Regardless of what the media or the fans felt about the Steelers coming into this game, the New England Patriots were a yardstick by which the Steelers could measure themselves. The only question was, what color would the Steelers turn when facing the defending Super Bowl champions?
Would the Steelers turn green with envy over New England's two Lombardi trophies in three years? Would Pittsburgh turn yellow with fear of the Patriots' 21-game winning streak? Would the Steelers turn red with embarrassment from losing their third-straight game to the Patriots...on another nationally televised game? Many in the media felt that the Steelers would eventually end up feeling blue from sorrow after the Patriots trounced them.
For such a build up, the game was essentially over after the first quarter of play.
Although the Patriots got on the scoreboard first with a field goal, the Steelers scored 21-unanswered points to take a 21-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The harshest portion of the Steelers domination came during a stretch where they scored three touchdowns in just 3:33. Roethlisberger found Burress on a 47 yard bomb for a touchdown. On the ensuing drive by the Patriots, Joey Porter forced Brady to fumble. Five plays and 27 yards later, Roethlisberger found Burress for another touchdown. The next play from scrimmage was a Deshea Townsend interception return for a touchdown.
Game over. And, I don't even have to mention the over-thrown pass to a wide-open Jay Riemersma that would have added another touchdown.
Alas, just when I was getting comfortable, Tom Brady drove the Patriots 56 yards in 42 seconds for a touchdown right before half-time. For as well as they played in the first half, I would not have wanted to have been a defensive player in the Pittsburgh locker room during half-time.
Considering how the defense came out at the beginning of the second half, I would guess that Cowher's half-time speech hit a nerve. Porter responded with yet another forced fumble.
Four plays and 17 yards later, Bettis ran in his eighth rushing touchdown of the season, surpassing his total from last year.
Tom Brady found his groove and marched his team down the field on an 11-play drive that encompassed 59 yards. But, as the Patriots gained a first-and-goal, an odd event occurred. Cowher threw a red challenge flag onto the field. I say odd, because the reception that Cowher was challenging was only two yards. Furthermore, with the face-mask penalty moving the ball half the distance from the goal, the challenge was a difference between the ball being placed on the six or the seven yard line.
Was I the only one that was questioning why Cowher was wasting his challenge for one measly yard?
But, while the referee was reviewing the play, Cowher huddled up his defense...and the Patriots got cold. Brady's ability to pick apart the Pittsburgh secondary mysteriously vanished during that stoppage of play. In other words, it was not merely a matter of one measly yard...it was a matter of allowing the defense to collect themselves. It paid off. The Patriots were held to a field goal.
On the ensuing drive, the Steelers ran the ball. Then, they ran the ball. And, just to be safe, they ran the ball some more. While that drive only netted a field goal, it chewed up more than eight and a half minutes of game-clock.
Everyone in that stadium knew that the Steelers were going to run the ball, but the Patriots could do nothing to stop it. In fact, Richard Seymour became so frustrated, that he head-butted Jerome Bettis. Bettis made a mature response. He broke off a nine-yard run on the next play.
After another Patriots drive and touchdown, the Steelers went back to running the ball. And, running the ball. And, running the ball.
Did anyone else get a little giddy watching Bettis rip off a 30-yard run to seal the victory? Of course, had Jerome run an extra eight yards for the touchdown, it would have been the proverbial "icing on the cake", but let's not get greedy.
The end of the game was my favorite type of ending: kneeling down inside of the opponent's red zone.
Several years ago, Bam Morris ran for a first down to the Cleveland six-yard line. The Steelers knelt down three times, and the division title was theirs. It was great to know that the Steelers could have added more points, but that they chose not to rub it in.
Similarly, Roethlisberger knelt down three times on the New England eight-yard line.
In all my excitement over this victory, I forgot to notice what color the Steelers had turned. But, I can assuredly say that the New England Patriots were feeling black and gold.
