http://www.steelers.com/videos/videos/C ... 7154ab7ab5

Great video.

1) Gronk's big reception before the TD. Either Mike Mitchell fucked up or Keith Butler is an idiot, plain and simple. Four receiver set...two on one side...two on the other (Gronk in the slot)...Cover 1...and Mitchell cheats to the two receivers that DON'T include Gronk? WTF!!!!!!!!

2) JuJu's long catch- excellent play design...James clears out...Bryant rub opens up JuJu...then Le'veon Bell blocks TWO Patriots to spring JuJu. JuJu's mistake...should have kept going down the sideline. James takes out one of the two guys...the other one that had the angle stutter-steps in anticipation of JuJu cutting to the middle...JuJu should have NOT cut to the middle...the stutter step the defender makes would have allowed JuJu to beat him down the sideline.. So close...we love JuJu for this, but Lev Bell is the one that turns that into the 69-yard gain it was.

3) James' TD. OK- Pats' vaunted discipline breaks down...Ben pump-fakes to DHB and draws not one, not two, but THREE Pats' defenders to DHB, uncovering Jesse. Beautiful throw...Jesse not being nimble of foot turned what should have been a walk in score into the play that it became.

4) Final play. Still not seeing Eli really being impeded, but it wasn't the horrible throw by Ben I thought it was...all it needed to be was just a shade more out in front of Eli and he gets that ball...and if he didn't, it would have been incomplete because there was no one behind him. Sorry though- I can see it being called DPI or not being called DPI...maybe if Eli sells it a little more, it's DPI, but it reminds me a little of the long pass to Sanders against the Jets in 2010 regular season...sometimes the receiver has to sell it a little better to draw the flag. In real time, Eli doesn't look the slightest bit impeded...it just looks like great defense. I know some will disagree with me.

Anyhow...for those that can watch...the offense has really come a long way...some really well-designed plays. Now if they would just unleash the damn thing for the full 60 minutes...this offense can carry us to a Super Bowl. Tomlin and Haley just have to get out of the offense's own way. Let the offense win it, Mike- stop trying to rescue a still suspect defense.

Jesse James...Jesus dude. How do you not walk that in. The guy is so damn awkward. Unreal he blew that.

Mine was a gentle criticism of Jesse...he is a big dude and his route was taking him in the other direction. Hard for a guy like him to stop and switch direction.

But the pass was designed to be a walk in score and not the dive Jesse made it.

One play is missing - the 2nd down pass to DHB on a crossing route. Why throw that? It fucked the clock and didn't gain significant yardage. Just throw it away and spare the clock.

Big Ben has never been one to throw the ball away, that was a play we should have thrown to the end zone, dumb call and dumb decision by Ben. Should have stuck Alien in there and threw a fade.

I was so pissed that JuJu cut that back. Stay on the sideline and take it as far as you can. You either score or get pushed out of bounds stopping the clock.
NEVER turn back inside towards the pursuit unless you absolutely have to. Still a great play though.

I was too, but he gained a bunch by doing it, so can't fault a guy for trying to make a big play (and succeeding).

He stays on the sideline, I think he scores.

Since the guy that had the angle on him stutter-stepped BEFORE JuJu cut back, JuJu beats him down the sideline, I think.

Gronk shouldn’t have been allowed to play. The NFL is a joke and run by a collection of pole smokers

This has been my contention as well, the play that most fucked us on the final sequence was this play, there was nothing to be gained by throwing the ball to DHB here, he was too far from the sidelines and only 1 yard from the line of scrimmage, so he wasn't scoring and it would have been difficult to get out of bounds, Ben had moved to his left and avoided the rush, still had time to survey the field, if nothing came open throw it out of bounds and huddle up for 3rd down. This play by a 15 year Hall of Fame QB is something a rookie would do, this is a spot when Ben should be smarter with the ball, you either throw it to the end zone or throw it away, we were already well inside FG range.

A radio guy here in Philadelphia, Al Morganti, said it best.

