5 Takeaways from the Steelers win in Jacksonville

By: Donny Chedrick 
It wasn’t pretty. In fact, it was about the furthest thing from it for three and a half quarters Sunday afternoon in Jacksonville. What did look good, however, was the final score – the only numbers on the scoreboard that matter. Pittsburgh 20, Jacksonville 16. Perhaps the most-impressive comeback of Big Ben’s career after such an ugly start to the game, more shining moments for JuJu, and the defense stood up. Let’s look at some takeaways from the Steelers gritty W against the Jaguars.

1.    Big Ben still has some magic

Big Ben reaches across the white line for the winning score (Photo creds to PennLive.com)

This shouldn't be a surprise. Ben Roethlisberger was down with under two minutes to go with a chance to win a football game, and he did it. For the 41st time, Roethlisberger led a game-winning drive to cap off perhaps the most impressive comeback of his career.

Pittsburgh was down 16-0 going into the fourth quarter, 16-6 with under three minutes to go and with just over 90 seconds remaining had the ball down 16-13. Ben’s day was ugly for the most part – three interceptions and a handful of throws that missed the target. He also threw two other interceptions that luckily didn't matter due to penalties on Jacksonville.

In the fourth quarter, Big Ben led the Steelers down the field time and time again late in the game, when it was needed most. Roethlisberger finished with 314 yards and three total touchdowns (one rushing) and the three interceptions. Touchdowns to Antonio Brown and Vance McDonald, along with several big completions to JuJu Smith-Schuster and a Big Ben rushing highlight got it done. Ben Roethlisberger did it again.

2.    Standup second half defense

Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave had two of the Steelers' six sacks Sunday (Photo creds to Pittsburgh Steelers)

If it wasn’t for this group, the comeback doesn’t happen on Sunday. In the first half, Jacksonville exposed the Steelers defense. The Jags ran for well over 100 yards on the ground in the first two quarters en route to a 9-0 halftime lead. In the second half, the Steelers turned up the pressure. Playing heavily against the run worked into the game plan as the Jaguars’ rushing attack was bottled up in the third and fourth quarters besides a short TD run by Leonard Fournette.

The defense played well the entire day against the pass. Say what you want about Blake Bortles, but to throw for 104 yards in a National Football League game is pathetic. A day in age when 300-yard games are common, Bortles can barely get into triple digits. The Steelers pass rush (six sacks) and the pass defense (Bortles: 10-18, 104 yards) were both terrific.

Another moment that is underrated is the trust that Mike Tomlin showed in his defense. With around two and a half minutes left and the Steelers still trailing, Tomlin chose to kickoff and put faith into this unit to make a game-saving stop. They did.

3.    JuJu does it again

JuJu makes a big play as the Steelers sideline looks on (Photo creds to Steelers Wire)

He’s normally the youngest guy on the field, but sometimes he makes the biggest plays. Sunday, he did that. Although the 21-year-old, second-year receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster didn't score a touchdown Sunday, he led the Steelers in receptions with eight and once again eclipsed 100 yards. On multiple occasions, Smith-Schuster came up with a huge catch down the stretch of the game when Pittsburgh needed him most.

Although a certain “super genius” in the Steel City doesn’t care for the guy, there isn’t much not to like about him. He’s a great player, and he’s having fun. That’s what it’s all about.

4.    Any concern about Conner? 

This drop came within seconds of being the moment that cost Pittsburgh the game (Photo creds to TribLive). 

James Conner has inserted himself into the starting lineup since Le’Veon Bell has decided to sit out the entirety of the 2018-2019 season and it’s hard to deny the job he has done. Sunday was just one of those games.

The Steelers trailed for most of it, and the Jaguars defense was stout until the final quarter, but that was at a point when running wouldn’t help. The Steelers, for the most part, abandoned the run game as Conner carried the ball nine times for just 25 yards. The second-year back out of Pitt also had six receptions for 24 yards but could have had a couple more, including one that would have been a no-doubt go-ahead touchdown in the final minute. Luckily, the Steelers still ended up scoring to win the game.

Some may be growing concerns; however, I think it’s simply just the way the game went. Conner will be fine.

5.    Hargrave shines when Tuitt sits

Photo creds to Still Curtain

I know they don’t play the same position, but with the Steelers defensive line short-handed yesterday, Javon Hargrave stood out and played his best game of 2018. Hargrave had four tackles and a season-high two sacks, giving him five on the season. He supplied a performance that would make Casey Hampton proud – eating a steady diet of blocks all Sunday afternoon with some big plays mixed in of his own. The Steelers desperately needed a plug on the defensive line and they got it in the form of Hargrave on Sunday.

