Beer We Go Steelers

The Steelers dominated the stat sheet, but several costly mistakes gave away an easy win in Denver. The game was reminiscent of the playoff game in Denver in 2015. The Steelers had control but kept giving it back including the game tying drive.

The offense moved the ball at will creating 25 first downs and over 500 yards. Ben Roethlisberger had a tremendous day, but two critical turnovers cost the Steelers. The first was a communication issue with Antonio Brown that changed momentum and the last was a fluke play to Shelby Harris who was blown off the ball by Maurkice Pouncey and was in the passing lane. Roethlisberger passed for 462 yards and a touchdown. He also had all day to pass behind great protection.

James Conner had another mediocre day and a critical fumble that cost the Steelers points. Statistically the numbers were solid, but the performance wasn’t there. Despite the leaky Broncos run defense the offense had a pass first mentality. Conner finished with 95 yards from scrimmage.

The passing game was on fire. JuJu Smith-Schuster had 13 catches for 189 yards and tied his existing record with a 97-yard touchdown pass on a great play by Roethlisberger. He also surpassed 1000 yards for the first time in his career. Antonio Brown was open every time he was on the same page with Roethlisberger and finished with nine catches. Ryan Switzer has been a great find chipped in with six catches. Roethlisberger hit eight different receivers. Xavier Grimble had a huge catch and run but fumbled on the goal line, that play summed up the day.

The run defense was suspect, and they surrendered the first 100-yard rusher of the season to Phillip Lindsay. Neither the defensive line nor the linebackers had the answer. The secondary limited Case Keenum to under 200 yards, but both sides gave up critical plays and made critical stops. While it wasn’t a great performance, it should have been good enough to win.

The highlight of the day was on special teams. Alejandro Villanueva had his first touchdown catch of the season on a nifty fake field goal play. Chris Boswell made a great throw. Ryan Switzer had an uneven day in the return game. Jordan Berry, who didn’t punt in the first half, seems to have bounced back from early season woes with three solid punts.

The Steelers snapped their undefeated streak on the road. You can feel the upset coming as everything seemed off all game. It is nearly impossible to win with four key turnovers specifically three in the red zone.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Alejandro Villanueva of course. One of our favorite Steelers, he caught his first TD and did a terrific job. Also Considered, Chuks Okorafor who all but shutout Von Miller, JuJu Smith-Schuster for a MONSTER game.

Where I watched the game: Back at the house with the entire family, knee deep in doing Christmas decorations. We had a tremendous spread of meats, cheeses and breads. We had Penne Ala Vodka for dinner which was great. For the first Beer back went with IC Light. It was a great day, sans the result.

My Stat of the week: Giving two stats. Three 90+ yard touchdowns in JuJu Smith-Schuster’s young career. Of course, ONE the first Touchdown of Alejandro Villanueva’s career. Villanueva played Wide Receiver at West Point and is a great Steeler.

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers continue a tough stretch and need a statement game against the Chargers. This could have playoff implications.

This week’s Jersey: Troy Polamalu, #43 Away, Was thinking about Troy this week and rocked the jersey!

Jacksonville, Fla. – It was a tale of two halves as the Steelers stole a victory from the Jacksonville Jaguars continuing their winning streak and all but ending the Jaguars season.

Ben Roethlisberger played 55 minutes of the worst football, including throwing three interceptions and then led two touchdown drives in the last five minutes of the game, capped off by a mad scramble for the game winner. Roethlisberger finished with 314 yards and two touchdowns.

The offense was disjointed for most of the game, but in the end JuJu Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown came through in the clutch. After a slow start, Brown torched Jalen Ramsey for a 78-yard touchdown catch that got the offense back in the game. Smith-Schuster had a heroic circus catch over loud mouth Ramsey that setup the second touchdown getting the Steelers within striking distance. Vance McDonald caught the touchdown!

The defense also woke up in the second half. After struggling to stop the Jaguars punishing running game, which racked up 141 yards in the first half, the front seven made adjustments and the Jaguars didn’t. The Steelers limited the Jaguars to just 38 yards in the second half and forced a three-and-out on the final four possessions.

Vince Williams was made for this type of game and he led the team with 10 tackles and a sack. T.J. Watt had two sacks and forced a fumble on each. Javon Hargrave had his best game of the season and set the point of attack with four tackles and two sacks.

