"When you put that much into it – heart, soul, effort, belief in one another, a lot of hard work – it's going to sting for us. It's going to sting for our fans. It's going to sting for everyone, because we care."

- John Harbaugh, last Monday

Because you can't see crap from the bench area, which is where I went with two minutes left in the game, I had to go back and watch that final Steeler drive to help me understand what happened and maybe, just maybe, to excommunicate this stink from my soul.

I watched the coaches' high sideline video of the Steelers' 10-play series.

On the first play, we sent cornerback Jerraud Powers on a blitz at Big Ben's right arm. Roethlisberger quickly released over and around the charging Powers, completing to tight end Jesse James for three yards. The play took four seconds, and Ben then found Brown for eight yards to the Steelers' 36 for a first down. We showed a five-man front on the play with linebacker Albert McClellan dropping back into coverage. C.J. Mosley came on a rush and looped with Timmy Jernigan for good pressure, but again, Ben was too quick.

(That play happened right in front of me. Brown was startling with his quickness to jump out of bounds in the face of our tacklers. We needed more time off the clock, and Brown didn't let that happen.)

On the third play, we showed six on the line, and Eric Weddle came on a blitz. Elvis Dumervil forced Ben to step up in the pocket, and his pass zipped by a leaping Terrell Suggs for a 16-yard completion to our 48. Timeout Pittsburgh with 1:02 on the clock. (I was reminded on this play what one of our scouts told me: "Ben is as good as any quarterback ever at extending plays. He's huge. He's erect, has great feet and releases in a blink.")

Play four: We showed seven at the line, rushed five, and Ben hit wide receiver Demarcus Ayers for nine yards to our 39. Ayers beat cornerback Tavon Young out of bounds. Play five was a crusher with two Steelers making outstanding plays. First, Ben escaped a five-man rush, stepping up to make Elvis miss. He then threw a bullet high, but a flying wide receiver Eli Rogers somehow grabbed it out of the sky for 20 yards and a first down at the 19. A spike followed, and 41 seconds remained.

On the seventh play, we played zone. Elvis walked the tackle into the QB's face, forcing a quick throw to wide receiver Cobi Hamilton at the Ravens' 13. Last timeout for the Steelers at the 32-second mark. Despite the pause, the Steelers scrambled to get set for play eight, which featured a no-back, five-wide look. Another big-time play by the Pittsburgh QB, who had his pocket collapse around him. But, the 6-foot-5 Roethlisberger, completely surrounded, raised his arm high, just above the chaos around him, and flicked a nine-yard strike to James at our four. A spike, and 13 seconds showed on the clock.

The 10th play, the winning touchdown, was like one we had against the Eagles in the closing seconds of that nail-biter a couple of weeks ago. We had played man-to-man against Philly. The Steelers anticipated that, but we fooled them with a zone. Powers let Rogers slip by him and was in position to stop the throw to Brown. Ben threw to Brown so hard from a short distance that it looked like it penetrated Antonio's stomach. Two of our best tacklers, Eric Weddle and C.J. Mosley, immediately hit Brown and pushed him back at the 1.

And … then … he reached over those two for the game-winner. Powerful strength for a little receiver. Great awareness by one of the league's best. Game winner. They're a "have." We're a "have not." Just like that. "That might go down as the best 4-yard touchdown catch in NFL history."

- John Breech, CBS Sports In many ways, we will also be measured by what we do Sunday in Cincinnati. Think about this: this is the first time in Joe Flacco's career that he will play a game that does not have playoff ramifications. When reporters remind all of us this offseason that we haven't made the playoffs three of the four years since the 2012 Super Bowl winning season, know that we were playing to earn the postseason tournament (at Cincy) in the last game of 2013. We saw what happened this year, and Joe was among the many injured a year ago in our only losing season since 2008 when he and Harbs arrived. In many ways, we will also be measured by what we do Sunday in Cincinnati. Think about this: this is the first time in Joe Flacco's career that he will play a game that does not have playoff ramifications. When reporters remind all of us this offseason that we haven't made the playoffs three of the four years since the 2012 Super Bowl winning season, know that we were playing to earn the postseason tournament (at Cincy) in the last game of 2013. We saw what happened this year, and Joe was among the many injured a year ago in our only losing season since 2008 when he and Harbs arrived.

(By the way, I believe Pittsburgh will win its home playoff game, triumph on the road in the divisional round and have a real shot at winning the AFC Championship to get to the Super Bowl.)

Here's why I think we'll play well in Cincinnati. First, Harbs, the assistant coaches and players have had a good week of practice. No one, it seems to me, has backed off. The head coach wouldn't allow that. Second, when we scout potential Ravens, we watch them when their teams have big leads and when they are behind by a lot. We study effort all the time. That's part of the "Play Like a Raven" base. We want players who ALWAYS play hard.