Compare that to the 24.2 million viewers the B(C)S Championship game drew with an all-time low rating of 13.8.

The viewership numbers are screaming for a playoff.

I bet 40 million of those viewers (Broncos fans as well) think the Steelers bringing back Arians and Lebeau next season is foolish...but what do we know. The standard is the standard!

Gosh, 42,500,000 people plus those at the game plus those listening to radio all witnessed LeBeau revealed as a charlatan and the Steelers being a paper tiger!

Witness the size and dimension of "Steeler Nation", and then the team goes out and lays a huge egg for them. I would hazard a bet that the large majority of these viewers were Steeler fans, although the "Tebow Effect" can't be overlooked. It's a shame the team did not put forth a better effort for the viewers.

It will be interesting to see how the Broncos-Pats game draws in comparison. I feel quite certain that instead of the Pats being Tebowed, the Broncos are going to be "Bradied". Belichick will have his team ready to play, and it is very unlikely that an 8-8 team is going to beat the Pats. The Tebow run is about to expire!

Every October we hear gnashing of teeth from the networks and Major League Baseball if small-market teams are in the playoffs because small-market teams don’t draw

Ah, if only MLB had leadership that could look past the quick buck they get now and act in the best, long-term interest of the sport.

Do you remember the days when you could name the starting outfield of the KC Royals? The starting rotation of the Baltimore Orioles? The batting order of the Minnesota Twins?

Now a majority of baseball fans can name the bench players on the Yankees and maybe their own team's batting order.

Whats more foolish is bringing back Taylor & Gay.

based on the ariens and lebeau decisions, apparently the steeler ownership and management were not among the 42.2 million viewers.

I still have doubts Tebow will have success as an NFL QB but if he does he's going to be bigger than Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods.You think Peyton Manning does a lot of commercials?You'd see Tebow more often than you'd see your family.

based on the ariens and lebeau decisions, apparently the steeler ownership and management were not among the 42.2 million viewers.

No doubt.

That is a pretty impressive audience for a wild-card game.

and it is very unlikely that an 9-8 team is going to beat the Pats.

Fixed

The pens are getting pushed around like old women and they get rid of muscle.Right now the pens have no spine.Mario got his new bld.and sold out season ticket holders. He's happy.If your 30 yrs old or older you won't see another Stush Cup in this city in your lifetime.

icechips,

Yeah, lack of muscle is the real problem. Not the fact that they've been scoring 1-2 goals per game. Not the fact that they've lost their best player, their best defenseman and their best penalty killer (and a pretty good overall center) to injuries for extended periods. I didn't realize that MCINTYRE was the one who could replace Sidney Crosby, Jordan Staal and Kris Letang.

icechips,

BTW, if you really think that Mario is happy because he's making money from the team, well you do realize that he'd make even more from home playoff games. More playoff games = more money. Mario is certainly aware of that fact, so even if he really does only care about making money, he would have GREAT motivation to try to bring the Cup back to Pittsburgh.

written by ISIS, January 11, 2012 - 03:40 PM


And it is very unlikely that an 9-8 team is going to beat the Pats.
_______________________

Well, it's not that unlikely considering the Pats haven't beaten a team with a winning record this season.

The Steelers are not an overpowering team that wins 35-10. They have been EXTREMELY lucky running through the raindrops to make their last three Super Bowls, relying on a #1 defense and not much else.

Some examples:

2005 --- Carson Palmer getting hurt and a trick play TD to beat the Bengals. Vanderjagt missed field goal against the Colts. The Broncos beating the Patriots.

2008 --- Santonio Holmes punt return TD to beat the Chargers. The Ravens beating the Titans. Polamalu interception to seal the win against the Ravens.

2010 --- The defense getting multiple turnovers against the Ravens after being down BIG early to pull out a miracle win. The Jets beating the Patriots. Gay getting a fumble recovery TD to get the win against the Jets as Roethlisberger goes 10 for 19 for 133 yards with zero TDs and two interceptions and a 35.5 qb rating compared to Sanchez's 20 of 33 for 233 yards with twi TDs and ZERO interceptioms and a QB rating of 102.2

Denver, Green Bay,Ravens, Jags ... Roethlisberger plays poorly and throw interceptions in big games usually leading to the Steelers starting out in a big hole.

The last two post season game the Steeler defense couldn't get any defensive scores to dig him out of it.

---
written by Twisted Brister, January 11, 2012 - 03:54 PM

The Steelers are not an overpowering team that wins 35-10. They have been EXTREMELY lucky running through the raindrops to make their last three Super Bowls, relying on a #1 defense and not much else.

---

I'm not sure what scares me more...that people post this stuff or actually believe it. They've been extremely lucky to make 3 Super Bowls in 6 years. Unbelievable.

You make your own luck when you win 70% of your games from 2004 to 2011. This is one of the best teams in sports during that period.

It makes me wonder if the writer ever watches NFL games not involving the Steelers. You know what luck is...the tuck rule.

So its luck that the Steelers make plays and win.
Its luck that Ravens beat the Titans in Nashville
I guess it was luck that Bettis fumbled
I guess it was luck that Holmes made the perfect catch from a perfect pass
It was luck that Harrison made the defensive play of all time in SB43
It was luck, its always luck Keep believing that crap

What luck is, Ben throwing an interception before halftime in Super Bowl 43 in Tampa.

Kurt Warner on the ensuing drive throwing to JH and having it returned 100 yards.

If Ben doesn't throw the interception the Steelers probably lose that game.

That's what I call dumb luck

42.4 million of the people watching were there to see Tebow perform. And man did he ever! Talk about your slice & dice. The kid is amazing! Best thing to happen to the NFL since Joe Namath. Somewhere, Pete Rozelle is smiling.

