The first glog on the NFL season, Steelers - Bengals

Well, I haven't glogged yet this NFL season, so I guess it is time to see if I still have those skills in my mental tool set. Not that I couldn't be blogging about a dozen or so other things, but for now I think we will concentrate on the upcoming football game tonight, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals. A little background on tonight's contest, Pittsburgh enters the contest with a 5-2 record, a half game behind division leader Baltimore, who has a 6-2 record. Meanwhile the season has gotten off to a poor start for Cincinnati, as they have a 2-5 record, good for last place in the AFC North. Cincinnati won the division last year, as well as sweeping the two meetings with the Steelers. On offense the teams have posted similar numbers this year, Pittsburgh is averaging 21.0 points per game, while Cincinnati is averaging 20.9, the difference is on the other side of the ball where Pittsburgh ranks first in the NFL in points allowed per game at just 14.6 per contest, Cincinnati has been allowing 23.3 per game, which goes a long way to showing just why the are separated by three games in the division.

Since I still have 30 minutes or so before kickoff, I guess I will go ahead and open the required windows on the computer and do a little poking around the web before the game gets underway.

The think about Monday Night Football is that the games by and large are broadcast on cable channel ESPN, but when the Steelers are involved the local ABC affiliate, Channel 4, also carries the ESPN feed for those like myself who do not have cable television. This is both good and bad, it is good because I don't have to spring for cable TV or go scouring the web in order to watch the game, but it is also bad in that as an added bonus, Channel 4 treats the game like a news event, sending their anchors and reporters out to do a local pregame show that really shows just how much many of them don't know about sports in general and football in particular. Just last night, as a lead up to their coverage of tonight's game, because when it comes to the Steelers, one day's worth of coverage isn't enough, they went to a Steelers bar in Cincinnati. Yes, that is what they considered news. Who cares that there are Steeler bars all over the world, the fact they uncovered one in a city that is just a few hours away was apparently newsworthy enough to waste time on the local newscast. For a list of Steeler bars, one need only go here http://www.post-gazette.com/steelernation/steelerbars_list.asp#International and scroll either up or down to get a general idea of the where's and when's people can go to catch the game. Now they are wasting news resources to cover a football game, one would think those resources might better be served covering actual news, but then Steeler coverage, regardless of just how poorly it is done will garner more ratings than actually covering stories like , say , the mayor coming out today saying the city on it's current course faces a “financial nightmare” by 2016. Not that that matters kids, the Steelers are playing.

So we are now 5 minutes away from kickoff. I will tone down the ranting a bit here and say that another $1.16 have been added to the change meter, bringing the total up to $190.93. $200 by the end of the year is still reachable, but coming up with $9 in less than two months means I am going to have to find some serious coinage (or billage) in order to make that plateau.

And before the game gets underway I am also going to head over to my Madden Facebook app and try to send out some more gifts. I have 111 friends that play now, and I try to send everyone on my list a gift at least once a day. I don't get as many as I send out, but I am not one to hold grudges over a simple game, nor do I have the desire to keep track of who does and doesn't send me gifts, it is easier to just send to everyone and not worry about such things. I am at a point in the game where I am just collecting gold anyway to buy more players, I have defeated all of the NFL teams twice and they haven't come out with the third season yet. I can still play scrimmages or in season mode, I just can't square off against real NFL teams, so I am busy collecting gold to buy even better players and to fill out card collections.

Okay, we are just about underway here, just an opening theme from Hank Williams Jr from getting to actual game coverage. Pittsburgh will kickoff to start the game, meaning of course that Cincinnati will get the first turn on offense. Then again, maybe not, as Cincinnati fumbles the kickoff return and it is recovered by the Steelers, so Pittsburgh will have the ball first deep in Cincinnati territory, 1^st and 10 and the Cincy 25 yard line.

The first play is a good one, a Ben Roethlisberger pass to Heath Miller, good for 9 yards. After a two yard loss on second down run by Rashard Mendenhall, a third down screen pass to Mendenhall takes the ball all the way down to the 1 yard line.

One play later and we have a 1 yard touchdown run by Mendenhall, so Pittsburgh takes advantage of the game's first miscue and turns it into points and a 7-0 lead.

Not much in way of commercials to insult during the break, buta spot from Corona beer has me thinking nonetheless. Many times you will see people with a lime wedge stuck in the top of their bottle, and I would argue that the minute you need to add fruit to a beer in order to make it taste good, then the product has failed in its fundamental task of tasting good to begin with.

