That’s hardly ever a problem.
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While that was going on, three hours away on another edge of Lake Erie, the Buffalo Bills defeated the New York Jets, 22-17.
Wide receiver Travis Benjamin just came up short in his quest for 1,000 yards, finishing the season with 68 receptions for 966 yards. That was the other half of the equation the Steelers had to have to make it as the sixth and final playoff seed in the AFC.
That stretched the Steelers lead to 14-6, but the Browns drove from their 20 with 58 seconds left to the 15, and then Coons kicked his third field goal of the half, from 33 yards with no time left.
“It’s been a tough, 16-week fight for us, but we’re where we want to be”, coach Mike Tomlin said. “If we have to do that, we have to watch and wait”. This was a move that we all saw coming, so it’s really no surprise that the Browns just want to get it out of the way Sunday night before the firing squad hits on Monday.
Cleveland fumbled on the kickoff and Brandon Boykin recovered at the Browns’ 28. He looked up and saw thousands of Steelers fans waving their Terrible Towels while reacting to the news from Orchard Park, New York, that the Bills had helped them out.
Barnidge needed 23 yards to join Ozzie Newsome and Winslow as the only Browns tight ends to record 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
After the firing of GM Ray Farmer early Sunday, it was a foregone conclusion that Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine would be next. “We will certainly have our hands full there”.
And as a result of the Bills win, the Jets will be sitting at home.
“We need to be flawless”, said Roethlisberger. I feel there’s a good, young nucleus here.
Romeo Crennel (2008), Eric Mangini (2010), Pat Shurmur (2012) and Rob Chudzinski (2013) were all fired following season-finale losses to Pittsburgh.
And what about having to deal with the Johnny Manziel experience for the past two seasons?
Haslam said the team will immediately begin a search for its eighth full-time coach of the expansion era. Gaines started the last four games at left cornerback.
The Steelers, however, aren’t quite ready to heap all the blame on the defense.
Said Foster: “It’s happiness for us”. “We need to stay on the field”. And though the secondary, as mentioned, has been porous (and tackling often at a premium) the Steelers’ ability to get to quarterbacks is almost unparalleled in the league, coming into Week 17 with 40 sacks and adding seven more against the Browns’ Austin Davis. This will be the second start for Davis, who was on the wrong end of a 37-3 thumping against Cincinnati on December 6.
So, while the best-case scenario for the Steelers – earning that playoff berth – came to fruition on Sunday, the path doesn’t get easier from here.
The Steelers were playoff-bound and they knew it. “There’s nothing like going out there between the lines every Sunday afternoon or whatever day you play”. Most of the time, Roethlisberger was brilliant.
Houston also clinched the AFC South with its win over Jacksonville and will host Kansas City after the Chiefs beat Oakland for their 10th straight victory.
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“Losing on a 6-inch field goal?”
