Another Ugly Win

Down but not out

Charlie Batch is better than Seneca Wallace.  But we knew that already.

Was that even NFL football last night?

Ugly game last night, but we'll take the win. It was tough to watch, and not just because some of the injuries were cringe-worthy (Ben's leg, Troy's shoulder, Colt McCoy's concussion).

It was an ugly game the Steelers almost lost, except the Browns wouldn't let the Steelers give it away. Twelve penalties (including three calls on Chris Kemoeatu) and three turnovers (two in the red zone) by the Steelers -- no flow to the game whatsoever.

You could say the Steelers were terrific on defense, or you could say the Browns are terrible on offense.  The fact is, however, the Browns nearly pulled out a victory. Cleveland may well have done so, except for James Harrison's helmet-to-facemask hit that knocked Colt McCoy out of the game (temporarily) with a concussion.

McCoy says he doesn't even remember the hit, which says all you need to know about how sharp he was afterward. No wonder McCoy then committed intentional grounding and threw a  pivotal interception -- the real question is why the Browns even allowed him back in the game. Clearly, he'd sustained "concussion-like symptoms."

Well, that's on their coaching staff, and Cleveland fans must be wondering why they can't get a better backup than Seneca Wallace.

Ugly game. Big Ben held onto the ball way too long on the play he got injured. Makes you wonder how he could not have sensed the pressure that finally descended upon him.

Besides getting the win, the best thing about this game is that it's over, the Steelers won, and they have 11 days before their next game, Monday night, Dec. 19, in San Francisco.