Pittsburgh Steelers vs. New Orleans Saints Week 16, 2018 FULL Game

After that heart-stopping

game

in Philadelphia, we may have another one here in New Orleans, the Steelers and the Saints, who will be here on cbs and hello friends, Jim dances along with Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Merry Christmas to all of you and To you, my good friend, what a great

game

this is in many ways. Hello, Merry Christmas to you too and this is the great Pittsburgh fighting for their lives in the playoffs. They were in a playoff game last

week

. They got another one today and what a place to do it in New Orleans. against number one, that's how you get to the playoffs, it's tough, it's asking a lot, but the Steelers have certainly been in this position before and by the way, they decided to take the ball after winning the toss just like they did.

He did it last

week

against New England, let's bring Tracy in before the first game. Thank you so much. The Saints are back home for the first time in over a month and they know how important it is to be home and they don't want to pack their things. bags to atlanta we spoke to sean payton, he basically said he had no qualms telling his team what's at stake today, that the number one seed equals an extra week of bye, it also equals just one win and you're in the nfc championship. For a Super Bowl worth it, we know how good they are at home 5-0 in the breezy playoffs and Payton, well, you saw, thanks Tracy Juju Smith Schuster, who was injured midweek in practice, is awake, active and catching the first pass of the game. first play goes to smith schuster for 15. roethlisberger, you can see his numbers, he has a good shot at his first 5,000 yard season, you're seeing it right here, jim, the start of this football game last week, they rolled out the new England Patriots at the beginning of the game you will see again in this football game.

This calms the crowd because the quarterback can actually point to the line of scrimmage. Here's the first shot down and it's complete for the running back who was split. Jalen Samuels. and having smith shuster up there, there were questions about whether he could play after being limited thursday and friday in practice, which allows you to be able to make the five wide receivers exactly five wide receivers, there aren't many teams for that, but it makes the defense commits five defensive backs or there's a bad matchup guarding someone with Smith Shuster Up. You'll see them spread out a lot in this game.

Don't attack anyone with force. It's the running game in which they are number one. the nfl spread them out and then made a run here and there here's a second and nine throws for samuels who had 142 yards rushing last week against new england on 19 total he got a gain of two he will be third and seven for come. the

saints

defense the last six weeks has been number one in scoring defense number one in sacks number one in sacks the last six weeks wow this team this is not the old patriots or the old

saints

this is a defensive team and they run the ball.

On offense it's a little different than what everyone thinks. There's a lot of noise here. This defense is the most athletic I've seen in the last five or six years. Is awesome. Third and seven. They move Brown to the left side and triple him there like Roethlisberger. he takes it off the gun and throws it to the ground with pressure around him so they get a first down on the first play of the game, the pass to juju, but after that the saints defense blocks them and jordan barry will go out to punt, that's why it's so important for New Orleans to get the number one spot if you have to go through this stadium where the defense flies and they close out the run and that allows them to put pressure and they have two really good guys in this.

It's a very, very difficult task today for Pittsburgh to come here and win this game. Tommy Willis is back as the returner and this is cruising into the end zone. He flies down the yard for the return bunt. I got too much of that, so 37 yards. net on the punt and brees and company will be out soon, well he's the MVP candidate, he'll probably be down on mahomes and these last few weeks they even tied it up admitting to us that they haven't been playing up to their offensive standards. They scored 12 points in Monday night's win at Carolina as the fewest points in a win for the Saints franchise since 1998, but they have been on a three-game road trip and haven't been home since Week 3. of November.

November are happy to be back in the confines here, where they only lost the first game of the season, there is a running play to start with mark ingram sweeping for eight and what do you see as far as the game plan for these saints? Offense, well, the first thing you just saw will be running downhill. They're going to put the ball in the tailback's hands and run right at this defense. Pittsburgh is too athletic on the edge. These outside linebackers don't. I don't want to throw it and hack it, there are so many disruptive plays from these guys on the edge, running downhill and then quickly getting the ball out of your hands in the passing game.

If you do, you neutralize this pressure that they constantly exert. Here's second and two and again they go with Ingram and he's able to find his way through a small opening for a first down. The Stevens defense last week allowed a touchdown on the third offensive play of the game for the Patriots and after that kept New England out of the end zone the rest of the way was one of the best schemes I would say going in In a game I've seen running in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin's fingerprints were all over it and last week he double-teamed Gronk. he took a page out of belichick's playbook but he also disguised his cover two and different things it was really a fantastic job today i'm looking forward to seeing if he does the same with michael thomas and camaro here's the first try brees connects with thomas and vince williams it tackles, but it's a 13-yard pick-up pressure from the edge, you'll see here. quickly, ryan ramczak, who has had an outstanding season, wisconsin right tackle was confronted by his former wisconsin teammate, tj watt was hit on this play. here you see watt and ramchak, good friends, teammates, both coming out of the same draft as first rounders and ram.

Look, when we met with coach Sean Payton on Friday, he went on and on about what a year Ramchak has been having. He played left tackle, right tackle. He believes he belongs in the Pro Bowl, but you know it's hard when you're the right tackle. many left tackles this would be important if he gets here the nfl on cbs is sponsored by t-mobile whether you're home or away t-mobile has you covered in the furthest state here to help life go right and by kay jewelers for all the moments of love forever the saints have brought ryan ramczak the right tackle to the blue tent and have changed their offensive line around andrus pete moves to the right tackle they brought will applaud the 64th foot of the guard and here's brees in the pants, able to find thomas for the second time, that's his 111th sack in a remarkable season, that's how you beat him right there, you get the ball out quick and see what's at stake today, jim so much that the Steelers try to stay in the lead in the AFC North and keep Baltimore half a game back they would with a win stay on top but with a loss the Steelers would not be in the top six in the current playoff configuration if the saints once again made their story a victory and they will make sure they walk to the home field for the nfc here is breen that is actually hill that is hill throwing it deep and it is intercepted jason hill comes in and throws it right into the arms of davis who he's going to take him out running that's hill with a horsepower tackle josh hill tackles davis on the back of the pads that will be 15 and hill comes in and so many different alignments tried to go for the deep hit to the end zone and to davis it occurs to him that he was looking for ted ginn who had just come out of there, it's a fantastic job playing the ball by davis and right here, when he intercepts this ball after the interception, force of personal foul, calls for a tackle new

orleans

number 89. it's a 15 yard penalty on first down,

pittsburgh

, i didn't do it.

I really see a big horse collar here, that's not a horoscope, he's just grabbing the shirt, it looked like it because he pulled it, I'm telling you when he pulled it from the other side too, it's a dangerous entrance any way you look at it. You look at it, but it was Hill who threw the interception and then Josh Hill scored 15. Well, they thought they would get Pittsburgh to play deep and they did. The problem was that the ball was a little on the other side of the field and a very short taysom. he missed the mark, he had the guy open again if he kept him out only the eighth interception of the year for the Steelers they had a great one last week by Hayden this is the play that was so effective last week Samuels gets five of that gene Stereotour , our rules buff wants to tell you about that entry from a moment ago that was marked, yes, Jim, uh, not only inside the caller, but also on the name plate, so grab just that plate, which It also forces the runner's knees to bend, which is a safety feature. problem and it's a good decision even though it's right under the name, that badge and the way that action happens, that's a good decision for horsepower, okay, second gen and five back here for the Steelers , they are five wide, this is the Tony formation.

You could make a difference today, you said Zlatasburger looks for the switch option and zeloni pushes them to within a yard of the first well, that's why I like to go five wide, not many teams do that because if you look these are linebackers inside at least a well, if you have a linebacker, there is no one else on the field on offense other than a receiver, you are going to play some and when ben roethlisberger and greg quarterback see someone who helps a lot, you have neutralized the defense for Yo, yes you know what they're in for defensively, let's get into this a lot more so I'm not surprised after the snap, it's third and two lines from Switzerland in the backfield, Roethlisberger drops the ball with his arms and is able to complete it to Smith.

Schuster stops first on a broken play, but a flag on the near sideline from scrimmage, usually when it's a run and you don't immediately throw it on a run pass option, the lineman goes down the field, although sometimes he could also be blocking. in

pittsburgh

on the field and there are a couple of options here they are discussing it a receiver could have blocked early it is a pass the Steelers offense is already a little backed up waiting for this to go against them let's see if there is interference the block was legal first down on the finishing block so it's legal after a long discussion and now Coach Payton wants to talk a little bit about it.

Well, the block will come completely outside of the wide receiver, so you'll see down here the block happens. There should be a message right there saying he's on the line of scrimmage to make it legal, but there's a great call there and what a play by Ben to pick up the improvisation in a big way as he swings it this time to hit just two, so once further. That was five wide receivers and they put Switzer in the backfield and you automatically know what the defense is here and they keep the ball. Five wide receivers. Ben goes to look at the defense and sees the linebackers.

Jim is fine and will scream. who's coming who charges the points and then calls play this is something that offensive coordinator randy finkner incorporated into new england's game plan and there's a finish close to first for smith schuster and there's the offensive coordinator who's done such a good job for the Steelers' first year as offensive coordinator after eight years as a quarterbacks coach and he's done a fantastic job, you know what I want to see sometimes in the second half, when you get these leads, they had to run a little bit the ball last week. did a great job, but here this set of five wide receivers is really problematic for defenses, they gave the first down on the catch to Smith Schuster Pittsburgh runs the ball only 33 percent of the time, which is the lowest level in the league he is going to make. runs with that and tries to hold the rankings for a while and is able to make a nice profit of about five and Renkins is playing some excellent football on the inside.

Look at the pressure it will give you when you find that the rankings were right next to you, but you can. Look, that speed when they drafted him made this a formidable front because you've always said that Cameron Jordan nyad Rankins, who has eight sacks at defensive tackle, it's really tough to go up against these guys at second and five at the 34 .It seems to be going well. half and a quick hit on smith shuster by vaughn bell, who has been involved in the last two tackles and that's already the fourth catch for juju, you know when you get to five wide and we're still talking about it, but one of the receivers have to do it.

Playing tight end last week was a brilliant move because itthey put in a tight end position where it's very difficult to double team and now Ben is coming up and now you see him a b at the tight end position again antonio brown lines up well there he has a two way path, it's difficult to make a double team that leaves people up one on one if the safety falls here is third and one, but a loss that was a play by PJ Williams is a screen pass for Brown. and pj williams does a great job passing and then making the play and now you will see chris boswell come out and this is a continuing story of his problems in the kicking game. 12 missed kicks in total, just 11 of 18.

