Was it worth the extra day’s wait to see the Steelers stumble and bumble to a 31-17 defeat vs. Buffalo Monday instead of Sunday? Didn’t think so.
In truth, the lackluster Steelers game was par for the course in the NFL’s self-proclaimed Super Wild Card Weekend.
Just one of the first five games played was competitive and, as I write this, Philadelphia already is down 13 points to Tampa in the final of the six “Super” games.
Where this year’s college football playoffs produced competitive and compelling games across the board, the NFL games have been neither close, nor particularly interesting — with the exception of the one-point Detroit win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Margin of victory in other games was 31 points, 19, 16 and this 14-point Buffalo win.
The Steelers were within hailing distance in the second half Monday largely because Buffalo inexplicably tried a first-half field goal from the next area code, got it blocked and set up the uneven Steelers offense with a short field that turned into a touchdown.
The Bills also got a little full of themselves after racing out to a 21-0 lead, seeming to think the game was over. Based on what I saw, even in this win, I’m not too high on Buffalo moving forward.
Various curious officiating calls added to the stew, but couldn’t get the Steelers over the hump. Remember, this is a Steelers team that lost back-to-back games late in the season to pathetic Arizona and New England teams.
The Steelers got into the playoffs by beating a Baltimore team at season’s end that was resting players and not trying to win.
When it counted Monday, Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was more like Mason Williams of “Classical Gas” fame. But Rudolph had help. Free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick let up on Jason Allen’s 52-yard TD run, apparently thinking others would make the tackle. Later, Fitzpatrick missed a tackle on a pass completion at the 15-yard line and the receiver continued to the end zone.
Simply put, the Steelers this year were a playoff team largely because of a terribly weak schedule and the inflation that has almost half the NFL teams qualifying for postseason play.
Even though the Steelers got there, only the most starry-eyed fan thought the team actually could do well in the postseason.
The Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since Rin Tin Tin was a pup. Their Super Bowl days are a fleeting memory.
But, hey, they made the playoffs and had a winning record, so you should be pleased. You are pleased, right?
Sam Ross Jr's site 