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Thread: The 5 missteps that kept Steelers out of postseason

  1. #1
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    The 5 missteps that kept Steelers out of postseason

    The 5 missteps that kept Steelers out of postseason

    By Alan Robinson
    Published: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013



    The side of a foot grazes the sideline. A routine running play is misread. A late comeback falls six yards short because of a fumble.

    If just one of these plays goes the Steelers' way, they're preparing today for the playoffs. Instead, they're sitting out the postseason for the second January in a row, the first time that's happened in 13 years.

    The Steelers did much right over the second half of a season in which their offense got untracked, they rediscovered their running game and Troy Polamalu began playing again like he was 5 years younger. They went 6-2 and looked, well, like the Steelers are accustomed to looking in November and December.

    But slip-ups and missteps and mistakes — plus losses to opponents they admittedly should have beaten — troubled them for a second successive season.

    Five plays of 2013 that will forever haunt the Steelers, and make them ponder, as defensive end Cam Heyward said, what “should've, could've, would've” happened to their season.

    RED ZONE REDMAN'S FUMBLE. The Steelers cut Jonathan Dwyer, their leading rusher in 2012, during their final roster cutdown to keep Isaac Redman, who they considered to be a superior runner near the goal line. In their season opener, they were given a gift safety on the opening kickoff by Tennessee, and they were in position to take a 9-0 lead before the Titans had the ball. But Redman fumbled on a third-and-1 play from the 6, the Titans recovered, and the tone was set for the day and the Steelers' awful September. And for Redman's season. He was cut after gaining only 12 yards on 10 carries, and the Steelers brought back Dwyer.

    PRYOR DECEPTION. The Steelers turned themselves around from their 0-4 start by winning two straight. But on Oakland's first play from scrimmage, Terrelle Pryor — the former Jeannette High School star — faked a handoff to Darren McFadden, and the Steelers' defense, led by safety Ryan Clark, swarmed to the running back. But Pryor kept the ball and raced 93 yards untouched for the longest run by a quarterback in NFL history. The stunned Steelers went on to fall behind 21-3 before being upset in Oakland for a second straight season, 21-18, as Shaun Suisham missed two field goal attempts, the only two he didn't convert all season. Later, the Steelers said Pryor had never kept the ball before on that play, but had always handed off.

    STEPPING ACROSS THE LINE. Coach Mike Tomlin had his back to the play as he errantly put a foot on the field just as Baltimore's Jacoby Jones raced by on a 73-yard kickoff return on Thanksgiving night. Tomlin wasn't flagged, and the Ravens won, 22-20, but Tomlin was fined $100,000 and the Steelers are expected to lose a low-round draft pick for his accidental interference.

    STEPPING ON THE LINE. The Steelers, down 34-28, were at their 26 with only three seconds remaining Dec. 8 against Miami. They needed a miracle, and almost got it. A succession of five laterals following Ben Roethlisberger's 7-yard pass to Emmanuel Sanders left Antonio Brown running downfield, the end zone clearly in sight. But he accidentally grazed the out of bounds line with his left foot at the 12, leaving the Steelers 36 feet away from the second greatest game-ending play in their history. The NFL later said the play would have stood if Brown hadn't touched the line.

    OH SO CLOSE. The Steelers, once down 34-17, were attempting to pull off the biggest fourth-quarter rally in their history when they drove to the Vikings' 6 with 19 seconds remaining in London on Sept. 29. But, with time for at least two plays and possibly three, Roethlisberger fumbled, the Vikings recovered and the Steelers lost 34-27 to fall to 0-4 for the first time in 45 years. It would take them an entire season to get back to .500.

    [URL]http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/...#axzz2ozsbH6FH[/URL]
    Steel Maniac's Time-Based Prediction: Lamar Jackson will be a bust and total flop in the NFL.

    What Actually Happened: Lamar Jackson became the youngest two-time NFL MVP winner ever.

    Gloat gloat gloat


    Boom........

    Hahahahahahaha

  2. #2
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    I would say the BIG PLAY in a MUST WIN that took the air out of the season was the 3rd down conversion from Cutler to Marshall after Taylor shut him down all game....Marshall took the underthrown ball and made the catch. It took all the momentum out of the game with the Steelers on the path to a comeback. The Bears ended up scoring on that drive. CUTLER's 3rd down RUN in that game was just as DEFLATING.
    Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...
    Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...
    Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go...!!!

  3. #3
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    Do you guys feel this season was an over the hump adjustment for the Steelers in getting things together and for the players getting that hunger of making the playoffs and even thinking Super Bowl ? Hopefully Tomlin will not have next seasons start as dismal as the past seasons with losing the fourth opener. I truly believe you need the very first game of the season to make the season a positive mindset and set the karma. Go Steelers !!!!!!!!!

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    There are a lot of reasons the Steelers are sitting home. Tomlin's line incident isn't one of them.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugar View Post
    There are a lot of reasons the Steelers are sitting home. Tomlin's line incident isn't one of them.
    It's not even close.

  6. #6
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    That is such a bogus fine and punishment on the Steelers and Tomlin it makes me lose more respect of the NFL and I didn't think I could lose anymore than I currently had. Tomlin stepping on the field is not the reason why we didn't make the playoffs. Tomlin once again not having his team prepared at the start of the season is the reason we are not watching our Steelers during the playoffs. I wonder if we will have the fourth straight opening loss this season ?

  7. #7
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    I think that Redman's fumble on the 6 was the first indicator that this team wasn't really ready in week one. You have to be ready when the first whistle blows.
    ​2019 MNFE CHAMPION

  8. #8
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    I, for one, don't expect a very good start to 2014 season. Biggest reason; the Steelers defense will likely look a lot different than it does today. Since defense usually dictate wins made early in the season (takes time for the offense to gel), I can see another slow start out of the gate.
    Having said that, the reality is the defense played well enough in 2 of the 4 games starting 2013 that they should have won. The other two...not so much.
    Last edited by NorthCoast; 01-01-2014 at 03:04 PM.

  9. #9
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    Explain to me how Redman fumbling on the goal line is a result of the team not being ready??? It wasn't Haley or Tomlin out there on the field.

  10. #10
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    With Dwyer being released, then Redman and having Dwyer return shows me this coaching staff doesn't know or how to evaluate talent. I am glad they maintained Dwyer over Redman. Is Redman even with an NFL team these days ?

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