Jan 18, 2016 5 min read

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 412

Notice: Trying to get property 'term_id' of non-object in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 412

What a run this season has been.

Had you told me at any point the Steelers would go through the injuries they did, I would have said 8-8 was the best they could hope for, especially given who they played this season.

Think about this: Of the seven other teams playing games over the weekend, the Steelers played five of them.

Of the final four teams still vying for the Super Bowl, the Steelers played them four times – Denver twice, New England and Arizona once each – and split those games 2-2.

And they were a couple of plays away from being one of the final four.

Much of the focus of this loss will be put on Fitzgerald Toussaint’s fumble. But it happens. And the defense still had a chance to stop Denver – or at least hold the Broncos to a field goal.

But they couldn’t get off the field, including Brandon Boykin giving up a 31-yard catch on third-and-13.

Denver had just two drives of more than 34 yards in this game, so the defense played very well. But it allowed a 65-yard touchdown drive at the wrong moment.

There is, however, much to build on. The Steelers will get a lot of offensive firepower back to open next season and if they can avoid injuries, it should be the top offense in the NFL.

And the defense really came a long way this season and will continue to get better. Rookie cornerback Senquez Golson should add a capable body to the secondary and we can only assume at least one other young defensive back will be added to the mix in the first couple of rounds in the draft.

In fact, the bet here is that the Steelers will be one of the Super Bowl favorites heading into next season. The travel schedule alone will be much less grueling, which could make a difference.

@ Speaking of betting, if I were a betting man, I’d bet the house on New England next weekend.

The Steelers outplayed the Broncos for about 50 minutes Sunday. Unfortunately for the Steelers, as Cincinnati learned the previous week, it’s a 60-minute game.

@ Ben Roethlisberger played a really, really good game against the league’s top-rated defense. In fact, he deserved better.

He slightly underthrew Markus Wheaton in the end zone in the first quarter, but Wheaton certainly could have come down with the ball.

And I thought Darrius Heyward-Bey and Martavis Bryant both had chances to score on catch-and-runs.

@ Bryant took a big step forward in this game with Antonio Brown out. There was question as to whether he’s just a complimentary receiver or a possible No. 1 option.

He had nine catches for 154 yards and 40 more rushing.

Bryant sounded really excited to have the opportunity to play all 16 games in 2016 after sitting five games this year. I think he’ll grow from everything that happened this year and become a true force next season.

@ James Harrison can still play, but Jarvis Jones played well again Sunday as well, particularly in the run game.

Jones likely won’t ever be a big sack guy, but I thought he made positive steps throughout the season and played well in the postseason.

Add that in with Bud Dupree getting a full season under his belt and those two should be much better in 2016.

If I’m the Steelers, I bring Harrison back strictly as a situational pass rusher and let Jones and Dupree run in next season.

@ We kind of saw why the Steelers didn’t play Brandon Boykin as much. He has a tendency to leave his feet in an attempt to make interceptions.

While that’s great when you make the play, when you don’t – as happened in the fourth quarter – it turns into a long gain.

My high school basketball coach used to preach to us that if you go for a steal, you’d better get it. Otherwise, you’ve overextended yourself and left the offense with a 5 on 4.

In Boykin’s case, he went for the pick. Had he just batted the ball down or made the tackle, the Steelers would have been better off.

Then again, I’m surprised the Steelers didn’t get a pick on Peyton Manning’s flutter balls. On the possession just before Boykin’s swing and miss, William Gay undercut a route but couldn’t come up with the pick.

@ Jordan Berry had a solid first season, but he obviously struggled in the first half of this game. Two 27-yard punts were definitely not what the Steelers needed.

@ Mike Tomlin passed on field goals from the 32 and the 34, trying to convert a fourth-and-1 on the first and taking a delay of game penalty on the second.

But with 19 seconds remaining, down 10 points, he elected to kick a field goal from the 29.

That was the move to make in that situation, but Chris Boswell was nailing his kicks in pre-game warmups. The wind kicked up after that, but Boswell’s was really good this season and deserved a shot at kicking at least one of those.

@ Somebody on my Twitter feed tried to run out the old “you can’t settle for field goals and win a playoff game” line.

I guess that guy forgot that the Broncos actually kicked five field goals and won.