Blake Bortles never completed a pass longer than 14 yards and most of his stuff was underneath. He finished with just 104 yards and was never able to convert on any third downs with his arm.

After an almost third straight embarrassing performance against the Jags the coaching staff did a great job adjusting and delivering a hard-fought victory. Putting the Steelers in a good position in the division.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: JuJu Smith-Schuster who in a common theme made the play of the game in the second half. Also Considered, Vince Williams who had a vintage Steelers linebacker performance.

Where I watched the game: In Jacksonville, at the Nexgen Grille Deck with KGB and our Steelers travel group. It was a rough game to watch and the Jaguars announcers were just crowing. The Steelers faithful dominated the Stadium. We had to leave before the end of the game to catch an early flight and listened to the winning drive on the radio. The Jags announcers were crestfallen.

My Stat of the week: 1-3 which is a personal stat! My record with KGB when traveling with Shadyside!

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers continue a tough stretch heading into the Mile High City! This should be a “bounce” back game.

This week’s Jersey: Joe Green, #75, My Gamer!

Sorry for the delay this week!

The Steelers look to be hitting on all cylinders right now after they completely demolished the Carolina Panthers, putting up 52 points and playing tough defense.

Ben Roethlisberger had his best game of the year with a “bombs away” offense. Connecting with JuJu Smith-Schuster on a 75-Yard Touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. He also hit Antonio Brown on a 53-yarder that put the game all but out of reach in the first half. Roethlisberger, finished with 328 Yards passing, hit nine different receivers, five for touchdowns and had the magic 158.3 quarterback rating.

The offensive line did another terrific job protecting Ben Roethlisberger and opening holes for running lanes. They kept the Panthers on their heels from the first play and never let up. The running game was used to open up the passing game and it worked. Dave DeCastro had one of the statement plays of the night as he came out and almost lit up Eric Reid after his questionable hit on Roethlisberger.

JuJu Smith-Schuster and Antonio Brown had very productive nights combining for 186 yards as did Vance McDonald who chipped in with four catches for 44 yards. Jaylen Samuels had his first receiving touchdown of the year on a nice catch and run and Jesse James had one catch for a touchdown.

The defense, after getting torched on the first drive, played their most complete game of the season. The game plan was edge pressure, trap Cam Newton and take away the long ball, which they did perfectly. They decked Cam Newton seven times and sacked him five times. Steelhead Hewyard led the team with two sacks and was all over Newton. T.J. Watt had a big sack and should have had a safety, when Newton was trying to ground a pass that was picked off by Vince Williams.

The secondary kept Newton in check all day and he never had a completion longer than 15 yards. The coverage was solid all night and the Panthers were not able to stretch the field.

EVEN the Special Teams played well! Little Bos hit a 50+ Fields goal, Roosevelt Nix forced a fumble and there wasn’t a Jordan Berry sighting until the 4^th quarter!

The coaching staff had a great game plan in a short week coming out of a very physical football game. Of course Tomlin said it best, “…we’re probably not that good..” They are never to high and never to low, that’s the sign of a great coach.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Ben Roethlisberger, who put together a monster performance. Also Considered: Cam Heyward and the entire Offensive Line.

Where I watched the game: This is interesting this week. It was a “Jets” day for me as I got to meet up with one of the good guys in football NY Jet great Marty Lyons and in the evening I watched the first quarter with Tony Richardson and Nick Mangold from the Jets. I watched quarter two and three with Johnny “The Hitman” Hernandez and my buddy Brian in the back of an UBER on a tablet which was awesome and listened to the majority of the fourth quarter on the radio finishing up in bed with KGB for the last two minutes. Very cool night! I texted with KGB and my buddy Bill the whole time and for the first time in a long time the texts with Bill were not actually littered with f-bombs!

My Stat of the week: 158.3 x 4! The amount of times Ben Roethlisberger has had a perfect Quarterback Rating and he still remains the only player in the NFL to do it twice in one season (07)!

My Thoughts on next week: After a long week now, the Steelers will get revenge down in Jacksonville.

This week’s Jersey: No jersey this week because it was a short week and I was at a business function. I did rock my BWGSTEELERS 92 T-shirt the night before that KGB made and yesterday wore my Steelers tie and gold pocket silk!

