That’s the way of the AFC North
I was actually on the edge of my seat as Monday night rolled into Tuesday, thinking that position might actually help the Steelers rally past the Bengals.
Now, scientific data and review aside, results are results, so that might just have to be my posture on Christmas Day when Pittsburgh travels to Houston.
Adding to the complexity of my body positioning for victory was the positioning of Pumpkin, the family cat, who eschewed her usual location on the foot rest of chair by straddling the left arm rest. No small feat for a cat, whose length and size were not built for sleeping on an arm rest.聽
(The other three games are at home, so I don鈥檛 quite have the freedom of movement in the press box as I do at home, nor will Pumpkin be in attendance.)
And, who is Randall Guy? Jojo Smith? Maybe Jon Gruden should go under a little testing himself.
This just not in 鈥� football is a violent, collision sport. Legislate how they will, crashing bodies are inevitable, whether legal or illegal.
That鈥檚 what I chalk Ben Roethlisberger鈥檚 response in his post-game interview with ESPN鈥檚 Lisa Salters when asked about the game, a response that has Big Ben vilified across social media.
Three simple words 鈥� 鈥淎FC North football.鈥�
The powers-that-be might not like the reality of the situation, but Big Ben was out there in the midst of all that madness. Fans of the NFL have to come to expect any game with the Bengals, Steelers and Ravens (sorry Cleveland) to have such aftermath.
In no way am I endorsing head-hunting and getting even for the past, especially for the entertainment of the masses, but those men are human beings in a very emotional sport, especially when the opponent is the Bengals. (Ever been cut off on the highway? Have you done the cutting off?)
Ben was correct to note the difference between the Bengals and Ravens. No love lost with the Charm City football squad, but, in many ways like Sam Sheepdog and Ralph Wolf, the Steelers and Ravens go at it hard, but usually within the confines of the rules.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis believes his tenure, second only to Bill Belichick, will come to a close after the season. Rightfully so. Some of the issue with guys like Vontaze Burfict and Adam Jones comes down on him and the ownership.
Reminds me of Christian Laetner. Real pain in the posterior, but somebody kept hiring him. Want to make a point? Stop giving guys like that a job. Maybe that will change their tune.
But, I digress.
Here鈥檚 an out-there comparison, but the strike zone in the NFL is increasingly becoming the same as MLB, under the armpits to the top of the knee. The difference is the hitter in baseball is stationary, while the hitter in football is reaching speeds approaching a moving car.
JuJu Smith-Shuster, who will likely lose his appeal on a well-deserved suspension, not only had an opportunity to line up a linebacker, but a linebacker that happened to be Vontaze Burfict. I guess Smith-Shuster could鈥檝e stood there and let Burfict run into him, and still would鈥檝e opened the running lane.
I would鈥檝e tacked on another game for standing over the prone body.
(Little side note 鈥� Sorta slipped through the cracks, but did anyone else see Hines Ward on the Steelers鈥� sideline during the game? His block on Cincinnati鈥檚 Keith Rivers led to the 鈥淗ines Ward Rule,鈥� outlawing the same block orchestrated by Smith-Shuster.)
Bengals safety George Iloka got into the act late in the game, unable to knock the ball 鈥� or his head 鈥� free from Antonio Brown. He, too, will likely lose his appeal and have Sunday off.
(Another side note 鈥� Why wasn鈥檛 Brown in concussion protocol after that crack to the upper body?)
And, the most serious injury of the night was self-inflicted, of sorts, when Ryan Shazier was injured early in the game. No launching, no cheap shot, no blindside hit. Just an unfortunate positioning of his head when he made contact.
Though it approaches cliche, football, notably the NFL, is similar to Roman gladiators and charioteers in the Coliseum. Nachos have replaced bread, although the circuses are still the same, sporting venues financed with taxpayer money.