We're asking him to kick from 49 yards and Boswell's kick is good to the net from 49, so they get three off the takeaway, that was huge, coming to the stadium calm the crowd, drive big, well what's a beautiful day in New Orleans? We're inside the Mercedes-Benz Super Dome Boswell to kick off this great city that celebrates its tri-centennial all this year the 300th anniversary of the only city of new

orleans

and boswell is going to send that to the back of the end zone for the return touch and tonight for 60 minutes we will explore the small island nation in the mediterranean with a mythical past what kind of history is it making today you will find out tonight plus running with the wolves of Yellowstone that's tonight on cbs and watch who returns in ryan ramchack returns and tracy reports that it was said to be an injury to his right ankle he taped it up and he's back wow this is really cool to see when you get both tackles.

Armstead has been out for a while, you get both, that's the biggest reason they haven't been mastering what they did in the middle. of the part of the year with the carry until the 29th. What about the decision on his last possession? They were moving the ball and they went with Taysom Hill going deep. I understand putting taste in the minutes as part of their packages, but that's it. he was too aggressive because you were moving the ball, you put it down his throat, you're pitching a quick game and you know Shawn's greatness is you know Sean Payton, his greatness is he's aggressive, he's willing to draw the line on that case, obviously it didn't work out, but I think you've got to move the ball at home, you've got to get points, keep this crowd in, keep them second and six down the middle, wide open another big game for Thomas, running away from edmonds and it's all the way to the pittsburgh side of the field with the gain of 43 of 28. just a quick slat and the two things you see over and over again Thomas, when you press they will throw the ball quickly, he has great eyes to look. around where everyone has a special talent, but they run the ball right at him downhill and throw quick plays, the leading receiver in the nfl comes to the week for the first time to have 300 receptions in his first three years.

Here's the running play for Ingram finally gets pushed. back, but it's a good game and that's where when they have all these healthy guys up front, they can run downhill, I mean like every race has been downhill, have you seen a pitch or something like a bootleg in the outside on the edge? I want to neutralize those players and attack you and use those big guys up front and when they're healthy up front we'll see two of the best offensive lines in the league right here on the same field, I'd like to Welcome some of you who just joined the us on the second drive of the game for the Saints.

They were intercepted. Jason Hill came in throwing the pick and led to a Steeler field goal as Brees was tackled by Cam Hayward, who had a hyperextended knee injury. New England, but talking to Keith Butler on the field before the game, he thought Cam was going to play at 100, he had him play right there and there's the defensive coordinator who played in the league for 11 years as a linebacker with the Seattle Seahawks, the defense . that's allowed just one 100 yard rusher all year against a run dominant offense, we'll see what they can do today on the bottom, that usually means a run of some kind, Ingram piled up and denied, this was a big one third down defense. against the patriots last week limited them to just three of ten conversions and now we got a fourth down, we go fourth and two and the offense is still out there, just the push you can see Hayward right there pushing into the backfield and not allowing Now there may be room, this is interesting, we're bringing an extra lineman into the game and an extra lineman also applauds the extra lineman you saw fourth and now there's a timeout called by the New Orleans Saints trying to claim the number one spot and come back to home. home field advantage that first week and do what they have only done once in their history and that is be the number one seed.

The other time, of course, was in season 09, they won the championship and they won the Super Bowl over Indianapolis in Miami well and I see some similarities because that team ran football very well, they were sixth in the NFL in rushing and this year I think they are third and for me that says a lot in career percentage at this moment, you know that they are the ones that run the most 47 of the time that is the most since 2000 in New Orleans that helps the quarterback a lot here we go great fourth and one is long too good a yard and a half they go empty looking for that favorable match now they are trying to improvise on their own and the breeze enters the area and it is incomplete almost collected but there is a flag.

Hayden put a hand on it, but the flag is there. Hayden and the camera were down there tangled for a moment just as the Steelers appeared. he could take control of downs but this is the passenger's pants and there's no help behind him he gets behind brees he finally finds it there's a touch there oh this is what where was that where oh i don't see much of one there for you jim I have maybe never seen one less pass interference play in my life? Oh my God, I mean, where is he looking? He called it just under the goal post.

He was right there, but I don't see much. There Ingram went to the left side and crossed for the touchdown. Ingram ran right behind Zach Lime, so big call on a turnover and you see the power of brute force in this offensive line, let's run it right at you. Meaningful, isn't it? Yeah, and they'll run after Pete and he'll pull them, and the benefit of a big call. There's not much more Hayden can do and he's right. I agree with him, but you have to get over it. They call it if you're a Steeler fan, you're furious, you're from New Orleans, you're like, yeah, I saw that push in the back, bonus point coming up for holdouts and practicing it.

Saints, 23rd rushing touchdown of the year, that's the interference call to set up the touchdown from a yard for ingram the nfl on cbs is sponsored by fedex possibilities what we deliver by delivery and by geico 15 minutes could save you 15 or more in insurance car and you saw on tuesday night mark ingram and several saints players hosting an event for the children of volunteers from America's Promising Kids Mentoring Group, each child received a lot of love and attention, gifts and equipment from Saints this Christmas season. Nice touch as Lutz sends it straight to the goal line, Switzer saves the 20 and angles it. the same would have gotten from the touch back maybe an extra yard 26 yard maybe 27. zach line knocked him out we have a flag although during his turn holding the return team number 45 the 10 yard penalty on the first down let me bring gene Starrator , you've had a chance to watch all the replays of Hayden's pass interference calling gene.

What did you do? It's a viewing angle for the back judge Jim and you know it's hard to tell what he's seeing from his angle. maybe a deep end official watching that, although there is a little contact there, it doesn't seem to have much material effect on this play, the ball is also relatively high, maybe a little help from someone on the field to talk to . Hayden has a hand there, but I don't see much displacement or material effect on that play. Hayden throws the helmet a good 20 yards in frustration. By the way, the penalty on the kickoff sends him back to the 10-yard line where Samuels is.

I finished immediately von bell arrived first, okafor, besides, there is no gain, well, you are looking at the number one fast defense in the national football league, if you are going to run football against them, you better have unique ways and it will be better for me. Doing it at different times when they're not expected to go out and run on the first down when they're preparing for it, it's really difficult, but again, they're the best in the league at stopping the run under 80 yards a game is all. that they abandon. they'll do it again on the ground, this time they can get a big chunk for 16. samuels in the draw running after jesse james and others coming out of the jam look at the two guys in for pittsburgh, they're just going to create this monster hole in both of them sides and then James gets up and blocks, that's how you execute it, although in the second minus ten, everyone thinks you're passing, here's a tie, that's it for me, not on the first try, you sprinkle it once in a blue Moon. then you hit them when you don't expect it third and four third and five sneak one in those are the times like the longest play for the Steelers so far in this game 16.

And now Roethlisberger's good pressure unloads a great tight coverage. provided there by eli apple by the flag on the field right at the 30 and I have seen an interference signal passive appearance defense number 25 the ball is placed in the spot of the foul automatic first down this is the big showdown between the two to A little grip there, maybe a subtle makeup call if they call it tight here in New Orleans, I didn't see that one either, but that's more contact, sure, yeah, it definitely was, but that's today's match because Antonio Brown is going to be duplicated. and here is the drop on rocklesburger's deep ball trying to find brown, they were brought down at the 20. lattimore in coverage, this was shocking, there was no help at the top and brown got behind him and i actually think that he had one or two steps and Ben just leaves him in, but Vladimir does a good job making a play with that ball, well, you see how they distribute them here, Jim, but you have two tight ends now, that way you can block and a of those tight ends returns.

McDonald's to flank them pass the handoff and approach Smith Schuster and he steps up to about the 38 which will set up third and fourth, so these formations threw Switzer in the backfield that time and put in a tight end. the backfield, what it does when you throw five lives or basically there's no running back on the field, the defensive coordinator, eliminates a pass or a run defense, then what you do is you can get pressured, right, you don't have a running back to help block pittsburgh brings in the tight ends to help block or run some type of play like we can run it set up third and four wide open time is mcdonald's oh and he can throw a stiff arm with the best of them who don't He did do it this time, but was left open in the secondary for a gain of 49.

Eli Apple just goes down and Roethlisberger makes them pay. This is one of the great things about McDonald's just following a straight route that you have to stop if you want. In New Orleans, the Steelers get the ball out immediately. Jim or Ben holds him back and creates a great play. That's their offense in many ways. What a person there. What room. You're right. Ariel coverage of today's game provided by. State Farm as we start the second quarter here on the easy side with the Steelers positioned in the red zone where they have tremendous success on the season converting percentage into touchdowns.

Here's Roethlisberger going to the end zone overthrowing the man who got him there. vance mcdonald up on 49 yard pass play caught a touchdown last week against new england mcdonald's going up von bell has to stay out has help inside actually allows him a little room in the corner but ben had to leave him go for that ball, but in James Washington and they line him up on the left side after his best game of his 13th rookie year. Samuel is the running back and they give it to him up the middle and he falls after just one yard hit . with one of the saints and maybe one of his own teammates third and nine going up yes they scored touchdowns Tony in the red zone 77 of the time yes they do because they can run and throw it and they just stumble well let's see what they do third and nine open four samuel stays in the end zone of the backfield tied up and almost intercepted and smith schuster hit him in the air and eli apple almost falls with him smith shuster will escape and then he will come in and eli undercuts him and there really wasn't much room to make that shot.

It's a safe shot from Roethlisberger and it almost turns into a shot that goes the other way. He calls Boswell now for the second time, well from 49, this from 30 and the kick is good. We'll be back in New Orleans in 30 seconds after this Pepsi thing. What do you think of the pace of the game after a quarter and a minute? Well you can see that these twooffenses are pretty dynamic and right now it plays out like I thought about the big key as you go and we'll see how it adjusts, but you'll see that Pittsburgh can withstand the pressure that New Orleans will eventually bring against those empty formations.

New Orleans sees what you're doing, sees what we're doing right, now we're going to figure out how to attack it and when they do, that to me is going to tell me what's going to happen, Alvin Kamara, let's go over that. We show it to you just for a few moments. Makes the picture of the NFC playoffs after the first few games today, here's the latest on the AFC side, New England clinched the AFC East and moved up to second place. Houston fell to third place at this point with their loss in Philadelphia. What a game that was and Miami. was eliminated in Indianapolis, what a victory coming from behind down 14 early against the giants, so there they are with Tennessee at both nine and six, look they come this far, yeah, with a loss today, I mean, this was even last week.

