Steelers 20, Jets 17 (OT)
Ugly win, but still a win. Big Ben didn't have his best day ... Jerome Bettis didn't have his best day ... Steelers defense played a solid game and Jets kicker Doug Brien is currently one of my top 10 favorite people. I knew going into this Saturday that watching a playoff game with JJ was going to be risky. At small group on Tuesday we joked about whether or not it's kosher to pray for a win. And we decided that God's will may transcend fan's prayers depending on how things are supposed to turn out. Last night I figured out a prayer that seemed to be "okay." So I prayed for a fair game, one that was called and refereed well ... and may the best football team win. Ben Roethlisberger has been in the national spotlight with his antics this past season. I don't think it's fair really, and even though Chad Pennington had to do some serious stepping up (the Jets offense scored only once - a 3 point field goal in the second quarter) in order for the Jets to win Ben sure did have a whole lot to live up to walking onto the field today. The Jets' offense struggled but, to their credit, their defense played a fantastic game. The two Jets touchdowns came on a 75-yard punt return by the special teams and Santana Moss in the second quarter and then an 86-yard interception return by Reggie Tongue in the third quarter. But they somehow managed to force Jerome Bettis into an uncharacteristic fumble early in the fourth quarter which was recovered by the Jets. Thankfully that mistake didn't result in a score. On the other side Ben did not play well today only completely 17/30 and throwing 2 interceptions, 1 of which was returned for a touchdown. Was it the pressure? Maybe now that Ben's shaken off the nervousness of his first playoff game, making him only one of four rookie quarterbacks to have won a playoff game, he'll settle in and play more like the Ben of the height of his rookie season Ben that we're used to. The road to the Super Bowl goes through Pittsburgh -- see you next Sunday.