Second kickoff of the game and it is handled more successfully by the Bengals, and they will have their first possession of the game, starting from their own 25 yard line.

Two carries by Cedric Benson net 11 yards and the Bengals first first down of the game. Two more plays and two more runs by Benson, get about 9 yards, so we will have a 3^rd and 1. Carson Palmer attempts his first pas sof the game on third dwon and it is incomplete to Chad Ochocinco. Fourth down and the Bengals set up to punt and it is miscue #2 for the Bengals as the punt is blocked, and Pittsburgh will have the ball on the Bengals 30 yard line to start their second possession.

An incomplete pass on first down means little as on second down Mendenhall runs for 20 yards and a first down. Two plays net -2 yards and the Steelers have 3^rd and goal from the 12 and a dump off to Mewelde Moore only gets 5 yards, so the field goal unit will come on the field, looking to extend the lead. And from 25 yards the Jeff Reed field goal attempt is good and Pittsburgh leads 10-0.

Third kickoff return for the Bengals in the first quarter and for the second time they will start their drive from their own 25 yard line.

A very short drive, a three and out and here comes the punting crew for Cincinnati, and for a change their special teams manage to not screw up, the punt travels 45 yards, so Pittsburh will take over 1^st and 10 from their own 28.

Possession #3 for Pittsburgh and on first down a dump off pass to Moore gets 3 yards. Two plays later and a pass to Antwaan Randel El gets a first down for Pittsburgh at the 42 yard line.

Two running plays plays net 4 yards so Pittsburgh is faced with another third down and Pittsburgh takes their first timeout to consider the upcoming play call.

After scrambling around avoiding two potential sacks, Roethlisberger manages to find Heath Miller on a dump off but the play only gets 5 yards, so on 4^th down Pittsburgh will punt for the first time tonight, and the punt pins the Bengals deep, they will take over possession on their own 12 yard line.

1^st and 10 for Cincinnati and Palmer back to pass and he finds Terrell Owens for a first down at the 28. Two carries by Benson garner another first down and Cincinnati is starting to click a little bit on offense here.

And one Benson carry later and we are at the end of the first quarter with Pittsburgh leading 10-0.

I used the break between quarters to send some more Madden gifts and collect a few as well. Benson gets another carry leaving a 3^rd and 4 and Palmer throws a two yard pass to Jermane Gresham so Cincinnati is forced to punt again. And the punt is a good one, getting down all the way back at the Steelers 1 yard line, where they will take over for their first possession of the second quarter.

Isaac Redman gets his first carry of the game, but it only gets 1 yard. Second down and Roethlisberger finds Miller again and gets a first down and moves Pittsburgh out from the shadow of their own goal line.

1^st down and Mendenhall with the carry and he picks up 22 yards and another first down. And for the second time on this drive we have an injury time out, this time it is the Steelers starting center, Maurice Pouncey. The previous injury was to the Steelers left guard, so the offensive line has taken some punishment on this drive.

Two wide receiver screen passes to Hines Ward get only two yards, but worse on the second, Ward fumbles the ball and the first miscue by the Steelers this game has taken place, leaving the Bengals in good field position.

First down and Palmer finds Owens for 14 yards and a first down at the Steelers 24 yard line. Two runs by Benson get 5 yards, bringing up 3^rd and 5and Palmer finds Owens again, this time wide open in the end zone for a touchdown. With the extra point the score is now Pittsburgh 10 Cincinnati 7.

Cincinnati kicks off and Pittsburgh returns the ball to the 32 yard line, where they will take over with a first down.

Pittsburgh goes three and out and Cincinnati has definitely taken over from a momentum perspective, even if they are still trailing by 3 on the scoreboard.

Pittsburgh punts the ball away and Cincinnati will take over with the ball on their own 30 yard line. So far all of the scoring in this game has been a direct result of miscues (two fumbles, blocked punt).

First down and Palmer again passes to Owens for another first down. Owens already has 61 yards receiving and a touchdown tonight in about a quarter and half of work.

3^rd down and 13 and Palmer back to pass and he throws an interception so we have the game's third turnover, let's see if form holds up and it results in points.

