Steelers-Browns Recap

Can we pretend that the second half didn't happen? Wouldn't you feel so much better about the Steelers if this game ended after 30 minutes? Let's start with the fact that the Steelers defeated the Browns and are now 1-0. This is also the first time since the 2010 season that the Steelers started 1-0. In the big picture, the Steelers are 1-0 and have a win against a division opponent. Woo!

Now, here are my notes from the game:

- The Steelers led Cleveland 27-3 at halftime and outgained Cleveland 364-101 yards and had five plays of 30+ yards. Wow!

- To paraphrase Meatloaf, Antonio Brown would do anything to win a football game, but he won't do that (well he shouldn't have done this):



I was all prepared to compare Antonio Brown's kick to The Karate Kid, but nearly everyone on the internet already beat me to this observation.

- For the second half, I feel like the Steelers coaches probably told the players simply to keep doing what you're doing while the Browns actually made adjustments. Meanwhile, did the Steelers players think the game was over at the half? I feel like the players and coaches were equally responsible for the poor second half performance.

- How much did Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey make for the Lincoln MKC commercial? It has to be 7-figures, right? Unfortunately, he didn't end the commercial by saying, "I get older, they stay the same age."



- Steelers RS Le'veon Bell is good.

- I love the fact that announcer Ian Eagle stated that the Steelers avoided testing Cleveland all-pro cornerback Joe Haden, and then as soon as he stopped talking and the play started, Brown beat Haden for a touchdown.

- I was impressed by Steelers wide receivers Markus Wheaton & Justin Brown. I had low expectations for both of them, but they certainly looked like they belong in the NFL.

- The Steelers offense allowed 4 sacks while the defense gave up 183 rushing yards. Browns rookie RB Terrance West had 100 yards. The team needs to allow less sacks and rushing yards if they want to be successful this season.

- Am I the only one who thinks of the song Broken Wings by Mr. Mister whenever new Steelers punter Brad Wing takes the field?



- I've been a big Ike Taylor defender over the years. Sure, he has trouble catching the ball, but throughout his career, he generally prevents opponents' top wide receivers from having big games. Taylor didn't look good against a Browns team on Sunday without Josh Gordon or any other "scary" wide receivers.

- Good luck to Ithaca College graduate CCH Pounder on her new show CSI: New Orleans. I just wish CBS would promote the show more and give it some exposure.

The Steelers play again in 3 days against the Ravens. 3 days!

P.S. Quote of the day about the Steelers game goes to the terrific writer/reporter Dejan Kovacevic: I’ll repeat my summer-long plea for more Gay. Yes, I'm still 12 sometimes.

h/t Mikey for the video.

Lyric of the Day: Thug Edition

The following lyrics are courtesy of the band Train from their current song, Hey Soul Sister:

The way you can cut a rug
Watching you is the only drug I need
So gangster, I’m so thug
You’re the only one I’m dreaming of

So gangster, I’m so thug? You’re a staple on adult contemporary radio; you’re not thug! You’re lead singer is Patrick Monahan from Erie. I could be wrong, but I don’t think of Erie as thug territory. I get it; perhaps this line is inspired by the episode of CSI: New York where Monahan "plays a former homeless drug addict who becomes involved in a murderous scheme." (Thanks to Wikipedia for this info.) Maybe that’s why you think you’re thug.

Regardless the chorus of the song disproves the thug identity. “Hey, Soul Sister. Ain’t that Mister Mister on the radio.” You remember the thuggish band Mr. Mister, don’t you? They had such thuggish hits as Broken Wings, now featured on an E-trade (I think) commercial with two talking babies, and Kyrie with the word eleison in the chorus.

"Kýrie, eléison, down the road that I must travel
Kýrie, eléison, through the darkness of the night"

No wonder I never understood what Mr. Mister said during that song. It's not a word in the English language!

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Completely unrelated to this not-so-serious rant, I encourage you to visit That's Church who is working to help two Pittsburghers in Haiti and the orphanage that they run. It's incredible the amount of support that they have received so far, but it's not over as help is still needed for them and the country.

More information about this is also in today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.