Steelers Recap - Week 7

The Steelers/Vikings game was on Fox, yesterday… God, I hate that freakin’ robot they use. It takes every negative aspect of the real players then makes it even cockier.

Another assault on the senses: Tony “the Hutt” Siragusa is doing commentary from behind the end zone. I hope the fans gave it to him good, what with him being the former Ratbird who once said in the media that Ratbird fans, when they encounter Steelers fans in their stadium, should follow them into the rest rooms, where there are no cameras, and “take care of business.”

Great, he advocates fan-on-fan violence in the stands. Thanks for the update, Goose. Now go back to committing violence on the Fox pre-game buffet. Go talk to Brett Favre who once asked the you while on the field, “How do you get all that face in a helmet?”

The other game on TV is the Patriots/Buccaneers, from Wembley Stadium in England. I read that Commish Roger Goodell wants more games played in England and possibly a team based there.

I can see playing some games there, rotating the “honor” through all the teams. But having a team based there is a horrible idea. Any team based there would be at a tremendous disadvantage, what with all the traveling. Unless they played 8 straight home games then 8 straight away games, the travel time is going to kill them... or they meet in Iceland or something. Besides, we don’t need the fans here getting any new ideas for stadium violence from all the soccer hooligans there. Leave well enough alone! Blimey!

OK, let’s go to the game notes:

* I knew James Harrison was in for a good day when he ran down Adrian Peterson from behind on the 2nd play from scrimmage. 92 ended up with 2 sacks on the day and was a force all over the field. James Farrior also had a big day, with 15 tackles and a sack.

* Analyst Darrel Johnston said that it was a “confidence booster” for Favre after he’d thrown an incompletion to a receiver that appeared open, because he’d been protected.

Huh? What about the previous pass, where Farrior knocked him into next week? Just like Fox to spew nonsense at one conference over another… I blame Rupert Murdoch.

* Minnesota may need some help at punter. I hear Mitch Berger is available. When a guy like Mitch “35-yard punt” Berger would be an improvement over your current guy, you have problems. The Vikes’ first 2 punts went 30-some yards and then 19. And no, he was not pooching it to the goal line. He didn’t even get it out of his own territory. Yeesh…

* I love how they’re getting William Mike Wallace into the game.
Wallace hits for a first down catch, then seeks freedom around left end for another first down. When you have 3 clutch receivers, plus a tight end that catches everything, your passing attack is truly formidable.

* Adrian Peterson broke a couple of decent runs but was basically bottled up for the day. 69 yards on 18 carries? Coke-a-Cola doesn’t bottle it up any better than that. I also like that even when the Steelers didn’t sack Favre, they were still knocking him down quite a bit. He’s going to feel it in the old Wranglers on Monday…

* Ben bombs one to Wallace for a 40-yard TD.
* That was just a huge defensive stand by the Steelers… First and goal at the 1-foot line; I was amazed, much like the rest of the viewing, reporting and blogging public, why they didn’t run the #1 rusher in the NFL more than once from there.

* Next possession after the goal-line stand, Ryan Clark just mashed Percy Harvin to separate him from the ball. I think it had something to do with his being called “Percy.” Kid’s probably been living with a target on his back all his life.

* Santonio had a brilliant run after catch for about 45 yards, making at least a half dozen Vikings miss him. Too bad there was no payoff. If I were Tomlin, I’d fine Mendenhall every time he tries to leap over people. I noticed that after that fumble on the 4 yard line, Mendenhall did not see the field again.

* Insert your own joke about Skippy’s “Olé” wiff on Harvin’s kickoff return for touchdown. Dude, “Percy” just made you look like a drunken foul dwarf… no wait… pre-existing condition. I did NOT want to see the Vikings come back to life. Not with #4 still breathing.

* Cue the Big Plays. (Yes, I know that one of them happened before the run-back. I’m trying to condense here.) I love the escort that both Woodley and Fox got on their long-ass fumble/interception returns. Nobody really came near them. The boys just plowed the way.

I know Favre still has a gun, but even at his advance age, he still hasn’t learned to pull it back on the short “out” pass. No sense in drilling a 5-yard ball to your running back. Keyaron Fox just took out the trash.

* Any more thoughts of last minute comebacks were put to rest with James Harrison’s shoulder pad to Favre’s kidneys. The End.
Mojo Analysis: The 92 Throwback and Steelers jammie-pants worked pretty well. Will definitely keep them in rotation for home games watched at home.

Next week is “Bye” week and I have something very special planned. You’ll like it, I promise.