3^rd down and 8 Roethlisberger looks deep and finds Mike Wallace for 36 yards and a first down. Wallace loses the ball going out of bounds, but it appears he had possession for a complete pass, nonetheless Bengals coach Marvin Lewis threw the challenge flag, under the belief that Wallace never had control of the ball but it looks like Lewis will lose this challenge.

And the verdict is that it was a catch, Cincinnati will lose a timeout for the failed challenge. Pittsburgh has the ball first and goal from the 9 yard line.

A false start penalty and a Mendenhall run for -2 and it is second and goal from the 16. An 8 yard pass gets half of that, leaving third and 8. Roethlisberger finds Ward on a slant route for the touchdown and Pittsburgh increases their lead to 17-7.

Pittsburgh kicks off and Bernard Scott gets loose on the kickoff return, bringing it back all the way to the Steelers 43 yard line. The return also brings us to the two minute warning of the first half.

1^st down and Palmer passes to Brian Leonard underneath for 4 yards. An incomplete pass brings up 3^rd down and just when Pittsburgh looks to have stopped Cincinnati, a defensive holding penalty gives Cincinnati new life with an automatic first down. Three more plays get only 1 yard, so Cincinnati is going to try a 51 yard field goal attempt and the kick is up and no good and Pittsburgh maintains their 10 point lead, 17-7.

Pittsburgh gets the ball back and on first down Roethlisberger finds Wallace for another big gain, 24 yards and now Pittsburgh is looking to score before halftime.

Two incomplete passes and Pittsburgh lines up for a field goal attempt and from 53 yards Jeff Reed hits it to extend the Steelers lead to 20-7 before the half.

And with the kickoff and return we have reached the half with Pittsburgh leading by 13.

I can't speak as to how you spent the halftime break, I sent the last of my Madden requests out, played the last game in season #40, bought some more player cards to add to my collection and smoked a cigarette, proving that I can make use of my free time if I need to.

It could have been worse, I could have spent halftime blogging about the midterm elections. Now that would have been fun, wouldn't it? Far better I just find something else to with my time. I can do the midterms as part of my next blog.

Cincinnati kicks off to start the third quarter, which means Pittsburgh will have the ball first here in the second half. And with the kick return Piitsburgh starts from their own 27 yard line.

Two runs, a reverse by Randel El and a Mendenhall carry combine for a total of -1 yards, so Pittsburgh is faced with a 3^rd and 11 here. And Roethlisberger is sacked by the Bengals, their first sack of the night, which brings about a Pittsburgh punt.

Cincinnati starts their first drive of the second half with pretty good field position, starting at their own 43 yard line.

Second down and Pittsburgh returns the favor, sacking Palmer before he even has a chance to set his feet and attempt to throw the football, but on 3^rd and 12 Palmer finds Jordan Shipley open down the middle for a big gain, picking up 26 yards and keeping the Cincinnati drive alive.

Third down and 2 yards and they hand the ball off to Benson who is stopped for a loss on the play, bringing up 4^th down and Cincinnati will try a 45 yard field goal and again the field goal attempt is no good, so Pittsburgh remains up by a 20-7 count.

Two runs by Mendenhall account for 8 yards, so Pittsburgh will have a 3^rd down and 2 to try and convert and it is Redman getting his second carry but it looks like he will be short of the first down marker, meaning Pittsburgh will once again have to punt. The punt is a good one, and because Cincinnati picked up nothing on the return, they will take over with the ball on their own 14 yard line.

First down and Cincinnati's drive gets off to a dubious start, Palmer taking his second sack of the game.

And the next two plays aren't much better, which leave s Cincinnati punting the ball right back to Pittsburgh, and the kick is a short one, not even making midfield, so Pittsburgh will have the ball in excellent field position at the Cincinnati 45.

First down and Roethlisberger looks deep to Wallace but the pass is broken up in the end zone. Third down is a short pass to Wallace, not enough for the first down and Pittsburgh will punt the ball right back to Cincinnati. The punt goes into the end zone, so Cincinnati will get the ball at their own 20 yard line and Pittsburgh fails to capitalize on a pretty good scoring opportunity, which could still come back to haunt them in this contest.

Palmer finds Ochocinco for a first down on 2^nd and 5, but the play is nullified by a penalty and two plays later Pittsburgh gets their third sack of the third quarter to bring to a quick end the Cincinnati possession. Pittsburgh gets the ball back after a Cincinnati punt.

