Peak Week

 By The Wise Guy

You might say that the Monday night game against the Colts will be the defining moment in the Steelers season thus far.   You could be right.  Certainly, it would look great for the Steelers to beat Indianapolis at Peyton’s Place in front of what ought to be a huge national television audience and 97.9% of the families in Penn Hills. 

 Whether or not our boys are up to the task, who knows?  After watching last week’s breakdown in Baltimore, you have to wonder.  Forget the fact that Tommy Maddox was our so-called quarterback.  It was a game that we really needed to salt away, and there are plenty of players besides Tommy (including all of the guys on special teams) who share in the blame for the loss.  We could have been 8-2, with a game lead on Cincinnati both in the won/lost column and in the division.  Even with a loss this week to the Colts, we’d still be on top of the AFC North.  But no, we had to turn in one of the most lackluster performances since John Kerry vs George W. Bush. 

While it is true that we’ve lost three games by a total of 12 points, and two in overtime, and two with the aforementioned Tommy Maddox at quarterback, this team hardly reminds anyone of, say, the 2004 Steelers.  Remember them?  This was the team that on back-to-back Sundays decimated the NFL’s best.  They destroyed the Superbowl champion Patriots on Halloween.  The next week, they absolutely steamrolled Eagles so badly that parents in Philadelphia wouldn’t let their children watch, lest they be traumatized for life. 

We have yet to put together a string of games that comes close to those amazing wins. Other than solid road wins against Cincinnati and San Diego, for the most part we’ve just squeaked by lesser opponents.  

Now would be the right time to get our 2004 groove back.  We should be healthier than we’ve been for in a long while, getting James Farrior, Marvel Smith, Mike Logan, and last but not least, quarterback Ben Roethisberger back for this game.  Our stable of running backs should be feeling their oats.  

Also, if you remember, no one expected us to beat New England and Philadelphia last year, much less send them home on the seat of their pants.  Going into the Colts game, expectations are just as low.  But don’t take my word for it.  Check out the point spread.  

If we we’re going to peak at all this year, this week would be a great place to start.  Naturally, the Colts present huge problems.  Not for nothing, as Tony Soprano might say are they undefeated.  But rather than focus on what Indianapolis can do, as everyone from Peter King to Larry King is doing, I’d rather think about what the Steelers can do.   If we can get back to the top of our game, we can handle anyone.  It’s about time.