Good teams win, great teams cover Part VIII

Time for another week of picking against the spread. Before we get into it, here are the standings
Rutz: 24-22-1
Joe: 21-25-1
Jeff: 17-25-1
Ryan: 17-28-1
Brad: 14-32


Jeff
Panthers (-4.5) vs. Lions

I think the Panthers are the better team and will win by a TD.

Saquon will be ready to go against a suspect Tampa defense, Jeff says (Photo creds to Deadspin)

Giants (-1.5) vs. Bucs
Tampa's is 28th in the league in total defense. That unit won’t be able to stop Odell and Saquon.

Broncos (+7) vs. Chargers
I think Denver are better than people think and will keep this game close in LA.

Saints (-8) vs. Eagles
After watching the Saints in person, I know they are the best team in the league.

College
Maryland(+14.5) vs Ohio State
Ohio State plays to the level of their opponent and this date with the 5-5 Terps will be no different

Notre Dame(-10.5) vs Syracuse

The Leaperchaun could be pretty active Saturday night (photo creds to Syracuse.com)

ND is one of the best teams in the country and it will dominant Syracuse

West Virginia(-4.5) vs Oklahoma State
Easy pick here. Will Grier keeps on rolling.

Boston College(-1.5) vs Florida State
Another easy pick.

Georgia Tech -7 over Virginia
The Yellow Jackets rounding into form. They should control the clock with the triple option and win easily.

Citadel +52 over Alabama
I feel like Crimson Tide will nap for this one and not lay on the points.

Rutz
College
Georgia Tech -7 over Virginia
The Yellow Jackets rounding into form. They should control the clock with the triple option and win easily.

Citadel +52 over Alabama

I feel like Crimson Tide will nap for this one and not lay on the points.

Ohio State -14.5 over Maryland.
Everyone wants to write Ohio State them off at the moment, and this is when they Bucks start playing good ball. Buckeyes crush them by 25.

Kyle Shurmer's done a decent job at quarterback this season. His dad is still a crappy coach (Photo creds to Saturday Down South.)

Vanderbilt -2.5 over Ole Miss. 
This will be a shootout that we finally win. The Commodores have talent and have trouble closing out, but they'll finish it this time.

Bears -2.5 over Vikings
I can't wait for this one. I see a great game that Chicago wins because they are coming together.

NFL
Pittsburgh -5.5 over Jacksonville

AB is ready for revenge, as are the rest of the Steelers (Photo creds to Behind the Steel Curtain.)

Could be a trap, but the Steelers are killing it. This is also a nice revenge opportunity after last season's playoff debacle.

Tennessee +2 over Indianapolis
Famous last words but Titans look pretty good!

Kansas City +3.5 over LA Rams
KC has a dicy defense, but if this is a track meet, I give the Chiefs the edge.

Brad
College

Dwayne Haskins is ready for a big day. According to Brad, Ohio State doesn't "Fear the Turtle" (Photo creds to Cleveland.com)

Ohio State -14 over Maryland
The only reason Ohio State lost to Purdue was that it was a night game.  Ohio State hasn't lost a noon game since 2011.  That's seven years. 

Syracuse +10.5 over Notre Dame
I expect Notre Dame to win by 10 on the dot.   

Liberty +28.5 over Auburn 
Roll Tide.   

Texas A&M - 16.5 over UAB 
UAB is ranked in the coaches poll and made a big deal about it.  It will be short lived.  That's the way it goes.

NFL
Steelers -5 over Jaguars
As the Steelers have shot up, the Jags have plunged.  I expect a big revenge game in Jacksonville. 

Cardinals -5.5 over Raiders 
The Raiders have thrown in the towel and the Cardinals contended against the Chiefs last week. Big day for Josh Allen

Photo creds to Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs +3.5 over Rams  
I expect the KC to win straight up.  It will be high scoring, so advantage Pat Mahomes. 

Chargers -7 over Broncos 
I mean come on.

Joe 
College
Middle Tennessee (+16) vs. Kentucky
I love Kentucky. Bennie Snell and Josh Allen are two of my favorite players in college football. The Wildcats have been lacking the past few weeks, however, and Middle Tennessee is good enough to cover a 16 point spread.


Minnesota (-2.0) over Northwestern
The Big 10 West is such a cluster. Every week a team that appears to be in the driver's seat goes down, and the Wildcats will be that team this week.