We knew this was going to happen if Baltimore won, but not everyone thought Baltimore could go to the Chargers. You did it well. I thought it would be a close game. You know, sometimes you know certain styles, but here's Brees going to the bench and completing it again. and sensible grabs them and throws them out of baltimore although that closeOn the season, they won five of their last six, the only loss was in overtime against Kansas City, you're not kidding, it's just a simple play, fake Kamara will come in, come out and will help with pressure, find the guy and breeze. just feel that pocket and let him go to the sideline, single route and that's speed again, although having him back is big, teams have started to really slow down and not cover that second guy that they've been with since October 18 with a knee made him return during the last day and there is a running play with Ingram, who with that previous touchdown scored the 50th touchdown of his career, which is a new Saints franchise record.

Two running backs benefit from that tremendously and you know, American comes in and does a lot of the same things, but having an Ingram to be able to change is a coach's dream and Sean uses them in a unique way and in a very similar way, also, The second and eighth chamber is now incomplete, it will be third and eighth like them. Try to find Josh Hill, it's interesting, although the two running backs you'll remember, the second game we called together was in New England in New Orleans last year and they had three running backs at that time, yeah, with Adrian Peterson being the third and Sean could not.

I didn't do that one, what did we do with all this talent around here? You even asked: can you get enough touches? He's like, um, I don't know yet and of course he saw how special the Camaro was and he was like this guy. needs touches, ap has done pretty well by the way, it shows you the talent of that team that was here third and eight had to increase the pressure, here comes the pressure and brees passes the money, thomas finally gets pushed from behind by edmonds , but he has had a couple of times a big separation in the field, this is going for 20.

The internal pressure on Brees remains, he throws it early and Thomas from inside is going to have a breakout on the route and here is the problem when you press your breeze, that means you can't double team thomas and you can't double team camaro, camaro usually has to block someone who is pressing and that's why you press well, you take away one of his best players, but now thomas is destroying it with every pressure Tyron Armstead had. I just returned after sitting out the last five games with knee problems due to a pectoral injury. They were very happy to have him back for this game and at least he will walk to the bench for a moment and that is important when he is healthy. one of the best in the national football league he's right on the edge 72 he's blocking bud dupree 48. let's see if he catches that kiss oh that's right um now they have to do another maneuver again here rebuild the line pete goes to left tackle armstead went straight to the blue tent and they gave us I think it's a free soccer ball davis picked up landed the blow they ruled it incomplete i saw it yes incomplete rolstad boy they let him run back for a while they made the ball get caught sean davis puts that helmet right on that ball it was perfectly close, I wonder if that will be questioned I have a flag on the field but it's a yellow flag, not a red flag, the red flag hasn't worked very well for Coach Tomlin for 12 minutes the field missed his last 10 challenges last time he won a challenge rollstead was the official that's so much fun and I'm telling you to go 10 it's just that luck is so against you that you expect a quick pass right here without the breeze on the defense seeing what they're up to now he's going to get up hey do this guys do this I want this route I looked at the defense hey there's double sword double sword double sword let's block the two edge rushers again a low. snap accepts goes up the middle and is brought down by burnhead and there is another watson flag benjamin watson was brees' target and there is watson's packet interference defense the bullet places the foul spot automatic first down yes, there is contact he arrives early and you just know it's a really good defensive play if you were a tenth of a second later but you were early and if you hit the guy before the ball, you're going to get penalized every time for sure. it's a 22 yard penalty against the Steelers getting ready we'll see a fake play here right in the middle maybe I'm going to run it with ingram what did you see there tony gain three well what do you see when new orleans what they like to do is send a extra lineman to make it an extra alignment, they don't put a tight end in that spot when they do it, they tell you we're running the ball, so they do it.

Here I think they are setting up play action with that extra lineman. I think Sean wants to see what the defense is up to. Well, back to that. They bring in Taysom Hill, they split them second and six. Be the third and short coach, Payton, hoping to get this offense firing on all cylinders again after putting up just 50 points in the last three weeks, well combined, it's December football and what's happening all over the league, you saw passing yards decline last week, which everyone wants to talk about. offenses going oh, you chased him in the backfield again, brees drifted to right camaro, running back third and two, oh, he escaped a couple of tackles, including sean davis at the end, it's just that I'm talking about the ability of camera to find the hole and get small and sneaky is just weird and then break that tackle when you can feel that guy coming, it's just a weird god given ability to feel and feel that he has lutz now with the extra point makes it an eight point lead for new orleans that's from eight yards camaro hard to bring down including the two on the ground today one by ingram and the other by camaro the last five touchdowns for the saints this season have all been via the run well that's why they can really separate themselves from other teams they can stop the run and they can run the football and as you get to January if you can do both it's very difficult especially when you have to go to their stadium and they have a quarterback like Drew Brees, I mean, this is This is made to get out of the NFC.

Let's go to Tracy Jim. If I'm right, I think the first game you went to as a kid was in New Orleans, not in this stadium, but in the old stadium, and how far you've come. You were recently inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame along with 10 other people and I can say it was an incredible night to be a part of and we couldn't be more proud of you, you've been a great partner to us. Here on the road to cbs for almost 35 years, congratulations Jim, that's very nice, thanks Tracy, my goodness, let's get back to this with the Steelers at 25 and the pass off the gun too high, we definitely won't go back to that game, We just overlook it.

What are you kidding me, you know, the sports broadcasting hall of fame, it's about being part of a great team and working with wonderful people like you and my CBS production family and my CBS technicians over the years. years, the family that I love them very much. and I'll say this because I know you're not going to toot your own horn, but there isn't a more deserving or talented person in this industry that I've ever met or seen on TV growing up than this guy, thank you. you, he's such a good person as he is an announcer, it's okay, you're the best, you're great sitting next to having a great time on second and ten while Ruthlessberger is wallowing around, looking around and Anzalone is going to tackle him and the ball ends up in their hands because they rule Ben Down and the flag comes out.

He looks at him and shakes his finger and says, "You can't do it that well." They're going to protect their quarterback just like I'm protecting my analyst or sorry. What I sometimes forget, play by play, is your story and I will tell you that Ben was knocked to the ground very aggressively and he asks me if there was a possibility of a penalty for that, let's see that the decision on the film is complete. for contact there are no dead ball fouls so they raise the flag and you can clearly see the knee was down before the ball came out yeah it's down and then the penalty they took is probably for continuing to tackle after angeloni and Grimble no.

Sure why they picked it up if you throw it third and 11. I can't hear you Jim, it's too loud, that's crazy right? Wow, Pittsburgh needs this just to calm the crowd down. Collect the lightning brothels. The burgers are also a bit expensive. tall trying to connect with Antonio Brown, who so far has only had one reception that resulted in a one-yard loss, well, they turn up the pressure in the middle. Ben does a good job standing and is great protection, but that's the route I want. Look, look at Latimer, he has outside influence. It's actually a double team, so he can stay outside and protect the sideline because he had the inside safety.

Dennis Allen came up with a great plan to make it look like he was one on one. -one, but it wasn't so Barry, his first hit was for a touchdown, it traveled 57 yards, this one not so much because of its distance, but a fair reception at the 34. The 41-yard punt Saints have the ball back with the lead at 14. -6 yes, we know all about this stuff right here, it's been a pretty calorie-dense week, let's put it that way, but I've enjoyed every second. New Orleans, you totally ruined me when I got home, my wife thought I just ate salmon and nothing more, breaking free for a moment, that's kirkwood, who came up from the practice squad in week 10, he's made some plays, he's a great goal, the rookie in a temple, but you see the pressure and brees is destroying it. kirkwood approaching The field they block it here and pick up the extra guys running.

I think Pittsburgh is going to have to change the philosophy right now. Drew Brees is seeing where they are coming from and is getting the ball out of their hands with precision and speed each. time and by the way guess who's back with ron armstead he's back at left tackle so both tackles take a hit they look good both come back look at camaro he goes too deep as the throw hits josh hill and this is going to lose yards about three maybe four well we talked about beating the blitz and sure enough at the beginning of the football game draw sees it coming at him and shoots it to thomas on the easy sideline 15. sees it coming again fastpitch philosophy of the tipped ball, they've been doing it over and over again and for me, Pittsburgh, who's been pressing all year, I just don't think that's the way to counter this team, I think you've got to play, rush your four guys and doubling up on guys in key situations, Thomas and Camaro, first negative. play of the game for the Saints that lasted eight well, they put them back four seconds and fourteen and now they come in brees, although so quick in the throw, capable of taking it to Thomas and taking it back, maybe recovering what they lost. on the previous play and there were four guys running man to man and a good adjustment right there by tomlin and keith butler and we'll see if that continues that has to be the philosophy right now if you're a butler if you're watching it's time to that's too many drives at this point you've given up too many open spaces michael thomas the person there brees just sees it too fast trying to get through brees drives and throws and incomplete again trying to somehow keep the feed on diving and hitting his target away of the mark and the saints will kick for the first time with their long time hunter thomas morestad was close and could have had a chance if he had caught him right there because his feet were right on that edge the breeze launched that ball so early he wanted who turned around the fastest on that play, the second longest saint by stay behind brees moorstead the chase and gets a beautiful rebound covered wonder

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y all the way to the close five by hardy after a perfectly executed 48 yard drive, just when we thought it wasPerfectly executed, it wasn't, after all, a flag was thrown on that break when the group coming in from out of bounds was the first to touch it, so it's illegal to touch it. five yard mark and a punt again, yeah, and the crazy thing is if it's within five it's a real return bunt, but if it's like six or seven where it was, you only get five yards.

Pittsburgh wants them to punt again. So, but if it would have been within the five, you just take it at the 20. It's definitely outside of it by just a fraction, so the punt goes to the nine and in the end it's even better for the Saints. Oh, that was it. Hardy in the box to keep an eye on him and protect him in case he took a kick to the left, that's what a Morstead boot is, oh he speaks perfectly about the clearance, I mean let's land on the nine and bounce back to the three or two , I mean.

