A Few Of My Least Favorite Things

While losses like the ones we've suffered recently used to drive me completely crazy and cause me to be of surly disposition - the older (and wiser) I get, I tend to be much more analytical instead of getting my panties in a bunch. There is zero chance that the Steelers will add a 6th ring this February. Zero. There's no use even entertaining those thoughts any longer. I was thinking after the first half against the Pats that we could trade blows with them and eventually punish the QB. I was wrong. You can't punish what you can't get to....and we can't get to the opposing QB to save our lives. So, after losing to the Pats, what could get us back on track better than a smack down of our old division mates, Jacksonville. They're a tough physical team but lead by a guy starting his first full season. To see the weather forecast for Sunday made me smile. How could any team come here and win in the snow? It doesn't happen. Usually when the Steeler's backs are up against the wall, they come out fighting. We never get "out-physical'd" two weeks in a row. Never. Not when we're supposedly in the mix for the Bowl. Right now, we can't do three things very well that are essential to any Super Bowl run. First and foremost, we can't protect our quarterback very well. Sean Mahan has been a huge disappointment so far to me. Jeff Hartings was a Pro Bowl center, even when he didn't make the Pro Bowl. A lot of times this year Ben has to move quickly from pressure right up the middle. It's disappointing to say the least. Marvel Smith is losing his edge as an end and there isn't a real answer on the other side. Faneca is leaving after the year which means it could get worse before it gets better. We can't touch the other quarterback on the other side of the ball. When we try and don't get there, our secondary gets picked apart. Maybe it's time to see what the youngsters can do form the OL position. Third (and not last) we got pushed around on defense again yesterday. Other teams are running on us late in the season when they couldn't early in the season. What's that tell me? We should have been better yesterday with Troy back, but we weren't. He had a few submarine tackles that saved yardage, but from him and especially Anthony Smith, I need to see more tackling...wrapping players up and actually tackling them. Smith was also exposed by the Pats and will now be taken deep the rest of the year and in the playoffs. Now that Jacksonville passed us for the 3rd seed and we're tied with Cleveland record-wise in our own division, it's not going to get any better. It's going to get worse. They smell the roses and we're trying to fight our way out of a funk. Playing a healthy Rams team away and the hated Ravens in Baltimore for a chance to knock us down another peg and end their season on a high note - I could see us losing the last two as easily as winning them. If we come out and reestablish what we do well and crush these next two teams, maybe we can go into the playoffs with some confidence. If we limp in, we might not even win a playoff game, let alone make a run for the Championship.