The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Week 13 - Bengals

THE GOOD:
The Steelers get another win to improve to 10-2.
The Steelers get another division win to improve to 4-0 in the AFCN.
The Steelers have won 7 in a row and have 3 of the remaining 4 games at home.
Ben Roethlisberger went 24/40 for 290 yards 2 TD 1 iNT
The Steelers had a 4.2 yards per carry rushing average.
The Steelers offensive line only gave up 1 QB sack.
The Steelers defense had 2 QB sacks (Bud Dupree and Vince Williams).
Boswell was 3/3 FG and 2/2 XP
Bell and Brown both went over 100 yards receiving and each had a TD
The Steelers won a game they very well could have lost.

THE BAD:
The Bengals scored 20 points against the Steelers defense.
The Bengals had a 5.9 yards per carry rushing average.
Andy Dalton went 21/36 for 234 yards 2 TD 0 INT
A.J. Green had 77 receiving yards and 2 TDs
The Bengals started the game by scoring the first 17 points.
The Steelers trailed 17-3 at halftime.
Martavis Bryant's 2nd half KO return for TD was called back by penalty on JJ Wilcox
J2S2 taunting penalty

THE UGLY:
Ryan Shazier's injury...per NFL.com "Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a spinal contustion after sustaining a hit during the first quarter of Monday's 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals,..."

 

I'll post a more complete GBU later, but for now:

GOOD

After the roller coaster of emotion levied on us all by last night's game, it was extremely touching for me to see Andy Dalton praying with our guys for the health of Ryan Shazier. The Bengals have nasty players, but Dalton isn't one of them. Seeing that made me really respect Dalton as a man and as an athlete in a way I didn't think possible. I, for one, really appreciated seeing that.

UGLY

This was an extremely difficult game to watch. I don't know what the NFL is going to do about this but this isn't a rivalry game. It's a literal bloodbath. I don't like seeing players get hurt like they did en masse. It was so gruesome a game at one point that I asked my roommate to change to basketball for a little while because I couldn't take it. Of course, I also was extremely concerned for Shazier and found it hard to enjoy the game because of that anyway.

Will the NFL instigate rule changes? I don't know what they'd outlaw. The officials were heavily involved in the game and for good reason. The Bengals set a franchise record for penalty yards in a game! Suspensions? Well, I wouldn't be surprised if JuJu got at least severely fined for his shit. That won't change the nature of the clashes between the Bengals and Steelers though.

 

I’ve never seen a win like that. They won that for Shazier and it could’ve gone the other way. Continued prayers for Shazier. Tomlin gets a ton of credit for way they came out of locker room and played in the second half.

Some news as reported by a fellow Steelers brother/friend at the game last night:

“I was there for work. It was crazy. All the bengal fans saying that the bad calls were what cost them the game.”

My take:
173 Penalty yards by the Bengals, a franchise record. And for the most part, with little exception, they earned every one. There were even some ones that technically could have been called that weren’t on bengals - a long pass interference for example. Meanwhile they called back a Martavis Bryant 100 yard return for TD on what both announcers called something they shouldn’t have called. Apparently that officiating crew has a reputation for calling a lot of penalties...bottom line NO WAY by end of game was it a reason why the Steelers won. At first the game appeared to be going our way to me call wise but evened out big time by end of game. And you guys know if I think refs are screwing our beloved Steelers I go off about it.

More stuff from game:

Bungles losing streak now stands at six. The Steelers improved to 15-2 on the banks of the Ohio since 2003.

10 Personal fouls in the game.

Announced attendance, nearly 10,000 fewer than a sellout for essentially a must-win home game for Bungles, playoff-like game.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Tuesday that Shazier suffered a spinal chord concussion.

My brother just read an article (didn’t say from where) and texted me if the article is true they are hopeful Shazier will fully recover in a few days. Man I hope and pray that is true.....and if he decides to continue to play at some point, I hope he never leads with his head again. At all levels they need to go back to teaching square up with head up and wrap up. I’m tired of worrying about some guy dying on a football field or becoming paralyzed.



Final thoughts: I will not soon forget that game. Wow, what a battle. So many Steelers heroes in this one....AB (despite many drops that end one catch while being illegally hit and BOZ extra point for the tie)....BOZ with game winner and never missing against Cincy. Bryant playing very well (we have found a kick returner for keeps as well as a great receiver again. JuJu making his mark on game (although should have lowered his target area on the block...don’t think anyone in NFL feels sorry for Burfict....glad he was ok though). BELL - oh man do I still love to watch this guy run the ball....so unique and nothing like it. O-line rocky in first half , solid in 2nd. Ben pulling it together for a great game after a big dumb moment early on. He was awesome in 2nd half. Man is he still good and has game despite my emotional reverse psychological appeals about getting a young guy for QB in game thread ....I stand by my disdain for Butler though. Tomlin is such a weird coach, I want to love and be disgusted by him at the same time!!!

Right Team 23
Wrong Team 20


Anyways as is my annual tradition I will not be criticizing our beloved super Steelers at all for at least the next two games after that epic victory and the way they pulled together to do it. Will bite any negativity off my tongue and be nothing but super positive about our super Steelers on next two game threads. They have earned a two game reprieve from my emotional and setimes illogical rants in game threads! Maybe I am emotional too like I say tomlin is???


