WHY STEELERS (NOT RAVENS) WIN THE AFC NORTH

The final four weeks of the 2012 NFL season are upon us, and the division of greatest interest to the Pittsburgh Armchair Quarterback is the AFC North.  Conventional wisdom and the talking heads tell us that the division title will most likely be won by the Baltimore Ravens, with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals scratching and clawing for a wildcard birth.  The hell with that.

For the Black and Gold, getting into the playoffs will be decided in the game against the Bengals on the the 40th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception, in Pittsburgh, on December 23rd.  Karma aside, If the Steelers win that game and two of the three others, the Steelers are in.  That's going to be a war, one that we might wish Franco's Italian Army was here to wage, but a winnable war nonetheless.  If we lose that battle, the road to the playoffs is going to be much tougher and requiring a little help from our 'friends'.   In other words, I don't think we would be controlling our destiny at that point.

Wait.  Give yourself a cold hard slap to the face.  That's loser talk, and we're not willing to concede the division.  What about winning the thing outright?  That my friends is a distinct possibility.  The Ravens' remaining schedule is a beast, to say the least.  They've got the Redskins, Broncos, Giants and Bengals.  Given the strength of that schedule, It is certainly conceivable that they could lose three of those four.  In contrast, if the Steelers win their remaining games, they clinch the division.  Pure and simple.

The Ravens losing Terrell Suggs for a couple of games could be real tough for Baltimore to overcome.  This is especially true since they are facing a red hot RG III next Sunday in Landover, MD and the Manning brothers in back-to-back games, all before wrapping things up against Cincinnati in the season finale.

The Steelers just need to get healthy and stay focused (especially Mike Wallace). 

They do that, and they will win the AFC North.

BOW TO THE TOWEL SHIRTS
by JackFact

MIKE WALLACE THE DIFFERENCE IN LOSS TO RAVENS

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Baltimore Ravens 13-10 on Sunday night.

Ordinarily this Pittsburgh Armchair Quarterback recognizes that football is a team game, and that a single play,  player, or bad officiating shouldn't be pointed out as the reason for a loss.  Still, I'm going to make an exception for the Pittsburgh Steelers' $10,000,000 million dollar receiver; Mike Wallace.  

For get about the special teams gaffe, blame can be squarely put on Wallace.  For the last several weeks (seemingly every week this year) he seems to drop at least one very catchable ball. Goes with the territory, I guess.  Last night in a critically important divisional game, his lackluster performance was evident again.  These misdeeds are overlooked by otherwise solid play, but last night the Steelers needed the oft cited 110% from every man, woman and child.  The men came to play.  Mike Wallace?  Not so much.

No, they didn't get that kind of effort out of number 17.

He carelessly fumbled a would be first down in Pittsburgh territory, ultimately giving the Ravens 3 points and killing what momentum the Steelers had going at that point.  (If the defense hadn't been playing lights out, this could and most likely would have easily resulted in a touchdown).

Later, in a game where field position was critical and scoring opportunities scarce, he didn't get his feet in bounds on what would have been a Steelers touchdown.  The Steelers settled for a field goal, leaving 4 points on the field.  Lazy Mike Wallace did it again.

The real shot to the balls was that this game should have been won by the Pittsburgh Steelers.  They know it, the Baltimore Ravens know it, and most importantly Mike Wallace...

...well, here's hoping he knows it too.

Pittsburgh Armchair Quarterback Football Dartboard
by JackFact