Running Blog: Pats v Steelers

Posted by Adam Hart November 30, 2008 at 5:48 pm

Sure, I could have called out sick today and actually gone to the game. But I’m just that dedicated to my job. Save your applause.

4:16 Fummmmbbble! Off the opening kickoff, but Pittsburgh recovers their own miscue. Each team’s jerseys are soaked. This will be a sloppy one.

4:19 After Fast Willie Parker bursts into the second level for a first down, he gets caught up in the backfield on a sweep.

4:19 There’s a first time for everything. And Ben Roethlisberger’s comes today, throwing his first career interception against the Pats. Big Ben lobbed it right into Mike Vrabel’s hands. The Pats begin on the Steelers 15. That’s a shame.

4:21 How you going to line up a linebacker on Wes Welker? He gets open with ease on a slant, and runs it down to the 3. Looked like a route straight out of Texas Tech’s offense.

4:22 Follow that up with a Sammy Morris run, and we’ve got an early lead. How do you like them apples, Anthony Smith?

Steelers 0 Patriots 7

4:28 3 and out by the Steelers. Brandon Meriweather comes in on a blitz off the edge. Mewelde Moore blocks him, giving Big Ben the time to miss his receiver. The blitzer needn’t sack the QB or rush him to be effective. Keeping that extra receiver — the running back — from running a short route is just as good. Providing your coverage guys can stick with the receivers. Pittsburgh punts.

4:32 Hey, remember Randy Moss? Yeah, Matt Cassel still likes throwing to him. Sizeable gain for the Pats on the toss-and-catch.

4:33 Loving Dan Dierdorf today. His ability to “stand corrected” after viewing replays is astounding. It’s almost as if he should wait to open his mouth until after watching plays a second time. Jabar Gaffney runs and up-and-in, and as the ball approaches him, gets wiped out by Steelers defensive back William Gay. No penalty flag. And Dierdorf thinks that’s okay. Until viewing the replay. Then he sides with Gaffney. Though, we’ve seen this all season, since CBS thinks without Tom Brady the Pats don’t deserve the “Number 1″ crew.

4:46 Well, that was nice. NECN lost power for a few seconds, threatening all hopes of publishing this running blog. Luckily, it auto-saved. Oh, and the Patriots defense had a killer goal line stand, stopping the Steelers on 3rd & 1 to force a field goal.

Ace Ventura was on TBS last night. You can tell. And you can also tell that I’m a loser, for going home after work on a Saturday night. I went out on Friday night, if that counts. ….No? I understand (sad face).
Steelers 3 Patriots 7

4:50 Oh, Randy. The safety wasn’t going to hit you that hard. And dropping a wide open 25 yard toss from Cassel didn’t solve anything. Let’s focus on getting me more fantasy points making some more catches.

4:52 And we punt. The Steelers were prepared for a 3rd & 3 run by Kevin Faulk out of the shotgun. It’s not like Josh McDaniels calls that play often, or anything.

4:54 Your guess is as good as mine. Our TVs are in snow, currently. I’m sure the Pats are in the midst of pulling off the most beautiful play in football, and we’re all missing it. What I want to know, is where’s Steve Harvey?

4:58 We’re back. We’re back. But we’re in commercials. Dennis Green is confused by Coors Light. Oh wait, now we’re back in snow. This is fun.

5:10 Didn’t miss much, I guess. It’s still 7-3 Pats. And now Moss is all about catching passes. So maybe that blackout was a good thing.

5:14 Faulk gets plowed with his back to the first down marker. Luckily, Morris is here to jump over the line for a first down on 4th & inch.

5:16 There is no question that Cassel is comfortable in this offense. He is varying up his passes — short, long, intermediate. It’s comforting to watch. But drives stall on the best of them, and Stephen Gostkowski caps this one with a 29-yard field goal.

I don’t know… A three-way tie reminded me of a field goal — 3 points. Shut up.
Steelers 3 Patriots 10

5:23 Okay. I have Mewelde Moore on my fantasy team. There is no way in Hell he should be spinning out of tackles for a first down. Mainly, because he’s on my bench. But even more so, because he’s not that good. Come on Pats defense. Have some pride. Tackle a guy. Just once.

5:25 Moore again. This time on a draw. My mom can tailor skirts for you all, if you’d like.

5:26 But not for Ellis Hobbs. Sprinting off the corner on a blitz, he holds up Big Ben so that Richard Seymour can knock him down. Nicely played. The skirt jokes obviously work.

5:28 3rd & 2 from the Pats 28, and our TVs cut to snow again. This running blog is going down the drain.

5:33 Apparently they converted. As we pick it up with Big Ben tossing a pass to Santonio Holmes in the corner of the end zone. Great coverage, Deltha O’Neal.