Lasting impression from game - concern for Shazier first and foremost but huge satisfaction at them winning that game, a game I had thought they would lose




#HereWeGo

 

I saw most of the game, and it was OBVIOUSLY another Jekyll & Hyde episode. That's not gonna cut it v Baltimore and especially against New England. Maybe they were looking ahead (probable) and the injury to Shazier had some lasting effect. <cue Ennio Morricone>
The Good:
Another AFC win // 10-2 and #1
J2S2 giving the ol' f-you to you know who. Seriously, fuck Burfict.
Tomlin. Keeping the team together and orchestrating the comeback win.
The entire team.... in the 2nd Half
Watching the Bengals set a franchise record in penalties/yds (13/173)
New defib in the mail (should arrive Friday)

The Bad:
The entire team... in the 1st half
Shazier's tackling technique that lead to a serious injury... which was quite ugly
7 penalites <see below>
J2S2 for taunting <see above>
Sensabaugh... making Artie Burns look good decent

The Ugly:
Watching football players being carted off the field
---------------------------------------------------
Back to J2S2... it would've been so much cooler to have laid out Burfict and then just walked away with him twitching in his own drool. Why waste your time staring at the dogshit you didn't actually step in? I was reading that Burfict was pissed off over getting blasted by JuJu. To be continued... ?

Shazier: I've seen him lead with his head on more than one occasion in the past... now bitten. I wish he would play smarter, not harder. The intensity is fine.

Prior to the game, I posted something about how the Bengals haven't cracked 20 points v Pittsburgh since 2009. That's a good streak to have, especially against a division rival.

Edit: Forgot to send a special "THANK YOU" to the Bengals (DB#22) Jackson for the elegant and respectful bow as Sir LeVeon's carriage made its way to the palace.

 

They should all smack themselves. William Jackson watching bell run right by him instead of at least trying to push him out of bounds might have lost them the game.

Averaging 5+ ypc and not running on 3rd and 2, I think, with the Steelers missing ILBs definitely lost the game.

Only scoring 3 points in the second half definitely lost the game also

 

The GOOD:

Ryan Shazier will walk again.


The BAD:

JuJu taunting a player he just laid out. I don't care who it was.


The UGLY:

That whole game. It was embarrassing to watch. Both teams should be ashamed of themselves.

 

Big fan of Cam Sutton, did not get to watch the second half, how did he do? He was an outstanding punt returner at Tenn, in addition to his CB role. Looking forward to next Sunday night, always great when both teams have something on the line.

 

Our beloved Tomlin sounds very depressed on his press conference right now (as expected)

 

Cam didn't allow any big plays. The whole defense didn't allow any big plays when Cam was in. So he definitely played better than Sensibaugh.

 

I was bartending during the game, aka watching the game as closely as possible without luckily missing any big plays. Was Sensibaugh benched for Cam?

 

Yes. Sensabaugh was getting picked on and abused by Dalton. Sutton came in and that was it. Shut. It. Down.

 

JuJu and Iloka each suspended one game. Somewhat surprising although I don't know Iloka's history. Does Gronk deserve more than one game?

For JuJu, the flags came out late and I'm not sure he would have even been penalized if not for the blatant taunting. He definitely would have been fined either way though.

 

Seems a bit extreme for a first time offense, but ok. Did anyone else see Burfict, concussed and all, lunge to grab Juju’s leg and twist? I get you just got laid out by a receiver, but that’s your instinct? And I think the stiff penalties are a result of the past few games between these teams. Pretty violent, and ESPN made sure to highlight some Steeler offenses which made it look awfully one sided...

 

Golic and Wingo threw out a stat this morning that these two teams have more personal foul penalties than any other match up. I believe they said in games over the past 2 years they have 32 (would be interesting to see the break down of team and personal committing the penalties) personal foul penalties compared to 18 for the next two teams. (I could be wrong about the time line I was half asleep when listening). I don't know what they can do to lessen it but we know in the past the league has sent letters to both teams before they have played and obviously that has not worked. Are the suspensions of JuJu and Iloka a message being sent that enough is enough? I'm not sure how you reel it back in but something needs to be done.

 

JJSS wouldn't have been a PF if he didn't hit Burfict so high.

 

Okay I went and found it on the podcast its over the past 3 years and includes playoff match-ups
Its 32 major penalties
2nd places is 49ers and Rams with 18

 

Gronk got 1 game for his cheap shot. Hits a player laying on the ground after the play! That only gets 1 game!

Vontez had how many incidents and fines before getting suspended.

Iloka has 3 incidents that I know of where he has hit a another player in the head. Only gets 1 game.

JuJu is a rookie. First incident for JuJu and he gets suspended. The NFL is pathetic in the way they handle this stuff.

 

I agree 100%. I could not believe the good fortune of Bengals not running the ball on third and 2 at end of game.

 

The NFL is never consistent but 2 wrongs don't make a right. Juju made an illegal hit and then stood over him. If he never stood over him maybe it's a warning but by being a douchebag you lose the benefit.

 

See above where the game between the Bengals and Steelers is getting out of hand. Yes burfict had several incidents before he was suspended and most people said that was the wrong way to handle it. If JuJu does it in any other game maybe there is no suspension. If he does it to any other player perhaps there is no suspension (some in the nfl office might believe it was pre meditated by the Steelers to hit the guy who normally gets them).