Monday, December 15, 2014

Steelers cool off Matty Ice, Atlanta


By Chris Bradford cbradford@timesonline.com 
http://www.timesonline.com/sports/
December 14, 2014
Roethlisberger helps Steelers beat Falcons 27-20
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay (22) returns an interception for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

ATLANTA — The Steelers could have cursed their fate. Could have resigned themself to inevitable defeat at the hands of another sub-par opponent from the thoroughly awful NFC South. Lord knows they’ve done enough of that this season.
Sunday was different, though. Namely, they won.
Not the offense won, they won. All of them. Offense and defense.
The Steelers’ 27-20 win over Atlanta at the Georgia Dome, their sixth win in the last eight games, was hardly a masterpiece. The secondary still gives up big plays. The offense left points on the board early — again. They didn’t put up an exorbitant number on the scoreboard either. Know what? It may have been their most complete team win.
When Jason Worilds was flagged for a personal foul for roughing the passer — that is a different argument for a different day — the Falcons scored three plays later to get on the scoreboard. It could have been the harbinger of things to come for the Steelers, like it has so many times before, but it wasn’t on Sunday.
“We stuck together,” Worilds said. “I think that’s the thing we’re most proud of.
“Not that we expect anything less, but we can go out there and collectively do it weeek in and week out. Offense came up big, defense came up big, special teams came up big. Everything.”
How have the Steelers started to change these last few weeks?
After the Falcons scored on a Devin Hester touchdown, the Steelers responded immediately and emphatically. Highlighted by Antonio Brown’s tippy-toe catch down to the Atlanta 1-yard line with 31 seconds to play in the half, a catch overturned by replay, the Steelers marched 80 yards in 12 plays in 3:52 to take a commanding 20-7 lead going into the break. Disaster averted.
“It was big,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “It was significant to get the seven as opposed to the three. The guys did a nice job.”
You know who the guys were who did the best job in Atlanta? Or, OK, at least exceeded expectations? The defense.
Twice in the third quarter they recorded big stops on third down, limiting Atlanta’s high-powered offense to Matt Bryant field goals. No, this isn’t the Steelers’ defense of yesteryear, but for this group, that’s pretty good.
“We knew they were a second-half team,” said defensive end Cam Heyward. “To get stops like that, really kept the momentum on our side, and our offense was able to put the game away.”
For this team, the best defense is a great offense. Getting the defense off the field as quickly and efficiently as possible to allow Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Brown do their thing, is top priority. If the Steelers are to reach the postseason, and it appears they should, they will need to win exactly like they did.
After 14 games, it appears the Steelers have established their identity and are comfortable in it. This defense, bad for so much of this season, is starting to border on the respectable. Sure, there’s always room for imoprovement and there will need to be more if the Steelers are to make hay in January. But on Sunday they showed, when that time comes in the postseason, that the Steelers will be a very tough out.
Are they playing their best football of the season as the season reaches its critical stages? Absolutely. But is anyone satisfied with just nine wins and their first winning season in three years? Not even close.
“Not yet,” Heyward said. “We’ve got a gear that hasn’t been shown yet. If we’re satisitifed with this, we’re in the wrong place.”​

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