It Just had to be T.J. Houshmazode

Of all the low down wide receivers, on all of the low down second rate teams.  It just had to be T.J. Houshvadilla.  Damn.  Yesterday was a tough, tough loss, and probably even for the Steelers too.  I've been reading articles all morning that blame the loss on any number of different causes; Bruce Arians' inability to call a quality game, Bruce Arians' pathetic play calling, and even Bruce Arians' ineptitude at mixing up his play calls.  I didn't see it.  I mean, Arians had his typical run-run-pass or pass-pass-run scheme going, but when he started to switch it up in the fourth quarter all of the baiting that he did in the first three began to pay off.  You have to admit that with a Ladies Man Roethlisberger under center in lieu of Chuck Batch, the game probably would have when the other way.  Had the Steelers pulled off the victory I was ready to anoint Bruce Arians as a master baiter.  Unfortunately, they lost and for two reasons not related to Arians' master baiter status.

Reason #1:  Penalties

Eleven penalties for eighty eight yards may not sound like much, especially when compared to Baltimore's seven for fifty two, but the timing and the nature of the penalties is what killed Pittsburgh.  The defense committed several penalties that allowed the Ravens to continue drives.  The most painful penalty came in the final minute where a holding call on a punt allowed the Ravens to start on the 40 yard line with 55 seconds left and one timeout.  Now, at this point I was quasi-confident that the Steelers defense would hold...maybe with some last second heroics from Polamalu.  I was supremely disappointed when Bryan McFadden was embarrassed on a deep play into the endzone by T.J. Houshyamomma.

Reason #2:  Jeff Reed

Quadzilla had yet another multiple miss game.  Reed is quickly changing from my least favorite Steeler to my least favorite human being of all time.  I appreciate that last week and the week before he was clutch in the kicking game, but I'm not going to give this guy any slack.  He had more to say in the off season than a kicker should have to say in a career.  (Especially when you compare his contract status with LaMarr Woodley...and guess which one kept their mouth shut.)  In my obviously correct opinion, kickers should be like amateur golfers.  Hit your one shot and get the Hell off of the TV.  While I find Quadzilla's off the field antics and arrests as funny as the next person, I expect him to deliver on the field when it counts.  Jeff Reed pissed me off so much yesterday that he get's the Gaper Award again.

          

Get your shit together.  It can't be that hard to find someone else that can kick a ball.

On the bright side, the Steelers are 3-1, tied for the lead in the AFC North, and have their starting quarterback coming back this week.  3-1 without the Ladies Man...not too shabby.

Cleveland is 1-3.  They already have more wins than I figured they would all season.