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OK now I'm going to defend not taking the knee. Yeah sure given the fumble it looks like going for it was the wrong call, but when you look at the math it was the right call. There was 1:20 left in the game and Indy had all their time outs. If the Steelers take 3 knees the Colts call 3 time outs, so then we're at 4th and goal with about 1:14 or so left on the clock (knees and instant time outs don't take much clock), so then we kick the FG and are up by 6 but the Colts will get the ball back around their 20 with 1:00 on the clock. And then you have to ask yourself if the Colts can get a TD in 1 minute from 80 yards away, then think of the Colts first play in their regular season matchup and the answer is a big YES. So the right answer is to say "the Bus hasn't fumbled and lost the ball for two years" and go for the two score lead. You gotta figure the worst case scenario is the Bus gets stuffed 3 times and you still kick the FG but at least stuffing the Bus 3 times will use more clock than taking 3 knees. IMHO the "perfect" call would have been a fake knee QB sneek, catch the Colts hanging out by the umpire getting ready to call a timeout and maybe get the TD then (if not run the Bus on 2nd down, the fake only works on 1st down).

And the really good news for Steeler fans: Bill "coach like it's a regular season game" Cowher actually went for the throat and coached like it was a playoff game on multiple occassions during that game. Let's hope he keeps it up next week.

OK now I'm going to defend not taking the knee. Yeah sure given the fumble it looks like going for it was the wrong call, but when you look at the math it was the right call. There was 1:20 left in the game and Indy had all their time outs. If the Steelers take 3 knees the Colts call 3 time outs, so then we're at 4th and goal with about 1:14 or so left on the clock (knees and instant time outs don't take much clock), so then we kick the FG and are up by 6 but the Colts will get the ball back around their 20 with 1:00 on the clock. And then you have to ask yourself if the Colts can get a TD in 1 minute from 80 yards away, then think of the Colts first play in their regular season matchup and the answer is a big YES.

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I hear you. You make a great point. I wasn't thinking well. I just let the bizarre fumble cloud my thinking.

God, it would have been nice if THE BUS had just rumbled that ball into the endzone. That fumble was a severe bummer.......... but, thank God for Ben's tackle!

IMHO the "perfect" call would have been a fake knee QB sneek, catch the Colts hanging out by the umpire getting ready to call a timeout and maybe get the TD then

Great idea!

And then you have to ask yourself if the Colts can get a TD in 1 minute from 80 yards away, then think of the Colts first play in their regular season matchup and the answer is a big YES.

And that 80 yards away is no guarantee. Pittsburgh's special teams has been know to cough up a long kick return (or 2, or 3, or 4...)

I agree with your take on this discostu. In my opinion you go for the jugular. Too many teams come back, no matter how improbable when you dont go for the kill. Bus fumbling was such a low probabilty vs Bus scoring.

Finish the opponent off and put them out of their misery every chance you get is my football motto.

IMHO the "perfect" call would have been a fake knee QB sneek, catch the Colts hanging out by the umpire getting ready to call a timeout and maybe get the TD then (if not run the Bus on 2nd down, the fake only works on 1st down).

But the way the calls/reviews were going at that point the refs would have ruled the "intent" was a "Football move" to take the knee, allowed the Colts a timeout and put seconds back on the clock.