AT&T Deltha is not. Get it? He’s not providing the “best coverage”. I’m hilarious.
Steelers 10 Patriots 10

5:36 It worked this time! Who thought he still had those types of moves? Faulk takes a draw up the middle, moves and shakes, then bursts down the sideline for a huge gain into Pittsburgh territory.

5:38 Apparently, the Steelers dislike stopping the run. Understandably so — it’s cold out. This time it’s Morris on the delay, pulling the Pats within the Steelers 10 with :35 seconds to play in the half.

5:41 1, 2 ,3 chances blown trying to throw to Moss in the end zone. First was pass interference going uncalled on Ike Taylor. Second, Moss dropped a pass. And third was dropped by Taylor. To top it off, Gostkowski missed the field goal wide right. I believe that Ray Finkle clip belongs down here…. At least the Pats get the ball to start the second half. Still, why stop running?

Our TVs are out again, so I’ll assume the score remained the same as the seconds ticked off the clock.
HALFTIME Steelers 10 Patriots 10

2ND HALF

6:11 I missed a lot, and yet I missed nothing. It’s still 10-10. The Steelers are knocking on the door, but the score remains the same for the time being. It’s 1st & goal, so the Pats need a turnover or a big stop. I vote for turnover. Together we can make it happen!

6:17 Three straight passing attempts broken up by tight coverage and a solid rush by the Pats. The Steelers settle for a field goal. The Patriots defense is not here to make friends.

Steeler 13 Patriots 10

6:20 Matthew Slater, why did they draft you? Special teams phenom, right? Yeah. Don’t muff the kickoff. It ends up putting the Steelers inside the Pats 10 and upsetting your teammates on the defensive side of the ball. They’re not here to make friends with you, either.

6:22 TD pass to Hines Ward. This is upsetting. They didn’t deserve that score.

Steelers 20 Patriots 10

6:26 OPEN THE FLOODGATES!!!! Cassel gets strip-sacked and the Steelers recover within the Pats 30. Ball. Game.

6:30 Wow. Big Ben looks like first-half-of-the-season-Cassel — the guy can’t get it done in the Red Zone. Pittsburgh settles for another field goal. I must say, bravo Pats defense. Bravo.
(P.S. I’ve run out of videos. Both because I’m busy putting stories on NECN.com and stupid loser kids are flooding YouTube with stupid loser videos. Anything I type in brings results of some kid, whose parents don’t love him, singing a not-funny song and playing his guitar poorly. Come on, YouTube. Tighten the reigns.)
Steelers 23 Patriots 10

6:36 Yo, what the heck was that all about? Dirty hit city. Welker is running over the middle and the pass gets broken up. So he lets up. Ryan Clark launches himself at Welker and cleans his clock. It’s a personal foul. Big Ben better hope that doesn’t awake the sleeping dragon — Seymour loves dirty hits. Vince Wilfork, too. As they say in old man softball, “The kitchen is open!”

6:29 Cassel gets the ball knocked out of his hand again. Pittsburgh ball. Big Sey and Wilfork will get their chance…

6:48 Some guy named Washington drops a sure TD pass from Big Ben. Oh, boohoo.

I’m in a miserable mood. I can only watch the game without sound. The work is piling up. My dinner is here, but I can’t eat it knowing how much work needs to be done. I need a vacation. Pittsburgh is going for the field goal something, something.

6:53 Moss loses three yards on a screen pass. This is just turning out to be a wonderful day. And it wouldn’t be complete without a pass off the hands of Ben Watson landing in those of the opponent.

7:00 And now it’s Fast Willie time. He’s pounding out the yards on the ground and taking time off the clock. It’s not like the Pats have a shot anyway… field goal puts this one away.
Steelers 26 Patriots 10

7:06 This makes sense. It really does. Gaffney drops a wide open pass. Way to go. Dignity is lost on these guys.

7:11 I really have nothing insightful left to say. Pass picked off by a Steelers linebacker. I don’t care to do the research and find out just who it is. Ben Watson chases him down and stops him at the 1. Anyone ever thought of lining him up on defense? Maybe he can create turnovers for the other team instead. …………Oh, now I’m just being hurtful. Why do I need to make others feel bad just because I do? And Pittsburgh scores a TD. That’s why.
Steelers 33 Patriots 10

I think this will be Bill Belichick’s approach to practice this week:

Randy, Jabar — I understand it was cold out and catches passes hurts your hands, but maybe next week you can think about catching a crucial ball? I appreciate your understanding.

Matt, you didn’t feel like protecting the ball? Here’s the deal — next time hold on to it, or you’ll be spending 2009 in the Congo.

No. I’m only kidding. That would never happen. Seriously, it wouldn’t. That’s just how I feel. When I have kids, they better hope and pray that I’m not allowed to coach their Little League team. The passive-aggressive snide remarks will break their spirit.

P.S. Game over. Pats lose 33-10. If I ever get done with this stack of work, I’ll get to some analysis.