That's a fantastic pylon cam, I'm not sure how it affected much but I like it, I'll tell you at the end, although the Saints did benefit by five yards from the old coffin corner kick as I have to see it here. Pittsburgh Jim loves it. Take risks when going out, they like to be in these big formations, you almost have to run, though with this crowd, don't you? That's what they'll do as they go with Ridley around nine, well, don't forget we were. in Denver when they got pinned at the three and went 97 yards to Smith Schuster for a touchdown on a double play it was like who does this coming out, that's exactly right, that's why we referenced I don't even know where we came out from. with that, but you did a good job, Smith Schuster remembers it, you can bet he's thinking about it right now, give me a chance, he's saying, well, this is probably the best team in the NFL and he comes out talking to Randy Thickner, second and fourth, while Samuel is written. by davidson how amazing quesamuels did it last week against new england he had 142 yards rushing it was his first 100 yard rushing performance at the professional college or high school level he never had one that's amazing since his last touchdown it's hard to do for a team with a lot of talent, but like I said, they're coming out, which means they're backed up in their own end zone, they score more than anyone else in these situations, they come out of their own end zone third and two downs. by brown and out of bounds antonio brown able to make a play has been eager for one you know while shaking hands with feetner his offensive coordinator thank you very much for calling my number this is this is really unrecoverable vladimir is in perfect position roethlisberger throws a perfect shoulder back and brown plays with vladimir to say oh the ball isn't coming and then stops my body, goes up and takes it like it's just a throw, catches in the air, high level, high level, quarterback, receiver, play right there so they can work their way. he got out of that jam, he started coming back to the three and now he's looking downfield for smith schuster and he's out of pounds, some serious air under that pass, yeah, before the last pitch to antonio brown, he just caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and by the way, with his two receptions in this game, he has now set the West Welker record for most receptions by any player in league history during a span of six years.

Well, you know, he's the one who runs twice as much every year. this is great, roethlisberger sees a corner in the running back, he knows it's the zone, he wants to get this ball under quickly, he turns brown with a blocker in front and picks up 11. he saw when he caught it that ramon foster was there to help foster is the left guard who is going to take out, he is going to pretend that I am going to block a lineman and then go out and get a linebacker creating the lane for a new series of downs from brown at the 49. on the slope there goes smith schuster and he has a short gain, only about three, verizon halftime report coming soon with jb and the entire team and the latest scores and highlights as well as the playoff implications of today's opening action week 16 across the league, what an exciting set of games.

We have already seen the Giants Colts game today, that Houston, Philadelphia, until the end, won by the Eagles, everything that comes in the Verizon halftime report, second and seven they shoot it and it is brown, now it begins to warming up against Lattimore, great job. design so that when antonio brown comes to the massacre, it's basically hard to double team those two guys because he's on the inside, so he runs wide and runs to the sideline. Latimer can't get much help because he crosses the field quickly. to cover it and you're not going to take that safety out of the middle of the field three catches for a b on this 48 yard drive and here's the delay, you give Samuels somersaults to about the 33 that tripped up PJ Williams.

Well Ben it is. get on the line of scrimmage and look at the defense and call the plays and when there are two very deep safeties that means he runs it when one of them gets too low he wants to throw it now he runs out empty now will he look at the pressure or not, is anyone pressing? No, I like this play, here we go, so second and five you have to pick up the god Killman, since he still has the enemy fall. He was down. Davison caught him. This is an exceptional play by Davidson 95.

He breaks under right there and grabs the heel. You know, they always talk about how hard it is to take down Big Ben. You have to grab an ankle. That is what it is. You have to be under him or he won't be able to see it. and he pulls his heel back outstanding play by davidson two minute warning you're watching the nfl on cbs that sack most likely took him out of field goal range if they don't win anything here Tony, he's huge with his kicking situation, it's nice . So far, I think they have to get some yards.

He would have told Roethlisberger to get out. Listen, we need at least five. We can go for it. Give us a chance to do it on fourth down or kick the field goal to get you out of the fire. zed brought down again it's brown who's having a great series his fourth catch on a drive that started at the three well it's the zone blitz and he goes up and finds a curl and the timing of that route and pitch ben kept his eyes down the middle from the field and then turn and shoot now you have all the time in pittsburgh you don't want new orleans I would run the ball on first down here you have a lot of time on first down from the 23 and a little miscommunication when trying to throw it in the direction of juju smith schuster again jb and phil coach shrink nate and boomer everyone is getting ready for the verizon halftime report i know there is a lot of information you are looking for and it will be delivered shortly in the verizon halftime report saints trying to win and get number one spot in the nfc

steelers

trying to win and stay on top in the afc north here's second and ten samuels have nowhere to go against that strong defense that's why you run it yeah the saints exactly right they should have asked time and they did, that's why you're running on first down, because they only have two left, you have to make them use it right away, well done by the saints, okay, coming out of the timeout requested by the saints the

steelers

have a third and nine have held the ball for five and a half minutes on this drive here comes the blitz pass in the end zone tilted out and a flag is thrown to the goal line well this is the matchup that is very difficult for new orleans can't put latimer on both guys smith schuster excellent second receiver for any team in the nfl defense automatic first down and eli who's who has done a good job, you know, solid job, but there's a pedal right there that you can Don't put your arm around him and keep waving your hand at his body and they say the contact happened between the two of them, so it's detected on both of them, not on the 20 yard penalty.

Riley enters the backfield for Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger still has it in traffic. throws it just throwing it with cam jordan coming at it jordan comes from outside and swims the golfina and just carries something that's right there yeah ben just two weeks away from bruce ribs in oakland they're bruised again no doubt , second. and goal again ridley is the running back oh and roethlisberger falling in the handoff and able to keep it clean in the exchange I'm surprised that he makes the tackle I'm surprised that you see Ben's foot look at his foot coming out of the right center there the right guard always passes at your side of castro yes, castro right there and he does a great job protecting the ball but I'm surprised that the saints didn't call a timeout I guess they did call a timeout it's a timeout because of an injured player, okay, well, that's going to cost them a timeout, it's the same as taking it, but to me that's what they should have done immediately after the play, you stop it.

What was on the clock had to be around 50 points. Seconds, what do you think now? How many times in this series have the Steelers managed to get out of third and long? This is the third and goal of the three and they are a great red zone team. Yes, on the fifteenth play of this series they are gone. 94 yards to this point, it's incredible, they need two and a half to get it home. Roethlisberger throws it over Samuels wide open with the touchdown. This is a complete lack of communication on the part of New Orleans. Fantastic game design the way they go for two, but yeah.

You look to the right, no one is covering Samuel, there aren't many defenses that completely clear one side of the field and don't cover someone in the man, but that was just a miscommunication on their part they go for two downs and tie it. The play, the touchdown, looked like the Chargers' successful two-point game in Kansas City. Now they need to drop one of their own to tie it up. Well, what they're looking for now is one on one. No, then I have to go somewhere else. Fast pass. trapped and they can take it home with Eli Rogers for two and this game is tied at 14 with 40 seconds left in the first half, we'll be back in 30 seconds after this progressive insurance thing, well that drive was 15 plays. 97 yards actually there was a 16th play with the two point conversion that was also a success and suddenly the game is all settled.

You remember yesterday I talked to Randy Feekner, the offensive coordinator, we mentioned this a little bit earlier, he says, I think we've just done it. We didn't play our best game, we really haven't done everything he does. You know what kind of talent I see and what our skills are. We've gone out and scored five touchdowns on outing plays. Most teams you're trying to get one. first down to get 97 yard touchdowns, I mean that's really hard to do and they're as good as anyone coming out in the nfl the way it was their first touchdown in 71 minutes of action since last week and here it is What the quarterbacks have done today is they are both playing well and right now you can see that this game has come down to somehow a penalty or two has helped so the yardage doesn't look as good for the breeze because he got a some on that and then two ppg and of course, that was the one that was called against Apple as well, so here's Brees with no timeout, sliding catch and out, that's again with the catch, well, You're thinking about a field goal when you get under it. you know a minute when you have about 50 seconds 40 seconds you're thinking the field goal is the goal here to get a touchdown means something would really have to go your way, but you can still throw it down the middle of the field.

You're just trying to get to the 40-yard line, here's Brees stepping up, he got hit and Williams swallows the receiver and Watson with the grab coming at Brees, he's got to get up and break this now and now you've got to get out of limits or you're going to get up and score it, but you have to get field goal range if you're going to score it, it's camaro, tiptoe out, what a run, oh my god, what a shot or what a call, come here, I mean. and run, look at this right here, no, no, and just to jump, just look at how soft it is.

Well, now it's a field that should be at 30. It was out at 30. That's close, right? Yeah, they got to the 25. they're kicking the field goal, this needs to be reviewed, but you know what I guess it's not necessary, let's just kick it and then I have 43 yards, it will be Lutz currently has made the streak of 25 in a row. field goals and again, a stand review coming up on exactly what we saw. If he came out earlier, it looked like he could have gone out at 30 right there, yeah, that's hard, it's hard to know that the hill isn't down, let's see if we can make it out. this angle the previous player is under a sight I can't say it's very close this is perhaps the best angle here again to say definitely it's on the white line it's hard to know there's a five yard difference if you decide to move it back I don't think you can change it there is nothing definitive there I think you have to stick with it and then I think you chris will lutz is saying what do I care I have made my last one but he has made five in a row in his last five from outside 50. he has made25 in a row overall, which is tied for the all-time Saints team record with the great Morton Anderson wow, so he can set the Saints franchise record with one mark.

Yeah, for back-to-back marks, I wish you hadn't said that, because at the 25-yard line there's a good chance every week you'll do this. Oh, it's 80 and it's up to me, whoever the kicker is. I want you to know that you can get through this. We'll see, he's been fantastic, you're right, what were the 50+ yard numbers? He made his last five in a row from 50+ and his last 25 overall from 43. Oh, and the Steelers came at

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speed, but Lutz was able to take down. there's a flag, this could be like the end of the Steelers Chargers game where the Steelers were offsides a couple of times this time, even though there were four offsides in that game there was only one, they're going to downvote this if you're new orleans, obviously there is no reason for the 23rd offside defense. the field goal is good, the penalty will be applied on the kickoff, well, that's half, two teams, both playing high level football, a lot of things happen with quarterbacks, both playing well, here it is. a little look back at a super bowl that took place right here in new orleans, super bowl nine at lane stadium and it was supposed to be played in the superdome but it wasn't ready yet and it ended up being the steelers vikings the steelers won it in wet, cold conditions 16-6 for the franchise's first Super Bowl title.

