Dom’s Saturday History Special, Week 1: Steelers vs. Ravens
January 18, 2009
Troy’s Thrilling INT and Stop #2 on Sansmokio’s 2009 Magical Mystery Postseason Tour
Steelers 23 – Ravens 14
The way the National Football League has slowly evolved into a glorified game of grabass that pleases his Imperial Majesty Roger Goodell upsets me to no end. Yet before him and his minions could really get going and legislate the awesomeness and steel-cage match nature out of the game, a game that embodied the raw physicality and excitement of football took place in mid January at Heinz Field between the two most physical franchises of the last two decades. What made this game even more special was the fact that this was for the A.F.C. Championship, it was between the most bitter of rivals, and it would be a no holds barred grudge match to see if the Steelers could triumph over the Ravens three times in one season. Let me say ladies and gentlemen, this game did not disappoint.
I decided to take up my friend Ogi’s offer to watch the game one of his friend’s place that day. I didn’t really know anybody that well except for him and my friend Corin and nobody really knew my absolute obsession with the Steelers so they didn’t know how into the game I would be (especially on the biggest Offensive play of the game), but anyway the food and drink were great and so was the company so it was a really chill atmosphere to watch this Defensive struggle. They let me live and die with every play like I normally do when watching the Steelers play the Ravens and I truly appreciate that to this day. But anyways, back to what happened.
The 1st Quarter for lack of a better phrase was “all Pittsburgh.” On their first drive the Steelers got 3 points on a Skippy Reed FG after it got started with a nice 45 yard catch and run by Hines Ward from Big Ben. After Joe Flacco threw an INT to Deshea Townsend in Ravens territory, the Steelers should have gotten an easy TD. Unfortunately the jagoffs in the striped shirts negated what looked like a sure TD catch by Sansmokio Holmes. Regardless, Skippy kicked another one through the uprights and the score stood at 6-0 with the Steelers ahead. The entire first half itself was just a black and blue slugfest. Hitting everywhere, and some cheap shots too. Ray Lewis hit Ben long after a pass was thrown and Hines hurt his knee when a Ravens CB literally was trying to hurt him. The defensive play of the 1st Half however belonged to Troy Polamalu who on a 4th and Inches stopped a Flacco QB Sneak by leaping over the line by himself in one of the most awe inspiring plays by a Safety near the line of scrimmage that I have ever seen.
The game still stood at 6-0 in the 2nd Quarter when a little luck, and a little bit of Sansmokio Magic struck. Before I describe this play, let me preface this by saying that I have never see a Steeler player in my lifetime be so money for so many consecutive post season games like Santonio Holmes was in the 2008-2009 N.F.L. Playoffs. Whether it was his punt return TD that caused the spark against San Diego the week before or his circus catch to win against Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII, this guy knew just when to make the big play in that three game stretch. Now here’s the play we all love and remember from the A.F.C. Championship Game.
On a play that looked like Ben would be sacked, he scooted outside the pocket and heaved what looked like a duck in Holmes’ direction. Ben made a perfect throw as the CB misjudged the ball and Smokey was able to cradle it and take off downfield. What really stuck out to me from this play was that Heath Miller and Nate Washington were blocking the entire time and ran with Holmes about 50 yards giving him a convoy to the end zone. Not many acknowledge these two for their hustle play, so I would just like to point out how truly amazing it was to see that type of effort by those without the ball on the play. After the 65 yard catch and run plus a Skippy P.A.T. the Steelers were up 13-0 and in the driver’s seat in the middle of the 2nd Quarter. Yet as we all know during this rivalry, no lead is safe.
On a personal note, I about crapped myself just watching the play. I figured that Ben would escape the sack just because tackling him is akin to bringing down a polar bear as Jason Taylor described last season. But to have the presence of mind to look down field was incredible. When Holmes made the catch and turned upfield all I could do is start yelling, “Run Smokey! Run!” at the top of my lungs while my friends looked on in disbelief that I was this into the game. When he finally scored I threw myself on the ground because I simply could not believe what I just saw.
In spite of being down 13-0 on the road in the A.F.C. Championship, I knew that the Ravens wouldn’t just lay there and take it. Baltimore was able to scratch and claw their way to a TD late in the 2nd Quarter when Willis McGahee ran it in from 3 yards out. What pissed me off about this turn of events wasn’t so much that the Ravens scored, but that there was a Pass Interference called against Ike Taylor in the end zone that I believe that was nowhere near close to being P.I. which gave the Ravens cake field position, but I digress. The Steelers looked as if they would be able to have a quick score before the half, and all looked well when Ben heaved a lollipop of a sure fire TD pass to Rookie WR Limas Sweed. Yet as we all know, Limas Sweed just flat out dropped it and much like his career couldn’t take the pressure. Sure he made a fine block on the next play to spring Heath for a 1st Down, but the Half ended in a 13-7 score that made me as well as all other Steelers fans a bit uneasy.
The 3rd Quarter featured much of the same relentless and ass kicking Defense that was displayed in the two quarters prior. The only type of scoring was Jeff Reed making his 3rd Field Goal of the game to put the Steelers ahead by 9 points and the Quarter ended in a 16-7 score. I like to call this quarter the “Beer-Drinking Quarter” because I must have put away close to 6 P.B.R.’s nervously watching the Steelers try to hold their lead. After the Skippy Field Goal I felt a bit more relaxed, because they put up some insurance points, but the Ravens were only one big play from getting back in the ball game. But this quarter alone was amazing because just watching both D’s at the top of their games made this game that much more enjoyable. To gain an inch, each Offense literally had to lay everything on the line, because points were at a premium and both D’s weren’t willing to give in.
The Ravens ended up getting their big play when they managed to put together a nice drive that was helped by another ticky-tack P.I. call in the end zone against Bryant McFadden. McGahee scored from 1 yard out and the game was 16-14 Steelers. After giving the ball back to Baltimore, and only up 2 points the Steelers’ Defense was in need of a big play. Luckily they had (and currently have ) the best damn SS in the N.F.L., and on a 3rd Down and long, he took it upon himself to make one of the most storied plays in Steeler History. As Joe Flacco was locked onto his target on the play, LaMarr Woodley (who had 2 sacks that day as well) and James Harrison just managed to put enough pressure on him and hit him right after he threw the ball. The rushed and slightly errant throw, plus Flacco’s inability to see Polamalu in the throwing lane, plus Troy’s heady positioning allowed him to make a spectacular INT. That was all well and good, but Troy being Troy cut back against the grain and thought six. Much like the convoy that escorted Deebo two weeks later, the Steelers’ Defense out there just hustled their asses off to get Troy to that end zone to seal the game. I’ll never forget the slow motion shot of Aaron Smith just leading the way inside the 10 yard line. Still brings tears to my eyes.
Anyway, the game was sealed right there, but the hitting didn’t stop. Ryan Clark almost literally murdered Willis McGahee as he caught a pass then fumbled near midfield and Lawrence Timmons recovered the bouncing ball. To watch it in slow motion is just crazy. Clark literally decleated the poor bastard who never saw it coming. After Willis was carted off the rest of the game was a formality. What those who had just watched it saw was literally one of the most physical football games of the post 1978 rule changes era. No joke. I mean I was aching and in pain after that game, and I just watched it. I’ll always point to that game however and tell people that this was the last game unencumbered by the Goodell rule changes. It was probably a game that inspired Goodell and the N.F.L. to stop these wonderful defensive games to pander to the masses of football fans that only appreciate offense. Anyways, for one fine day, and on one of the biggest stages: Defense was king for a day, and Sansmokio Holmes came through yet again.