It can’t get weirder. This game. It had it all. I can’t top it. But I’ll do my best.
Your stats of the weird. From whatever this was.
– As always, we start with the score. This was the first 18-16 final in NFL playoff history. Only the 7th game of such score overall. And somehow, not the first one of the 2015 season. The Detroit Lions beat the Green Bay Packers by the same score in November.
The Steelers were involved in the first 18-16 game ever, losing to the Cleveland Browns 1976.
– Fitzgerald Toussaint’s 58 yards rushing tonight were the most he’s had in a game since October 15th, 2013 when he was with Michigan, running for 151 yards against Indiana.
– In college or the NFL, Martavis Bryant has never had more than a 17 yard rush before. Tonight, he tore one for 44.
He is the first Steelers’ wide receiver to have that long of a rush since at least 1994, according to Pro Football Reference.
– Bryant is also the first Steelers’ wide receiver since 1960 to have at least five catches, fewer than 31 yards (Bryant finished with 29) and a touchdown. Only two other Steelers have ever done it: Mewelde Moore and Merril Hoge.
– Cam Thomas recovered his second career fumble and first in the NFL. The other came in 2009 when he was in college with the North Carolina Tar Heels.
– Antwon Blake’s 35 yard return tied for the third most interception yards by a Steelers in a single playoff game. In first, of course, is James Harrison’s 100 yard return.
– The Steelers were 2/13 on third downs tonight, the second time they’ve done that this year, the first loss to the Baltimore Ravens being the other. It’s the first time they’ve been this bad on third down twice in a season since 2012 when they had games of 1/9 and 2/14.
– 167 yards rushing tonight is good enough for the team’s most playoff yards on the ground since Super Bowl 40. I like that sign.
– The Steelers were penalized 10 times tonight, the most they’ve had in a playoff game since 1978. So tell that to any Bengals’ fans who think the refs were on their side.