He may be a Jet and he may have broken your heart if you love Penn State but he is all good in my book!

Please consider donating to the Marty Lyons Foundation:

https://martylyonsfoundation.org

The Pittsburgh Steelers went into Baltimore and avenged an early season loss! Powered by another James Conner 100-Yard game and red zone efficiency the Steelers were able to take a firm grip of the division. The Steelers team who were routed by the Ravens in week four look long gone.

James Conner racked up his fourth straight 100-Yard game in a row. After being a non-factor in the first matchup he was a force in the first half and set the tone for the day.  James Conner had 107 yards on 24 carries, his NFL-best fifth 100-Yard game. He adapted his running style and was able to bang or slash where needed. He also made a great catch for a TD.

Ben Roethlisberger had a workman like day. He threw two touchdown passes in the first half and protected the ball. He finished with 270 yards passing and probably one of his most important plays was taking a sack which all but killed the Ravens clock chances of pulling the comeback. Roethlisberger hit seven different receivers including a 51 yarder to Jesse James. He was injured on a scramble which setup the biggest play of the game, a Josh Dobbs 22-yard completion, converting a first down on a 2^nd and 20, from the Steelers end zone. It was Dobbs first career completion and it was a big one!

The defense is beginning to gel and the differences in this game and the first meeting was staggering. The strategy was a bend but not break and the 3^rd quarter touchdown surrendered was the result of referee interference more than bad defense. Joe Flacco was held to 154 yards fewer passing yards and they never found room to run in this meeting. The Ravens were obsessed with gimmick plays with Lamar Jackson and they never materialized. John Brown was never a factor in the game after torching the Steelers last time.

The pass rush didn’t yield many stats and finished with just two sacks, but they were all over Joe Flacco in the pass rush. It was a nice showing by the front seven. A Stephon Tuitt sack all but sealed the victory. Javon Hargrave and Dan McCullers had a nice showing clogging the running lanes and setting the point of attack.

The special teams were another mixed bag of strange. Ben Roethlisberger punted…not sure why, but he did and it didn’t work. Little Bos missed another field goal, which really gave the Ravens some momentum. On a bright note, Ryan Switzer had a solid day and put together a 31-yard return.

Mike Tomlin and crew put the Ravens on their heels all game. They kept the Ravens defense off balance and the offense had no big play potential.

The referees were absolutely horrible. They were again way to involved and made several critical calls and non-calls that could have affected the outcome of the game.

In the end the Steelers out played the Ravens and sit atop the tough North!

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: James Conner again, he did a terrific job and set the offensive tone. Also Considered; Josh Dobbs were putting together one of the biggest pass plays of the season. Jesse James for catching the longest pass of his career and Bud Dupree who was all over the Ravens backfield.

Where I watched the game: Back at the house after a boxing match. Had to ice the shoulder down. No beer again and there won’t be until after my fight. It was me and my girls, KGB and Little Miss Tailgate and we had Sausage and Peppers which inadvertently has become a Ravens-Steelers staple.

My Stat of the week: 10-0-1 is the Steelers record in the last 11 road games. That is a great job by the Steelers coaches and how you win the division.

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers drew the short straw playing a tough Carolina team on a short week after battling the Ravens. The NFL Schedule is usually merciless to the Steelers and this combination might be the toughest.

This week’s Jersey: Antonio Brown, #84 Away Jersey! This is my first away jersey appearance of the season.

The Steelers started off slow but eventually put it into overdrive as they dominated the Browns at Heinz field again winning 33-18. They combined a balanced offense with an aggressive defense.

James Conner was the story of the day, putting together his third 100-yard game of the season with 114 yards coming in the second half and finishing with 212 yards from scrimmage. He caught six passes for 66 yards and pounded the Browns defense with 146 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

To put together a game like that, it starts up front. The offensive line after a shaky first quarter absolutely stuffed the Browns front. Myles Garret had one sack and was never heard from again. Matt Feiler acquitted himself nicely after one bad play and absolutely helped spark the running game. The line has produced three 100-yard games in a row.

The defense went back to a familiar formula…Blitzing. The numbers don’t tell the story because Baker Mayfield was on the run all day and had nowhere to go and nowhere to go and no time to throw. And after starting with 52 yards in the first half Nick Chubb had was an afterthought in the second half. The Secondary produced its best performance of the season limiting Mayfield to just 180 yards with a portion of that coming when the game was well in hand.

