StainlessStill
11-30-2012, 10:51 AM
Faceless Motivator.
November 30th, 2012
-Travis Boariu/StainlessStill
Back on October 21st, the Steelers were entering Cincinnati with a one game losing streak. It wasn’t any kind of losing streak. The week before on Thursday Night Football, the Steelers were upset by the lowly Tennessee Titans, 26-23, only weeks after being upset by the lowly Oakland Raiders, 34-31, both AFC nobodies. The only way to rebound from such a thing would be to earn a must-win on the road against a division foe.
As Pittsburgh entered a huge showdown in week 7 against the hosting Bengals, they once again found themselves down and in a dog fight.
Somebody, anybody, needed to step up and save the season or the Steelers would find themselves in dangerous territory. They were in need of a faceless motivator just waiting to erupt.
Enter Willie Colon.
Years of frustration by the media, owners and fans alike, the leader of the Steelers inconsistent offensive line decided to take matters into his own hands. With the Steelers battling in the trenches, they knew the key to victory was to give running back Jonathan Dwyer, the running back by committee starter of the week, some rushing lanes.
As the team came out flat like any other game of the season, Willie Colon had enough. He took the man in front of him, wrestled him to the ground and bull-dozed his opponent to the point of submission like the man insulted his mother.
Colon continued this nasty beating, carving the enemy into the ground until the whistle blew. This act of anger and motivation had woken the sleeping giant.
The Steelers went on to complete the comeback, winning in Cincinnati and saving their season for the time being. The faceless wonder of the evening, Willie Colon, deserved the accolade of bringing the team back from the depths of defeat as he engineered the fear and physical toughness of what defined the Pittsburgh Steelers lineman of yesteryear.
From that point forward, the re-born Steelers went onto a 4 game winning streak. The Steelers attacked offensively, especially the running backs, responding to Colon’s message. Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman rushed for over 100 yards a pop over the next 2 games.
Then, a hurricane hit.
Riding an impressive two game winning streak into New York to face the Super Bowl defending Giants, it wasn’t supposed to be. The Steelers faced insufferable circumstances to prepare for a football game, as the residents of New York were facing a different kind of insufferable circumstance.
The city known for its lights and glamor was in desperate need of a Giants victory as they laid their heads on the thought of much happier times. Eli Manning and Tom Coughin held those keys with Pittsburgh coming into town. Nobody gave the battle-tested Steelers a shot.
Until a faceless wonder summoned.
As the Steelers looked defeat straight in the eyes (and NO help from the questionable referee’s) Mike Wallace took a standard crossing route and took it to the house, untouched, outrunning the entire city of New York to the endzone with blazing speed the Road Runner would envy.
Those Steelers did it again.
Motivation breathed life into the Steelers as they came back from a big 4th quarter deficit to complete the comeback victory against an emotional Giants team as they established themselves as a nightmarish contender in a weak AFC Conference.
That next week VS Kansas City, the Steelers lost their franchise quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, to a nagging shoulder injury. That wasn’t the major concern. Roethlisberger was out indefinitely with a life threatening rib injury as they found themselves in a prize fight against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs.
Lawrence Timmons welcomed the challenge.
Timmons was the faceless motivator on that rainy Monday night as he took a Matt Cassel interception in overtime into Chiefs territory that led to a Shaun Suisham game-winning field goal. Although they won the battle, Pittsburgh ultimately lost the war with Big Ben’s injuries.
Fast forward to the present day and the Steelers find themselves in familiar territory. They are faced with a three game losing streak and in desperate need of a faceless motivator.
Willie Colon is facing knee problems and is uncertain going into this matchup at Baltimore. Mike Wallace is demoted on the depth chart, sharing playing time with gritty wideout Emmanuel Sanders.
Lawrence Timmons continues to impress, coming off a pick-6 performance against the lowly Cleveland Browns, who, like Oakland and Tennessee, pulled off a stunning upset against the watered down Pittsburgh Steelers.
If the Steelers have any fight left into this turbulence of a season, they are in need of a faceless motivator. Who’s willing to step up, is the million dollar question.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!
