What I Liked:
Despite a couple of power failures at Candlestick Park, the San Francisco 49ers were able to easily handle the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers. In doing so, they were able to rebound from a terrible game against the Cardinals, a game that they had no business losing. Even though the 49ers’ offensive numbers were very pedestrian, they were able to capitalize on Ben Roethlisberger’s mistakes, leading to a very comfortable win over a very good team.
What I Hated:
First off, I hate the fact that the game was delayed, twice, by power outages. There have been some embarrassments on Monday Night Football this season, to say the least, but this one may take the cake.
The Steelers’ offense, especially Ben Roethlisberger, also find themselves on my s**t list. 3 interceptions is simply unacceptable, especially when you’re playing on the road against a very disciplined and efficient team. There was simply no way the Steelers could win with Roethlisberger’s performance.
Where They Go From Here:
With the win, the 49ers keep pace with the Saints for the 2 seed in the NFC playoffs. It’s likely that the 2 seed will be determined in week 17, so getting the win was huge. You can’t underestimate the value of a bye week late in the season, and it’s a big prize to play for.
The Steelers lost their shot at a bye week. They went in with a half game lead on the Ravens for the AFC North title and completely blew it. The Ravens hold the tie-breaker, and it’s not likely that they’ll slip up again. The loss moves the Steelers from the potential top seed in the AFC to the 5 seed.
