# The 9th Annual Steelers March to the Super Bowl Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 13, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586 "2011-08-13T17:20:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 26
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/501 "2012-01-09T13:42:16Z")
Legursky threw the snap high twice, once taking away a field goal. Pouncey wouldn’t do that, and probably would’ve prevented at least one of those five sacks. Tebow wouldn’t have gone deep against Clark. Hampton, Timmons and Kiesel wouldn’t have let that little punk rush for a first down every other play. Ben wouldn’t have thrown that interception if his ankle wasn’t just reaggravated on the previous play, which was bad enough that he had to take a time-out. I’m not even counted Mendenhall’s injury because Redman stepped up. But seriously, that’s still six players hurt- 27% of the starting team! ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/502 "2012-01-09T13:49:08Z")
Well, Ben does have a nice hat, so he can take solace in that! Next year. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/503 "2012-01-09T14:06:29Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > IBen took many hits that would have been called on anyone else and there was at least one flagrant helmet to helmet hit that went uncalled that would have saved a drive. It wouldn’t be a Steelers March thread without whining about officiating after a loss. Now if only someone could blame injuries … > [@Chessic Sense](#): > > Legursky threw the snap high twice, once taking away a field goal. Pouncey wouldn’t do that, and probably would’ve prevented at least one of those five sacks. > Tebow wouldn’t have gone deep against Clark. > Hampton, Timmons and Kiesel wouldn’t have let that little punk rush for a first down every other play. > Ben wouldn’t have thrown that interception if his ankle wasn’t just reaggravated on the previous play, which was bad enough that he had to take a time-out. > > I’m not even counted Mendenhall’s injury because Redman stepped up. But seriously, that’s still six players hurt- 27% of the starting team! Ahhh, Steeler fans. You’re so predictable. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/504 "2012-01-09T14:08:55Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Legursky threw the snap high twice, once taking away a field goal. Pouncey wouldn’t do that, and probably would’ve prevented at least one of those five sacks. > Tebow wouldn’t have gone deep against Clark. > Hampton, Timmons and Kiesel wouldn’t have let that little punk rush for a first down every other play. > Ben wouldn’t have thrown that interception if his ankle wasn’t just reaggravated on the previous play, which was bad enough that he had to take a time-out. > > I’m not even counted Mendenhall’s injury because Redman stepped up. But seriously, that’s still six players hurt- 27% of the starting team! Maybe the Steelers should hire healthier players. Or better depth. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/505 "2012-01-09T15:22:33Z")
What happened to “The better team won”? That’s what I’d be posting about the Steelers right now, had the Iron Curtain not just been torn down by a team with a choirboy for a quarterback. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/506 "2012-01-09T15:39:29Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > What happened to “The better team won”? The better team lost. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/507 "2012-01-09T15:42:22Z")
No, the guys you so blindingly thought were better got their taints handed to them by a fourth-string QB who can’t throw. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/508 "2012-01-09T15:53:17Z")
May as well wrap this thread up now. For my part, I was (and still am) absolutely stunned. Not just by the way it ended but by the way it went from the 2nd quarter on. There is nothing that I can say about that game other than that the Broncos simply outplayed Pittsburgh and they deserved to win. Congratulations to them, no excuses, and good luck next week against the Patriots. As for the rest, bring it. If I’m going to talk smack I need to be able to take it, so have at it. That said, my misfortune doesn’t prelude me from laughing at yours. Just keep that in mind. The only people you can’t laugh at, really, are Broncos fans. They’ve been playing with house money since Week 6. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/509 "2012-01-09T16:15:43Z")
Very sad day for Steeler Nation. But those grapes were sour anyway. Really. With the injuries, next week in Foxboro would have been a disaster. With one wheel, Ben isn’t his elite self and would not have been for any future game this season. His escapability and improvisation makes him a perennial Top 5 QB in the league, and he is several steps below that on one leg. The swelling in his ankle is expected to last until April or May, according to yesterday’s announcers. Woodley is clearly still hobbled with the hammy. Would Kiesel and/or Hampton be even close to 100% on Saturday night? How about Pouncey? That said, improvements for next year are needed. I think Ben still needs a big, tall Plaxico-type receiver, and the Steelers might want to trade Sanders or even Brown (I know, I know) for one. Taylor was crap yesterday, and the CB position still appears to be the team’s Achilles heal. I have no idea how they had the league’s #1 passing defense this year. With the injuries, the chances of them winning in Foxboro and Baltimore were slim. If you’re going to lose, the wild card round is the least painful. As far as the Steeler haters go: In the words of numerous hip hop artists, “Haters gon hate! That’s what they s’posed to do” ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/510 "2012-01-09T17:27:06Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Legursky threw the snap high twice, once taking away a field goal. Pouncey wouldn’t do that, and probably would’ve prevented at least one of those five sacks. > Tebow wouldn’t have gone deep against Clark. > Hampton, Timmons and Kiesel wouldn’t have let that little punk rush for a first down every other play. > Ben wouldn’t have thrown that interception if his ankle wasn’t just reaggravated on the previous play, which was bad enough that he had to take a time-out. > > I’m not even counted Mendenhall’s injury because Redman stepped up. But seriously, that’s still six players hurt- 27% of the starting team! Denver was missing their best OL, two defensive starters, two fullbacks, and after the first quarter, their leading receiver. And they still beat your ass. Suck it. