U mad, bro?: Steelers fans dislike media take on loss to Eagles, criticize Najee Harris and NFL officials
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Based on some of the responses to my posts in the wake of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss in Philadelphia on Sunday, I’m hoping to get some of my readers a very specific present for Christmas.
The gift of reading comprehension.
I may also throw in a coupon for common sense and a stocking stuffer of self-awareness.
That’s what I’ve got for you in this pre-holiday edition of “U mad, bro?”
I can’t wait to see what pours in on Christmas Day during the Steelers-Chiefs game.
Rob thinks I didn’t hold the defense accountable in my “Airing of Grievances” after the Steelers’ loss to the Eagles.
How bout someone actually reports how this extremely overpaid defense keeps allowing so many yards?
— Rob Halsaver (@HalsaverRob) December 16, 2024
You mean like the part where I said, “Philadelphia put up 401 yards in total offense.”
Like that?
Or when I talked about how many missed tackles the Steelers’ defensive players had, how they allowed 10 third-down conversions, how both of Philly’s top two receivers exceeded 100 yards, or how they allowed Philadelphia’s offense to stay on the field for almost 40 minutes?
Good call. Someone should probably “report” that.
Meanwhile, Jock thinks I was too hard on the Steelers after that game in my Tuesday column.
“All your statistical BS was correct except, at the moment Najee fumbled the football, we were right in the game in spite of that and everyone, including you and the Philadelphia Eagles knew it. The stats were just history. We didn’t play great, and Najee didn’t lose it, and the Eagles mostly did play great, but the doom and gloom is best left to your moron associate there at the Trib. Just wasn’t our day.”
You’re right. It’s never anyone’s fault, and the Steelers are always just one play away from winning.
How could I forget?
Also, the stats never matter — unless they help an argument that the Steelers played a better game than the final score indicated. Then they matter so that you can con yourself into feeling better about the loss and their chances the next week.
I’ll remind myself of those things if they lose again in Baltimore.
Mark also had a comment on that column.
“The article today is the same guy a few weeks ago said the Steelers showed they could win in a shootout! My, what a reverse of opinion! I used to think you were the only sports writer in town besides Madden who actually spoke the truth and was not a homer!!”
Pointing out why the Steelers won any given game and who helped them do it doesn’t make me “a homer.”
Similarly, pointing out how they managed to lose a game and who cost them along the way doesn’t make me a hater.
I wish a lot more of my readers — like you — would get that through their heads.
More importantly, though, what I actually did say was that the Steelers finally have a quarterback in Russell Wilson, who is capable of keeping up with an opponent who is scoring at a high clip to potentially win in a shootout.
The 44-38 win in Cincinnati that you are referencing was a shootout. I’ve never heard anyone describe a 27-13 defeat as a shootout. That was just a loss to a superior team.
I’m not sure why I have to explain the difference between those two things in 2024, but here we are.
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Tim is mad about Najee Harris’ costly fumble in Philly last weekend.
“Najee did his best Mendenhall Super Bowl fumble, or his best Jarry behind the net bonehead play.”
I don’t totally agree, Tim. As you said, Rashard Mendenhall fumbled in the Super Bowl. Harris hasn’t even won a playoff game yet.
And for Harris to really screw up like Tristan Jarry, his fumble would’ve had to occur much earlier in the game … like, on his first attempt.
Israel wanted to follow up on Gene Steratore’s explanation as to why Steelers defensive lineman Montravius Adams got flagged for a special teams foul when it was clear he was shoved onto Philadelphia’s long snapper.
“Tim, did you ask Steratore if Danny Smith should instruct his guards to shove defenders into the long snapper as a strategy? That seems to be the takeaway here.”
I don’t think that’s a great idea, Israel. Because if the Steelers start intentionally shoving 325-pound men on the head of long snapper Christian Kuntz, then Kuntz is quite possibly going to suffer an injury.
If he gets knocked out of a game, what would Smith do then? Get James Harrison on speed dial and coax him out of retirement so he could reclaim his spot on the roster as the emergency long-snapper?
I don’t think that would be a good idea for anyone, do you?
Finally, this guy sent me a twist on Juan Soto’s $765 million contract over 15 years with the Mets.
I heard the Pirates offered Soto $15 million over 765 years?
— #LetsGoPitt???????????????? (@coachanthony79) December 11, 2024
Hmmm. Not sure, Anthony. Bob Nutting might be concerned about too much exposure on the back end of a deal like that.
LISTEN: This week’s fantasy sports podcast w/ Jeff Erickson of RotoWire.