris. I've seen this play in slow-mo 100 times (and I've read the lateral rules about 10 times).
You've probably thrown an old apple core or an orange (or a beer can) out of a car as you have been going forward on the road. If you would go back to check where you first let go of that orange, etc. and where it landed, it would show a distinct forward motion depending on the speed of the car. I know you, P, from all your brilliant and funny posts - you understand that.
But yesterday's play was different, the first "lateraler" was stationary.
To be honest, I actually missed the first shovel or lateral when it first happened. It happened so fast. I thought that it was just a quick shovel pass (one pass not two), but of course there were two. El, when interviewed afterward, said it was like playing basketball - the quick touch pass (that Chevy Troutman is so great at doing).
I gotta make a few phone calls now, I didn't tape that game, but either you know someone who did, or I'll get a good copy of it. We got away with one, we were lucky. And, on 'LUCK' here's Don Shula:
"Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck." LOL!
******
I'll let you know later about a replay of the game.
p.s. There was one 'still sober' caller into the post-game show yesterday on the Steeler F.M. station who noticed the double forward passes. All the guys on the radio had no idea what he was talking about, so you are far from alone. But when I saw the one (AND ONLY ONE) replay of the play directly after the TD, I felt the first shovel pass (lateral) was slightly forward. Like you, I can't wait to see it again.
Hey, it's o.k. to hate us, but at least spell the name of the city right (Pittsburgh)!
;-)
p.s. I remember before the Astrodome was built the Pirates used to play The Houston Colt 45's on sultry July and August nights in 1962-63 at old Colt Stadium, and the bugs were as big as golf balls hovering around the batters' heads. Hot with bugs.........ugh!
Yoi, double yoi!
I hear you. I agree with you on Warner, and you're mostly right. But, ..... the Giants were a possible to probable playoff team.
Double Yoi!
Yeh, it's a tough call back there for the refs, and it's nearly impossible to play defense.
Were you a fan when Mel Blount was playing for the Steelers? Change the rules back to the early 70's rules. Muggings Galore and No Skirts........
Great for the old glory days coming back, just as long as you keep the huge inner-tube-like thigh pads off your ruuning backs (ala Earl Campbell).
;-)
Pittsburg(h)
My lowly Redskins creamed the Giants two weeks ago, and while losing to the Steelers, the Skins managed to hold Pittsburgh to 16 points on their homefield. While the Steelers are no doubt having a great season, I would not be suprised to see them lose to either Baltimore or New England in the playoffs. I don't see them beating the Pats twice this year.
I've been a very serious Steeler fan since the early 50's. But, your coach, Belichick, always out coached Cowher in big games........... but:
Cowher now has LeBeau, the brilliant Russ Grimm, and a better offensive co-ordinator. So maybe there is hope for another Super Bowl here in the Burgh, but at this point, I think if the two teams meet (anywhere) in the playoffs the Patriots, with Dillon and the calm and great Brady leading them, have to be favorites.
Btw, what do you mean by " a Darth Vader message board fanboy"? What's that?
And by the way, if you dispute that that Brown lateral was a forward lateral in that playoff game, you're just stone-*ssed uninformed, and apparently do not have the game on film to see it.
On this entire season so far, it's been a great year, I don't expect miracles out of this Steeler team and a young Q.B., but I believe in small miracles..... after all, I saw Mazeroski finish that small miracle over the great N.Y. Yankees in 1960. (The Pirate bullpen plate from that game is in my front yard.)
Let's just hope all players for all the teams are able to remain healthy or get healthy so that games can be played as well as can be throughout the playoffs.
I agree.
By the way, I have two RED socks hanging in my gameroom, dedicated to the fantastic season of the Redsox......... and I'm glad you knocked off the Yankees..... in four games ....... LOL!
ROFL........ must clean up the keyboard.
Those guys are surprisingly correct on things, btw.
LOL!
Belichick IS a brilliant coach. He's been driving me nuts here in Steeler land for years. And since he looks like my over-bearing and all-knowing uncle, it even makes it worse when he has outcoached Cowher over the years.
Belichick really is a very intelligent, wily guy. Playing sports all my life very competitively, it's always been my feeling that it's a little tougher being beaten by a real smart, tactical guy than someone who knocks your teeth down your throat!
God, I love sports.
May the best team win.
I think he said he saw you ~ ask him tomorrow. :)
re: Hot with Bugs in Houston.
I assume you mean our mosquito allies and soothing enervating climate. Why, people pay good money to bask in steam baths. It's 63 degrees heading for seventy as I write this, wishing you well up in the frozen North.
We'll keep our roof open for you Steelers when you come to town--especially in September games. Enjoy!
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