For the Super Bowl champion Steelers, Jeff Reed has been Mr. Clutch, or Mr. Automatic over the years when it comes to key kicks at key moments. Sunday, let’s just say it was not one of his better days. Reed missed two critical fourth quarter field goals that would have likely pushed the Steelers to 2-0 in Chicago against the Bears.
The first miss came with 11:37 left from 38 yards out that would have extended the Steelers lead from 14-7 to 17-7. The Bears responded with a drive down the field that resulted in the game-tying touchdown. Never fear, there would be another chance. Ben Roethlisberger put together a nice drive that saw the team reach the Bears 25-yard line with 3:18 left.
Reed again marched on the field, and this time from 43 yards out it wasn’t even close. The word shank comes to mind when it comes to the kick. As for the Bears, their kicker, Robbie Gould, was true from 44 yards out for the game-winner with :15 left to give the Bears a 17-14 win.
“There’s no excuse,” Reed said after the setback. “First of all, I want to congratulate Robbie (Gould) for making the game-winner. I’ve been in those shoes plenty of times, and I know how great he feels right now, as opposed to how I feel. There’s no excuse; I missed two kicks. Actually, what it was is that I was trying too hard on both of them; that’s what happens to a kicker when you hook them. I thought the first one was going to sneak in, but I didn’t give the second one a chance. I don’t care where I was kicking or what the conditions are. If I’m on the field, I have a fair chance to make a kick. It’s a terrible feeling, but at the same time you have to fight another day.”
Reed had a day much like former Steelers kicker Kris Brown, who once against the Ravens missed four field goals in a critical October game in 2001. Brown rebounded to have a good season, and for Reed, he knows that he and the team have to quickly put this one behind them and get set for the Bengals next Sunday in Paul Brown Stadium.
“I’m just embarrassed because these guys fought their tails off to win the game,” Reed said. “If there’s one player who can single-handedly lose the game, then I’ll take credit for it… I know it’s a team game; I’m always the first one to give credit to the guys if I hit a game-winner – the whole team – because they got me in position. But, I was down there twice, and both were makeable field goals.”
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mark
September 21, 2009 at 10:28 am
As mad as I am about the loss and the misses, Jeff Reed has been money for this team. He has hit many more winners than he has missed them so I say he gets a pass. My problem is the offense not scoring TD’s!!! Steelers should have put up 26 or more yesterday but slips,drops,penalties,sacks,running game, philosophy,rain, did I leave anything out? For a great QB like Ben to have another solid passing game and only have 14 points to show for it, boggles my mind! Whether its Arian, Zeirling(sp?) or both, they better find a way to fix this and right the ship. Bengals will not be easy next week and the reason is our offense.
Jay
September 21, 2009 at 1:58 pm
I agree with you about your rant (i.e., “slips, drops, penalties, etc.”) TOTALY agree but why kickers get a pass? Because they’ve done itin the past? DUde, your job, as a kicker in the nfl (or any football league capacity for that matter) is to go on the field, kick a football, go off the field and talk to your fiends…repeat process if necessary, collect ridiculously high (relatively speaking) paycheck! But I am on board with you about the offense sucking…HOW CAN BEN THROW FOR THOSE YARDS AND THEN HAVE THINGS SUCK IN THE RED ZONE!?! WE AIN’T GOT NO OFFENSIVE IDENTITY AND NEED TO GET ONE SOON!
mark
September 21, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I understand Jay. Not giving Reed a pass on this is acceptable. I just feel like he is the type of kicker who wont let this bother him in terms of moving forward. Yes, he cost us in the big picture but the offense could have done more. As far as identity, I believe as long as we have this personnel on the o-line and this philosophy of zone blocking and pass first, Im afraid we will need Ben to bail out the offense many more times.Our identity seems to be one of let the defense keep it close and then let Ben pull it out. We fans go crazy when it works and pull our hair out when it doesnt. I am amazed that our team does not put up 26 points a week. 24 or more and this team only loses 1 or 2 games in a season. Red zone or not, the offense cant run the ball when it needs to and puts entirely too much pressure on individual performances to win games.