Quickly Recapping Steelers Win Over the Lions + BAL Loses on SNF
Screenshot via Steelers Youtube.
WOW. I didn’t see that one coming, folks.
The Pittsburgh Steelers stormed Motor City and secured a victory over a desperate Lions team, 29-24 further bolstering their lead in the AFC North. There were some controversial OPI calls at the end of this one that has some folks in a tizzy, but I feel confident that the team that played best today won the game even if they did everything in their power to lose it towards the end.
I remember a few weeks back when folks were talking about RB Kenneth Gainwell being team MVP, and I was thinking to myself: “He has been better than I expected, but let’s pump the brakes.” Allow me to admit that I was wrong for the 1000th time this season: he most certainly is the team MVP if the season ended right now, and he often looks like the best receiver on the roster. He had 5 catches for 78 yards including one of the most improbable touchdown receptions that I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching in real time. The crazy thing about it is: he wasn’t even the best RB on the field today. Jaylen Warren ran for 143 yards on a whopping 10.2 ypc average and two game-breaking touchdowns. Against a team that features Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, the Steelers outrushed them 230-15. I never would’ve thought that was possible, but such is life in the NFL.
Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin deserve a ton of credit for the suffocating gameplan they had coming into this one. I know the Lions were able to break things open a bit in the fourth, but you’re living in a pipedream if you expected that defensive performance to continue against that group. They were going to start to make plays eventually, but the early work by the defense, and the ability to constantly respond by the offense were our saving grace. I know more than a few yinzers will cringe at this next statement, but with 9 wins, Mike Tomlin secures another winning season, his 19th straight in his 19th season as HC, in pretty impressive fashion against a Lions team vying for Super Bowls. I’m not saying he should be off the hot seat, but a tip of the cap to the man nonetheless.
The key to our success on defense was definitely the way our guys played in the trenches - guys like Keeanu Benton, Cam Heyward, and Alex Highsmith, who combined for 4 TFLs and 2 sacks. They were also able to create a lot of interior pressures by blitzing their DBs, including Kyle Dugger who sacked Jared Goff for a safety early in the third quarter. The Lions wouldn’t touch the ball again until the fourth quarter. That was a massive swing in the game, so shahtaht Kyle Dugger for making yet another big play for us in a winning effort.
Like I mentioned at the start, it was a strange ending to that ballgame, but having read the pool report for this game, the two OPI calls at the end were the correct calls and that’s that. Of course, like all fans, I don’t wanna see phantom flags determining the outcome of a game, but that’s not what happened here. By rule, both were OPIs, and the only people on the planet that disagree are Lions fans. Point blank period.
As I’m writing this, the Patriots just took down the Ravens on Sunday Night Football, 28-24. HAHAHAHAHHA. The Ravens fall to 7-8, which now creates clinching scenarios for our Steelers next week. If the Ravens lose to the Packers on Saturday, then the Steelers are in the playoffs. Also, if the Steelers win either of our next two games, then they’re in. So, the Steelers need the Ravens to lose, or they need to win one of their next two games and their ticket to the postseason will be punched. Browns week just got a lot more interesting.
DK Metcalf might get suspended, though. Damnit man.
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