A Steeler Fan’s Letter To Peyton Manning

Dear Peyton,

It’s been almost four years, but it still does not seem right that you’re wearing Orange and Blue. The color of your jersey, however, has not managed to change much about your nature. Fresh off of two touchdown passes in Sunday’s 20-18 AFC Championship victory over the New England Patriots (yes!), your Denver Broncos are headed to Super Bowl L for a meeting with the Carolina Panthers. According to USA Today, you’ve just become the first quarterback to lead two different franchises to two Super Bowls. This is among many other accolades that you have acquired during your marvelous career as an NFL signal caller.

Of course, you already knew all of that.

In that knowledge, rather than pouring over any more statistics that interested parties can simply look up for themselves, my focus in writing you is to shine the light on who you are as more than just a football player.

For me, you have always been an example of class and character as a professional athlete. As a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, I appreciated the level of respect that you showed after the 23-16 victory in the divisional round and I was truly touched to find out why you would not sign a Terrible Towel at Heinz Field back in December, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. This is one of a multitude of instances where you have displayed the kind of kindness and generosity that I wish more professional athletes would show. From calling the Alaska State Troopers to track down and meet a couple of loyal fans, one of whom served in the military, to flying a lifelong Indianapolis Colts fan with Stage 4 breast cancer to Denver as your guest, your legacy off the field is just as commendable as your accomplishments on the gridiron.

It does worry me, however, that, according to ESPN, the NFL is investigating you for possible use of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) provided by Al Jazeera. Whether or not this is true will likely remain a mystery until after the Super Bowl, but it is my sincerest hope that you were accurate when you initially called the charges against you “garbage.” To discover that you did indeed use HGH would definitely cast a shadow over your legacy, but I urge you to be forthcoming and upfront if you do have something to hide. If you are without fault in this matter, you should cooperate and your hands will be found clean. On the other hand, if you did make such a mistake, you have the opportunity to show the world the kind of man you are by admitting to it and accepting whatever consequences  accompany such a revelation.

You may regard the above paragraph as a waste of time written by a 20-year-old kid who doesn’t know what he’s talking about, and you may be right.  However, I have found that valuable knowledge can be gained from anyone, no matter their age, race, gender, or any other category. If I can offer you a perspective that you had not previously considered, it is well worth my time to share with you all that I can. As someone who has dreams of being in the NFL myself, I would also hope that you would be willing to help determine your guilt or innocence to show that you stand for what is right for the game you love and not just what is convenient for yourself.

In short, Peyton, I will be rooting for you, both on Super Bowl Sunday and beyond. If the Golden Super Bowl is indeed “your last rodeo,” I hope you lasso a Vince Lombardi trophy.

Apart from the times you have beaten the Black and Gold, it has been a pleasure to watch you play the game.

Godspeed.

Yours truly,

Cecil Grubbs

Last Reflections

One last look at yesterday’s AFC Divisional playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-7) and the Denver Broncos (13-4). 

Well, that’s a tough one to lose, especially considering the Steelers were underdogs, had the lead for at least two and a half quarters, but were just unable to overcame two critical mistakes. In the end, the 23-16 final score is a true reflection of just how close the game really was until the very end.

First of all, the burden for this loss cannot be placed solely on Fitzgerald Toussaint’s shoulders. Yes, the Broncos took advantage of his fumble to drive for the winning score, but without his touchdown rush earlier in the game, Pittsburgh would not have had the lead to begin with.  If the Steelers defense hadn’t allowed Peyton Manning to find Bennie Fowler for 31 yards on a 3rd-and-12 three plays later, Pittsburgh could have got the ball right back.

It seems like the mistakes and missed opportunities made in the fourth quarter are more scrutinized than those made in the first half. In reality, neither is more significant than the other. Imagine how different the outcome could have been had Martavis Bryant not had his early drop or if Ben Roethlisberger had looked for Heath Miller on the fourth down play instead of going for the end zone to Markus Wheaton. How about if the Steelers had converted even one of their three field goal drives into touchdowns, or if Will Allen had actually sacked Manning on what turned into a big pass play to Emmanuel Sanders?

Bottom Line

A beat up, backup-filled Pittsburgh Steelers team gave the Denver Broncos a fight to the finish. Neither team played its best game. Denver had six dropped passes that could have changed the outcome dramatically. Big Ben provided a gutsy effort with a torn up shoulder, completing 24-of-37 passes for 339 yards against the top rated pass defense in the league. No other quarterback threw for more than 300 yards against Denver all season. Ben did it twice. Eight different receivers caught at least one pass for Pittsburgh in a team effort that helped ease the loss of Antonio Brown. Bryant had a huge game after his early drop with nine catches for 154 yards and led the Steelers in rushing with his 40 yard end around. The defense kept Denver out of the end zone until late in the fourth quarter and held Manning to just 222 yards passing. The Broncos rushed for 109 yards as a team, but 34 of those came on one carry by C.J. Anderson.

