Will the real Pittsburgh Steelers please stand up? A day after watching the Pitt Panthers go from outstanding to horrifying, the Steelers did the complete opposite, rebounding from a tough loss to the Houston Texans. Now, as we look forward to next week against Jacksonville, let's go around the NFL.
STEELERS 38, Titans 17
- Let's start with the best story of the Steelers' game: Max Starks played exceptionally well. For someone that hadn't even touched a football field in nearly a whole calendar year, he looked flawless, and even made it through the entire game which speaks wonders to his conditioning. Had he kept his weight down during the offseason he probably would have been the Steelers starting left tackle five weeks ago. If he can continue to anchor the line the way he did this week, his career will certainly be on the rise again.
- I bash the guy week in and week out so I have to give credit where credit is due. Bruce Arians came in with a tremendous gameplan. To be fair, short, quick passes is what the fans and media members have been calling for since about week two, and he probably only actually did it because of Ben's injury, but at least Arians figured it out eventually. Five touchdown passes by Ben Roethlisberger can be a common thing if Arians gets out of his own stubborn way.
- The call to go for the fake punt on fourth down was tremendous. That play was the game changer and probably what led to such a big win for the Steelers. Had it not worked we may be saying different things but, as I've said before, I'm not in the business of predicting alternate outcomes.
- Isaac Redman and Johnathan Dwyer both played very well. At the worst, they played better than Rashard Mendenhall has at any point this season. When he comes back, he needs to take a lesson from Redman and Dwyer and learn to hit the holes hard and with the same tenacity that he used to. Mendenhall's the most talented back, but right now he isn't the best.
- We had our first Lamarr Woodley sighting this week. It was certainly nice to see with James Harrison out on the other side.
- Wow did that defensive line look much better. Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton both missed the game, and I think that says a lot for where their careers are heading. I don't think either hang around next season, but I still think they can help this year. However, I'm not sure either should play the majority of any game, especially when I found out the Steelers are 16-1 when Chris Hoke starts. I'd say that he can get the job done.
Around the NFL
- The Buffalo Bills are legit. I've already said that. The Philadelphia Eagles are finished. That I haven't said, but I'm pretty darn sure of it. 1-4 teams don't make the playoffs too often and the Eagles schedule does them no favors. They only have three games on their remaining schedule that I consider guaranteed wins against Arizona, Seattle, and Jacksonville. If they lose one of those they don't have a chance. Win them all, and let's say that go 5-3 in those other games against fairly tough opponents, including five division games and a matchup with the Patriots. That only puts them at 9-7 and the best they will be looking at is a 6th seed. Their only hope in my eyes is that they can earn a tie for the division lead, and maybe even pull out a 3rd or 4th seed. That quest starts this week against Washington.
- Well, any hope that the Indianapolis Colts had of getting Peyton Manning back for a playoff push ended with a loss to the lowly Kansas City Chiefs. Curtis Painter played well, but he was a part of blowing a 21-0 lead and at 0-5, this team is more talented than they've shown, but not good enough to turn this all the way around.
- The New York Giants aren't that good, but they're still a playoff caliber team in the NFC. However, the Seattle Seahawks actually do have some talent. I still wouldn't bet on Seattle as a playoff team, but they aren't quite as bad as everyone thought. Although if they can finish the season 2-14, it still may benefit them more if Andrew Luck is as good as people say.
- The Cincinnati Bengals are 3-2. I don't care who they've played, that's way better than I had them. The Jacksonville Jaguars are horrible so this week's win wasn't exactly a statement win, but I'm loving seeing the Bungals win while Carson Palmer sits and pouts at home. As good as their defense is, they'd be a legitimate contender with him.
- The Carolina Panthers are so close that it hurts. The corner is coming fast, but they just aren't ready to turn it, but I'd venture a guess that it will be soon. Maybe it's because the Panthers know they aren't going anywhere, but why don't they run the ball more? DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have proven that they are two of the league's best and yet they rarely have 20 carries between the two of them in a week. Is it because they want to keep letting Cam Newton do his thing while they bide their time? I don't know, but I think if they ran the ball and kept their offense on the field, they would be able to make a playoff push.
- By virtue of tiebreakers the Oakland Raiders are now better than the Houston Texans after their win. What does this say? I have no idea. I knew the Raiders were pretty decent, and I knew the Texans weren't that good, but there is no way the Texans should have lost that game.
- Man oh man did the Arizona Cardinals screw up. Kevin Kolb is horrible. Shoot, I had to go through a whole offseason telling that to Eagles' fans. Now the Cardinals found out the hard way. This team gave up too much for him and paid him way too much. Pack in the season and draft a quarterback.
- Meanwhile the Minnesota Vikings finally finished a game against those same Cardinals. Maybe they've gotten it together. Eh, It doesn't matter with two teams in their division at 5-0...
- Are the San Francisco 49ers really 4-1? I suppose even if they lose out, they'd still have a shot at taking this division. That was a really impressive showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers especially because I'm not sure this game is really indicative of what the Bucs are. Jim Harbaugh is definitely a frontrunner for Coach of the year.
- And the Tim Tebow era begins! Kyle Orton is still the better quarterback, but I like the decision. Tebow is an egotistical jerk that's been handed everything his whole life. Worst of all he's the most phony person I've ever seen and all the while people continue to eat it up. I think Terrell Owens is ten times more genuine than Tebow. However, that doesn't mean he's not a good athlete and there's no sense spinning your tires in the mud when the fans are dying to see your possible franchise quarterback.
- I think the Green Bay Packers are the NFL's best team right now, but the Atlanta Falcons looked awful. They got out to a 14-0 lead and only looked back. The Packers put up 25 unanswered points and it really wan't even as close as the final score. I picked the Falcons to be in the Super Bowl, but I don't like anything I'm seeing from them right now.
- I said that once the Detroit Lions took down the Chicago Bears, I would be a believer. I lied. Yes, they're 5-0, and yes that means that they pretty much have already made the playoffs when looking at all of the teams that have started 5-0. But I just still can't see this team being a true Super Bowl contender. Sorry...
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