Week 16, Tennessee Titans host the Steelers for AFC supremacy

Steelers keep their run going, as they beat the tough & game Baltimore Ravens 13-9. Again the offense is non-existent till the 4^th Quarter (when it counts). As they drive for a game winning touchdown (I myself think it was a bad call & it shouldn’t have been a TD) with less than a minute to go. Steelers are living dangerously, coming from behind like that against very good teams – but as long as they keep winning, don’t fix it if it aint broken. Big Ben who this year has been maligned for taking many sacks, & talk being that he’s holding the ball to long. Isn’t it ironic, last week he holds the ball to long & boooyaaa – a game winning touch down is delivered (MERRY XMAS everyone). Not a superbly Quarter backed game, 82 rating for Ben Roethlisberger – important things being no Picks & the crucial & clutch game winning touch down.

The Steeler tough schedule didn’t end last week, as now they face the 2 loss Tennessee Titans. Titans come off a tough loss to the Houston Texans in which they had a chance to go for a tying field goal, but instead went for a 4^th & short with less than 3 minutes to go in the 4^th (which they didn’t convert). Tennessee being 12-2 & Steelers being 11-3, this game is the virtual game for AFC Home field throughout the Playoffs.

Titans are similar to the Steelers, in the sense that they win their games due to stingy, hard hitting Defense. They don’t have but 1 offensive star, that being rookie Chris Johnson (1,159 rush yards, 8 TDS for a 4.9 avg), the other 2 main players but not great are: LenDale White (700 yards, 14 TDS for a 3.9 avg) & Kerry Collins (11 TDs 7 Picks, 78.7 rating for 2,461 yards). The main reason they win is their All-Pro Defensive lineman, big bad Albert Haynesworth (remember him when he stepped on a Dallas Cowboys head a few years ago – while the Cowboy was on the ground, without a helmet). Albert now punishes the offenses in a legal manner – he might be the NFL Defensive player of the year. Also a defensive standout is little known cornerback, Cortland Finnegan. Both were voted to the 2009 pro-bowl last week.

Key note on this game is that Haynesworth has been ruled out of this week’s game – he hurt himself last week against Texans. When the season started, I thought this would be a pushover for the Steelers – boy was I & the rest of the football fans in for a surprise as they as of today, have the best record in the NFL. With Haynesworth out, even though the game is in Tennessee, I see the Steelers continue the great roll they are on & end up defeating the Titans. Should be a low scoring game, similar to last weeks’ game in Baltimore – as like in Baltimore, this will be a punishing Defense onslaught. Steelers go to 12-3 & with a win next week against the Brownies, they play every playoff game at home until they get to the Super Bowl (let’s hope they get that far).

Big Bad Titan Albert Haynesworth, looking over a fallen offensive player after taking a big hit from Albert.  Albert this year maybe the NFL Defensive player of the year.