The Superdome ended up opening in August of that same year. That game you just watched was January 12, 1975. And we're 42 days away from Atlanta. Georgia Super Bowl 53. It's going to be important. I'm telling you, with all these teams, there are a lot of teams that can get there, even though they're not there. It's tough to get through New Orleans, but if you look at that side of the AFC, it's wide. open, it's wide open more than most years, you know, with New England showing signs, you know it's not going to be that easy for them, although today they moved up to line two with their win and Houston's loss, well , they kept the second. on the clock, samuels smothers him, but ben can come out and take a knee, i suspect, and we'll send him to the verizon halftime report after that, what a camera move, so graceful in the way he runs and it's just grace, it's A good term for this too, I just want to say that we can talk about fluency. and all those things that he does, he has this as we say, it is just a rare gift that is difficult to describe, it feels, feels and seems effortless and all the great players make things look easy and he is a classic example of the great half of football here. the saints lead it at halftime 17-14 halftime is next after these first half highlights from verizon and a word from their home station 17-14 lut's field goal with a couple seconds left final gives the saints the lead heading into the second hampshire forward tony romo tracy wilson on the field the saints get the ball to start the second half yes and I think that, as we said at the end of the first half, I think that pittsburgh needs to not bomb more, I think now is the time to say, let's hurry up four guys make these guys hit us slowly all over the field and you know, really New Orleans just needs to keep running the ball and then I think once they see Pittsburgh do it , you have to make shots on the field, then you won't do it. they're just going to enroll on the field slowly when they rush to where is that comment on enrolling on the field first appeared in the football lexicon here at super bowl four in new orleans hank strand is mike for the game bosses against the vikings let's go down to tracy let's enroll on the bench thank you very much tim i talked to mike tomlin at halftime he was pleased with that final touchdown he said if you can continue to do that it will take the environment out of the equation frustrating penalties that need to play a game cleaner and more defensive I asked him if he would continue to push, he said we'll push some and cover some, we'll just continue to mix it up, Jim, okay, talking about Super Bowl winning coaches, both of course have won the ring, two of the seven active nfl head coaches with super bowl titles, brees takes the first snap, second half he immediately gives it to ingram for the loss of one, he runs through him with the tackle, the first half yards were quite a bit equal, even half of the entire By the way, except that the time of possession was largely organized by Pittsburgh on that 97-yard drive, in terms of time and performance, the total yards were 194,190 Steelers and that calms the crowd in that breakthrough when you have a big breakthrough that lasts a long time.

At that point you can really bring out the energy of the stadium and that's what Pittsburgh had to get off to a good start here in the second half, just like in the first half, on camera, look at it again, pass the tackler and run by He in the band simply turns on the afterburners when he senses or senses that there is someone around him ready to make an entrance. He could turn it up a little bit like he did here. Sean Davis has a camaro and tries to hide in the breeze. He says "Oh, I don't." I don't have it, I don't have it, Bree says you're in the wrong position and she throws it to him quickly and you see the speed and the grace that you said yes for Camaro there and that's the worst case scenario for the Pittsburgh exit. because that will get this crowd back in the game, that little pass is for 42 and now from the 34.

Van Ingram to the ground for a pair, what a powerful tandem you have here, a one-two, each one finding the finish. zone is already in this game, double checkers swords fall after three Steelers made contact with him, including Watt picks up five Michael Thomas. You just put together such a spectacular year. He is a second-round pick out of Ohio State. The three seasons. At least 90 catches over 1100 yards he's a rare talent at that size and you can play him inside he's always around the line of scrimmage and then he plays outside and then he comes back playing tight end he's a smart guy with great feeling, a powerful capture radius, here it is. third and three and tamara is immediately tackled by hilton but it's a first down for the saints it's an old ernie zampesi staple they call it the zampeezy route which means a route runner, whether a receiver or a running back, he goes to yell and then he comes back under and then the receiver goes, I'm running out, I'm running out and then the defensive guy goes, I'm going to go cover you and you go back under him and the quarterback throws him.

It's like a little slap in the face, but it'll make him feel it outside, first what Sam Peasy Zampeezy has to do to complete that one and move the chains and now the ball lifted in the air and look at Brees, look what he does here to avoid the interception that He was going to be chosen one hundred percent, that ball was falling right into his lap and look at the heady game because it's going to fall into Hilton's lap, there's Hilton, he's going to go catch it and the breeze comes in there and hits it, now you can see. just his brain how fast he works through progressions and everything and you see it right there, he's going to get that ball and save the turnover 15 completed passes and a pass defended by brees that opens up when taysom hill comes in, count the numbers in the box, there's five runners if there's five guys they're going to run this ball they're going now it's coming they got it camaro received by vince williams did you see how pittsburgh central at the last moment they're like okay go ahead and call your play there we go ?

Five guys here, you've got five linemen and we know you're going to run the ball and then, wham, here come the two outside backs right after they make their play. Now Brees goes back to quarterback, third down, oh, a screen here, a swing pass. maybe for camara already worked on this advance once chased by burnett and thomas able to keep his balance for the first try you will see him cross the field and bree sees the internal pressure and can't throw it to camaro Right away, who had a route just on the flight I was looking for, but the pressure comes from within and really that was all Brees running away from the pressure and creating it.

Thomas now with seven receptions for 87 yards first and a goal from England's eight cuts. Outside he turns around Hayden goes to the pylon and they say he's out An official points out the one yard line we'll mark it just outside of which it's a bad angle on Hayden's part he has complete outside containment and it's oh boy the ball went out Yes, but he didn't go out into the end zone. How many times have we seen that play this year? He went out of bounds on the other side of the pylon. It's a great tackle on the rim to keep him out of the end. zone and was not in the end zone, Hayden takes a bad angle, but comes back and makes the play.

Here you go, where Pittsburgh usually sells out, stop the run here on second and goals and stop Ingram on third and a half yard from the end zone thomas coming back in rosemary coming in yeah, the formation, I'm like, they're going to try to separate them from the water they're going to keep the big guys actually look what they marked they marked it off the one I thought they were halfway to landing the camaro just jumping you said over the top and he's got that ability to do it look at that just See he can burn that body, yeah, come in from the side, yeah, it's like you can feel that guy. hitting his leg here and it makes all those things look really easy and simple and it's just a rare gift and you see Brees coaching him.

I love it, what a boost to open the second half. Now you're going to hear this crowd when Pittsburgh comes back in this game, that's why Camaro made a great play on the sideline and Lutz converted 75 yards to open the third quarter converting three times on third down, the 42 set it up Camaro and then took it to the last yard in New. Orleans, where the Saints have now increased the lead to 10 behind two Alvin Kamara touchdowns in this game and this will not be repeated, tracy, well, thank you very much. jim former saints star steve gleason received the highest civilian honor this week when he received the congressional gold medal gleeson was diagnosed with als in 2011 and has been a strong advocate for those with a disease that has inspired so many people raised millions of dollars for research that he issued a statement after learning of the nomination saying I am honored and accept the gold medal for all families who have been diagnosed with als, as well as for anyone fighting for overcome the inevitable adversities of life, he is an American hero, how wonderful to see him receive that Congressional medal and, while Smith Schuster catches the pass, he is able to run away from a couple of tackles and get about 15.

You have to check, though there's a penalty score on the other side, the way gleason becomes the first football player, the first nfl player to win the congressional gold medal in just the eighth individual athletes what an honor ! I can tell you that you are one man eligible, 53rd offense on the field, it's a five yard penalty, you play the first timer, reset the game clock to nine minutes and three seconds and there are the athletes to receive the gold medal from Congress jack nicklaus the most recent athlete to win it just a couple of years ago roberto clementi joe lewis jesse owens jackie robinson byron nelson arne and jack and now steve gleason the first winner by the way was george washington he only had approximately 150 years to be recognized Now here's Roethlisberger walking away from the heat and finding himself against Miss Schuster somehow rebounds on two hits and gets another 12.

That's a fantastic job, Roethlisberg, but look here in the middle, Smith Schuster is going to take a pop-out at tackle. defensive and when he does he sees Davidson, he has to move and then Rothersburger finds him and that's really what you have to stop right now, the overtime plays that Rothersburg is creating. That's why empty sets are extended. sets and now we are in the five wide receiver set with switzer in the backfield, it's just difficult, it's second and three, they faked switzer and now roethlisberger plants the loss and shoots and again to smith schuster, the last time they had him It was by Antonio Brown. drive this one has the makings of belonging to smith schuster 23 for that one you're going to see a fake and then he's going to set the finish right here that smith schuster pin buys time for roethlisberger and then ben can just pump jordan and find the open man , it's a lot of improvisation, but they had great matchups because there are so many open guys on the field and we got back to Gleason very quickly.

I didn't get a chance to say what an honor, amazing, I mean, just amazing what it is. made by the city will be remembered here forever his family will always be remembered here is the pass for antonio brown running towards the high school trying to get him away from pj williams who was able to trip him after he was 17. and sure enough, once you start When receiving an impromptu beatdown, you go to press and New Orleans decides to go after Ben and that's right when you hit him witha perfectly timed screen, gives you a pause for the defensive coordinator, doesn't Dennis think I pressured him once? and it's a script of course don't forget the last time they had the ball they drove 97 yards for a touchdown and now they're on the move again here we go you're right and this offense is starting to find its rhythm.

In five trips last week, you started to see him a little bit defining an identity from the 28. Yes, that pass thrown in the Antonio Brown area, good pressure was applied, yes, and the pressure was enormous because Rogers had a touchdown and was opened wide. after, but cam jordan got that pressure and played in a couple of plays, of course he was in the news a little bit this week with some comments that weren't so flattering about ben roethlisberger saying he didn't think he was a top five guy quarterbacks of his era didn't think he was a hall of famer basically long story short well he's wrong he's very wrong that ben is a hall of famer and you know he's going to go down like you know obviously , an incredible quarterback in the sport, wants one more super bowl, that's what he said yesterday and he has a chance to do it.