The biggest glaring difference in the game however was the coaching. The Steelers clearly out coached Hue Jackson who seemed lost at times. Getting the Steelers back to “Steelers Football” was huge in this game, power running and blitzing defenses.

The special teams continue to absolutely make one weird play after the other, this time losing a free kick after the safety. Little Bos seems to have bounced back as has Jordan Berry, who was instrumental in setting up the safety!

The refs were again way to involved in the game. They made several calls that were just atrocious, including phantom pass interference calls and a missed spot that really hurt Cleveland. The first quarter dragged on for what seemed like forever.

In the end the Steelers beat the Browns and stand atop the division!

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: This has to go to James Conner. He put on a clinic of what a running back should be and he absolutely took the game over. Also Considered, Matt Feiler who did a terrific job filling in for Marcus Gilbert. Joe Haden who played great and had to be happy being on this side of the rivalry.

Where I watched the game: Back at the house, which is my favorite thing. No beer again because I am in training for a boxing match. KGB had wine instead of Beer in solidarity with me, which I appreciated. She also made homemade Guacamole, Quesadilla’s and chicken cutlets for dinner. Watching with the Tailgate kids was a great way to spend a Sunday!

My Stat of the week: 14 0f 20 times the “new” Browns have had a losing season against the Steelers, including 2002 when they lost three games and this season where they lost one game and had one tie. They have had five splits with the last being in 2014 and ZERO winning seasons against the Steelers and last won at Heinz Field in 2003.

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers will march into Baltimore and beat the fading Ravens. “Babe it’s Ravens Week!”

This week’s Jersey: Rod Woodson, #26 Throwback…well not really, I bought it over 20 years ago, so I guess it is a Way Back! It was my first Steelers jersey that I purchased with my own money and I usually wear to the Turkey Bowl!

In a familiar Steelers v. Bengals script, the Steelers survived an “almost” fourth quarter collapse to beat the Bengals on a timely play by Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown.  

Powered by a dominating performance by the offensive line, Ben Roethlisberger put together a heroic second half culminating in the 62 second, 77-Yard drive that produced a 31-yard catch-and-run by Antonio Brown with 10 seconds remaining to win the game. It was another fantastic Ohio performance for Roethlisberger who finished with 369 Yards passing and one touchdown.

With the specter of Le’Veon Bell hanging over his shoulder, James Conner had his most complete performance as a Steeler. Conner produced his third 100-Yard game of the season and had several highlight-reel runs including planting Vontaze Burfict on one. Conner finished with 111 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. He leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns.

The receivers had a great day as Roethlisberger completed passes to eight different receivers including himself. Brown was relatively quiet but stepped up when the team needed it most. Vance McDonald and Jesse James are a dangerous combination, they combined for 12 catches for 94 yards.   

In an emotional day for the defense, they put together a good performance overall, but they still seem to struggle in the middle. The defense put up respectable numbers but overall couldn’t make any big plays.

Can the special teams stink anymore? It is amazing how bad they play on a weekly basis. Coming off one of their best games, it was the same formula as before, mistake after mistake and poor coverage.

The Steelers continue to make several mistakes and continue to be penalized. But it was a big division win in hostile territory and put the team back in contention.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: This is when my football biased comes out…I am going with the Offensive Line, For the second week in a row they helped produce over 100-yards on the ground and ZERO sacks! It starts up front and with great protection it is amazing what these teams can do! Also Considered, Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and James Conner all would have been great choices.

Where I watched the game: All over the house! I had to box in the AM but made it home about 5 minutes after kickoff. So, I watched some in my room, while getting changed, some in the upstairs family room with the Tailgate Kids and the Tailgate Pup and finally downstairs when KGB got home. Since I am in training, no beer, but we had amazing Buffalo Chicken Parmigiana Sliders and pasta with Garlic and Oil. One of our best snacks ever!

My Stat of the week: I already highlighted the performance by the O-line which shutout Carlos Dunlop and Geno Atkins. I am going with ONE! One reception by Ben Roethlisberger. While this is an innocuous stat it marks the second catch of Roethlisberger’s career and first in roughly ten years!

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers needed a big win going into the bye week and they got it. The BYE week should prove timely and may end the Le’Veon Bell drama!

