Steelers/NFL
Titans 31 – Steelers 14
Post-Game Thoughts
This game was much closer than the final scored appeared to be and it came down to turnovers.
Pittsburgh 4 – Tennessee 0
The Titans improved to 13-2 with their 15th win in 17 games. The Steelers came into Sunday’s game as two point favorite on the road and the Titans have set the tone for the playoffs that the AFC goes through Tennessee as they clinched home field advantage.
The Titans may have clinched home field advantage but I like the Steelers in a rematch, if the two teams would meet in the AFC Championship game.
Three of Ben Roethlisberger’s turnovers, turned into 21 points for the Tennessee Titans. The Titans also dominated the line of scrimmage. They didn’t put up huge numbers in the running game but the Titans made key runs at key moments to keep the chains moving and they wore down the Steelers.
The offensive line struggled after playing well against Baltimore last week. The Steelers came into the game expecting to be able to run the ball effectively and that wasn’t the case at all. Fans may not want to hear this but the Steelers are going to go as far as Roethlisberger can take them. I just don’t see the running game magically becoming a dominant force in the playoffs. Playing a full back will not solve the problem either.
Despite the four turnovers, the Steelers could have still won this game. There were a few turning points in the game where the defense made some mistakes were not use to seeing.
Turning Point 1: Titans gained 19.5 yards on a 3rd and 20. The Titans go for it on fourth and inches and Chris Johnson takes it to the house. Another scenario was when the Titans were ready to kick a field goal and Aaron Smith was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty. The Titans were awarded a first down and they would score on a LenDale White touchdown. Instead of being 20-14 in the fourth quarter, it was 24-14.
The Playoff Picture if the Playoffs would start today
1. Tennessee (13-2)
2. Pittsburgh (11-4)
Miami (10-5)
4. Denver (8-7)
5. Indianapolis (11-4)
6. Baltimore (10-5
Playoff Scenarios
Miami Dolphins (10-5): The Dolphins clinch the AFC East with a win over the New York Jets.
New England Patriots (10-5): The Patriots clinch the AFC East with a win over Buffalo and a New York Jets win.
New York Jets (9-6): The Jets clinch the AFC East with a win over Miami and a New England loss.
Denver Broncos (8-7): The Broncos clinch the AFC West with a win over San Diego.
San Diego Chargers (7-8): The Chargers clinch the AFC West with a win over Denver.
Baltimore Ravens (10-5): The Ravens clinch a wild-card spot with a win over Jacksonville.