They can make the playoffs this year. There's a completion for a first down for Antonio Brown, so we asked Roethlisberger last night. as you see this pass on the mark, just a simple curl route right in front of Latimer's coverage zone and what were you saying, so we asked Ben about the comments and he said you know the only thing I'll say and he actually said that He doesn't miss any of that at sleepovers, but he said I'm a little surprised that you think he would respect gaming warfare having grown up around the sport, since his father, of course, Steve Jordan had played in the league. , had a great career. on his own, he said: you know why it's just not necessary what he felt here is a little bubble screen to get through the three, yeah, and that, you're right, jim, just his ability to meet the veterans, it's a screen to pass in, right?

Here and there, talking about Jordan, he takes the cheese and goes on the field and that's one of the best screen teams in the league, this Pittsburgh team and you're looking at two teams, there are actually two of the best screen teams . Well, they're going to go with their five open from the first three and the target trying to respond to the Saints touchdown to open the corner in the end zone and that's for a handball by Antonio Brown, well, this is a really coverage interesting. which I haven't seen much you look at the safety in the corner and say okay he's going to double team but look when Brown comes in he passes him and now the safety has to cover him and now the banjo has to run with him and Ben just They missed him, he was open, he ran past him, I would go back to this same kind of thing and say you want to keep doing that, we'll put Antonio Brown on your safety second and goal browns line up on the right side the nothing burger floats and the throw away all the pressure mcdonald was in the box outstanding job by new orleans creating the pressure making ben come out of the pocket and also casting they call him the receivers they really doubled Antonio on that play and they really got plastered which means who were on top of them, holding them almost on the side of leverage they needed the entire time, third and goal, monster game, this crowd is going to be loud, ben.

It has not signal? He doesn't know what the route is. It's Hayward Bay and Samuels is on the field. Brown for the touchdown. How did you achieve that open communication. This is twice. New Orleans, what a play by Brown. runs a pick inside, but looks at Vladimir over him and then lets him go. Pj Williams is covering Smith Schuster inside and it's a pick play and they're using Brown to pick for him. The problem is that PJ Williams has to communicate with Latimer and vice versa. of them is a wrong extra point by Boswell, so the touchdown drives for each side are Brown with his 14th touchdown reception of the season and now we're resetting a team record with 14.

Yes, some of the great pictures inside the dome here in New Orleans, which game The Saints lead 24-21 as Boswell wins another touchback Camaro, although Tony had a great day with a couple of touchdowns, well, it's a matchup nightmare and if you're not in your position, Sean Davis tries to hide from Brees, but he knows. instant leverage and then you see here it's like okay go outside you have to run and run that time davis and that time you didn't want to get hit outside so you cut again this is what makes it difficult from sean payton to Getting these guys into space it's rare that he has a knack for this and if you give him talent like that you're going to see a dynamic offense like two eights on the left, two eights on the left ready to go out into the open field and that will be good for a first try triplon smith seems calm at the end of the year image of the afc playoffs again kansas city in seattle tonight and new england with its victory over buffalo moves to the two houston falls again to the three and it's pittsburgh again if the Steelers lose they move out of the top six and Baltimore moves up to the top four, a win here and they stay ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North so what you're saying is it's a great game yeah , yeah, okay, ready, and they get to it for the first time. today's time cam hayward and tj watts uh you see just the coverage on the outside is good but ultimately it's the pressure on the front, breeze had to throw this ball and he didn't have time, he's an extra lineman and watt comes in and he takes care of really only Hayward inside, but the block turns flat for the bag if they give it to him who now has 12 in the season he falls incomplete Hayden picks it up anyway that was Watt who hit Ingram and slow to get there he stands up well and I like pittsburgh's defensive decision, just a three man rush so brees goes through all the progressions it's like he has to throw back just one inning of rallying and no I don't think it was a catch either.

I don't think he owned it, but he made a football move, there's no bang bang play, he's moving, even though it looks like he's running down the sideline and look at the consecutive plays he's made. He has had one sack in one game this year. He has 12 in total. sacks in the season a couple of games with multiple sacks the Steelers record is 6-0-1 they have not lost restarting the clock here at the end of the third we show you the image of the afc playoffs the saints is a little simpler one win and they're the one and they could go next week and they could rest their starters against Carolina and that's what we talked about in the opening, going through New Orleans, the hardest place that you know you have to go through, you could give it to Seattle there.

Being there, obviously every team has home field advantage, but New Orleans is just drastic the way they play their team, the way they're built this year as well. It's going to be very difficult, this is a game they are. peyton stressed to his team not to take him lightly, they are on him again and a second sack in three plays and dupree's people are open, but on the inside, the pressure, look at the middle of the pocket here, it's just pushed back for two, I mean just pushing the center guard back into his lap and people were open there, if Brees had time he was going to have an option, they made some adjustment on defense to exert that type of pressure on those two plays, well, yeah, they stopped. charging to be able to get the ball out of his hand, but they only pressed once, I mean so far in this half it's really working, apart from one play.

Drew Brees trying to verify what happened. Overhead coverage of today's game is provided by State Farm here with our producer Jim Rickoff along with Ryan Calvin our director Mike Arneau as you know him around here or Mike Arnold elsewhere Oh, that was a reference to our dinner, yeah, last night , dinner was a feast, he was fantastic first and ten directing. and shooting and completing to antonio brown all the way to the new orleans 40. straight two coverage, which means the corners are on the floor, the safeties are high and once you give Rothersburger that much time, Ben will tell the receiver what do, come back. and then he shoots that ball, antonio brought the improvisation that roethlisberger is doing, he's taking them on tour right now, it's really impressive and keep doing it hard so you don't make a mistake at some point if you do that throughout the entire football game.

We'll see how that plays out, first down lobs, Smith Schuster, Switzer, throws a block and they get back to the red zone in a hurry too, 26 to Brown, then 20 to Juju, well this is the key, it's just the blocking for all. to allow Ben's pressure to come, who are you going to pick up? There you choose the most dangerous guy who can get to Ben and he felt the pressure and took it out of his hands quickly and Smith Schuster does the rest. This is surprising in New Orleans. he's struggling to stop someone, I mean, this doesn't happen at home very often in the end zone, what a catch, they both fell, they say, this is incredible, this is what I mean, the throw is absolutely perfect, the Reception is absolutely perfect. the defense is absolutely perfect and it's on one oh that look oh my gosh that was one of the funniest plays to watch look at this I got it yeah ah you gotta be more aware when you catch it with a hand like that, uh. when you turn your head for a second, that's a lot to put in your head, although when you're plucking it with one hand, uh, from the little step, he would have had the touchdown.

Incredibly high level football being played right now by these football teams calling a timeout by the Steelers coming back in the timeouts are even loud here it was loud when we left and it's louder now you feel it, right? Oh, second and ten of the last minute 20 of the third pass to the end zone low Antonio Brown's touchdown for the second time today to come out with this play and this design that will be difficult to describe this year, but this was coming out, they thought that they would get a double t antonio brown man and they did, but it's not the double you normally see, they go in and out of the huddle, one guy is in and one guy is out, so what you do as a quarterback is say run between them, an extra point delivered again by boswell and that huddle coverage usually gets you away from people because any route that goes in or out, but if you run between them, you go through guys and you'll see him go up to this spot and the safety is trying to design or trying to hide where it is, but that's the only way to beat. what we call support coverage, you're bracketing that guy and beautifully designed coming out of the timeout.

Wow, they knew what they were getting and then they went out and just executed it and that becomes a record pitch for the Pittsburgh franchise as Brees premises. for a second, a 33rd touchdown pass of the season for roethlisberger, breaks his own team record of 32 in a season with three today, 33 on the year and he threw for 146 yards in this quarter, yeah, he got, He put his team on his back. I can tell you right now in this game of football the receivers are playing well, but he really is one of the best performers in a tough environment against a good defense.

You know he has played a lot of important games and this is another one in so long. list, but there's a good chance I'll have to continue doing this because you know New Orleans is going to put some points back on the board at some point in this game, there's more points to be had here, there's a few more trips up and down. the field you must think for each side is frozen. I had to feel pretty good about things after that first drive to start the third quarter just down the field 75 yards, but the Steelers come back with two drives of their own and there's an immediate hit to Camaro at the line Mike Hilton comes in to help make that play.

Hilton pressures more than anyone at the nickel corner, which you know, he's usually covered in the slot and when he's there, I mean, he had 68 pressures before this game and that's exactly why. They press him, they wait for the snap, he hides it really well and comes in and tackles the running back and you're like, "Oh, we're not supposed to run it when he's attacking, but you can't tell he has big gestures second." and nine open up the middle is Thomas and he stumbled about two yards from the first, which could be the last play of the third, the third and two more, let's head to the fourth, another good quarter of action in the books 15 minutes to go to new orleans pittsburgh leads 15 minutes left to help shape the playoff scenarios in the last week of the regular season the saints who are trying to take the only spot in the nfc would do so with a victory pittsburgh would do it try to hold baltimore and maintain that small lead in the afc north with a win here is the pass down the field and it is interrupted by burnett that was a third down play kirkwood is really going up a fantastic play by burnett burnett and these safeties that use burnett as aswiss army knife, they call him, you know, he's all over the place, they play him at linebacker, he could match up with a running back, then he plays safety next week and then he plays corner on the nickel and he's pushing, it's just that he's a great advantage that is why pittsburgh does so many different things there is more room and the high kick requires a fair reception on the 42 yard 25 punt on that occasion we cannot give you the exact times this will be the rubik's cube in the The NFL offices on Park Avenue are trying to figure out where to go to create a doubleheader on both networks on Sunday afternoon, but that's the Afc game schedule for next week and once we get through week 16, Maybe even by the end of tonight, I'll have a chance to check your local listings and find the game and time in your area.

I can tell you that this JB and the team will be waiting for you at noon next Sunday with the NFL today. Yeah, I like it, Jim, sell that promotion. that cbs pregame show here we go with the lead and the ball the handoff actually the shot samuels lunges forward for a good start in a game in those seven I tell you that his ability to run the ball they have had these advantages and We had them last week and we were talking about that three-game losing streak before the New England game, they got all these leads in the second half and lost them in the fourth quarters, they just tanked in the fourth and I thought it was just your La Your ability to shut down teams with the lead can sometimes simply come down to your ability to run the ball and minimize play when they know you have the lead.

