Cincy, and the Ball, Downed Skillfully (Rich)

Huge win today. There are no two ways about it, we really needed this one. There are many things to like about this game: the defense going nuts in the second half, the continued Heath Miller emergence, Fast Willie busting loose. But I want to focus on something mundane and picayune, and which therefore has bugged me for years.

Inside of two minutes to go, the Steelers lined up in "Victory Formation," which has been standard practice since the Eagles pulled a ridiculous victory out of a fluky late return touchdown; er, I mean, since the Eagles pulled a ridiculous victory out of a fluky late return touchdown. The major distinguishing feature of this formation is the presence of a "safety" 8 yards deep, positioned to tackle anyone who might bust through with any potential fumble. No tiny detail of football has boggled my mind more than the fact that the "safety" in this formation is generally a wide receiver. Why Why Why? But today, as the Steelers went into Victory, I noticed a massive pile of hair falling out of the "safety's" helmet--yes, you guessed it, instead of a "safety," the Steelers had inserted a safety. Nice detail work there by Cowher and co.

--rich erenberg