Steelers Survive Scare; Beat Miami 3-0 in 'Mud Bowl'
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by Behbigben15
The Steelers survived a scare in their 3-0 win last night over the winless Dolphins, which ended up being the lowest scoring game in MNF history. The 3 points didn't come until the last 20 or so seconds of the game. Both teams were held scoreless for 59 minutes, in what was the sloppiest game I have seen in my entire 15 years of living.
For a majority of the game there was a pour-down in Pittsburgh, and the game even had to be delayed a half hour due to lightning, so the game was delayed until 9 P.M. ET last night. Just a short 48 hours (2 days for those who are bad at math) before the game, the Steelers grounds crew decided to add on an extra 4 inches of loose sod over top of the hard surface in Heinz Field due to the 4 Football games played there last week.
That decision turned out to be a bad one, since it poured down rain all day, and part of the night, which turned the field into an ocean, which should have given an advantage to the Dolphins. Either way, it was the sloppiest game I've seen, the grounds crew had trouble lining the field before the game, so for the entire first half they played without being able to even see where the ball was on the field. But, right before the second half started they re-lined them, and it actually worked.
Well, anyway, on to the game. So, the first-half went by very quickly, as it was just about an hour and 15 minutes, if that. But, at least the game was exciting, the field conditions were so bad, that instead of going for a 40-yard FG, it was best if you just went for it on 4th & 15 (Miami went for it on 4th & 15, and 4th &11). The Steelers threw an INT (to Joey Porter, who returned to Pittsburgh for the first time since leaving), while the Dolphins lost 2 fumbles. Third, and fourth down conversions was what was key last night, and neither of the two teams did a very good job on 3rd, and 4th down. Pittsburgh going 4-12 on 3rd, and 0-1 on 4th, while Miami went 3-12 on 3rd, and 0-2 on 4th.
There was less passing, and more running the ball, yet neither team ran for over 100 yards (Pitt- 84, Mia- 49), and the Steelers threw for 165 yards, edging Miami's rookie QB, John Beck, who had just 110. WR, Hines Ward, turned out clutch once again, catching 9 balls for 88 yards including the catch that setup Jeff Reed's potential 24-yard GW FG with 17 seconds left. So, with all that said, Pittsburgh did earn the win, edging Miami (0-11) in nearly every major category, and just being more affective altogether. But, you can't take anything away from Miami, who fought pretty damn hard for an 0-11 team, and they were just 1 big play away from pulling off the big upset over the, now 8-3 AFC North Division leading team. A majority of the Steelers possessions, either started, or ended up in Dolphins territory. I didn't even mention that their was 2 missed FG's (one by Reed, the other by Jay Feely).
The big story of the game was Ricky Williams return after nearly 2 years away from the NFL, unfortunately for him, and the desperate Dolphins, his night was cut short in the second QTR after getting stepped on by Rookie LB of the Steelers, Lawrence Timmons. Earlier today, it was announced that Williams suffered a torn chest muscle, Williams carried the ball just 6 times last night for 15 yards, and a fumble. Deffinitely not the kind of comeback Williams, and the Dolphins organization was hoping for. Williams was placed on IR, and will miss the rest of the season. More bad news for Miami came in the second half when their starting RB, Jesse Chatman suffered a neck injury, they are not sure how long he will be out, if at all. Chatman was Questionable for the game with a sore ankle, but ended up starting anyway, Chatman ran the ball 11 times for 17 yards in last night's game. So, that makes not two, but three injured backs if you count Ronnie Brown who was placed on IR earlier this year.
Injuries is what has killed the Dolphins season, and forced them to an 0-11 start.
What the Players/coaches had to say about the game last night:
"Those conditions, whew, they were horrendous," Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said after daylong rain and new sod created awful playing conditions. "The footing was bad, all of a sudden you'd hit a water puddle and sink down. Some of defensive backs were scared about falling down and giving up a big play."
"My No. 1 concern coming into the game was that you hurry a guy back, obviously you can get hurt," Miami coach Cam Cameron said.
"That's what I was afraid of, overtime," Steelers linebacker Larry Foote said. "You just knew it was going to be a 3-0 game, a 6-0 game."
"You put new sod in and weather like this, it's not a good combination," Reed said. "I planted [on his first field goal try] and the whole sod moved over."
"It was like being on the beach in the sand on every play," said Miami linebacker Joey Porter, the former Steelers star playing against his old team for the first time.
"It was nasty," Miami linebacker Channing Crowder said.
"In the NFL, I've never played on a field that bad," Dolphins kicker Jay Feely said. "But we knew that it would be like that once it was re-sodded. We knew what the conditions would be like."
"He kept trash talking the whole game, but we love him," Ward said. "I told him, 'I know you're a Dolphin now, but you're a Steeler for life.' I know he wanted to win this game more than anything."
Fast Facts:
Miami's start is the worst for any team since the Lions began 0-12 in 2001. They finished 2-14.
It was the league's lowest-scoring game since Dec. 11, 1993, when the New York Jets beat Washington 3-0. The Detroit Lions and New York Giants played the NFL's last scoreless tie on Nov. 11, 1943.
The show on ESPN, "Around the Horn" referred to this game as the 'Slop Bowl'.
Late in the third quarter, Brandon Fields' punt from near the Miami goal line came straight down and plugged in the drenched turf like an arrow,
burying itself several inches deep.
Pittsburgh RB, Willie Parker went over 1,000 rushing yards on the year last night (1,006), and currently sits at 2nd in the NFL in Rushing yards.
Source: ESPN.com
It takes 2 weeks for sod to take hold, not 2 days. And that's when you rup up the old turf, takes longer when placed over existing grass. They saw the weather reports, maybe not aboput how bad the rain would be, but they knew it would rain. SIX games in 4 days?!?! WAY too much for natural grass.
The williams injury sucks, but it could have been worse. A 300lb lineman slips and lands on someones legs or shoulder and it may be career ending.