If you can do it, wear them out. These guys have had to make a lot of plays. they can do that, they will win this football game. you saw Connor still out with a sprained ankle on the bench. Samuel bounces off the slam and that rookie's second effort gets the first down, which is one of his best effort plays of the Day in the fourth quarter, this is where defenses start to wear down a little bit and really, just in the second effort we see him running towards the back of Castro, but still trying to fight for the first few yards and he does, and just like you said that. extra effort he makes it oh he could be killing the play sees the pressure in the middle stays on the ground samuels can break free for another 10. he got away from Vaughn Bell and it's a handoff to the right he's the pressure in the middle so he's like If I wasn't going to run weak, they have too many guys, let's run strong, kill, kill, kill, run hard and Samuels hangs his head, it's a difficult race and that's the last quarter right there where you can go ahead and close teams. with long drives there are three plays in a row second and one and a little oh what a blow they are lucky that the ball did not come out it seemed like he was about to make it to Eli Rogers with the catch but the blow given by Bell now bell is in front, rogers he comes across and he's waiting, he's proud of him and that's the worst kid, the helmet hit the ball and somehow he was able to press it against the shoulder pad on the side and get the first down, oh, go ahead. jeff they didn't run the ball even once in the third quarter all the pass plays someone must have told him now they have run it four out of five passes they play on the sideline brown with a catch you really can't let brown keep hitting you that's right It's a double but it's a perfect shot.

I mean, look at that shot. He is an inch above Bell's hand. It's on the sideline. It's going to get tough here at the end because they're going to have to come off the field one by one and Pittsburgh knows it and these safeties are going to start coming down here at some point to stop the run screen pass to Samuel, he gets hit by behind. actually pushes it forward for another couple and they pick up six or seven, so take the Steelers, look what they've done, they made the 97 yard touchdown again designed by Featner and others, the 97 yard touchdown at the end of the first half. two drives in the third quarter both for touchdowns and they are driving again so they haven't been stopped in a long time this is ben roethlisberger right in the zone every throw is the perfect touch he has a perfect trajectory and he knows where the ball is going and then he gets his team moving and finding a guy at the end of the second and three patient samuels, dies by about one, maybe two-thirds and comes up short from about the 34 yard line and New Orleans is fine if they can hold them. to a field goal attempt, you've got draw brees on that other side, they're not going to leave, this environment isn't going to suddenly become easy and calm here, oh, talk about it, third and two, oh, this is starting to feeling pretty big now that they have ridley in the game at running back everyone tight is ridley nowhere the saints think the ball went right they didn't blow the whistle this is going to be very interesting well he has the soccer ball didn't you hear a whistle either It's hard to hear anything here, but it didn't sound like it was blown up, how are you going to hear a whistle here?

I can't hear you, it's a Ridley fumble and this is something that plagued him in his early years with the Patriots, oh. I think that ball went out. You could see him look back as soon as he falls and this view here, look there, this is on his knees, oh, I can't tell from there that he looks back, but one time he got elbowed. He may have been down too, it's hard to even see where he said, there we go, oh, the ball, that's where it came, the knee looked down, but the problem is that the hit happens before the knees come down, but if I would have lost control, of course, all the turnovers.

They are reviewed and this will be important in the field. It is a territory of lost genes. You've seen. What do you think? I think, uh, I think they'll stick with it and stick with this Jim, there's an angle there. that we can see and we have a great angle just the one you're looking at now where that ball appears to be hit just before the right knee hits the ground on the field, in fact it is a fumble and the Saints take care of Ridley, who had six fumbles in his last two seasons when he was with the Patriots, fumbles it here in the fourth.

What a great play by Coleman Pittsburgh was eating up the clock they were running. Although I don't like the decision of the play. Jim, that's something that's going to be lost in that fight against the league's number one run defense and it wasn't third inches, you got at least two full yards and we got a pre-snap call against the Saints for five. offensive number nine starts five yard penalty when you saw the formation and everyone was tight you never thought they were going to be able to get those two yards no and steven ridley is not happy and you didn't I thought there's no way you can handle this number one like that, you don't go against his strength and he should be upset, that's a play that if they lose this football game, that's what you're going to remember right there. again feet were down, they say right in front of the Pittsburgh bench, one touch at two, he's watching, these quarterbacks are playing excellent football too, as a fan you should enjoy watching as a rooney team for your team, You should be in complete distress, right? now and he can cross for the first time, he sees the safeties on him, he knows it's man to man, here's a first down pass to an open target and Hilton is finally able to take down Keith Kirkwood, but he goes up 23.

Breeze. finds the open man, it's a broken coverage by Kirkwood in the slot, look right here because Kamara dives, you'll see the defender take off from Kirkwood and just leave it, I was guessing that ball was going to go right to Camaro Saints. Without his left tackle, who was injured in the first half, he came back for a while, but he missed time here in the second half, so they put Andrus Pete on the Steeler left field over him right away. T.J Watts as we approach eight minutes left. I think there are some people watching Baltimore right now.

Oh look, that's really cool. We have to repair Ridley's helmet after he crashed it into the ground. The problem is what happens if you get the ball back and you have eliminated yourself. from entering the game when you crack your helmet on the sideline, the sealed pocket buys you time, the flag is out in the offensive backfield keeping number 75 at bay. and the call is for the man who was moved to left tackle pete with armstead We just mentioned that there had been a guard shift that Pete was going to set and then grabbed right there and that's the right call.

Hayward walked around him and didn't even have to. That ball was out and Armstead returned today after missing the last five games with injuries and couldn't last long on this second and 19. Brought back to the 40 from the penalty running three passes to Ingram Steelers holding them to an eight yard gain It's going to be third and third long and about 11 maybe ten well here comes the game call that was a good job by Brees putting himself in a manageable situation on third down and ten this is where both teams are going to do their best play they have made since training camp. on the line for Pittsburgh somehow, obviously you can beat it, get the ball back if they score whatever, but you go with what you believe in your system, sexual relations and the offense, New Orleans, this has to be a Camaro type play Thomas. camaro not being in the game probably minimizes it thomas on the right side on third and 10. watt coming in incomplete jump pass intended for watson there was pressure that affected the shot he didn't have time to wait for thomas who came open frozen does a good job taking it off of the hands this is a late option that has to throw because the pressure and the right tackle is watt who does it they are going to try to pressure a long field goal here we are going to go for the The 50-yard field goal attempt with Lutz , who is already in this game, set the Saints record in a row and like we told you, he made five in a row from 50 and this is 50 on the nose, LJ Forks, I don't think they're offside this time.

Or look at the block right in the middle of Pittsburgh with the ball inside Steeler Football Ridley, who was in agony after losing a fumble but was saved by the strong play with the strong block with the big time block, but You just mentioned it, you saw Watt. Push will clap on the other side, a great play by a star defensive end, allowing Ford to be able to get that yeah, open lane, a little throw to Brown for a gain of about six, maybe seven, but there it is where special teams come in, I mean you.

You can win games if you get people to play with that kind of effort, Ford and Watt, you know your best outside pass rusher to be able to commit and put in that much effort. I mean, you just take down a guy and that can help you win New Orleans needs. one stop, Pittsburgh needs a big play, the last play was for five, the blitz and they get to the ruthless Burger, who holds on to the ball even though Demario Davis was doing everything he could to not only catch it but also get the ball out .

Demario Davis approaches. the gap and there weren't many people open, but you couldn't tell if Roethlisberger's shooter finally opens up because demario davis runs right next to samuels, he missed him, yeah, that happened once last week too, he gave up that pressure inside. twice in two weeks and that one was costly, we missed Van Noy last week, yeah we're going to get away with it, here's third and 14. Brown cuts it back, they'll stop it on a three and out for Pittsburgh, script simple to gild the wide receiver screen in the middle. everyone else goes up and blocks and draws brees the nfl's all time leader in everything is here or soon will be before his career is over he has a chance to have the ball not that it's close to finish even though it rotates. 40 on january 15th the week between the divisionals and the nfc championship game oh they make the fake the fake is short with the knicks the saints stop it what a call omg with four minutes left nick thinks he has it is celebrating but the saves converge is low, what a decision to make the fake punt with four minutes left on fourth-and-five and they are stopped three feet away.

Well, Mike Tomlin knows how important it is to stop Breester's tennis team, but he looks at this, what a brave decision. with your season on the line and here's the interesting first try, everyone did it and then everyone says, yeah, then you walk like you're a yard and a half away, well he made a great second effort because the Saints like Robertson and Banjo was on him quickly and he fought for every inch, but he still didn't have enough, so Breeze took over at 46. This I mean, call on the guts to do that, I mean, I love your guts.

Boy, you really want your defense, you saw how passionate he was talking about this team coming out on that field, complete pass to the hill for five, well, Pittsburgh, they pressed on that down, expect it to continue until they get within the 20. No you do. Look, Mike Tomlin, you know he's always in the game, everyone's great, he's a very nice customer, he knows he's improved, he knows how important that was.play and now his momentum on his football team in the pass rush of the season is good for the first down again. the clock is ticking with three and the change is ready the saints have the three timeouts pittsburgh with two again pittsburgh if they lose here baltimore takes the lead and pittsburgh falls behind everyone in that wild card scenario they leave the top six, yes, you are exactly well documented how important pressure is incomplete breeze looking for camara hilton was there for coverage now it's time to pressure draw brees and get the ball out of his hand instantly don't let him use his instincts to pass for five progressions in two seconds I want to take the ball out of his hands, have him throw fast and play tight man coverage and just mention who the guy is that you're helping in the camaro of a plate, the next play is Thomas, you're not going To do it. double them both when you go after him, but you can help on one of the two seconds and ten, the rest of the pittsburgh 34, here comes the pressure that can escape for a moment, now back up and shoot the third. and ten brees going up looking at the progression everyone has the man on it and you saw the pressure in the middle from Hayward and Watt and nothing there Febreze makes the smart decision on third down now New Orleans here has to chip or do something with Watt on the edge allows the breeze to have a little time you have to jump to the edge of the line don't let 90 affect this game right here he's been in that backfield a lot this half go up to third and less than the first thomas with the sack will be fourth down, fourth and two long if I'm New Orleans, I get up on this ball right away, you have a two minute warning, you still have three timeouts, there's a ton, they'll cut it down to two. minute, but if you love a play as a quarterback, you can grab that ball and set up and say, listen, if I get my best player one-on-one and I see the coverage, you break it, you throw him a slant, you throw something at him . so be payton wants to come up with the perfect play here and they will take the time to think about it yes they will have time to do it two minutes before you are watching the nfl on cbs here is the play of the day and one that could affect many seasons fourth and two movements and camaro gave them a corner and a game that has seen interference in the past, two for each side will have a third on the day against pittsburgh to keep the saints alive and it is identified obviously he is happy with the call, but here it is difficult to know From that view, I think he grabbed him from behind, what you do with that movement is move Kamir to come out, you see it's man to man. and you take a look at your best player, Thomas, good work by Drew Brees and Sean Payton, coming up with the right play versus the right coverage and then it comes down to whether your Pittsburgh guy can defend him on the hill in the game.