The PG is reporting that LeBeau will be back next year, ever the glutton for punishment, he may be trodden upon as he graces a larger audience in the playoffs next year. Of course he'll be fed a steady diet of "krimpet and kreme" so that's a perk.

written by TheUnblogger, January 11, 2012 - 04:16 PM
So its luck that the Steelers make plays and win.

There is definitely an element of luck in football...which is why a champion team can be gauged by its STOMP wins (10 or more points) over weaker opponents. In a game between two evenly matched teams, a victory doesn't necessarily prove that the winner is superior--luck does make a difference, and/or one or two big plays can decide the outcome.

Some of the comments you see here are certainlky a bit "twisted"....you wonder if some of these games some folks watched were played in a parallel universe somewhere....I seem to recall that the Steelers opened their game against Denver this past Sunday with a 6-0 lead that was blown away under an avalanche of long passes and up the gut runs by the worst QB in the NFL.....at least in the game I was watching in my universe....but I left my beer goggles home.

42.5 million is good news and bad. Good for the popularity on the NFL. Bad because now the TV networks have even more reason to cram more commercials and in-game promos at us.

I see on the PG cover that LeBeau is coming back next year....Lord willin'...(he is old ya know)

written by icechips, January 11, 2012 - 03:40 PM

The pens are getting pushed around like old women and they get rid of muscle.Right now the pens have no spine.Mario got his new bld.and sold out season ticket holders. He's happy.If your 30 yrs old or older you won't see another Stush Cup in this city in your lifetime.

Lol...seriously, muscle...MCINTYRE hasn't been in a fight all season. Lol. You my friend, like to stir the pot!

"Muscle" doesn't equal fighting. If it did Orpik would be a wimp.

Congrats to Denver and their win...
But IMHO had Big Ben been able to move, run, throw off his foot. We are 14-0 in the first quarter and it is a different game..... Half the viewers would have turned off the game, cause no upset was gonna happen.
Again, congrats to Denver! Denver fans, enjoy your wonderful ride. Wish I was aboard the Steelers train & still rocking and rolling
cheers/jealous
David

Bob posts a story about TV viewership and some of you use it to bash the Steelers. No one forces you to attend the games or follow the Steelers on TV, so if you don't like what you see, don't pay and don't watch. One thing for sure, Steelers owners, coaches and players won't miss you or your sick comments, and, most likely, neither will Bob.

That's a lot of viewers that witnessed Tebow's Inaccurate Redemption!

I have no idea how this could be. I was assured by many commenters on this blog in the past that the NFL was on its way to falling apart.

They couldn't have been....wrong, could they?

Tebowmania hit the North American continent. Many wanted to see if Tebow would be a hero or a goat in his first playoff game and so they watched in record attendance. I expect more people to watch this weekend with Tebow against Brady AND YOU CAN ADD ALL THE sTEELER FANS TO THAT TOO!!

...
Does the visiting team benefit directly from ticket sales, or indirectly because the sport does well, or no benefit at all?

Who cares?

Isn't that why the NFL will always be the most compelling sport on TV. The rest have five or seven game series. Every NFL Playoff game is one and done and in prime winter weather advisory weekend watching time.

Of course, maybe they wanted to bid Hines adieu! Did they see him?

Well, at least we have Hines running back a kickoff in Batman next summer.

.
Well, it is nice that over 40M people got to tune in and watch the paper tiger of a defense get totally defrauded by Timmy Tebow, the WORST QB in the entire NFL.

The greater the number of people exposed to a mythical fraud, the more resounding it gets debunked.

written by SteellVa, January 11, 2012 - 08:42 PM
(Daquido) SteellVA - Lebeau is coming back
As usual....You lose.

Uh, no. Actually, the Steelers lose. They'll have another bland, dry, no-impact defense.

And as usual, I win, as I'll have another season to expose the mythical fraud.
------------------
Uh no....Again.
Every Steeler fans wins because they retain a DC that has won two Super Bowls (and attended three) in the past seven seasons.
I don't have a need to look it up, but that puts him in pretty select and small company.
And that....Is all that matters to me.
I don't care one iota about everything else you spew about.
I ONLY care about winning Super Bowls, and Lebeau has done it twice in seven years.
If one wants to complain and expose a farce, they can no further than the offices just down Federal Street at PNC Park.
That is a fiasco of almost two decades, and that deserves every ounce of criticism one can muster.
Anyone (such as yourself) that thinks differently can go seek attention elsewhere.
Your mission is blind, helpless and strictly for attention.
Any further retort by you isn't worth the toilet paper you'll use again this evening.
Let this serve further notice that myself and a slew of others aren't going to take you or Bob Nutting silently anymore.
We attack who deserves to be attacked.
Have a warm night....

Uh, no. Actually, the Steelers lose. They'll have another bland, dry, no-impact defense.

And as usual, I win, as I'll have another season to expose the mythical fraud.

Uh....No again.

I do not disagree with your position or logic, Bob, but your post is about two days late. It has already been announced that Arians will return for the 2012 season, as will LeBeau. Glad about the latter, but not so much the former. This talented offense was so frustrating to watch this year, even taking into consideration the injuries. For a good laugh, go and see the "Shame Report" on NFL.COM. http://www.nfl.com/videos/the-shame-report

Funny how the "experts" think that number is all Tebow. When the rating for the Broncos/Pats game (which will still be good) goes down this week, they'll scratch their heads and wonder why. If it's a blowout, they'll blame it on that. But they won't understand that half that rating was because of the Steelers, not because of Tebow.

@Twister Brister - every team needs some luck to win a Super Bowl. Even the Packers would've lost in the first round last year had Vick not thrown that interception in the end zone to end the game.