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/511 "2012-01-09T17:41:32Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > If you’re going to lose, the wild card round is the least painful. I’d say this one is painful no matter how you slice it. The Steelers looked very much the better team over the course of the season, and I was confident they’d have little to no trouble with the Broncos even when a bit banged up. I’d have said the chance of Tebow enjoying his best game of the year was around 1%. I’ll guess that the Patriots are happier to face the Broncos than the Steelers, but are not now assuming it will be an easy game. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/512 "2012-01-09T17:51:06Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > It wouldn’t be a Steelers March thread without whining about officiating after a loss. Now if only someone could blame injuries … Um…that quote was a response to someone who dislikes the Steelers “whining about the officiating” and the previous half of the sentence which you cut says it was no excuse. My point was to say the refs favored the Steelers was untrue. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/513 "2012-01-09T17:53:03Z")
Bookmark this post for future reference: > [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > The better team lost. Typical Steeler fan. > [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > For my part, I was (and still am) absolutely stunned. Not just by the way it ended but by the way it went from the 2nd quarter on. There is nothing that I can say about that game other than that the Broncos simply outplayed Pittsburgh and they deserved to win. Congratulations to them, no excuses, and good luck next week against the Patriots. Atypical Steeler fan. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/514 "2012-01-09T18:40:08Z")
Well, buck up, Steeler fans. After all, Dick LeBeau may retire this year, and the average age of your defense is gonna hit like 32, so… wait, no, that’s not good at all. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/515 "2012-01-09T18:56:57Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > There is nothing that I can say about that game other than that the Broncos simply outplayed Pittsburgh and they deserved to win. Congratulations to them, no excuses, and good luck next week against the Patriots. Good on ya. If the Pats manage to lose to Denver next week I hope I’m enough of a fan to say the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/516 "2012-01-09T19:03:11Z")
Personally, I think they lost because Benjamin wasn’t brave enough, and because the Steelers fans in Denver couldn’t create a festive atmosphere. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/517 "2012-01-09T19:27:35Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Bookmark this post for future reference:Typical Steeler fan. I don’t have a dog in the fight, and yes, that’s definitely sour grapes, but it is possible for the better team to lose. It happened yesterday afternoon. Of course, that doesn’t make a lick of difference to the playoff bracket. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/518 "2012-01-09T19:30:51Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > I don’t have a dog in the fight, and yes, that’s definitely sour grapes, but it is possible for the better team to lose. It happened yesterday afternoon. Depends what you mean. The Steelers won more games this year, and were better than Denver for the whole season. If the two teams played each other 100 times, i reckon the Steelers would probably win at least 70. But the Steelers were NOT the better team yesterday afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/519 "2012-01-09T19:45:03Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Depends what you mean. > > The Steelers won more games this year, and were better than Denver for the whole season. If the two teams played each other 100 times, i reckon the Steelers would probably win at least 70. > > But the Steelers were NOT the better team yesterday afternoon. Agreed. It is possible for the team that plays better to lose by some combination of flukes/officiating, of course, but in general I think people mean “the better team” not “better in that game.” ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586/520 "2012-01-09T20:20:58Z")
Pittsburgh didn’t lose on account of flukes or officiating - that’s what makes it so great - the flukes and officiating went in their favor, and it was the only reason the Broncos didn’t win 31-13 or something. There are other ways a generally worse team can win. Denver’s gameplan on offense completely rocked the Steelers - they ran the option right at Harrison over and over who had no idea how to handle it. When they moved up the safeties to cover for that, they’d beat them deep. LeBeau kept dialing up that playcalling even after they’d been beaten repeatedly, and that’s exactly what you saw on the last play of the game. And that’s just one example. There are other ways… For instance, the magic of Tebow… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-9th-annual-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/592586.md?page=27)