Super Bowl XL

I'll start by saying, once again, I'm not all that bitter about the outcome of the Super Bowl between the Seahawks and Steelers. Yes the refs blew quite a few calls. Darrell Jackson's "pass interference" was chincy at best. But if you see it again, take a look at the Pittsburgh d-back. He slaps away at D-Jack, too. But if that turned out to be an incompletion, I wouldn't have been crying for a pass interference call on him, either. I mean, it's the Super Bowl...let the PLAYERS decide the outcome! As long as they aren't blatantly interfering with the play, let them go.

The touchdown by Ben Roethlisberger was bogus. The thing that got to me on that play was how the linesman first started signaling like he didn't get in and was gonna spot the ball. Then, all of a sudden, he signaled "touchdown". He seemed like a blind umpire behind homeplate that's easily fooled by a catcher framing an obvious ball for a called strike. But would that have mattered? It would have been 4th down at that point. And I would think that the Steelers would have gone for it anyway. If they scored, a few more seconds tick off the clock. If they don't, it's Seattle's ball deep in their own territory. Pittsburgh also could have just taken the three points. Either way, the finale of that drive wouldn't have been good for the Seahawks.

But the one call that still irks me is Sean Locklear's phantom "holding" call. When it's all said and done, I do believe that penalty killed the Seahawks morale. You saw it on the next play when Pittsburgh scored the sack on Hasselbeck. And even in the next play when, out of desperation, Matt air-mailed a pass clear over his receivers heads and into the hands of an opportunistic Steelers defender. Then, of course, there was that hideous "chop-block" call on Hasselbeck during the return. Has anyone in football history gotten credit for a tackle AND a chop-block penalty all on the same play?

But more than anything, it all comes down to the fact that the Seahawks couldn't finish the job in most cases. Outside of Jerramy Stevens td catch, Seattle squandered chance after chance all throughout the game. And the Steelers capitalized on a few of theirs. Some examples:

Stevens dropping like 3 or 4 passes

That horrible management of the clock near the end of the first half

Alexander's false start on a key drive

Josh Brown missing two field goals (albeit from over 50 yards. But still within his range)

Pittsburgh's 75 yard touchdown run to start the 3rd quarter

The end-around pass from Randel-El to Hines Ward

And, probably the one play that pissed me off the most...Seattle not being able to stop Pittsburgh on that 3rd and 26 in the 2nd quarter. For just about all of Mike Holmgren's tenure here in the Northwest, you've heard me yelling not to insert that STUPID prevent defense. It's killed us so many times in the past. The Rams game here at Qwest Field last season, for instance. All game long, the corners and safties pummeled and intimidated the St. Louis receivers. And the front seven got constant pressure on Marc Bulger. And the results for the first 52 minutes of that game was Bulger being forced to throw bad passes at receivers who weren't open. And then, with about 8 minutes to go in that game, the coaching staff decided to take their foot off the Rams throat and let Bulger have plenty of time to find recievers who were wide open, running around the field freely. By the time it was over, the Rams had made an amazing comeback for the win in overtime.

Perhaps it wasn't quite as dramatic in the Super Bowl. But the play and the situation were similar. Roethlisberger was getting pressured the entire game and forcing bad throws to receivers who weren't open. And then, just one play after a Rocky Bernard sack that made it 3rd and 26, they let their foot off the Steelers. Big Ben had plenty of time to scan the field until he finally found a wide-open Hines Ward for a first down on the 3 yardline.

Now, if the Seahawks had called a defensive play similar to the ones they had been calling all game, I would say that chances are the Steelers wouldn't have made a first down and, at worst, would have had to settle for 3 points.

But that's not what happened. And the result was a 7-3 lead going into halftime. A 7-3 lead that shouldn't have been had only Seattle stuck to their defensive game plan.

As you know, I'm not one to blame the referees for my team's loss. And, believe it or not, I don't here, either. Yes, they were a huge factor. Yes they cost us points. But the Seahawks still had plenty of chances to overcome those bad calls...and didn't. You can't blame the refs for that interception Hasselbeck threw. You can't blame the refs for those passes dropped by Stevens. You can't blame the refs for the Seahawks not tackling and being out of position on that long td run. And you can't blame the refs for that great pass from Randel-El to Ward.

I'll also say this; Mike Holmgren's comments at the rally at Qwest on Monday were embarrassing. If he said something like that during the game or just after, it would have been more understandable. Not the smartest thing...but still understandable. But almost 24 hours after the game? Come on Mike...show a little class. The world saw what happened and knows we got jammed out there. But spouting off like that (especially in his position of power) does nothing to help the Seahawks cause. In fact, it probably hurts us down the road.

I do see some bright spots, though. If there's one thing the Seahawks have shown over the last couple years is they learn from their mistakes (outside of that STUPID prevent defense). I think if they can re-sign Shaun and Joe Jurevicius, there's no reason that they won't be back in the Super Bowl next season. And by that time, HOPEFULLY, they will have learned their lessons from this season and finish the job.

That's about it.

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers!

GO HAWKS!!!!!!

SCREW A&M!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!