The Steelers won’t be losing to New England in the AFC Championship Game again this year. That’s the good news. The bad news is the Steelers won’t make it to Foxboro. Never did I think Jacksonville would come in to Heinz Field and beat the Steelers again. Never did I think they could score 45 points. Certainly not after watching them against Buffalo last week. Never did I think the Steelers would fall behind by three touchdowns early in the game and still have a chance to tie it in the fourth quarter. This was a colossal meltdown by the Black and Gold. It’s one of the most embarrassing loses in franchise history. Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff deserve all the criticism that will come with this loss. So do the players. It’s going to be a long offseason.
· I don’t get the play calling in the NFL these days. It’s now common to see teams throw for it on third or four down and short. I didn’t like the play call by the Steelers in the first half when they had fourth and less than a yard. They did run, but instead of bringing in fullback Rosie Nix and going up the middle, they tried to run Le’Veon Bell outside on a sweep. He was tackled for a loss. In the fourth quarter they had a fourth and less than a yard. Todd Haley got fancy and called a pass that went incomplete. What happened to playing Pittsburgh Steelers football? Tomlin and Haley will be second guessed for a long time after these calls, and they should be.
· Tomlin should also be second guessed for the onside kick late in the game. The Steelers still had two timeouts plus the two minute warning. They still went for the onside kick and totally messed it up.
· You can’t blame Antonio Brown for this loss. Despite being less than 100%, AB was sensational. Too bad the rest of the Steelers didn’t bring it the way this superstar did.
· I hope Le’Veon Bell is back with the Steelers next year and for many years to come. If, however, he feels compelled to retire should the Steelers put the franchise tag on him again, and that is certainly possible, I wish him well in retirement. Bell is a heck of a player, but isn’t the smartest guy in the room. Why he brought up his future and contract during the playoffs shows you he just doesn’t get it. The Steelers are a much better team with Le’Veon Bell on their team. But if Bell thinks he’s going to win in a showdown with the Steelers he’s sadly mistaken. Just ask Franco Harris.
· The Pens are starting to look like a team that will make it to the playoffs. They’ve now won four in a row after stinking up the joint at home against Carolina. The Pens looked fresh after their week off and went right to work with back to back wins over Detroit and the New York Rangers. The Pens still have issues, and I fully expect Jim Rutherford to make a few moves by the trade deadline. Still, things are trending up for the defending Stanley Cup champions.
· Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang will represent the Pittsburgh Penguins in the upcoming NHL All Star Game. Both are great players, but I don’t think either one is having anything close to an All Star-like season. Both would probably agree. Phil Kessel should have been on the All Star team, but was passed over. Former Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury and James Neal will represent Las Vegas. Good for them.
· Gerrit Cole is a lucky man. He’s gone from the rebuilding Pirates to the defending world champion Houston Astros. I don’t blame the Pirates for trading Cole, as it was clear he would never re-sign with the Bucs when his contract expired after 2019. I do question the return the Pirates received for Cole and I’m not alone. Most national experts called the package underwhelming. Only time will tell if it’s a good deal for the Buccos.
· The Pirates might as well trade Andrew McCutchen and Josh Harrison as soon as possible, because it’s obvious the Pirates are in a rebuilding mode. Knowing this, teams probably will get both players on the cheap and won’t have to give up their top prospects, which is what happened when the Yankees wouldn’t meet the Pirates’ price and the Astros got Cole without giving up their top rated prospects. The Pirates’ front office will have a tough time selling this team in 2018. Going out to PNC Park is fun, but if your team has no chance will people spend their money to see the Pirates? Like I’ve said before, I’m glad I don’t have to try to sell tickets for the Pirates.
· Heck of a win for the IUP men at Edinboro, thanks to Dante Lombardi’s three pointer in the final seconds. The IUP men remain in first place in the PSAC West and are coming on.
· Tom McConnell is a heck of a coach. His IUP women are now 15-0 and are running all over their PSAC opponents. It will be interesting to see how far this team goes this season.
· Pitt’s basketball program is a disaster. The Panthers fell behind 21-1 against Georgia Tech on their way to another ugly loss over the weekend. Earlier in the week they were blown out by Duke. It used to be that Pitt Basketball was a big deal in Pittsburgh. That’s not the case anymore. If this continues it’s hard to imagine Kevin Stallings lasting much longer in Oakland.
· RIP Keith Jackson. He was simply the voice of college football for ABC Sports when I was growing up. You knew it was a big game when Keith Jackson came to town. I worked for the ABC affiliate in Baton Rouge from 1981-1993, and because of it got to meet him several times. I remember interviewing him once in the early 80s in Atlanta. When I asked him what advice he would give young broadcasters he said, “Learn the language.” I never forgot that, nor will I forget how this Georgia native spun the language with such iconic phrases such as “Whoa, Nellie, Big Uglies and Hold the Phone.” Keith Jackson was a star but never acted like one. He will be missed.
