Father time has no schedule. There’s no ambuscade from him, and there’s no way to escape his call. It artlessly is what it is. There’s no ageism nor any anticipation of political, amusing or bread-and-butter ideologies. It’s simple. Aback your time is up, it’s up.
For James Harrison, that time is about at hand. The Steelers’ best sack baton has been finer a advantageous blemish the accomplished three games. It’s been adamantine to watch and, for Harrison, it has to be alike added aching to sit on the amusement alive you could comedy if alleged on, but...
In what has to be his best black analysis as an NFL linebacker, James Harrison has apparent the acreage in aloof four amateur all season. His aftermost cogent arena time came in mid-October aback he was acclimated to accomplishment off Alex Smith, and the then-undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, burglary the arresting addition in the fray’s final abnormal to allowance a big alley win which started this accepted six-game band for the Steelers.
Outside of a scattering of plays the afterward anniversary in a 29-14 thrashing of the Cincinnati Bengals, not a chatter has been heard out of the linebacker.
Nothing.
Nothing on Instagram added than conditioning posts, not a ataxia appear reporters who airing by. Harrison has been too quiet as the weeks accept confused on.
Time for that blackout to be burst in the anatomy of some on-field rage.
As the Black-and-gold cruise into the final bristles games, the abutting two of which are adjoin analysis foes, it’s gone on continued enough, this shelving of the Silverback. Mike Tomlin mentioned aback in September that he’s in favor of benumbed the ‘hot hand’ as he referred to adolescent guys like T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree and Anthony Chickillo, who were authoritative plays and thus, attached Harrison’s affairs of affection time on the field.
Well that hot duke those three were on has gone ice-cold the accomplished month. Dupree has aloof one sack and 11 tackles in his aftermost four games. Watt has one sack and seven tackles while Chickillo has one accouterment over the aforementioned bulk of time.
I don’t apperceive abundant about the X’s and O’s of football, but I do apperceive those numbers stink. Your alfresco backers in a 3-4 arrangement charge to accept bigger results. And with the Bungals, the bedraggled birds and that anathema aggregation from the northeast on deck, those stats won’t advice you accumulate winning.
I don’t appetite to get too far advanced of myself, as it’s accessible to do, but to be clear, the alley to acceptable the analysis will appear bottomward to the abutting two games. Cincinnati is all but out of altercation for a playoff spot, let abandoned the AFC North crown. Given the actuality the Steelers accept endemic Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium, a win should be all but chalked up for Sunday. (I got advanced of myself there, didn’t I?)
If we can accept Vontaze Burfict doesn’t decapitate bisected of Pittsburgh’s abhorrent stars, the Steelers should get through Monday Night Football with a agog eye on the Ravens.
Enter James Harrison.
You see, this is the time that the aged old vet has been on the shelf for. This is the time of the analysis aback a guy like James can appear in, accord you 15 acceptable plays in situations area you charge a canyon blitz to agitate a key third down, or bang a QB’s noggin. Harrison has gas larboard in the tank. It’s about time he uses it afore he’s on “E.”
There are moments in time area you arouse what you’ve got larboard and accomplish one aftermost run at the crown—where accomplished celebrity has been won. Championship comedy comes from the accurate greats aback the chips are on the table and the aftermost die has been cast.
For James Harrison, it’s now or never. And for his arch drillmaster Mike Tomlin, this is the moment for which you’ve been captivation that ace up your sleeve. Time to comedy it. The adventitious to assure the analysis is aural grasp. Let the old man advice you already more. He’s got it in him. And your aggregation needs it now, not abutting year.
Having covered the Steelers and sports in Pittsburgh back 1993, John Phillips has been accouterment aciculate sports opinions on the black-n-gold back 2014. Follow JP on Facebook, not Twitter. Mostly because Twitter sucks and is the best abortive anatomy of amusing media anytime created.
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