Steelers Lounge Podcast #64: 49ers Preview – Jeff Hartings

Posted on December 16, 2011 by ryan

As promised, it’s another podcast for your listening pleasure. Actually, we can’t guarantee that, but we do promise that it’ll beat the hell out of your Friday afternoon work meeting.

Either way, Gretz and I talk about Gatorade baths, Big Ben’s ankle, the playoff race and Deebo (in a shocking development, Harrison’s suspension was denied; we recorded this Thursday night but worked from the assumption that, you know, Harrison’s suspension would be denied).

We also chatted about the Ravens — specifically, my theory on why Baltimore is destined to lose to the Chargers Sunday and then meet their making in the wild-card round when they’ll have to travel to Denver and face the Tim Tebows.

Finally, we make up scenarios for Cowher’s coaching future and wonder if the Ravens would ever seriously consider making a play for Peyton Manning.

Alright, let’s get to this…

Steelers Lounge Podcast #64: 49ers Preview

Steelers Lounge Podcast

As always, thanks to everybody for subscribing to the podcast (do it now if you haven’t) and if you want to send questions, comments, complaints or whatever about the show, email us here.

Related posts:

  1. Steelers Lounge Podcast #53: Seahawks Preview — Brian Hinkle
  2. Steelers Lounge Podcast #59: Pats Preview – Jack Ham
  3. Steelers Lounge Podcast #21: Steelers-Ravens Preview — Tony Dungy
  4. Steelers Lounge Podcast #30: Ravens-Steelers Preview — Chad Scott
  5. Steelers Lounge Podcast #6: Ravens-Steelers Preview
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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_UR6KXGPFIFYZSVJNCXCJNHDQJQ Bob Costas

    I think you mean Harrison’s appeal was denied.  His suspension was upheld.

  • EasyLikeSundayMorning

    A very entertaining podcast… thanks!

  • EasyLikeSundayMorning

    On the podcast, Ryan asked what happens if we win out and the Ravens lose one.  According to the ESPN Playoff Machine, we’d be the 3 seed if the Pats and Texans also end up 13-3 (the Pats would be the 1 seed).  However, if the Texans also lose a game, we’d be the 1 seed over the Pats.  http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/machine.

    My first reaction was that I really don’t want the Pats to be the 1 seed.  But then I remembered that the Pats have lost their last two home playoff games.  So maybe that’s not such a big deal.

    • GlennW

      The result of that potential PIT/NE/HOU three-way tie is still very dependent on the results of other games though (which are not plugged into ESPN’s Playoff Machine).  I currently have PIT and NE in a flat-footed tie in the Strength of Victory tie-breaker at 71 opponent wins, with HOU 8 wins back (if NE did take the #1 seed in that 3-way tie, we’d then lose the tie-breaker for the #2 seed in the next round, having lost to HOU).

      In any case, still plenty of interesting scenarios remain, but realistically only if we beat the 49ers.

      • EasyLikeSundayMorning

        FWIW, the scenario I ran in the ESPN playoff machine was based on the teams with the better power rankings winning each game, except for the Ravens losing to SD. Interesting that the 3-way for SOV is currently a tie between us and NE. That could expand the amount of scoreboard watching in the last few weeks.

        • GlennW

          I didn’t look at this carefully enough this morning.  PIT has lost 3 conference games (NE and HOU only 2) so at least at 13-3 we drop out of that tie-breaker regardless of SoV.  So, Steelers would still need HOU to lose in that scenario.

  • Cols714

    Just listened. Love the Flacco bashing. Is there any team that receives more national TV love than the Ravens? What the heck is Flacco talking about?

    • Anonymous

      Yes, the Cowboys.

  • Randy Steele

    A couple quick thoughts: Could Tom Coughlin get fired by the Giants? Easily. Three reasons:
    a) he hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2007 Super Bowl;b) he’ s old;c) Cowher’s been warming up in the bullpen for that job for several years.

    And as far as the contest between the Steelers and 49ers on Monday night, I’m not feeling particularly hopeful. How much the Steelers will be willing to risk to win this game will depend largely on the outcome of the Ravens–Chargers game.

    As much as I hate to admit it, the Ravens most likely will win, and the 49ers will be desperate to not fall behind the Saints for the bye. Given that scenario, combined with the Steelers’ many woes, I can’t see them putting everything on the line to win that game.

