How Did the Other Team Feel?

Greetings from the sports activities desk positioned someplace below the main deck of the Good Pirate Ship RedState. Sammy the Shark and Karl the Kraken have the night time off.

Back in 1969, the late Charles Schulz drew a Sunday version of his cartoon Peanuts. It began with Linus watching tv, yelling, “GO! GO! GO” Linus then jumped for pleasure and yelled, “FANTASTIC!”

Linus ran exterior to discover Charlie Brown taking part in with a soccer. Linus breathlessly exclaimed, “Charlie Brown, I just saw the most unbelievable football game ever played … what a comeback! The home team was behind six-to-nothing with only three seconds left to play … they had the ball on their own one-yard line … the quarterback took the ball, faded back behind his own goal posts and threw a perfect pass to the left end, who whirled away from four guys and ran all the way for a touchdown! The fans went wild! You should have seen them! People were jumping up and down and when they kicked the extra point, thousands of people ran out onto the field laughing and screaming! The fans and the players were so happy they were rolling on the ground and hugging each other and dancing and everything! It was fantastic!”

To which Charlie Brown replied, “How did the other team feel?”

This got here to thoughts while watching this past Sunday’s (January 4, 2026) tilt between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers. The winner would spend the next day celebrating their capturing the AFC North title and getting ready to host a playoff sport the following week. The loser would spend the next day cleansing out their lockers.

Since I had no rooting curiosity in either squad, I tuned into the contest for simple enjoyment of the sport itself. It offered leisure in droves, particularly during the fourth quarter when the groups performed sizzling potato with the lead, each seizing it from the other only to hand it back as Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson put on a show of clutch quarterbacking. It was wonderful, enjoyable soccer.

The Steelers took the lead 26-24 with fifty-five seconds left on a landing throw from Rodgers to Calvin Austin III. Joy stuffed the Terrible Towel-waving throng in attendance, tempered by the information that Pittsburgh’s protection had to maintain Baltimore to a area purpose at worst, thus sending the sport into time beyond regulation. But first, the Steelers needed to kick the further level.

They didn’t, as Ravens security Keondre Jackson blocked Chris Boswell’s kick.

Game on.

Baltimore ripped off an glorious return of Pittsburgh’s kickoff, bringing the ball out to midfield. Lamar Jackson bought to work. It regarded like the Steelers had the higher hand, as they labored the scenario to fourth down and seven to go with the ball on the fifty. Jackson went back to cross. He shook what regarded like a sure sack. He then shook another. He then threaded a cross to Isaiah Likely at the Pittsburgh twenty-four. Fourteen seconds left, Baltimore with two time-outs remaining, Pittsburgh with none.

The Ravens took a knee, then let the clock run down to two seconds left. Out trotted Baltimore place kicker Tyler Loop to attempt a forty-four yard area purpose. Not a gimme by any means, but nicely within Loop’s demonstrated vary. Snap. Spot. Kick.

Miss.

Of such moments are sports activities made.

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