Reply With Quote
I find him to be one of the most hiliarious players in the NFL.Chad Johnson needs to stop talking. He isn’t all that funny
Steelers sucking wind, unlikely to make playoffs
Even if Pittsburgh beats Denver, defending champs face impossible task
OPINION
By Bill Williamson
MSNBC contributor
Updated: 6:18 p.m. CT Oct 31, 2006
Remember last season, when the Steelers came back from a 7-5 record and won the entire thing?
It was one of the NFL’s most celebrated late-season turnarounds. If the St. Louis Cardinals are lauded for winning the World Series le after an 83-78 record and choking down the September stretch, the Steelers’ championship run after starting 7-5 is just as impressive.
The Steelers were in a terrible position — and they would kill to be that position again.
The Steelers are 2-5. Defending that Super Bowl le appears bleak at best. That’s right, Bill Cowher’s team would have to win their next five games to be 7-5, the same lousy predicament they fought out of last season.
It’s not going to happen. The Steelers are done.
There’s no way a 10-win season will be enough to make the AFC playoffs, which means the Steelers need to win every remaining game. An 8-1 finish wouldn’t be good enough. The Steelers’ push to win out begins Sunday, against Denver. A much better Denver team. An angry Denver team that just got nipped by the Colts at home.
Good luck, Pittsburgh. The Steelers’ problems also run much deeper than their immediate opponents. They have their own, pressing issues at hand.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is struggling mightily. Big Ben was dominant in his first two NFL season because he didn’t try to take over. He was a part of a mistake-free offense. Now, after the motorcycle accident, an emergency appendectomy and the concussion. Big Ben is a big mess.
He’s not a part of the solution. He is the problem. He has thrown 11 interceptions and the Steelers are 1-5 with him playing. People are calling for Charlie Batch. Yes, Charlie Batch.
Things are bad in Pittsburgh. The season is lost. It’s over. The Steelers may have proven a 7-5 record in December is not an impossibility, but they are going to prove this year that a 2-5 record at Halloween does signify the end.
Here we go again
The NFL finds a way to get the Colts and Patriots together every season. This year’s installment of the league’s most delicious matchup is Sunday night at New England.
Last season, the Colts were able to conquer their biggest obstacle in the regular season.
Of course, the Patriots have built their dominance over the Colts in the postseason, ending Peyton Manning’s season what appeared to be a regular basis. Last season, the teams never got the chance to meet in the playoffs.
So, the Colts have the edge right now on the strength of their win last season.
Or do they? Aren’t the Patriots still in Manning’s head? Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and the boys have three Super Bowl rings. They have the dynasty tag.
Manning, Tony Dungy and the gang have no Super Bowl rings. The Colts’ tag is one of unfulfilled potential.
Yes, the Colts have been better since the beginning of last season, winning their last 26 regular-season games that mattered. They are 7-0. They are in control of the AFC. But it’s the Patriots that still have the swagger. The Colts still want what the Patriots have.
That’s why the Colts must win this week. A win over the Patriots could all but wrap up the AFC home-field advantage for the Colts, who survived the barnburner in Denver last week.
That means the Patriots would have to go through Indianapolis to become Super again. That would give the Colts the edge in something. It’d be a start.
Cincy faces must-win
Chad Johnson needs to stop talking. He isn’t all that funny, and no one likes to hear a loser chirp.
Rest assured that Johnson, as part of the Cincinnati Bengals, is a loser these days. He better spend this week trying to figure out how to score against one of the NFL’s best defenses, rather than talk about it when he and his underachieving teammates visit Baltimore on Sunday.
We don’t need to see clips all week of Johnson butchering the Spanish language in yet another vain attempt to talk about Chad. Chad needs to lead his team.
The Bengals are floundering at 4-3. Sure, 4-3 is still above water. But considering that this team started 3-0, Cincinnati’s current record isn’t all that impressive.
Forget the win over Carolina two weeks ago — the Bengals have been figured out. Cincinnati couldn’t keep up with Michael Vick and the Falcons last week. Now they are one game over .500 and dangerously close to falling even. For any team to start 3-0 and then limp to the halfway mark with a .500 record is devastating.
But avoiding mediocrity isn’t going to be easy. The Ravens have recovered from their hiccup and are playing well again. The Ravens know this is there chance to take a commanding two-game lead over the Bengals. They’re going for it.
Chad, stop talking and do something about it your team’s slide.
Same in Seattle
Because it’s the NFC and the NFC West, the Seahawks’ situation isn’t as dire as the Bengals. But, like Cincinnati, Seattle is 4-3. It is nearly average after a great start.
Weeks ago, this team appeared on its way to another Super Bowl. Now, they are neck and neck with the Rams in the division — even with a good excuse for being 4-3.
MVP running back Shaun Alexander has been out for several weeks with a broken foot and stalwart quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has missed one of what will likely be a three-game break a with a knee injury.
Still, the games keeps coming. The Seahawks must make a statement and win without its two start, beginning Monday night against the visiting Raiders. Don’t let Oakland’s two-game win streak fool you. That team still stinks.
Seattle is much better. It has to use this game as a chance to knock around a lesser team and get to 5-3. There is even a chance Alexander will be back to face Oakland. Regardless, Oakland is a pasty the Seahawks should crush.
The rest of the team and the coaching staff must do everyone a favor and ensure they go into the second half of the season with a winning record.
Bill Williamson writes regularly for MSNBC.com and covers the Broncos and the NFL for the Denver Post.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15498716/
------------
Yeah, thanks for that Bill.
The Bears, Colts, Patriots, Chargers, Broncos, Giants, Falcons, Saints, Cowboys and Ravens are all breathing slightly easier after reading your column.
Way to go out on that limb, Bill.
I find him to be one of the most hiliarious players in the NFL.Chad Johnson needs to stop talking. He isn’t all that funny
He is a heck of a good clown. Ocho Cinco! Ocho Cinco! Ocho Cinco!
Next thing you know, Williamson is going to count the Cardinals out of the playoffs.
FU, FWD, why you always hatin on the Cardinals?
Because that's how I roll, Shoog.
I would agree...the Ocho Cinco stuff was gold.I find him to be one of the most hiliarious players in the NFL.
...i hate the steelers, and its nice for people to see just how good Big Ben really is. when he is needed he sucks ASS! the most overrated QB in the NFL by FAR...and i love it. eat pittsburgh...
agreed. he talks trash just for the fun of the game. anyone with a sense of humor, knows not to take what he says seriously, and to just laugh about it. even Bill Bellichick talked with him. thats when you know people have to lighten up about it. Chad Johnson is a great player with a great sense of humor.
agreed. i cant ing stand Pittsburgh. while i like some of the people on the team like Hines Ward, Bill Cowher, and the Bus when he was playing (he was the sole reason i wanted the Steelers to beat Seattle last year) but they are so ing overrated. Big Ben absolutely is the most overrated QB in the league. i couldnt believe it when some analysts actually said that he is already a shoe-in first ballot HOF'er. that was the stupidest ing thing ive ever heard.
they are better off starting Charlie Batch.
no doubt! this is a fun game:
11 INTs
1 fumble lost
1-5 team as a starter
guess who??? ...hmm is it the most overrated QB in the NFL? ding ding ding...baby ben!
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
