Steelers links

A big reason I tanked in the pick 'em game the last few weeks: I haven't been paying attention to the rest of the NFL. Now that work has abated and I have an hour to pound coffee and catch up on the papers, I find all kinds of good Steelers reading. Here's another installment.

Ernie Palladino of the Asbury Park Press writes about Roethlisberger, Deion Sanders' comments about the Giants being quitters, and the further injury to the New York defense.

Mark Garafalo of the Staten Island Advance describes the world of hurt that is the Giants' defensive line.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe downplays home-field advantage in the playoffs. I wish the media would frame the home-field advantage goal not as a potentially slight edge for the players, but as a reward for the fans.

Speaking of fans, how many Steelers fans will make the trip to Giants stadium this weekend? I expect we'll see a large crowd like the one we saw at Dallas. New York's not so far away and you know tickets are available. Good seats are going on eBay for about $200 each. We can all find that kind of money, with our Wagner tobacco card, wedged down there in the couch.

Tom Coughlin sounds like a zombie in a quote gracing in this week's game preview from the AP:

``The rookie player that has this type of opportunity, and this type of experience, it is a priceless experience that does not come without pain,'' Coughlin said.

What is a priceless experience? Getting your face stomped into the dirt? Establishing a reputation as a Loser? Incurring painful injuries because you're too green to see how a blitzer will have a free shot at your back? Coughlin can't believe what he's saying.

Ralph Vacciano of the Daily News trots out the tired argument that Eli Manning has a no-good supporting cast. I'd take offense if I'm Jeremy Shockey.

Ben's "PFJ" shoe-graffiti comes up in this Philadelphia Daily News report about the NFL's fashion police (reg. req'd). The NFL should lay off guys whose socks aren't pulled up or whose shirts are untucked. But I'm pro-fashion police on the issue of ornamenting the uniform with conspicuous logos or messages. The NFL has to protect the players from the pressures and temptations they'd come under if they could regard little parts of their body as advertising space. I don't doubt the sincerity of Ben's religious beliefs, but if he can do it, then all the self-promoting hucksters will do it, too, and in a much less sincere fashion. We can't have an armbands-race between NFL players competing for the reputation of Mr. Good Guy, Mr. Jesus, or Mr. Patriot. Just as the highest form of philanthropy is anonymous giving, so is the highest form of worship selfless and silent. Don't tell me you can't honor Jesus if you can't write some initials on your shoe with a Sharpie. You don't need an audience to pray. If an NFL players feels a duty to proselytize, I say good for him. In the meantime let him respect the uniform and the game.

Mark Maske and Leonard Shapiro compare the teams with the NFL's best record for the Washington Post. They argue that all three teams are evidence that it's still possible to build dynasties in the NFL. Huh. I'd love to think this is the beginning of a dynasty in Pittsburgh, but there's still a lot of football left in the season. We can start talking dynasty a year or more from now.

Based on all the reading I've done, it looks to me like the Steelers should be able to pound the ball and own a significant time-of-possession advantage. The Giants will have to force turnovers to win this one. They'll also need Manning and Barber to take care of the ball. That's a little like saying the Giants will need to score more points if they hope to win, but it's still pretty true. They don't match up physically with the Steelers' running game so they better not pin their hopes on stuffing the run. Outside of turnovers, how else can they plan to stop the Steelers' offense?