One of my acts of prognostication came true for once - I said the Jags would force more turnovers and win, and that's what happened. Of course they blew a huge lead in the process, but still...those points they scored in the first half, aided by three Ben Roethlisberger interceptions, still counted in the end.
It really wasn't really the game we expected. Yeah it was physical and tough and sometimes brutal, but neither team did a lot on the ground (the Jags' final rushing numbers were inflated by David Garrard's big 32-yard draw-play at the end; speaking of which, has there been a feebler attempted tackle in recent memory than Tyrone Carter's pitiful effort on that play?). Special teams played a big part in the first half, what with Maurice Jones-Drew running back a kick-off 96 yards to set up a Jags TD. And Roethlisberger ended up having to pass a lot - 42 attempts for 337 yards, with those 3 first-half INTs. Not the way the Steelers wanted it to go. Still, Ben showed some of that magic touch of his and led Pittsburgh to a late lead. It didn't hold up of course.
Game-Changing Picks
David Garrard was picked off twice yesterday after throwing only 3 INTs all year. Ben Roethlisberger threw only 11 INTs during the regular season (against 34 TDs) but was picked off three times in the first half of yesterday's game. Ben's picks helped the Jags build their big lead, and Garrard's helped the Steelers overcome it. The lesson? Don't turn the freaking ball over.
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Tags: ben roethlisberger, david garrard, jacksonville jaguars, maurice jones-drew, pittsburgh steelers
