Then the defense came on the field and they were all like, “BYAAAAAAAAAAH . . .”
A statement that can claim to be me ripping off of Joey Porter as he introduced the Steeler “D” line-up, who was ripping off of Dave Chapelle, who was satirizing Howard Dean . . . but it CERTAINLY doesn’t make it wrong. To call this game, the lowest scoring game in the HISTORY of Monday Night Football (9-0 in favor of the Teal Terror), a “defensive struggle” puts you into the category of nominees for the newest super hero film, ‘Captain Obvious’.
But come on, crew — what did you expect? The Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, who supplanted the winners of their AFC North Division, the Cincinnati Bengals, the AFC West Champion Denver Broncos, and the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks (who were ironically the least impressive of the 3) up against the Jacksonville Jaguars — that BEAT them during the regular season last year in overtime (albeit while the Steelers were without star QB “Big” Ben Roethlisberger and playing XFL star/NFL wannabe Tommy Maddox).
Both sides feature strength in the middle of their defensive lines as DT (the Steelers Casey Hampton and the Jags Marcus Stroud), leaders in their LB corps (Pitt’s Joey Porter and Jax’s Mike Peterson), warriors at safety (Troy Polamalu for the Steel City Boyz and Donovan Darius for the Cardiac Cats), and a gruesome ground game each featuring tiny but tough RBs (”Fast” Willie Parker earning ‘terrible towels’ and Fred Taylor earning 1st Down growls).
Everyone will tell you how alike these 2 teams are . . . and as a matter of fact, John Madden and Al Michaels spent a more-than-abundant amount of time doing it. And to an extent, they would be right . . . While the Offensive strategies of the teams are similar, the 4-3 scheme for the Jacksonville “D” vs. the 3-4 of the Pittsburgh “D” provides a clue in where the Jags gained the “finger nail’s edge” to earn the opportunity of K Josh Scobee’s all important 3 FG performance that represented ALL offense the entire night.
Another clue can be seen in the teams’ passing numbers. QB Byron Leftwich was proficient despite the lack of TDs throwing 26-39 (67%) for 260 yards and 1 INT. WR Reggie Williams had the dominating receiving performance for the night with 8 catches for 95 yards while Matt Jones brought in 6 for 73 yards.
Nate Washington for the Steelers was their best airborne performance they could muster with an anemic 3 catches for 32 yards. The only thing more inactive was the usually buff Steel City running attack which looked QUITE rusty with 11 carries for 20 yards on the ground.
But the rust of Roethlisberger was the equalizer here as he performed below his usual standard after recovering from his appendectomy with 17/32 (53%) for 141 yards. While he is finally out of the hospital for a while, it is likely the sight of CB Rashean Mathis will make him sick since it is he who picked off the still-recuperating QB — TWICE!
Which leads me to where the Jags were superior . . . the CB spot. True, RB Fred Taylor’s 92 yard performance on 22 carries implies it was he who was the game breaker for his squad, but the Steelers CBs were physically overwhelmed by a team who is one of the tallest WR corps in the league. (Jones 6′6″, Williams 6′4″ and Ernest Wilford 6′4″) against a team who’s only starting CB above 6 feet tall is Deshea Townsend at 6′1″.
This advantage in the receiver corps spread the LBs to let Fred Taylor crack open the flaw in the Steeler “D” to set up 3 FGs. Not that the LBs did BAD, per se . . . they initiated one heck of a tip drill that led up to an INT by LB Larry Foote . . . they just weren’t as good as the Jags were that night.
And it was that night that Jacksonville turned away the Steelers in the regular season for the second consecutive game. . . this time WITH “Big” Ben.