Washington State (-10.5) over Arizona

Hossess (Photo creds to USA Today FTW)

Mike Leach is awesome. Gardner Minshew is terrific. Put the two together, and you have a team fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Take the Cougars, bay bay.

Penn State (-27) over Rutgers
Rutgers shouldn't be allowed to play in the Big 10. Penn State's had a disappointing season, and I expect this team to come out fired up these last two games. Lions by 40.


NFL
Falcons (-3.5) over Cowboys
I don't expect a team as inconsistent as Dallas to get two straight big wins on the road. Both of these teams have been disappointing, but take Matty Ice in the dome.

Texans (-3.5) over Redskins 
Washington's defense low-key got carved up last week, but because Tampa Bay couldn't finish in the red zone, the Redskins escaped with a win. They won't get away with that against DeShaun Watson.

Houston has been one of football's hottest teams for the past month and 1/2, while Washington is lucky to be 6-3. The Texans also have the advantage up front, with their defensive line going against a banged-up Redskins O-line. Houston by 10.

Cardinals (-5.5) over Raiders
Oakland should be, and probably is, wanting to lose at this point. More L's, higher picks. Not hard to figure out. While Arizona is only one game better than the Rha-duhs, it's essential for this team, and Josh Allen in particular, to finish strong and give positive vibes going into 2019.

Steelers (-5.5) over Jags

Jalen Ramsey will get his (Photo creds to USA Today FTW)

Jalen Ramsey will get his.
Ryan
College
Citadel +52 against Bama
No upset brewing here (obviously) but given Tua's scare last week, Alabama will not risk injury to any important players here.

Duke +28.5 against Clemson
This line surprised me.  Duke can put points on the board.  I don't expect them to win, but i don't think they lose by  4 TDs.

Syracuse + 10.5 against ND
I just don't like ND.

Iowa State + 2.5 against TX
TX continues to struggle to get over the hump.

NFL
Atlanta -3 over Dallas

Back in the dome, Atlanta gets back to their winning ways.  They just ran into a buzzsaw last week (aka the Browns, best team in football.

Steelers -5.5 over Jaguars
Steelers should win this by 2 TDs or more.  Jacksonville is having a rough season, and Pittsburgh is clicking and no longer has to deal with the Bell distraction...I should put some real money on this one.

Chiefs +3.5 against Rams
Don't really have a strong feeling on this one, but want to pick it because it's the best game of the week. I don't think the Rams have a good home field advantage, and KC can score a lot of points.

Small college players deserve your attention

By Joe Smeltzer

Darell Henderson is the best college football player you've never heard of (Photo creds to The Commercial Appeal)

Darell Henderson should be in the Heisman Trophy discussion.

With two games left, Henderson has rushed for 1,446 yards and 17 touchdowns, averaging an astonishing 9.2 yards-per-carry.

Although he's second in rushing yards to Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor, the latter averages just 6.8 YPC, so it's safe to say that Henderson is, at least statistically, the best running back in the country. While he won't—win the Heisman, Henderson is at least worthy of consideration for a trip to New York.

Instead, his name is barley even on the list of 11 players on ESPN's "Experts' Poll." So why is a player with video games numbers like Henderson not getting talked about more? For starters, his team is just 6-4, but the bigger problem is that he plays for Memphis. Imagine a running back from even a mediocre power five school putting up Henderson's numbers and not warranting a trip to New York? I can't, because it wouldn't happen, and that's a problem.

Of the three running backs listed as Heisman candidates, Henderson has the highest yards-per-carry, and his 283 receiving yards trump both Taylor and Clemson's Travis Etienne, who both have less than 60. Yet, Henderson is the only one of those three that doesn't have at least one top five vote. Do you think him playing in Conference USA instead of the Big 10 or ACC might have something to do with that?

Ever since Boise State's legendary Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma the nation has been wondering where the love is for small Division I schools. More than a decade after that game, the movement for mid-major equality is stronger than ever. Central Florida—who Henderson shredded for 199 yards earlier this season— put up a national championship banner after going undefeated in 2017 to stick it to the NCAA playoff committee, and might do the same this year should the Knights go unbeaten again (they are 9-0.)

While the nation sympathizes with mid-major schools who are pushed to the side in the rankings in favor of the big boys, there doesn't seem to be as much of a fight for individual players from those schools. If Henderson doesn't win any major award at the end of the season, I'll be among an exclusive club of people who notices.

The biggest argument against players from mid-major programs and those schools in general is that the level of competition isn’t as strong as it is in power five conferences. While there is truth to this, the inconsistency is that people who will fight tooth and nail for schools like UCF and other small schools won’t do the same for the players that make up those teams.