This week’s Jersey: Heath Miller, #83, Steelers “Blackout” jersey. KGB Covets this jersey!

We will review the “first half” next week about this time. Thanks for your patience!

The Steelers rebounded with a huge win over the Atlanta Falcons, putting together a tough defensive performance a dominating offensive performance and even some nice plays on special teams!

It was the best defensive execution of the season combining a tough and diverse pass rush with press coverage. Playing against the Falcons high powered offense, there was no room to run and the Falcons averaged 3.3 yards per carry and only 62 yards on the ground.

The pass rush racked up six sacks and was nearly unstoppable. TJ Watt led the team with three sacks and a forced fumble that lead to the clinching touchdown. Cameron Heyward had 1-1/2 sacks and was in the backfield all day. LJ Fort was all over the field and did a great job filling in for Vince Williams. The star of the defense was Joe Haden who held Julio Jones to only five catches and under 70 yards.

The offensive game plan was to run the football and be physical. James Conner set that tone. He ran hard all day putting together 110 tough yards and chipping in with four catches and 75 yards. The offensive line dominated up front, running at will and keeping Ben Roethlisberger off the ground, the Falcons had no answer.

Antonio Brown was off the snide with his first 100-yard game of the season and he led the team with 101 yards and a big touchdown catch. Ben Roethlisberger played great and managed the game efficiently with the exception of an ill-advised pass at the end of the first half.

The special teams were an asset Sunday.  Rosie Nix blocked a punt and the coverage units did a tremendous job. Jordan Berry had a great day after a rough start to the season and was only called upon three times and averaged 47.7 yards per punt. The only concern was Chris Boswell still seems lost missing his third extra point of the season.

Officiating was horrible, and the refs were way to involved in the game, with several botched phantom calls. Coach Tomlin brought light to that fact in the post-game press conference.

The Steelers finally showed signs of what this team is capable of and need to string to back to back performances together.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Roosevelt Nix an unsung hero on the offense. He led the way for James Connor and he blocked a punt that turned the game. He is the epitome of an old school fullback and a great person to have on the team! Also Considered, TJ Watt for his three sacks, Antonio Brown for his first 100-yard game.

Where I watched the game: At Heinz Field with the family. We got to tailgate with Woody Welch’s “Legacy” group, they were awesome! We also got to stop at the Terrible Bra and Grille with the Janick and Gee! We had an awesome time.

My Stat of the week: 62 yards for Julio Jones who was lighting up the NFL prior to Sunday. Joe Haden is clearly a difference maker on this defense.

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers need to put together back to back performances and prove that the beginning of the season was the fluke not last week.

This week’s Jersey: Joe Greene #75 Home Jersey, my “gamer”, which I wear to every game I go to.

Reflections of Little Miss Tailgate:

The 2018 Pittsburgh trip will definitely go down in history as the craziest trip when is comes to travel. We left our house by 1 pm and we didn’t end up getting to the hotel until around 11pm because we got a flat tire on the highway then the battery died so we had to jump the car.

We stayed at on Smallman Street in downtown Pittsburgh. On Saturday we visited the Heinz History Center where we checked out the new Apollo 11 exhibit and we also walked around the museum and checked out the various exhibits there.

We then went and shopped on the Strip District where us kids were on a hunt for gifts for our mom for her birthday on Monday. I got a new sweatshirt, a lanyard and a T.J. Watt Pop Funko. We also ate lunch at Peppi’s where I had a cheese steak.

We went to church at St. Santislaus off the strip district. After church we hung out for a little while then we decided to go to Primanti’s on Market Square where I had a Pittsburgher which was pretty good and we also had a surprise appearance by Captain Tailgate who sat with us and we all caught up. After dinner we went and looked around at all the booths on Market Square and then we all walked over to the Milkshake Factory where I had Peanut Butter Fudge Milkshake which was pretty good. We went back to the hotel and went to bed in preparation for the big game the next day!

On Sunday, we got up had a good breakfast and took an Uber to Heinz Field. We met up with a few friends grabbed our tickets and then headed over to the Terrible Bra and Grille Tailgate where we saw all our friends and we hung out there until it was time to head over to the field for the game.

