How important is every single play?

[aj_law]

I know we've harped on this a bunch, but as I sit here looking over this weekends matchups and where Pittsburgh sits, it makes me sick to my stomach that one single play can have such a ripple effect.

If...(and goddamnit for saying it because I despise when fans do this...)...if...if...if Burnett catches that INT on that final drive by the Raiders, Pittsburgh is in the catbird seat instead of Baltimore or NY.

One gift wrapped, right-between-the-numbers, Ike Taylor~like dropped INT away from having their destiny in their own hands.

:sadpanda:

[msdmnr2002]

If we make a tackle on 4th and 10 against Cincy the first time...I imagine there's a ton of those, considering how many close games we've had.

At the same time, you can look at some of our wins and say the same thing.  We're probably as close to 5-10 as we are to 10-5.

[aj_law]

If we make a tackle on 4th and 10 against Cincy the first time...I imagine there's a ton of those, considering how many close games we've had.

That's the thing though, I don't like to count those, "if they made a tackle on that drive, or on that KO return, or on that series" what if's.  Those instances are when an opposing team's player outplayed or made a better play than a Steeler player.

In the example I'm quoting, the pass was right there, on a silver platter.  All Burnett had to do was catch the MFing thing.  Squeeze the rock.  Game over.  Steelers win.

*sigh*

[msdmnr2002]

I get ya.  Fair enough.

[jasonic]

well, if Mason doesn't drop that endzone gift......just sayin' it goes both ways. 

every season has so many what ifs, can drive you crazy thinking about ripple effects.  we're where we are and that's that unfortunately.  Let's just rock Miami and hope....

[aj_law]

well, if Mason doesn't drop that endzone gift......just sayin' it goes both ways. 

Again though, that drop wasn't on the last drive or anything.  IIRC, that occurred in the beginning of the 4th.  He makes the catch, Pittsburgh has opportunities to answer.

That wasn't the case with the Burnett drop.  It happened with :41 left on Oakland's final scoring drive.  A catch there equals three kneeldowns and the ballgame.

Eh, I gotta let this one go...

 

[Joetorious]

If Santonio doesn't have the worst case of the drops ever against Chicago (dropped passes for critical first downs and TD).

If Reed doesn't miss a relatively simply FG against Chicago.

If Sweed doesn't confirm he's the biggest draft bust in recent history by dropping a crucial pass in the end zone in Cincinnati.

[Preacherman0]

A million things go for you and a million things go against you in the course of a season. 

Rarely do you get a year like last year, where almost everything breaks your way.  And no doubt, 80% of the time, the ball bounced to the Steelers. 

The difference was that we MADE a lot of our "breaks" last year, and created opportunities to get wins even when we didn't play great football.  We managed to get the ball into Ben's hands at all the right times, and in all the right circumstances.  The defense always managed to come up with the big sack or the big INT or whatever--even in the Super Bowl, when they did not play their best game wire to wire.

This year?  Well...we've watched those breaks slip through our fingers.  Literally.

Or sail wide left.

This is why I can't help but feel the same way as AJ.  We couldn't catch ONE more pass?  Make ONE more field goal? 

Or get a SINGLE PICK from our corners?  Really?

[LambertsFrontTeeth]

C'mon, Preach. You're being overly harsh.

We got two picks by our corners. Against Miami. When it was too late.