Considering all of the obstacles in their path during the season, a great many of them self inflicted, the very fact that Pittsburgh came within eight points of the AFC Championship speaks volumes about what this team has done. Without their starting center, both of their leading rushers, leading receiver, and with a banged up quarterback, the Steelers took the number one seed in the AFC right down to the wire and had opportunities to win the game.

Hats off to the Denver Broncos as they attempt to get past the New England Patriots this coming Sunday. Hopefully, since the Steelers will not get the chance, Denver can stop Tom Brady.

Stats courtesy ESPN

The Ultimate Test

Sunday’s AFC divisional game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-6) and the Denver Broncos (12-4) is shaping up to be an old school showdown. 

Once thought to be the AFC’s most dangerous playoff team, the Steelers are now a beat up squad and, were it not for a self-destruct by the Cincinnati Bengals, could have gone out in the first round for the third straight time in the playoffs. The ever growing injury list, highlighted by Antonio Brown who has been ruled out due to his concussion last Saturday, definitely casts a shadow of doubt over the Black and Gold. With Ben Roethlisberger (shoulder) and DeAngelo Williams (foot) still questionable , the offense will definitely not be the same powerhouse that it was during the regular season.

Even if Ben plays, he will probably not be able to make the deep throws and he’ll be without his favorite target and the NFL’s best receiver. If Landry Jones gets the start, Pittsburgh will definitely rely on the running game mixed with short, high percentage passes. Jones has been getting most of the starting reps this week in practice so he will have as much preparation as possible. Head coach Mike Tomlin has also left the door open for Michael Vick to play, which could be a workable option considering his veteran presence and playoff experience. However, Vick has not played since injuring his hamstring in week six against the Arizona Cardinals and even now, his knowledge of the offense may not be to the level that Jones has.

If the Steelers are going to win this game, they’re going to have to rely on old school football: running the ball and playing dominant defense. What has been lost in all of the absurdity that was the final 1:36 of last week’s Wild Card win was the fact that Pittsburgh excelled in both of those areas. The defense held Cincinnati to just 279 yards of total offense; 188 through the air and 91 on the ground. They forced four turnovers, including the game-changing fumble of Jeremy Hill caused by Ryan Shazier in the final minutes. The only touchdowns the Steelers allowed came after either a big penalty (the 46 yard pass interference call on Will Allen) or a big play on special teams (the 25 yard punt return by Adam Jones). While the defense was suffocating, the offense pounded out 167 yards on the ground, including 65 on 11 carries from Jordan Todman. Fitzgerald Toussaint also carried the load with 58 yards on 17 carries.

The only problem is, Denver could have a very similar gameplan, the Broncos probably have a better running game than the Steelers and, at least statistically, they definitely have a better defense. During the regular season, Denver’s defense finished as the top ranked overall unit in the league, as well as the best against the pass, the highest number of sacks, third best against the run, and fourth best in points allowed. In the regular season, the Steelers started out slow but rebounded with 21 unanswered points in the second half for a 34-27 win over Denver in week 15. However, that was with a healthy Big Ben completing 40-of- 55 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to an equally healthy Antonio Brown, who finished the game with 16 catches. When the Steelers did try to run the ball, Williams was held to just 26 yards on 14 carries, so Pittsburgh will definitely need to improve in that regard.

Another reason to disregard the regular season meeting between these two teams is that Peyton Manning is back in at quarterback for the Broncos. In the past, this would definitely be a major cause for concern, but with all of the injuries and sub-par performances from the veteran, there’s no telling exactly what to expect. In nine regular season games, Manning threw just nine touchdown passes, 17 interceptions, and finished with a paltry passer rating of 67.9. Although he does have a career 3-2 record against the Steelers, he hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2013 AFC Championship against the Patriots and he hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in more than two months. With that being said, he is still one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game and still knows how to preform in the postseason.

Bottom Line

If the Steelers can stop the run, mount a pass rush, and get Peyton off balance, they definitely have a chance to win this game. The offense will have to be incredibly disciplined and not make stupid mistakes to give Denver a short field. This game is going to test the limits, mentally and physically, of both teams. The Broncos will be looking to prove that their defense can continue to play at a high level when it matters most: in January. The Steelers will have to prove they can win without their biggest offensive weapons and they must continue to play defense at a high level.

Pittsburgh has knocked Manning out of the playoffs before. It’s two days, four hours, and two minutes until we find out if the Black and Gold can do it again.

Stats courtesy ESPN, Links to Behind the Steel Curtain and 24/7 Sports