This year my mom and I sat in club seats and then my dad and my brothers joined us after the first quarter.  T.J played a very good game along with Juju, Connor, and Antonio Brown had a good game also. I was on the edge of my seat while watching this great game. Once Renegade started playing the crowd went pretty crazy and as united Steeler fans, we swung or Terrible Towels high and proud during those three minutes. A big highlight of the second half was when we took the ball back in the end zone and ended up scoring on that drive.

The game finished strong with a 41-17 win over the Falcons. After the game, we said our goodbyes to our friends and headed toward PNC Park and waited for our Uber. That night we once again went to Primanti’s and I had salami and cheese instead. After Primanti’s we went to the milkshake factory and I had cookies and cream instead. Then we took an Uber back to our hotel and we slept to prepare for tomorrow’s big drive.

For those of you who didn’t know my mom’s birthday was Monday, October 8. So we got up and went to her door with a sign, her shirts, a card, and a blueberry muffin from downstairs and we sang happy birthday and since I take Spanish in school she asked if I could sing her the happy birthday song in Spanish…. I didn’t say no. Then we packed up the car and said our farewells to the great city of Pittsburgh and drove home. Overall, this trip was a great one and I had so much fun. I hope to be able to go back next year.

Until next time Root Beer We Go Steelers!!

Little Miss Tailgate

In a game that was almost a mirror image of the Chiefs’ game, the Steelers were beaten soundly by the Baltimore Ravens, falling behind early, rallying back and then eventually falling. It has been a dismal season and Super Bowl expectations seem very far off right now.

Ben Roethlisberger had a great second quarter but an abysmal second half. He misfired on several passes in the second half, completing just 8 of 18 passes for 50 yards. It looked like he was poised to continue his 300 yard plus streak even having an opportunity to rack up garbage yards, but he completely folded in the fourth quarter. The offense abandoned the running game relying heavily on the pass.

There seems to be a huge disconnect between Antonio Brown and Roethlisberger. Brown only hauled in one catch in the second half. They continue to have histrionics on the sideline after nearly every play and there were several mistakes again in the protection schemes.

The defense is a horrid mess. The game plan was to rush four and stay in coverage. It never worked. Joe Flacco completely picked apart the coverages and the Ravens offense kept the Steelers off balance. It was an extremely well thought out game plan that the Defense couldn’t counter.

Jon Bostic and Terrell Edmunds look completely lost right now in the defense. T.J. Watt was non-existent the entire game.

Once again coaching has to come into question. The Steelers have fallen behind 49-0 in the first quarter of their last three home games. The defense has been on its heels and the offense becomes one dimensional. At what point do you make some changes or try different schemes?

The season is slipping away.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: NO ONE. Seriously the game was that bad.

Where I watched the game: At Buckley’s with my friends and KGB. It was a wings fest and the beer of choice was Miller Lite. It was a great night the game not withstanding.

My Stat of the week: 49 points in the first quarter of last three home games. There is very little room for success with that type of start.   

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers are up against the wall and will be battling a tough Falcons offense.

This week’s Jersey: Franco Harris #32 Salute to Service.

The Steelers held off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their first victory of the season. Riding a hot Ben Roethlisberger and enough defensive plays in a tough Monday Night Football game, the Steelers finally got in the win column.

Ben Roethlisberger bounced back from a tough Week 1 in Cleveland to put together two of his best back to back games in his career. Roethlisberger passed for three touchdowns and 353 yards. It was a masterful performance, he also executed a picture perfect two-minute drill to end the first half. It was excellent clock management and field generalship and he did well to extend plays.

Roethlisberger spread the ball around hitting seven different receivers. JuJu Smith-Schuster led the team with nine catches and 116 yards. AB chipped in with six catches and a touchdown. Vance McDonald had the biggest play of the night with a 75 yard catch and run touchdown, burying Chris Conte with an epic stiff arm that was the highlight of the game.

The running game did a good job playing behind a makeshift line. James Conner posted respectable numbers with 61 yards on only 15 carries. His two fourth quarter runs iced the game for the Steelers ripping off runs of 27 and 17 yards. He also caught five passes for 34 yards. Steven Ridley played well when called upon.

The defense was a mish-mosh of success and failure. There was very little room to run against the Steelers and they held Tampa to one touchdown for 3 1/2 quarters.

