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| "Here we go Rogues, here we go" |
Rather than donning his road-white Roethlisberger jersey (as is customary for road games), the Steeler Face decided to sport his "Gotham City Rogues" t-shirt (a rare find from the 2013 Cincinnati Comic Expo). I'm not really sure why I did this, but when your team is 0-4, sometimes you just got to say "f@ck it" and try something different--so I did. For those Steeler fans, who are not Batman fans, the Gotham City Rogues were the football team featured in the most recent Batman film -- The Dark Knight Rises (2012). The film was shot at several locations in Pittsburgh, including Heinz Field with cameo appearances by past and current Steelers (see previous coverage here).
Moreover, I have unofficially retired the only Terrible Towel I ever bought from active service. This Terrible Towel was acquired in 1996 during my first and only visit to Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh where the future Mrs. Steeler Face and I saw the Steelers beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-3. While I've received other Terrible Towels as gifts, this old Towel was the only one I've used for games for the past 17 years -- soaking up a lot of tears, beers and fears through 6 AFC Championship games and 3 Super Bowls. It was waved at Heinz Field in 20110 when the Steelers beat the Cleveland Brownie Elves 28-10 and was in Pittsburgh again at Heinz Field when the Steelers lost to the Chicago Bears 23-40. For some reason it seemed fitting that its first game was at Three Rivers, and its last at Heinz.
At any rate, the new t-shirt and new Terrible Towel weren't the only firsts for the 2013-14 Steelers season as Pittsburgh collected two sacks in a single game, actually forced a turnover (first of the year) -- two in fact -- two whole interceptions, and won its first game, 19-6 over the N.Y. Jets. Granted, the Steelers offensive line still played like crap that day, but hey, you can't change everything in a week.
Steelers beat Ravens 19-16
If the week of firsts against the Jets wasn't surprising enough, the Steelers upset the defending Super Bowl champion (barf) Baltimore Ravens 19-16 in Pittsburgh the following week to improve their record to 2-4.Todd Haley's offense, which has drawn criticism for its lack of inspiration or effectiveness the past two years, apparently made something known as "an adjustment" when it featured rookie halfback LeVeon Bell in the wildcat formation taking direct snaps.
The Steelers took a 7-0 lead in this game, but had to settle for field goals the rest of the way. Shawn (I am a fantasy football god) Suisham was 4-for-4 on the day, and is now 14-14 on the season, connected on a 42-yarder for the game winner as time expired.
Perhaps, most remarkable is that Pittsburgh's offensive line (despite having someone named "Whimper") had vastly improved in its running blocking and pass protection. Roethlisberger actually had time to "drop back" (something most QBs take for granted). It was probably the best pass protection Big Ben has had since . . . 2004 . . . or when he played for Miami U in college. Roethlisberger was very efficient on the day, completing 17 of 23 pass attempts for 160 yards, a TD, and no interceptions.
LeVeon Bell looked solid again, rushing for 93 yards on 19 carried.
And Troy Polamalu is back in trademark form (just look at this attempt to block a Ravens extra point).
As Pat Johnston of the Michigan Bureau of Steeler Nation proclaimed: "2-4 never felt so good."
Looking ahead
The Steelers now travel out west to take on the Oakland Raiders, but before we start chanting, "here we go Steelers, here we go," let's keep the expectations low and the Iron City flowing.Yes, at 2-4 the Steelers are just a half-game back of Baltimore and Cleveland (each 3-4), but the Cincinnati Bungles are 5-2, boasting wins over Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and (Boston Sux) New England.
And speaking of (Boston Sux) New England, the J-e-t-s, Jets, Jets, Jets -- a week removed from a 6-19 loss to the 0-4 Steelers in N.Y. -- stunned (Boston Sux) New England 30-27 in OT.
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