Henderson isn't alone in dominating the country on a smaller stage. Andy Isabella of UMASS has nearly 1,500 yards receiving, more than 130 ahead of the next closest guy. Will he win the Biletnikoff Award? Considering the Minutemen are 4-7, probably not.

Pro Football Focus recently published a list of the best college football players at each position, and four of those players—Henderson and Isabella included— are from mid-major schools. We'll have to see how many of them will walk away with major national awards after the season. I wouldn't be shocked if none of them do.

Players from small DI schools— such as Walter Payton and Marshall Faulk— have proven that they can dominate at the NFL level for decades, yet for whatever reason, they don't get recognized at the college level unless their team is ranked. So while we're all clamoring for teams like UCF to get noticed, we should be doing the same for players like Darnell Henderson and Andy Isabella.

Good teams win, great teams cover: Part VII

Before we get into another week of picking against the spread, here is where we stand.

1.    Rutz: 19-19-1
2.    Jeff: 16-22-1
3.    Joe: 15-23-1
4.    Brad: 14-25
5.    Ryan: 13-24-1
We are still waiting for picks from Brad and Jeff. Hopefully we get them.

Ryan's Picks

College

Dwayne Haskins might have lost his chance at a Heisman Trophy, but he can still sling it enough to lead the Buckeyes to a win over Michigan State. (Photo creds to Cleveland.com)

Tennessee +5 over Kentucky

UK has been stumbling along for weeks.

Texas Tech +2 over Texas. 

Texas Tech can score points as they showed last week against Oklahoma

BC +18.5 against Clemson.

Upset alert! Golden Eagles are on College Gameday and ready to roll.

Ohio State +4 over Michigan states.

This is a tough one to pick given how bad the Buckeyes have been recently, but I think this is a game that Ohio State always circles on the calendar, and Dwayne Haskins will be too much for Sparty.

NFL

Saints -5.5 over Bengals. 

You know this game won't impact Marvin Lewis' job standing

It's about time for the annual Bungles fall off.

Pats -7.5

You already know.

Chargers -10.5 over Raiders

Oakland sucks.

49ers -3 over Giants

Another terrible Monday Night matchup.

Rutz

College

Rutz sees both LSU and Alabama getting wins after last week (Photo creds to www.theadvertiser.com)

LSU -13.5 over Arkansas.

Arkansas. Vandy beat them by two TDs. LSU should win by 30 if they've recovered from Alabama yet.

Alabama -24 over Mississippi State

The Tide are on a mission.

Tennessee +6 over Kentucky.

I suspect the Wildcats will be depressed after last week. This game Will probably be a crappy defensive struggle, that UT will win in an upset.

Georgia -14 over Auburn.

Seems like a no-brainer.

NFL

Patriots -7 over Titans. 

The best team in the AFC can easily cover a touchdown against Marcus Mariota's inconsistent self.

Lions +6.5 over Bears. 

Detroit usually plays Chicago tough, and I expect a hard-fought division game that comes to the wire.

Colts -3 against Jaguars

This is a garbage game between garbage teams, go with the homeboys.

Saints -5.5 against Bengals

New Orleans is sizzling on offense and could blow the roof off Cincinnati, who is mediocre in my opinion.

Joe
College

WVU -12 over TCU

West Virginia still has Big 12 title aspirations, and maybe even a shot at the college football playoff. The Mountaineers will come out firing at home after that thrilling win in Austin last week.

Navy +24.0 vs. UCF
The academy doesn't have a chance in hell of winning this game, but UCF hasn't exactly been blowing teams out of the water this season. Golden Knights by 17. 

Michigan -38 over Rutgers 

I have to hand it to Jim Harbaugh. He has finally built a legitimate national title contender. Rutgers, on the other hand, is an embarrassment. Wolverines by 45. 

Penn State -9.0 over Wisconsin 

Coming in to the season, you would have thought at least one of these teams would be in playoff contention. That hasn't happened. Penn State usually handles Bucky well in Happy Valley, and I expect the same today. 

NFL

Bills +7 over Jets

Just my gut, honestly. These teams suck. 

Bears -6.5 over Lions 

Bear down! Chicago is finally good again, and I think they'll get past the "meh" Lions at home. 

Cardinals -16.5 over Chiefs

I see this as a coming out of sorts for Josh Rosen. KC's defense is suspect, and I think he'll take advantage enough to make this a reasonably close game. 

Eagles -7.5 over Cowboys

Philly is on the brink of breaking away from the rest of the NFC East, and I think the Eagles establish that today.