As time ticks down, Ben scans the field, looking for someone, anyone. Finally he sees a window and lets it go, the pass is perfect, two hands clutch the ball, and two toes tap the turf… just barely inbounds. Steelers Win!
The receiver was Santonio Holmes, the game of course was the Super Bowl. That play capped a magical season where the Steelers simply would not be denied. Flash forward ten months, the receiver was also Mike Wallace and that game of course happened just yesterday. That eerily similar play officially ended a five game slide where the Steelers did everything but gift wrap victories for their opponents.
Could that one play be the start of a new season? Will it infuse the team with a confidence that has been the most crucial of all the missing ingredients? Don’t think so? Don’t laugh, I’m serious.
After six games the Tennessee Titans were 0-6 and had just been shellacked by the Patriots. At that point they were losing games because of a secondary that was decimated by injury which resulted in a fading confidence in all other aspects of their game. When they won that first game after their bye I said, “watch the Titans, they are going to be very good in the second half”. I felt that way because that team was so obviously better than their record and that one win provided just a spark of confidence. That is all a good team needs.
That is what the Steelers got on Sunday. If they win the last two, they will need just a little help and they are in the playoffs. If that happens, all bets are off and I am sure of this; nobody wants to see
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