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21 Jan 2011

NY Times: AFC Championship Preview

Must ... find ... something unique to say ... about ... these ... teams ...

Posted by: Mike Tanier on 21 Jan 2011

18 comments, Last at 22 Jan 2011, 12:15am by TomC

Comments

1
by bengt (not verified) :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 12:01pm

"Both Steelers offensive tackles will be available on Sunday."

Wellll...

"Ben Roethlisberger was just 1 of 5 on deep passes in Week 15."

Two of them at the beginning of the game looked suspiciously like DPI.

"If LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene can grind out a few 5-yard runs on first down..."

That is exactly what I remember them doing in the last game. Stopping them will be the key for the Steelers.

12
by Intropy :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:22pm

It's worth noting that "Both Steelers offensive tackles will be available on Sunday" refers to backup tackles. So they wont be down to a backup right guard and a backup swing guard/center playing tackle - at least to start the game. The starters are both on IR.

2
by Hank (not verified) :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 12:34pm

There were surprisingly few sacks and turnovers in the week 15 game. Steelers had a couple key guys out with injuries that are now back- did the jets have any starters out that game that have since returned?

3
by Travis :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 12:54pm

The only Jet who missed the Week 15 game and is likely to start Sunday is safety Eric Smith.

4
by Led :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 1:11pm

The field was in terrible shape in the first game, which hinders pass rushers on both teams. I heard it's been re-sodded and is in better shape. That probably helps the Steelers, who have the better speed rushers. But I suspect there will be more pressure and less success passing for both teams Sunday.

5
by Mike Kurtz :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 1:33pm

Field in "better" "shape."

Remember that this is still Heinz.

6
by Led :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 2:04pm

Like Einstein said, it's all relative.

7
by Marko :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 2:42pm

That's what Antonio Cromartie said, too.

8
by Will Allen :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:11pm

Well, Einstein never had the bull-rush that Niels Bohr did....

9
by Dean :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:13pm

That would be Norman Einstein, right?

10
by Marko :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:15pm

Right, Joe. How's the leg?

11
by Will Allen :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:21pm

Oh, no, certainly Al Einstein. A little on the small side, but really scrappy, and a high character guy. Great in the locker room, and a pretty good speed rusher from the edge, especially on turf. Also, had some good insights on how to slow the game down, or speed it up, as need be. A real coach on the field type.

15
by Will Allen :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:30pm

Norman was Al's brother, who debabcled the 40 yard dash at The Combine, and arrived at the finish line younger than when the whistle was blown, and thus was no longer eligible for the draft.

14
by JMM* (not verified) :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:24pm

Well if Heisenberg is the ref again the league needs to enforce that time limit under the hood. He can't make a decision on anything

16
by Will Allen :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:39pm

Well, I'd rather have that than what happens if Schrodinger is wearing the stripes; what the hell is Vegas is supposed to do when ol'Erwin keys the mike, and announces to the world that the pass into the endzone was complete and incomplete?

17
by T. Diddy :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 8:02pm

"The ruling on the field is either that the Steelers have the ball somewhere between the 25 and 30 yard lines, or that the ball is exactly on the 27 yard line, but we have no idea which way it's going."

13
by Intropy :: Fri, 01/21/2011 - 4:24pm

Hey! I enjoyed that game. Not every week do you see this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7DTNEa2E7w.

18
by TomC :: Sat, 01/22/2011 - 12:15am

A remarkable Jets defensive statistic: on passes of more than 25 yards downfield, opponents are just 14 of 79 for 448 yards, with five touchdowns and six interceptions.

That statistic becomes even more remarkable when you realize that Jay Cutler had three of those touchdowns in one quarter. I will never understand what happened in that game---my current theory is alien abduction.

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