Take some hill he sent. him to the left side give it to camaro hayward has grabbed it another flag is down holding the 71st offense 10 yard penalty still first down does it feel a little like last week when we were at heinz field and the patriots were going down? at the end of the game trying to find a way to tie it in that case, but I had all those shots from this part of the field at the end of the game, it has that feel and also a late holding call and a ramchek right there.

Maintaining that control against New England last week was huge, like you just said, it cost them a lot more in the end, it's harder to get 20 yards than 10, I don't know what you think, I think it is and right now as a quarterback. you want to be thinking in your brain i don't need to go 20 yards here just keep moving the ball efficiently you got four downs not three first and 20. they blitz they go down the field and it's incomplete and there's no sensible flag in the coverage again it's great sensible technique don't give up the big play but there again try to back off and Breeze thought he was going down the field if Brees could do that he would throw the Back shoulder on that one because Gin was ready for that now it's second and twenty oh this is it Drew Brees over there, though it seems like you have to do something special to stop them.

Pittsburgh Rushs Five, he is able to escape and has dropped the rookie. kirkwood was wide open kirkwood is going to come right in the middle of the field brees does an amazing job sliding into the pocket finding the opening and hitting him in the chest oh that's just a dagger third and 20. they had a lot of pressure brees that lasts you cut the tension here, you feel this, they're not pressuring him, breeze knows, there's a wide open shot, he's back in the 8th, pittsburgh should use the timeout right now, pittsburgh, what play brees falls back, slides it. and then he shoots the final route and this time Ted Ginn comes up with it and I love that great work by Mike Tomlin.

Give him credit right there. That timeout was exactly what you should do. Most teams get nervous because Mike Tomlin didn't take one. again tonight on cbs starts with 60 minutes followed by a new episode of madame secretary plus god made me friend and ncis los angeles tonight only cbs so they pick up 25 on third and 20. and it was a perfect play call what you do is send There are three receivers on one side of the field on the right or a tight end and two series, you send the two insiders down the field and the outsider goes under him about 15 to 20 yards and the quarterback shoots there like he's on it. been doing for years, but now inside the 10 things get more difficult, let's see what play design they have first and goal, quick pass caught to the one Thomas went with the catch and Pittsburgh takes their last timeout again, that It was a simple running play. that the quarterback can throw a little quick route on the backside if he sees that he's one on one, they actually spot the football sized ball inside the two, if you're in New Orleans you have to score a touchdown no matter what. so you're not thinking about the clock or the time here, but in a perfect world you would score on third down after a run for a yard, here's a second and the target Brees looks to throw now unload, it was again, right ? cross the plane no and it's on the playing field so that will run the clock thomas with the grip oh oh that's a touchdown that's a touchdown that will be a touchdown for the saints that will also give Pittsburgh time to do something You're exactly Right, Drew Brees was getting ready to throw it.

Thomas couldn't move his eyes to see the fade fast enough and then it comes back, I actually see him slide right there. Thomas slips and then comes back and that's going to be a touchdown and new orleans is going to take the lead here's the pylon camera you can see he's right on the line he has possession right there he crosses the plane it's going to be a touchdown the rule on the field was outside the end zone but he made it safe I mean I think that's tough the only way you wouldn't do it would be if he didn't have control of the ball maybe that would be the only way until he It was outside of it, they would have to say, but it almost looked like it was just Velcroed shut.

Against his shoulder pad the catch was immediate James territory. Is there any doubt that that was a touchdown? I think it's definitely going to be a touchdown jim and in fact as we look at this, although I know in Pittsburgh's case they probably want to wait until it's never a touchdown for timing reasons, but if you rewind now, they'll reset the game clock to a minute and 25 seconds if they rule out this touchdown, which I think Pittsburgh actually ends up with one minute and 25 seconds to keep this. The game was moving, so the advance that seemed inevitable in this last quarter was going to have a scoring advance, right?

He just knew Brees would do it once and came through with a stop on a fake hit at a shortstop, which is what they did. I'm taking a while though, that makes me feel like this could be, maybe they're just trying to calculate time in the clock gene, what do you think my thinking would be Jim, and it would go to a minute and 25 seconds of what I've seen, let's hear what craig rose draw brees does it again i want you to know this play was interrupted thomas slides it's supposed to be a fade and brees then comes out and sees him come back and throws it right away and possibly give something new orleans is number one in the nfc this year there is still plenty of time for pittsburgh to do something extra the point makes it third and now boswell could be a man called to try to send the game to overtime if roethlisberger can put it in in the position we asked. tracy did a great job she asked Mike Tomlin yesterday and that production means that she feels any feeling of nervousness to send him any kind of feeling that would be like I just don't trust it or no I don't.

I love it and he says, we don't play that way, we don't think that way, I sent him there, I hope he goes out and makes the kick, he's not going to tell us if he does it anyway, well, he will. I have to send him there to present the case. I promise you Steeler Nation would be pretty nervous about that, but they'd like to have that opportunity. He would take advantage of her right now. I think Ben Roethlisberger played one of his most complete games today. If they lose football games, they'll get lost in the shuffle, but he's played one of the best games I've ever seen him play in a tough environment against a great defense.

He's 30 of 43 for 340 yards and three touchdowns, really. he made a bad decision and loaded it up on big third downs. He'll have to do it one more time, Jim, or they probably won't make the playoffs. Switzer, just behind the line, takes a knee and the drive will start at the 25. There was Motion Offense number 84. You can hear this place, no one in Pittsburgh can communicate with each other right now. It's all first hand signals. 15. Running five passes thrown over and it's incomplete. Go to Washington. You're going to see New Orleans. I'd be surprised if ap and smash schuster didn't double up on every play for the first two or three plays here, these safeties will look exactly where they both are on second and 15.

The steps up the pressure now throw him into the final minute he threw it to the ground when he saw the fender about to jump the route, so it will be third and 15. Ben Roethlisberger needs to put him on the line, look what they're evaluating if they're. I'm going to press or not, okay, they're not pressing, here's the decision, I could double team him, let him run and take him under third down, they go deep, the receiver goes down and there's no flag, it's two of the three plays in which the pass has entered. james washington's address wasn't a great pass today and it all comes down to this play now to keep it alive the reason he's going to have to go with him double team double team you can't throw to smith schuster and antonio brown is going to have to go to one of the other guys, that's why Washington has to do a great job on this play right here, right now it's one on a fourth-and-15.

Roethlisberger throws caught. The saints say he was not caught. The officers say yes. He went brown with the grip. he's on the rebound yes, he is, he holds it, he drags it and his right foot was planted, that's a catch. Brown returns from the double team to the sideline. It seems like it will be a cabin check, but there is pretty clear evidence. that brown made a great play and so did roethlisberger and that gives pittsburgh a little time while they review it to get organized he secures it with the right foot planet I don't think there is a bubble there you see one I don't think so I think this is going to stay in Gene's territory.

You see something there to dump if there's a little bubble, he still has possession. Left football and that left foot drags with those black pellets that we call smoke. There's a little smoke with the left one. He drags his right foot. Planet, he's a good catch. I love learning the cool lingo from these guys. What game. The router hamburger buys time on the sidelines. There is a wall in the field. This confirmed that it is a catch on the sideline on the first attempt. Pittsburgh still has a long way to go. although yeah, but fourth and 15 conversions from Roethlisberger, just one of those days when he's in the zone, he'll just find a way, it feels like it's based on those kind of days now, if you're from New Orleans, does that change ?

Are you coming after him now? or you keep double teaming here's the blitz in the middle of the field Smith Schuster has it at the Saints' 47 they come up to time spike the ball to stop the clock at 45 seconds you're not so sure about that, huh? you're just not in a big rush at that point to me you have the defense on your heels it's really not that different from calling a play and breaking it's an extra three or four seconds and they don't get a chance to do it. regroup and get different personnel or whatever you still need, I think at least six yards to have a realistic shot, obviously the goal is the 35 yard line, but you can kick it from the 40 to the 43.

Your long run is 53 With 45 seconds to go, the second attempt goes through the middle and the flags come out. McDonald was interfered with before the last ball was thrown. Contactillegal defense number 47. That's a five-yard penalty and an automatic first down and Zelone caught it beyond the five yards, but it wasn't pass interference. and illegal contact, yeah, just put it at 42. oh, and they go five open oh, this is in the way of your season and they go with something that came up last week, here we go, out comes Smith Schuster coughed. Raising the flags they still haven't made a signal, whether it's a fumble or not, they haven't, they haven't signaled who has the ball, they're calling them down, it looks like they're calling them down, oh , this is huge. as if he were on top of the defender, it was a catch and fumble recovered by New Orleans after New Orleans' 94th personal foul play.

The 15-yard penalty, first drop to orders, is a screen and Smith Schuster took it has and let's see if this ball is on top of the player who is never on the ground ratings starts the ball davis comes to fall on it I don't see anything that tells me that it is down before this once again let's see right here left knee no, oh I think that's going to be a fumble, oh New Orleans is going to kiss this fumble confirmed above, what a play by Rankins to stick his hand in there and get the ball out and secure the number one seed.

Jim Saints are the first seed in the NFC and now. the steelers the sanctions rejected the steelers will have to win next sunday at home against cincinnati and cleveland who won today and is increasing and are 500 on the season at 7-7-1 the steelers will need the browns to beat baltimore in baltimore coupled with their victory should have been won against Cincinnati, who would have thought that Pittsburgh's season was based on the Cleveland Browns and a Cleveland team that can win a type of game like that. You couldn't have said that a few years ago or last year. this game was an amazing football game well they were in field goal range with the jack they were there you can't even look back at anything before they were in position boy it's going to be hard for anyone to come here and beat to the new.

The Orleans Saints are coming to play out of time and if Pittsburgh misses the playoffs and they're out, look how devastating it is to know that your football team is so good and that you can come in here and possibly win last week, beat New England and control the games. against good teams it's just difficult