Horde and Lapham basically called out the team last night

[3wt]

(12-05-2017, 10:12 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: They both need to check themselves.  I saw a Bengal team execute a good game plan and out play the steelers in every way.  The only problem was the officiating.  When WJIII was given an unsportsmanlike call early (for something incredibly stupid), he was so afraid to lay out Bell tip toeing down the sideline that Bell scored.

The bogus PI call against Dre (perfect coverage), roughing the Pig when he basically flopped that would make a FIFA star proud, and the lack of holding calls (Geno was literally tackled all night....not one hold called...tell me if you have seen this before).  

The hold called on Gio was a simple block.  Didn't hold at all.  Unfuckingbelievable.  

The Bengals played a much better, mistake-free game.  They just lacked the officiating help the steelers got, plain and simple.

I can't wait for the vines of steeler holds, and someone needs to make one of the Dre PI call in the fourth quarter.

One of the, if not the, worst officiated games I have ever seen.  And douchey Marv won't do a damn thing about it.  

I agree with you about the bad calls.   I also think that two unsportsmanlike violations committed by the same person on the same play should both be enforced, which would have had a significant impact and was well deserved.  I've never seen Tez both unnecessarily drill someone and immediately follow it up with a blatant taunt (but it WAS old school - I think of the hit on Frank Gifford).  Even the announcers were disgusted by and outspoken about the meddling of the officials.  Shameful.

But ultimately the Bengals have no one but themselves to blame for the loss.  They had it within their power to finish the game and they did not.

• For Jackson not to reach out and simply shove Bell out of bounds was unforgivably stupid.   That one mistake cost us the game.
• For Green and LaFelle to just boot their receptions out of the fear of being hit was mentally soft  - the earmark of losing football teams
• The blocking on special teams was pathetic.  Erikson literally had nowhere to go.
• If our defensive backs gang tackled like the Steelers there would have been much fewer receptions and a reluctance to extend themselves to catch the ball.
• And really our tackling continues to be atrocious - especially Dre - who just needs to be canned.   He is a sub par CB.  He had one really good play - and was penalized for it (grrrrrrrrrrrrrr)
• Iloka was more concerned about putting a hurt on Brown (twice) than making a play.   Stupid.
• And the defensive backfield completely went to mush once Burfict was off the field.
  

The difference between a win or no win was between the ears and in the heart.   The Steelers just willed themselves to take control of the game and win.   We got mentally lazy and soft and gave the game away.

We have the talent.  And in general (with some obvious exceptions) the O-line played well enough to win.   But our wide receiver room greatly let us down.  And Kirkpatrick needs replaced.

I will say that a lot of players played really well.  Dalton, despite a couple of errant long balls, played really well.  Gio was a beast, Mixon was awesome, Tez was AWESSOME, Kroft was great and reliable, Hewitt was Hewitt and the O-line came to play and was much improved. 

There was a lot to be encouraged about, but the failures were just so glaring and embarrassing.
I thought until - and even after - Iloka made his bone headed play in the first half we played a heck of a game.  But when it came to crunch time, the Steelers were just mentally tougher than us.   It has usually been this way.