Two mendenhall runs set up a 3^rd down and 1 and Roethlisberger runs the quarterback sneak for a first down to keep the Pittsburgh drive alive. One play later, a pass to Miller and that is the end of the 3^rd quarter with Pittsburgh still leading 20-7.

First play of the 4^th quarter and a reverse pass by Randel El finds Wallace in the end zone and Pittsburgh is on the board again, pushing the lead to 27-7. That might be the final nail in the Cincinnati coffin.

Pittsburgh kicks off and with the return Cincinnati will start their next drive from their own 34 yard line.

2^nd and 10 and Palmer finds Shipley for 8, but a penalty on the Steelers gives Cincinnati a first down. Two completions to Owens and Cincinnati gets their second first down on this drive. One play later it is a deep pass to Owens again in the corner of the end zone for a Cincinnati touchdown to cut the lead to 27-14. After playing a scoreless third quarter, less than two minutes into the fourth we have seen two touchdowns.

Cincinnati kicks off and the coverage on the return is very good, as Emanuel Sanders gets no further than the Steelers 14 before being tackled. On one hand, Pittsburgh has to be happy having a two score lead in the 4^th quarter, but we learned last year that they guarantees nothing, after seeing them blow 4^th quarter leads in 5 of their 7 losses and so far tonight they haven't had any extended drives, despite scoring 27 points.

Two plays get 5 yards for Pittsburgh and on third and 5 Roethlisberger scrambles for 12 yards and a first down to keep the drive going and the clock running. Two plays later however, Roethlisberger floats a pass to Miller that is intercepted and Cincinnati has the ball back. To make matters worse, Pittsburgh is called for a personal foul after the play is over, adding 15 yards onto the interception return and a lead that was 20 starting the 4^th quarter is in danger of becoming single digits in a matter of minutes.

Cincinnati has the ball with a 1^st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 36 yard line. Another personal foul on Pittsburgh gets Cincinnati another free 15 yards.

How about another penalty, pass interference in the endzone and Cincinnati has first and goal at the 1. Two plays later and Benson goes over from 1 yard out and the score is now Pittsburgh 27 Cincinnati 21.

Still plenty of time left as well, with 9:05 left in the fourth quarter what was once a 20 point lead is now down to 6.

Pittsburgh has the ball back after the kickoff, starting at their own 29.

Two Mendenhall carries get 10 yards and a first down to get this drive off to a decent start. Mendenhall has been the only player to touch the ball on this drive, two more carries get another 27 yards and another first down.

Mendenhall gets two more carries, getting three yards total and Pittsburgh faces a 3^rd and 7. Again they try Mendenhall and it is stuffed for no gain, so Pittsburgh will attempt a 46 yard field goal. And the kick is no good, so while Pittsburgh took better than 5 minutes off of the clock, at the end of it they couldn't increase the lead and Cincinnati is one TD away from taking the elad.

Foirst down and Palmer is hit and fumbles the ball, but Cincinnati recovers the fumble to maintain possession. After a pass to Shipley, Cicinnati faces 3^rd and 14 and a pass to Benson gets 15 and a first down. The pass was actually deflected but Benson managed to pull it anyway and scurry forth to get the needed yardage.

Two minute warning.

Second and 10 and again the defense gets flagged for pass interference which gives Cincy an automatic first down.

1^st and 10 and Palmer finds leonard for 9, down to the Pittsburgh 40. A short pass to Owens gets 3 yards and a first down. More important he gets out of bounds to stop the clock.

A deep pass to Ochocinco is incomplete. 2^nd and 10 with 1:09 remaining. A deep pass down the middle hits Owens in stride and he continues to victimize the Steelers, this time for 20 yards and first down. Owens now has 10 catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns. A holding call on Cincinnati on first down pushes them back 10 yards, back to the 28, where it will remain 1^st down.

2^nd and 20 and Ochocino catches a 15 yard pass while sliding out of bounds to stop the clock and bring up 3^rd and 5.

Incomplete pass over the middle and Cincinnati needs 5 yards to keep the drive alive. The pass from Plamer goes to Shipley who is hit and can't hold on, meaning the ball will turn over on down and Pittsburgh should hold on from this point, with just 34 seconds left.

And its a final from Cincinnati, Pittsburgh holds on to win 27-21. Time to review all of my spelling errors and copy and paste. Nite everyone.