Tim Benz: Saints open old wounds for Steelers fans

Tim Benz
Tuesday, June 16, 2020 6:05 a.m. | Tuesday, June 16, 2020 6:05 a.m.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is tackled by New Orleans Saints safety Vonn Bell during the first half of a game on Dec. 23, 2018 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

One of the most painful regular season losses in Steelers history was the team’s Week 16 defeat in New Orleans back in 2018.

You remember.

• The awful pass interference call against Joe Haden in the end zone.

• The other awful pass interference call later in the game.

• The Andrus Peat false start.

• The Steelers comically celebrating a fake punt. That actually failed.

• In defeat, Antonio Brown posting an all-time classic performance (185 yards, two touchdowns) in what would turn out to be his final game as a Steeler.

• Oh, and JuJu Smith-Schuster’s fumble to abort the comeback.

FUMBLEEE.

Sheldon Rankins forces the fumble and the Saints will win! #PITvsNO pic.twitter.com/0cyb652ke7

— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2018

That not “litty.”

Oops. Do I have to trademark that?

Saints win 31-28 to clinch the top spot in the NFC playoffs. That defeat, and Baltimore’s ensuing victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 17 prevented the Steelers from making the playoffs.

C.J. Mosley picks off Baker Mayfield and the @Ravens punch their ticket to the playoffs!!! AFC North Champs! #RavensFlock

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/YopR05cnmz

— Yahoo Sports NFL (@YahooSportsNFL) December 31, 2018

What’s worse is that loss to the Saints spoiled what had been a rare victory over the New England Patriots the previous week.

It’s taken a few years of therapy. But I’m just about over it.

Or at least I was.

Until I saw that the Saints were streaming a replay of the game Monday on their Facebook page!

Tonight at 7 pm CT on our Facebook page:

Re-watch a condensed version of one of the most dramatic, entertaining wins in Saints history: the 31-28 victory over the Steelers in 2018!

The game will go live at 7 pm CT here: https://t.co/4Jl0aEK9ce pic.twitter.com/qKvrwUkPSg

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) June 15, 2020

Thanks a lot, New Orleans. Was this necessary?

Don’t make me go tit-for-tat on this one, OK?

The sequence on the #Saints sideline after the #Rams no-call pass interference that should've ended the game is heart wrenching. pic.twitter.com/mYJ2smOObZ

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 24, 2019

Get where I’m comin’ from?

"We knew it wasn't gonna be easy coming here."@vikings TE Kyle Rudolph is still holding the ball he caught to beat the Saints in OT! pic.twitter.com/8Za3ewFMqh

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 5, 2020

Eh, forget getting even. I guess that makes me one up.

But what’s next? The Browns re-running the Myles Garrett helmet swing?

Heck, let’s make it a hat trick. Cue up the Tim Tebow pass!

On this date 8 years ago:

Tim Tebow threw an 80-yard TD pass to Demaryius Thomas in the AFC wildcard game to shock the Steelers in overtime. pic.twitter.com/tJqwGiDjnH

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 8, 2020

Geez. I was kidding.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.