Butch is taking plenty of heat for that ill-fated reverse to Dennis Northcutt on fouth-and-goal from the one. I don’t fault him for going for it in that situation (down 10-6 in the third quarter). I don’t even fault him for going to a gadget play featuring two handoffs and relying on the smallest guy on the field to slip into the end zone.

But I have to think the coach was in denial when he maintained after the game that Northcutt was not down by contact. It’s as if his mind could not accept the reality that this play call didn’t succeed. The Steelers clearly sniffed out the play, and Chad Scott obviously tripped up Northcutt as he made his move inside. Even Northcutt admits it. Still, Butch thought, “Nobody ever really tackled him.”

This eagle-eyed observation came from a coach who routinely deflects post-game questions by saying he won’t know until he sees the film. Let’s see what a stand-up guy Butch is after his own personal further review.