0 Gradkowski grabs winning TD to cruise past the Steelers! Posted by DieHardFans | at 2:33 AM

If the Steelers season was fading following their three-point loss to the Ravens last week, this loss to the Oakland Raiders officially puts their year on life support. For what seems to have been the theme of the 09 season, the defense again was letdown in the fourth quarter, as they allowed Bruce Gradkowski to carve them up for a touchdown drive with 9 seconds left for a 27-24 loss. “You know, really not a lot needs to be said in regards to how that game ended,” Mike Tomlin said. “I’m not going to make any excuses for it. We didn’t make a play. We didn’t make a play to win that football game defensively.” You can say that again. The defense allowed big plays one after another, and in the end, they had a chance to easily win it but rookie DB Joe Burnett dropped an easy interception that would have bailed out the Steelers against a team that is simply not that good. Instead, they now have lost four straight for the first time since the 2003 season.

They have four games left, but right now the playoffs look like light years away. Tomlin, who in his second year led the team to the Super Bowl, now has to answer the question about how to keep the team together amid all the issues they are having on and off the field. The Steelers looked to have the game won when Ben Roethlisberger threw an 11-yard score to Hines Ward with 1:56 left to take a 24-20 lead. The defense allowed Oakland three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, this after allowing just two field goals in the first three quarters. Roethlisberger was 18-for-24 for 278 yards with two TD’s and another end zone pick. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 103 yards and a score as well. Now, the 6-6 club will be in Cleveland on Thursday.

0 Dallas stuffs Oakland 24-7 in Thanksgiving beating... Posted by DieHardFans | at 1:06 AM

All eyes were on the Dallas Cowboys on their Thanksgiving Day game! The critics were taking a close look at their offense to see how they would respond after being shutdown the last two games. They had only been able to score 7 points in each game.

They needn’t have waited long as they did respond, led by their “number two” receiver Miles Austin who torched the Oakland Raiders defense! Austin finished the game with 7 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown.

The Raiders came in on a high after upsetting the Cincinnati Bengals at home. While Oakland was able to move the ball early, they were unable to score points. The Raiders’ struggles on offense continued, and the defense was unable to hold the Cowboys down for long. The Raiders looked like they would be able to run the ball all day long on the Cowboys with RBs Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden both breaking off big runs.

However, the Cowboys defense stayed strong, and was able shut down any momentum the Raiders may have gained in the first quarter. The Cowboys dominated the first-half with big plays, out gaining the Raiders 324 – 119 in yardage. They also and had a commanding 17 – 0 lead heading into the half.

They started the second half slowly, allowing the Raiders to narrow the lead to 10. Oakland failed to capture any more momentum as the Cowboys drove down the field to ensure Oakland was not able to crawl back into the game!