November 30th, 2012
-Travis Boariu/StainlessStill
Back on October 21st, the Steelers were entering Cincinnati with a one game losing streak. It wasn’t any kind of losing streak. The week before on Thursday Night Football, the Steelers were upset by the lowly Tennessee Titans, 26-23, only weeks after being upset by the lowly Oakland Raiders, 34-31, both AFC nobodies. The only way to rebound from such a thing would be to earn a must-win on the road against a division foe.
As Pittsburgh entered a huge showdown in week 7 against the hosting Bengals, they once again found themselves down and in a dog fight.
Somebody, anybody, needed to step up and save the season or the Steelers would find themselves in dangerous territory. They were in need of a faceless motivator just waiting to erupt.
Enter Willie Colon.
Years of frustration by the media, owners and fans alike, the leader of the Steelers inconsistent offensive line decided to take matters into his own hands. With the Steelers battling in the trenches, they knew the key to victory was to give running back Jonathan Dwyer, the running back by committee starter of the week, some rushing lanes.
As the team came out flat like any other game of the season, Willie Colon had enough. He took the man in front of him, wrestled him to the ground and bull-dozed his opponent to the point of submission like the man insulted his mother.
Colon continued this nasty beating, carving the enemy into the ground until the whistle blew. This act of anger and motivation had woken the sleeping giant.
The Steelers went on to complete the comeback, winning in Cincinnati and saving their season for the time being. The faceless wonder of the evening, Willie Colon, deserved the accolade of bringing the team back from the depths of defeat as he engineered the fear and physical toughness of what defined the Pittsburgh Steelers lineman of yesteryear.
From that point forward, the re-born Steelers went onto a 4 game winning streak. The Steelers attacked offensively, especially the running backs, responding to Colon’s message. Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman rushed for over 100 yards a pop over the next 2 games.
Then, a hurricane hit.
Riding an impressive two game winning streak into New York to face the Super Bowl defending Giants, it wasn’t supposed to be. The Steelers faced insufferable circumstances to prepare for a football game, as the residents of New York were facing a different kind of insufferable circumstance.
The city known for its lights and glamor was in desperate need of a Giants victory as they laid their heads on the thought of much happier times. Eli Manning and Tom Coughin held those keys with Pittsburgh coming into town. Nobody gave the battle-tested Steelers a shot.
Until a faceless wonder summoned.
As the Steelers looked defeat straight in the eyes (and NO help from the questionable referee’s) Mike Wallace took a standard crossing route and took it to the house, untouched, outrunning the entire city of New York to the endzone with blazing speed the Road Runner would envy.
Those Steelers did it again.
Motivation breathed life into the Steelers as they came back from a big 4th quarter deficit to complete the comeback victory against an emotional Giants team as they established themselves as a nightmarish contender in a weak AFC Conference.
That next week VS Kansas City, the Steelers lost their franchise quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, to a nagging shoulder injury. That wasn’t the major concern. Roethlisberger was out indefinitely with a life threatening rib injury as they found themselves in a prize fight against the lowly Kansas City Chiefs.
Lawrence Timmons welcomed the challenge.
Timmons was the faceless motivator on that rainy Monday night as he took a Matt Cassel interception in overtime into Chiefs territory that led to a Shaun Suisham game-winning field goal. Although they won the battle, Pittsburgh ultimately lost the war with Big Ben’s injuries.
Fast forward to the present day and the Steelers find themselves in familiar territory. They are faced with a three game losing streak and in desperate need of a faceless motivator.
Willie Colon is facing knee problems and is uncertain going into this matchup at Baltimore. Mike Wallace is demoted on the depth chart, sharing playing time with gritty wideout Emmanuel Sanders.
Lawrence Timmons continues to impress, coming off a pick-6 performance against the lowly Cleveland Browns, who, like Oakland and Tennessee, pulled off a stunning upset against the watered down Pittsburgh Steelers.
If the Steelers have any fight left into this turbulence of a season, they are in need of a faceless motivator. Who’s willing to step up, is the million dollar question.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!