We beat a good team in their stadium. And, really, we kicked the crap out of them. When it was 17-3 at halftime, I was fully confident that they were never, ever going to come back to beat us.
It's true that Chris Weinke was their quarterback for most of the game. It's true that they're currently dealing with the same issues that the Steelers were dealing with earlier in the season. But still, Weinke and a psychologically shattered team still shouldn't have gotten beat 37-3 yesterday. They've got too much talent. They have too many good players. They're too much like... the Steelers.
And, even though the Panthers are still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, their season is just as over as ours. The key for them will be how they react to it. The Steelers reacted to a 27-0 thumping at the hands of the hated Ravens by going on a three game win steak in which they outscored their opponents 84-13. What will the Panthers do? How will they respond? I guess it'll be fun to watch.
The most important test of the season is going to be Sunday against the Ravens. We got crushed the last time we played them, we're still technically fighting for our playoff lives, and, if we win on Sunday, we're at least guaranteed that we'll finish .500 for the season.
The last three games were great. They were a big boost for a team and a fan base that had pretty much given up hope. I'd just like to see what the newly re-vitalized Steelers can do when they actually play a good team that has something left to play for.
We're still not making the playoffs, but I will most definitely say that the Steelers are "back" if they win on Sunday.
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