Despite winning the coin toss, overtime was cruel to the Steelers on Sunday against the Cowboys. [Ben Roethlisberger] didn't question the effort or heart of a team that generally finishes strong but now has lost four of five. However, for the first time, he openly questioned Todd Haley's play calls. Asked why [Heath Miller] (seven catches, 92 yards) didn't see the ball late, he said, "I don't think we called the right plays to get him the ball." He also said it was "disappointing" to get out of the no-huddle that was working. And he also said he and Miller improvised on their 30-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half because, "The play that was called wasn't a good play at all against a prevent defense. So we made up a play." (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) Comment

On the eve of his return to Madison Square Garden, Jeremy Lin took aim -- at himself. The ex-Knick point guard said he has been "terrible" this season, not living up to his potential and can't wait to get the Garden game over with. Lin's rip job on himself occurred after [Sunday's] Rockets loss in Toronto in which Lin scored just seven points with two assists while Raptors point guard Jose Calderon went off for 18 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. Asked to assess his season, Lin said: "Terrible. I think I'm not doing close to what I'm capable of doing and it's a matter of figuring out how to get myself to play more like myself within the system with the change of scenery. I'll be my harshest critic but I'll go ahead and say it: I'm doing terrible." (New York Post) Comment

While the Yankees haven't made a splashy signing on the order of Zack Greinke or Josh Hamilton, they're still formidable. The Yankees have re-signed some of their own free agents. The biggie was Hiroki Kuroda, but also Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, and Ichiro Suzuki. To this point, they have let Nick Swisher walk, and after their bad news on Alex Rodriguez, they went out and signed Kevin Youkilis to a one-year, $12 million deal. The Yankees aren't going to be a bad team. ... It will be interesting to see where [Michael Bourn's] market goes. Some believe the Yankees are quietly interested and will pounce if the price comes down, which would give them the leadoff hitter they have wanted for some time. The Rangers remain a possibility. (The Boston Globe) Comment