Close, But No Garrard

JAGUARS 31

STEELERS 29

In a way, this was the perfect game...if you were making a team video of the 2007 Steelers. It captured the highs, the lows, the strengths and the faults of a moderately successful yet disappointing team in a 60-minute span.

Ultimately, what did the Steelers in on Saturday were the same problems that have haunted them all year:

• An offensive line that surrendered six sacks, sometimes allowing Jaguar defenders in the backfield as Ben Roethlisberger was handing off the ball
• A defense that bends, bends, bends and then ultimately breaks at the worst possible times
• A running attack that disappears, most definitely because of problem #1
• Weak special teams, ironically a part of the team that Mike Tomlin was supposed to fix
• Reserve players logging plenty of time due to crippling injuries
• And a questionable answer in the category of "leadership".

As the cliche goes, you win as a team, you lose as a team. And the 2007 Steelers had plenty of blame to go around.

But despite all of those flaws, despite 43 yards on 26 carries, despite four turnovers by Roethlisberger, despite an 18-point defecit going into quarter #4, the Steelers were six minutes and 28 seconds from an improbable trip to the second round.

The Steelers did many things well in this game, most importantly to come up with the admirable effort to not be content to end the season with an 18-point home playoff loss. They bested the Jaguars in numerous second-half categories, but unfortunately you do not advance in the playoffs for statistical victories.

It's fair to say the Steelers weren't beaten by David Garrard (9-21/140/2 INT/1 TD), but they were. It's fair to say that the Steelers bottled up the Jaguars running attack (135 yards as opposed to 224 in the last meeting), but they didn't, allowing 4.7 yards per carry, 2 TDs, and the 32-yard scamper by Garrard that still has Tyrone Carter searching for his jock strap.

Hines Ward and Heath Miller were inspirational to say the least. Their play in the second half was simply unreal, especially Ward, who I haven't seen so irritated by an opponent in some time. 10 catches for 135 yards in the playoffs is a big-time effort. For the record, the great Terrell Owens (2002 vs. Giants) and Randy Moss (1999 vs. St. Louis) have only amassed more than 135 yards in a playoff game once time each. It's also the third time that Ward has acheived 10 catches in a postseason game, a feat neither Moss nor Owens has ever accomplished. So for the people who say the Steelers have no receivers, look elsewhere for your sacrificial lamb.

A good place to find that lamb is on the offensive line. I've never believed that a playoff team could potentially have two or three changes to a line from one year to the next, but with the Steelers, it's a consideration. They were bad before they were ravaged with injuries. Big Bad John Henderson goes down for the Jaguars? No difference. The Steelers still couldn't run the ball, which somehow became acceptable against the Jacksonvilles and Baltimores of the world this year. And I'm not excusing Roethlisberger's numerous bad decisions on Saturday, but I can only wonder how many of the same miscues he would've made behind a solid line. Again, when the game was in the Steelers' hands and they could've milked the clock to end the game, the line rewarded the fans with a three-and-out. That's just not good enough.

The defense should accept part of the blame, but they did not allow all 31 points. One TD was virtually scored on the kickoff, one TD was an interception return, and a third was set up by an interception return that would've gone for even more yardage if the player didn't have dreads. But as I said, on the 4th-and-2, they were beaten for 32 yards by a quarterback that runs a 4.96 in the 40, so take from that what you will.

Lamarr Woodley really showed me something, James Harrison came up with his usual variety of big plays, and the Steelers finally picked off a few passes, something they'd been reluctant to do in 2007. They took Garrard out of his game, disrupting his ratio of 1 INT:108 passes to a much more favorable 1 INT: 10 passes. It was Garrard's blasted "58 yards rushing" stat that really killed the Steelers.

Mike Tomlin's decisions will be debated, especially the decision to go for 2-point conversions in the 4th quarter. World-Class Cliche King Mark Schlereth of ESPN was immediately second-guessing Tomlin, saying that you don't chase points until you have to. I don't know how much longer Schlereth wanted to wait beyond the 4th quarter to chase points, but I agreed with Tomlin's decision in those instances.

So that closes the books on the 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers. They won the division with a rookie coach, they had the league's 2nd-rated passer, and a running back who probably would've won the rushing title had he not missed the final two games. For a team that was universally picked to finish 3rd, I'd say that was pretty doggone good.

What will 2008 bring? Alan Faneca, Max Starks, Dan Kreider, and Nick Eason hit free agency. Trai Essex and Chris Kemoeatu are the team's only RFAs. So it looks like there will be some turnover on the offensive line. And FYI, the Steelers will be picking somewhere in the 20s, so start your draft analysis accordingly.

It was an exciting year that fulfilled my expectations. As much as I enjoyed watching this team (most of the time), they weren't getting past the powers of the AFC. They were too banged up and were a key player or two away anyway. It was a lot of fun chronicling this season and I thank all of you for sharing your thoughts on a weekly basis. Now let's all sit back, forget that tough loss and watch us some American Gladiators tonight.