Miracle in the Dawg Pound

I don't know who the announcer was for the NFL Network, but he had a great line as the Browns upset the Pittsburgh Steelers: "Never underestimate the power of a rival." How true.

College football fans will recognize the Thursday Night curse. How many superior teams have lost on the road on Thursday night? It's where favorites go to die.

Still, this one is an absolute shocker. Consider:

• The Browns hadn't beaten the Steelers since 2003
• The 2009 Browns have only won 1 game, and that was a 6-3 ugly-fest against the almost equally pathetic Buffalo Bills.
• The Browns' offense was anemic, struggling to put up 13 points at home.
• The Browns have been completely dysfunctional this year, including a "top secret" QB competition, only to have the starter shortly replaced by the back-up. The GM was let go mid-season. And the new coach is widely expected to be let go at the end of his first year.
• The Browns had nothing to play for but draft picks.
• The Steelers are the defending World Champions.
• The Steelers are proud and talented.
• The Steelers HAD to win this game.

It doesn't matter what else happens in the other 15 games this weekend: this game will still stand out as the most surprising game of Week 14.

And, for us as Packer fans, it's a very happy surprise, for now the Steelers are toast. They've lost 5 straight games -- including games against the Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns! The wheels are completely coming off, and it's hard to imagine what the mood is going to be when they return to Heinz Field a week from Sunday. Suffice it to say, though, that the Packers will have a lot to play for, while the Steelers... not so much.