“Bill Belichick turns the other sideline stupid”.

The Patriot Mystique affected the Steelers and turned them even dumber than usual.

It’s becoming no surprise to me that an old curmudgeon like Tom Coughlin was one of the few head coaches who never got rattled when matched up against Bill Belichick.

I don't think so....but would like to see the wide view.

Theoretical query

What if Juju does stay on the sidelines and the Patriot Defender finally catches him and hits him just after he crosses the goal Line the ball comes loose although JuJu's hands are underneath the ball. There is no conclusive proof that the ball hit the ground and was out of his control. What does New York and correnti do on that?

I think at minimum he gets as far as he did cutting back in, with the added benefit of going OOB and preserving the timeout.

Speaking of which...Ben pointing out that Corrente granted them the timeout before they really asked for it casts a bad light on the Steelers and clock management again.

They should have known immediately they were calling timeout. Far too much clock would have been burned trying to rush down the field and clock it. Not to mention a down to win the game would have been wasted. They were at the ten...using the last TO was the right thing to do there. Had they not been such idiots with their playcalling, 32 seconds and no timeouts from the ten is plenty of time for three shots to the EZ and then a FG try if needed.

Since JuJu was an established runner at that point, it’s a TD as soon as the football breaks the plane.

It wouldn’t even be an issue.

BUT...and this is where it's the case of Tomlin not learning his lessons, they've done that shit for....years!! Remember, Jeems, you and I both pointed out how they wasted a down by clocking the ball in Baltimore in '08, but still managed to come out with the win. And....how they would have done the same thing in SB XLIII, had not Santonio been hot-dogging it, forcing the Steelers to use their last timeout after his 38 yard gain in the final minute.

Chalk me up for one that believes J2S2 scores if he just runs straight down the sideline. So many blown opportunities to win that game...

I have a feeling after this season is over, I'll turn my attention to college/high school football. I don't think I can handle another season of this type of NFL drama, especially if Goodell is still at the helm. I love football and my Steelers, but this season has been ridiculous and an embarrassment. It's time for the fans to take a stand for the lack of the product they are providing.

by the way I'm sure you heard even Tunch mention the DPI/hold at the end. It was obvious, and if you've played any type of contact sport you understand how small of a tug, grab or hold is actually needed to impede a player, and refs know that as well. Only reason it wasn't called was, 1. Its the pats and you have to follow the script, it was a relative no name WR in Rogers and he doesn't get that call. It really was a BS no call tho, refs decided the game, you make that call and let the 2 teams decide their own fate.

here's another angle.....if PIT ends-up going to NE for the AFCC, how much money does that cost Rooney (and, for that matter, the city of Pittsburgh)?

The NFL didn't just steal a game from PIT, they literally took money out of the pockets of hometown fans.

I agree..looking at it I think he might score. seems outlaw was ready to block one or both... or even cut up later down field if his angle taken..hell..we leave brady more time and he can hit gronk 3 more times..lol

I don't think he would have scored by going down the sideline btw. Once he started to stumble (probably from losing gas) he was done as far as takin it to the house.

He first stumbled because Rowe tripped him up.

He might not have completely run out of gas continuing to go straight down the sideline, but at any rate, I think he at least gets as far as he did by cutting in, AND he goes OOB to boot, waving the timeout.

I agree and if you stop it at 3:54 just as JJSS cuts back you can see that JJ is in front of him and IMO he at least gets to the 15 before being pushed OOB, saving a TO and at best scores, ending the game. I'd also be interested in seeing the coaches film because in college our RBs would always cut back and the during film sessions on Sunday morning the coaches would stop the film and show them all of the pursuit they were running into rather than keeping it outside.

I'd rather see JJSS and JJ against 2 little DBs than JJSS cutting it back into the pursuit and losing a TO.

Even more sick about how close we came.

If James doesn't grab that ball...it is going straight to JuJu...who's already in the end zone with position on his man.

More I look at the play...maybe James was supposed to keep going, and that pass was for JuJu.