Fire Mike Tomlin!

Well, at 28-23 with the choice of a PAT or a two-point conversion attempt ...

If you get the PAT (leaving you down 24-28), you'll still need another TD (not FG) to win.  But in that scenario, JAC can kick a FG at the buzzer to tie.  If you get the two and go to 28-25 down, a subsequent FG ties it, and a TD puts PIT ahead such that the Jags need a TD to win (at 32-28, a Jacksonville FG doesn't even tie the game).

But once they got that holding penalty (and let's not talk about the fact that no holding occurred) to push them back to the 12, going for two was ridiculous.

When they scored again to get to 30-28, you're at a crossroads.  A gambling coach who trusts his defense might just go for two and make a Jaguars FG a non-option.  Personally, I'd have kicked the extra point.  Six minutes left in the game, PIT holding all three timeouts, their defense having found new life ... I like those odds enough to stay on the reservation.  Tomlin didn't agree, I guess.

He should be fired.

Probably?  His hand was all up in there, even if unintentionally.  Should have been offsetting penalties, fourth down at the three-ish.  (Can a personal foul and pass interference offset?)

Hines Ward's nipples are real, and they're spectacular.

He's on a covert maim and kill mission at Warner Bros. headquarters. 

Almost forgot about the phantom hold on the two point conversion wiping out the spectacular catch by Ward. 

Maybe there was a penalty there but in the single replay you sure couldn't see it.

Anyway, can't figure out Roethlisberger.  If he plays the first half like he did the second the Steelers run away with this game.  Defense played well other than on two plays (Garrard fourth down conversion and Jags second TD.)  Special teams obviously still a weak point.

I still can't figure out what qualifies as holding in the NFL.  Watch some plays again and focus on Polamalu.  He's held nearly every single play ... assuming holding means a guy hangs onto his jersey from the side or behind, or a guy behind him hooks one of Polamalu's arms, or a guy puts his hands or shoulder on the "43" on Polamalu's back and drives, etc.  Only one time did any Jag get called for holding on Polamalu.

Over on the left, Barnes had to be holding at least two out of three plays.  Yet JAC got called for holding ONCE (the tackle of Polamalu by the TE).

I'm going to re-watch some PIT offensive series and focus on a lineman, just to see if it's everyone doing it like that.

Back on subject, I don't think the PAT decisions were bad.  I was actually questioning not going for two at 28-16.  Madden later said he feels it's a 4th quarter call only.  He's smarter than me by a long shot so I'll accept that. 

I think Tomlin and his staff deserve a lot of credit on this one.  The defensive scheme was brilliantly executed.  They attacked the run very aggressively and held the Jags to 239 yards of total offense and, taking Garrard's scrambles/called runs out of it, the running backs well under 100.  Es**** played very well in overcoming what was thought to be a glaring weakness.  The Steelers, even though they had Ward and Polamalu back, were still beat up (Parker, Smith, Smith and Starks).  Once they decided to play a NE style offensive scheme with Ward and Miller taking everything on offer underneath they absolutely ruled.  For the first time this season (I think) I felt the Steelers game out of the halftime locker room with a grade-A plan.

This game comes down to three gift interceptions and one HORRIBLE lapse on special teams.  Not much the coaches can do about the former although admittedly the latter has been a problem for a long time.