Bud Dupree had a nice bounce back game after being essentially erased last week. He had a sack and a pick six that essentially turned the game around. Jon Bostic had his best game as a Steeler so far putting together six tackles and a sack and two passes defended one of which led to a Mike Hilton interception. The Secondary was leaky and gave up some big plays in the second half but also forced three turnovers.

The special teams are once again an area of concern. Chris Boswell continues to struggle and missed another extra point as well as a field goal. After being one of the Steelers best assets, he has missed two extra points and three field goals this season. The coverage teams were completely undisciplined getting two huge penalties.

The team continues to make stupid mistakes and ran up a whopping 13 penalties! The refs where way to involved in the game, but another week of 100+ yards in penalties, speaks to a complete lack of discipline.

In the end, the Steelers did enough to get in the win column and were able to go into Ravens week with some momentum.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Ben Roethlisberger, who had a tremendous game and buried the Bucs in the second half. He gives the Steelers a chance to win every week. Others Considered: Bud Dupree, who had a great bounced back week. JuJu Smith-Schuster and of course Vance McDonald who might have turned the season around with that play.

Where I watched the game: This is a trick question, this week. I started watching the game at the Saratoga National Golf Club, the Beer of choice was an ICE cold Peroni. I was at a business event and had to sneak down. Then I proceeded to a classic dive bar the T and L in Saratoga, where I met up with some local Steelers fans and hid out from clients and coworkers. The Beer of choice was Miller Lite draft. I finished at a corporate event with a Miller Lite Bottle as the Steelers rolled to victory. Then I had to watch the highlights of what I missed yesterday, which was why this is a day late. I was fortunate to have Bill and KGB keep me updated with texts.

My Stat of the week: 37 penalties in three weeks for a mind-numbing 347 yards. That is atrocious and needs to be cleaned up.

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers play their arch rival Baltimore Ravens. KGB loves that every excuse I have this week, will be…but “Babe it’s Ravens’ week!” The Steelers needs some momentum and a win here can put them right back in the AFC North race.

This week’s Jersey: Steelers Ben Roethlisberger #7 Home jersey in honor of him getting last weeks game beer!

It was a horrible day for the defense in the friendly confines of Heinz Field yesterday, as they were torched for 42 points by Chiefs Rookie QB Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes threw for six TDs. The defense had no answers, getting very little pressure and being unable to put together any sort of coverage package.

It was a rough game from the start, as the Steelers quickly fell behind 21 points. They had no plan to stop Travis Kelce and Mahomes did a great job spreading the ball around. In the last five quarters the defense has allowed 56 points!

The special teams was once again a disaster. The Steelers went quickly down by seven in the first quarter because the special teams fell asleep on DeAnthony Thomas’ 53-Yard return on the first punt of the game. Little Bos missed back to back field goals for the first time in his career as a Steelers and he missed an extra point as well. Of course the Steelers ended the game on a roughing the punter penalty by Tyler Matakevitch. Ryan Switzer is the lone bright spot on this unit.

Ben Roethlisberger had a monster day. The offense put up 37 points and Roethlisberger passed for 452 yards, three touchdowns and gutted out another touchdown on the ground, in the waning moments of the fourth quarter. The protection was okay, the running game was non-existent since the Steelers were down so much so early.

JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jesse James both had big games, Antonio Brown contributed nine catches for 67 yards, but had some sort of sideline melt down, which was never fully explained.

While the defense is terrible, the loss belongs on the coaching staff. The Steelers have looked unprepared in the first two games and seems to lack discipline. They also mangled the clock on the last series after getting a key turnover and had no plan to get the ball back.

In the end the Steelers are still in search of their first victory in 2018.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Ben Roethlisberger, who kept the Steelers in the game. He gutted out a tremendous performance. Others Considered: NO ONE.

Where I watched the game: At the house with the Tailgate Kids. The beer of choice was IC Light and Corona Light. We had Pepperoni Bread and Meatball sliders, dinner was Sausage and Kale soup, which was terrific.

My Stat of the week: 79 Points scored in the past two homes games…both losses. Something has to be done to fix the defense and come up with a plan that actually works.

My Thoughts on next week: The Steelers need a big win against a surging Tampa Team on Prime Time Monday Night Football

This week’s Jersey: Steelers Alejandro Villanueva #78 Color Rush Jersey. In honor of last Monday being 9/11 felt it appropriate.