I disagree. The Niners are not playing that well. They've given up too long drives to the Steelers, the only reason Pittsburgh is off the board is the INT in the end zone and the poor clock management at the end. If Ben is fully healthy, this is probably 17-3 Steelers right now. He's not, and that's why it's 6-0 Niners.

 

Ben was the critical difference in the game. He didn't play well against and hurt the Steelers chances. Hopefully he'll be able to go on Saturday, though. I like the Steelers with Ben a lot more than with Batch or Dixon.

 

Repeated game delays of twenty minutes or more due to aging transformers didn't help matters, either.
I'm sure that after last night, the Steelers will be just as happy as the Niners to see the new stadium
in Santa Clara opened in 2013.

 

To quote a round-headed kid wearing a black-and-yellow shirt, "Rats!"

Oh well. We're still in the playoffs and next year the Steelers and Heinz Field will hit the big screen in The Dark Knight Rises. Wonder if they should insert a post-production shot of Rothlisberger standing up in the field's rubble, dusting himself off like Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me.

 

No, but honestly, that probably hurt the 49ers more. It disrupted any sense of offensive rhythm they had tried to establish in the second quarter.

 

I disagree, DMC - I'd rather see Dixon or Batch this week against the Rams. I mean, if we can't beat the Rams without Ben, do we really deserve any thing? Plus, last night was the chance to win the division and get that one-seed. I don't trust the Bengals to win in week 17 against the Ratbird and I sure as hell don't trust Cleveland to this week.

 

I agree with a lot of [link=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/columnists/s_772963.html]Dejan Kovacevic's[/link] column from today.

Plus, I definitely don't trust Batch and I'm not real high on Dixon right now, either.

 

Batch is going against the Rams. I think it's a good call.

 

Looking through this thread, I'm shocked, shocked to see this missing:

[image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110903191206/starwars/images/7/76/EliteNovatrooper-SWGTCG.jpg]

Now all he needs is a logo on the side of the helmet and a number on the brow.

 

Well I guess we're all Bengals fan's this week.

 

That's going to take some getting used to.

 

Not the first time this season.

 

No, but it's still an odd sensation.

 

Tell me about it - you're not the one from Ohio with a bunch of friends from the Cincinnati area ...

 

Maxim 29: "The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy. No more, no less." - The Seventy Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries

With that said, I think we can find it in ourselves to offer moral support to Cincy. With the caveat that it's only for this week.

 

I tried, but I couldn't get the logo to look right on the helmet. Someone more skilled at Photoshop will have to do that.

 

Yeah, I spent a few minutes fiddling with GIMP and wasn't happy with how the numbers looked (of course, I was going to put 92 on there). I think between the ARC-style pauldron and the "Steelertrooper" vibe the novatroopers quickly became one of my favorite EU stormtrooper variants; for gits and shiggles if I ever get around to writing out the fanfic arc I have in mind a group of them is going to be featured. For bonus points it might be "Talian Company" after Franco's Italian Army and include as many other little nods as I can cram in.

 

Ben's playing against the Browns. I've got a good feeling about the Bengals taking down the Ravens, too. Apparently, a bunch of Cincy-based Steelers fans picked up tickets to the Bengals game to cheer against the Ravens.

 

Well, if you can't get to Heinz Field, that's better than nothing, right?


Gotta take care of business against the Browns, though, for that scenario to matter.

 

My dad got tickets to the Browns game on Sunday. Of course, I have zero chance of seeing the game, as it's opposite the Broncos game, and we're using our eat out and watch sports money on the Buckeyes Bowl game.

 

That's cool that you're dad will be at the game. I'll be stuck at work.

 

You getting tickets for next weekend's game, Inty?


Hope that Woodley's able to go.

 

I wish I had a couple hundred dollars laying around to blow on them, but I don't, so I won't be going. Man, I wish I could though.

Should be a winnable game, but the injuries scare me. Throw in Ryan Clark's illness and inability to play at altitude, and we're suddenly looking like half the defense we normally are.

 

I had completely forgotten about Clark's illness and inability to play at altitude.


The defensive injuries are scary, but I think that this game is the Steelers to loose.

Offense has to put up enough points so that there's no chance for Tebow 4th Quarter "magic."

 

Gotta tell ya, I'm starting to get worried about the game. Not only is the D not healthy, but I think the one thing the Broncos do best (rush the passer) plays into some worrisome spots for the Steelers (hobbled Ben, poor offensive line). It's not hard to imagine a scenario where Dumerville or Miller have a strip-sack fumble recovery for a touchdown and give the Broncos and early lead.

also, found out today that I'm on duty this weekend, and thus will be at work when the game is happening.