  • Anonymous

    Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Steelers won the division and then Flacco got Tebowed?

  • EasyLikeSundayMorning

    It seems bizarre to complain about a lack of respect when you’ve played in fewer AFC Championship Games in your career than Mark Sanchez.

    • Anonymous

      It seems bizarre to complain about lack of respect when you play for a good team that does get a lot of respect and, indeed, as a weakness of that team ride its coattails to undeserved praise. 

  • EasyLikeSundayMorning

    Go Chargers, Panthers and Broncos today…

  • EasyLikeSundayMorning

    Carolina’s doing their part, up 14-0 early.

  • David

    Looks like we’re in, thanks to the Colts.

  • David

    The only thing, after the Whackers’ loss today, to make this a perfect Sunday is a Raisins loss. Go Dolts!

  • EasyLikeSundayMorning

    Thank you, Phil Rivers. With San Diego up 31-7, we couldn’t have asked for today to go much better.

  • Cols714

    Joe Flacco stinks.
    Well Pittsburgh, win tomorrow and we are sitting pretty.

    • Randy Steele

      Love the facial hair, Joe. What do you call that? A Flac-Manchu?

      • EasyLikeSundayMorning

        Maybe he’s auditioning for the biker role from the Village People.

        • David

          My Lord, that’s funny. YMCA…

          No, I think that mustache is just a reflection of his unibrow.

          BTW, this game just further confirmed what we thought all along: we are the Raisins’ Super Bowl. Versus anyone else, ANYTHING is possible for them.

      • kyle

        That mustache looks like he lost a bet.  That is a lost bet mustache.  He was awful tonight.  I wonder if he’ll complain about not getting national attention for how poorly he played.  Also, loved seeing Ray Lewis get tossed aside like the old man he is.

      • Anonymous

        My wife said he looks like some sort of child-molester with that…just another poor decision by Flacco.

  • David

    And here’s something that confirms our suspicion of the media’s crush on the Patsies: their saying the Patsies’ D solved Tebow.

    Really, the win had nothing to do with the 3 1st Half TO’s by DEN, and the D solved Tebow while allowing 253 rushing yds?

    • GlennW

      The local media here in New England is decidedly less optimistic about the Patriots’ defensive effort in this game.  On the contrary, it’s more like “this defense still sucks” (plus the Patriots just lost Andre Carter– their only decent pass-rusher– for the season). Everyone is resigned to the fact that Tom Brady and the offense must put up 35+ points to be even reasonably assured of a victory.

  • Cols714

    Ben’s going to start according to the PPG. I’m not surprised. I will be surprised if he’s effective. I expect we will see Batch at some point.

    • GlennW

      I’m still fairly optimistic about tonight’s game though, if for no other reason than that the 49ers have been playing like crap of late.  It’s entirely possible that Ben doesn’t have to be very effective, and we still win.

      • Cols714

        I’m surprised. I’m pretty pessimistic about this game. Ben won’t be able to bail them out and I suspect the 49ers will have success running the ball. Plus our OL plays like crap on the road.

        • Rob D

          Same here. Ben and Pouncey’s injury really make this a different type of game. the 9ers are very good against the run. So if we can’t get that part of our game going (and Cols is right about our road problems with the O-line) I wonder if a less than healthy Ben will be able to get the ball out of his hands quickly. I assume his scrambling will be severely curtailed so he’s going to have to rely on superior blocking.

          This 9ers team will be hyped up ..count on it. They are quite capable of beating the Steelers especially if they jump out to an early lead like the Chargers did last night. We need ST’s to play great and for the D to get to the QB as much as possible.

          Ben’s injury really pisses me off vis a vis the Football Gods. It’s going to make our journey through the playoffs a much more difficult road, IMO

        • GlennW

          But Patrick Willis is not expected to play in this game, and starting LT Joe Staley is also questionable, post-concussion.  That helps even things out…

          • Cols714

            True enough. And if this game was at home I’d be optimistic as well. I just don’t think our OL plays well enough on the road to make up for an extremely hobbled Ben. I hope I’m wrong though.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_UR6KXGPFIFYZSVJNCXCJNHDQJQ Bob Costas

    Just a random thought but if Batch gets some snaps, I expect that Ward will get more looks/catches due to Batch’s familiarity with him.  Hell, if Batch starts 2 of the last 3 Ward will probably break all of the team records.