Steel City Jim

What a game! But I don't know whether to laugh or cry this morning. But more about this later.

There I was, ensconced in my favorite chair with the snow all around and watching the game, which took its usual course of the past six. The Steelers held as much as a 10-point lead, and then saw it slip away. In the fourth quarter the opposing team, in this case, the Packers, were able to go ahead by six points with but 2:03 to go. They kicked off to the Steelers who fumbled the kickoff and had to start the drive on their own 19-yard line.

So, I am not that excited. Where are they going with 2:03 left and on their own 19? Put it into the books as just another fourth-quarter meltdown. But then there was Ben filling the air with passes (the Steelers had long abandoned the running game). He completed a third-and-15 to Miller to keep a drive alive, and another to Holmes for a big chuck of yardage. The Steelers were aided and abetted by some key Packer penalties.

Then, with 13 seconds left and on the Packer 18-yard line, he danced around and finally threw an incompletion, but it took 10 seconds off the clock. Had he completed this pass, which was short of the end zone, the game would have ended because time would have run out. But the incomplete pass gave him one more chance ... and the ball had to be in the end zone. This time he threw a bullet to the left corner of the end zone where Mike Wallace had drawn one-on-one coverage, and wella, Wallace cradled the ball with both feet inbounds while falling out of bounds. Touchdown! Tie score. It was only left for the extra point which was successful. Final score, 37-36. (This is the only 37-36 final score in NFL history.)

I happened to be on the phone with grandson Alex during the final drive. When Wallace secured the ball for the winning TD, Alex keenly observed that it was just like Holmes' TD catch in the Super Bowl albeit on the opposite side of the field. He was right on.

So, what do we know about the Steelers and this game?

1. The Steelers, despite losing five in a row, maintain a winning attitude. Rumors that Tomlin had lost this team were highly exaggerated.

2. The offensive line needs much improvement.

3. The Steeler secondary is a mess. Teams know that they can complete 20-30 yard passes with impunity against the Steelers ... and more often than not, can tack on yardage after the catch as the Steelers fume and fuss and fall all over themselves trying in vain to bring the receiver down.

4. Ben is the real deal, which he proves time and time again. He has guts, almost to the point of putting himself in real physical jeopardy. But that's the way he is and he's not about to change. He also set a Steeler record for passing for 503 yards in this game.

5. The Steelers found a real gem in Mike Wallace. He should gain more and more confidence as his career progresses and will present a real 1-2 threat with Holmes. The Steelers haven't had a tandem like this since the Swann-Stallworth days.

6. Tomlin isn't afraid to take chances. He tried an abortive on-side kick that backfired and led to the go-ahead Packers' TD. But he said he didn't have faith that his guys could stop a Packer long drive (honest and realistic), and if the onside kick failed and the Packers score, Ben would have enough time to bring the Steelers back. Whether or not he had that all worked out in his mind, I don't know. But that's the way it came to pass, figuratively and literally.

OK, why do I want to cry about this game? Well, with the record of 7-7, it's a true longshot to think that the Steelers will make the playoffs. They still have two games left with very formidable teams, Baltimore and Miami.

So, having little chance for the playoffs, and thinking as a plotter and not a coach, I could have easily seen a loss yesterday that would have resulted in a higher draft position in April. The Steelers sorely need to reload in many areas, but particularly in the defensive secondary and offensive line, to say nothing of special teams. Drafting higher can not only give you better quality players in the first round, but in each ensuing round. Hey, the Steelers would not have drafted Ben at 11th overall in 2004 if it hadn't been for a poor season. So, while part of me exalted in yesterday's victory, the other part said that, except for the intangibles, it was worthless, and possibly detrimental to the future.