Stelers 38, Redskins 16: Off to the races

Photo creds to www.si.com

Hello, all. Monday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers kicked the hell out of the Washington Redskins. I'm here to talk about the many things that went right, as well as the few that went wrong. Let's get into it


What went right


Offense
Two words; powder keg. The Steelers have the best offense in the NFL, and I don't think there is any argument at the moment. Antonio Brown is the best wide receiver in the NFL, and I don't think there is any argument at the moment (sorry Odell Beckham fans). As good as the Steelers offense was on Monday, I don't think a lot of it was surprising. We all know how deadly the Roethlisberger-to-Brown combination is, and we are all aware how good of a running back DeAngelo Williams has turned into. The only thing that surprised me about last night, aside from the Norman vs. Brown matchup never happening, was how good the offensive line was. I knew that the Steelers were capable of big things up-front, but I did not think that they would jell that smoothly the first week of the season. There can still be an argument made about who has the best offensive line in the NFL (I still think it's Dallas), but the Black and Gold have defiantly thrown their name into the hat in the conversation.




In our offical 2016 Steelers season preview, my cousin Brad predicted rookie Eli Rodgers to have a breakout opening night at wide receiver. Rogers delivered, catching six balls for 59 yards and a whacky touchdown reception. I still think that, when Markus Wheaton is healthy, the #3 receiver job is Sammy Coates' to lose, but Rogers sure made a solid first impression to Todd Haley on Monday Night.


Speaking of Haley and the coaching staff, how about that play calling? 4th and short? Throw the ball, convert, and score. That's what you call fortitude. Many have been critical of Mike Tomlin's in-game coaching over the past few years, but he got it right on Monday night, and that's a big reason why this city has such a positive vibe over its football team.


I have been critical of DeAngelo Williams in the past due to what I feel is his unnecessary mouthing off on social media. But when it's game day, Williams is da man. 171 All-Purpose yards and two touchdowns speak for themselves, and the fact that he did it as a 33-year old backup deserves a tip of the hat. At this point, I don't think it's a stretch to say that, by the end of this season, if Williams and Le'Veon Bell can stay in good health, #34 and #26 could be talked about as the best 1-2 runningback punch in Steelers history.


I won't speak too much on Big Ben or AB. They are both badass, and that's all you need to know.


All in all, I don't think I can say anything about the Steelers offense that hasn't been said already. They will score more than Tiger Woods and Wilt Chamberlin's love child.


What went wrong
Offense
Uh, Jesse James needs to improve on his blocking. But hey, it's week one. James will be okay.

Defense
I'm still skeptical of Ryan Shazier's injury possibility, but the man is a boss when healthy. Shazier posted six tackles, forced a fumble, intercepted a pass, and did an excellent job at containing standout tight end, Jordan Reed. Shazier was, without question, the Steelers defensive MVP on Monday night.


Aside from Shazier, Robert Golden looked solid at safety, posting six combined tackles, and Javon Hargrave seems to be making a case for the Steeler's long-term answer at nose tackle.


What went wrong
The secondary still needs to improve. I know Kirk Cousins didn't play as well as his 329 yards passing would indicate, but Washington was able to get back into the game early in the 4th quarter, and the defense cannot let that become a pattern. However, it is only week one, and I still expect the Steelers secondary to be an improvement from 2015.


Overall, the Steelers defense was ok, and if this offense reaches Big Ben's goal of averaging 30 PPG, the defense being ok will be okay for this team.

Overall
Big Ben and AB are the greatest passing duo in Steelers history, and according to ESPN's Steven A. Smith, they may be the best duo in NFL history. While I wouldn't go quite that far yet, the Steelers will be, if nothing else, the most exciting team in the NFL. Enjoy the ride, Steeler nation. Enjoy the ride. 1-0.