Steelers-Ravens: Three keys to victory

Hello, all. It's Steelers-Ravens. It's a rivalry game that the Steelers need to win, especially coming off 

a crap effort at Soldier Field. Here is what Pittsburgh can do to ensure a W over its most hated foe.

Photo creds to Russel Sheet Report 

1. Pressure Joe Flacco

For a professional football team to lose to another professional football team, 44-7, a lot of things have to go wrong.

One of the many issues that plagued Baltimore last Sunday was the Jaguars ability to rush Joe Flacco. So far this season, Flacco is by far the worst quarterback in the league when under pressure. According to Pro Football Focus, his passer rating is just 7.9 against the rush, which is horrific.

Although Flacco has not played well this season, he is still by far the best quarterback the Steelers will face to this point, and for the Steelers to pick up the win Sunday, it essential to not let him be a factor. An excellent way to do that would be for this defensive line- which features a returning Stephon Tuitt, to not give Flacco enough time to do his job.

#2: Win the battle in the trenches

Photo creds to CBS Pittsburgh

Last week, Marcus Gilbert was dearly missed.

The Steelers right tackle, who has evolved into one of the best in the NFL, was out with a hamstring injury in that awful loss to the  Bears, and that is a big reason why the Steelers lost the battle up front. Gilbert is listed as questionable for this Sunday, and his status could make a huge difference in how the offense performs.

Whether Gilbert or Chris Hubbard starts at offensive tackle, the Steelers need to improve up front to come away with a win tomorrow. As my buddy Donny pointed out in his breakdown of last week's game, the trenches are a huge part of what happens in a football game. Hopefully, the big uglys will step up Sunday. If not, Big Ben could hit the canvas quite a bit courtesy of the Dirty Birds.


#3: Le'Veon Bell. 

Shocker: A piece about the Steelers has Le'Veon Bell's name in it. I know we are tired of talking about number 26, but he is the second most important player on this offense.

Pittsburgh has lost its last two games in Baltimore, and lack of offensive power was a huge cause for both of those debacles. In 2015, Bell was injured. Last year, Bell rushed for just 32 yards. Given how important Bell is to this team, how underwhelming he's been this season and how little he has contributed at M&T Bank stadium recently, it's safe to say that how loose "juice" is will go a long way in determining what happens Sunday afternoon.



Prediction
Before the season, I thought that the Steelers would split with the Ravens, with the loss coming in Baltimore. But after doing some thinking, I decided that, while Mike Tomlin's history against lesser teams is well documented, I don't see the Steelers playing down to their competition two weeks in a row. It's a rivalry game, Pittsburgh needs a win and they are the better team. I think that last Sunday's fiasco in the Windy City will be a wakeup call, and the Steelers will respond. The Dirty Birds will keep it close, as they always do, but Ben Roethlisberger will make more big plays than Joe Flacco, Le'Veon Bell will get his act together, and the Steelers will get the W.

Steelers 24, Ravens 17

The struggle of balancing sports and rational thought

Penn State's Juwan Johnson celebrates after winng score against Iowa. (Photo creds to Chiacgo Tribune.)

Sometimes, it takes awhile to learn a lesson.

This past January, I watched one of the greatest football games in recent memory. It had all the ingredients of a classic; two storied programs, an intriguing backstory, and a back-and-forth battle that took until the final play of the contest to decide. To top it all off, the platform for this epic could not have been greater, as it was the 2017 Rose Bowl. Unfortunately, because my favorite team was participating, I could not enjoy it the way I appreciated the national championship game just a week later.

Shortly after Penn State's 52-49 loss to USC, I wrote an article talking about how, sometimes, we lose our minds as sports fans.   As any hardcore fan knows, there are moments throughout a year where we throw rational thought out the window and snap when watching our favorite teams. It's hard to explain to those who don't share our passion, but it happens. I had one of those moments watching the Rose Bowl, and I didn't take long for me to realize that what I saw went beyond just winning and losing. It was a game that reminded me why I am a fan, and I couldn't be mad at that forever.

I hoped that this game would serve as a learning experience, teaching me to, as the title of my post said, "enjoy it for what it is." This Saturday, I learned that this phrase is much easier said than done.

Fast forward eight months and three weeks. The 2017 Penn State Nittany Lions are facing their first test of the season in Iowa City. Although the Nittany Lions have dominated the whole game, the Iowa Hawkeyes did not break, and eventually, took a 19-15 lead with less than two minutes left.

Now, I had been pissed off the whole game. Penn State was the better team, but could not pull away, and I was quite annoyed. When Iowa took the lead, that was my breaking point. Although I can't share the words I was saying in my house at this time, I will say that I'm glad I wasn't in public.

When Trace McSorley hit Juwan Johnson on a post pattern for a seven-yard touchdown as time expired, one would think that my mood changed entirely. That's not true. While I was ecstatic that Penn State won the game and kept its national title hopes alive, I felt a little odd about celebrating.

On the inside, I was thrilled.  I got to watch a classic football game, and unlike the Rose Bowl, my favorite team came out on top. At the same time, however, I knew that just moments earlier, I had been using some of the most vulgar language imaginable when things weren't going well. Would it have been wrong for me to turn around and be all giddy now because the Nittany Lions pulled out the win?

Initially, I did not know what to do. I was not sure if my lack of reaction was due to a state of shock, or if I had realized how irrational I had been throughout the night. I think it was a combination of both. For the next hour or so, I had a hard time coming to terms with how I acted, and I must have apologized to my mother about a half a dozen times.

Eventually, I came to my senses. I accepted what had happened, and knew that I could use it as a learning experience. Now that I had cooled down, I could reflect on the game itself, and how remarkable those last two minutes were. But still, I felt awful about my meltdown earlier in the night.

These type of moments remind me how beautiful sports writing can be. Because of this blog, I had an opportunity to take my flaws as a sports fan and turn them into a column for all to see. If not for writing, it would be a lot harder to express what I go through as a die-hard sports fan, and I'm thankful that I have a platform to do that.

I know I take "silly little games" too seriously. I know I'm not alone in that regard, and I know trying to contain my emotions will not be easy. But I ask myself and other fanatics to try to refrain from losing our minds when our favorite team is playing, especially before the game is over. There will be times when we yell at the TV, but it can't hurt for us to least try and contain our anger before we have a meltdown. To my fellow sports fans, I ask you to keep in mind that just when you start to dismiss your favorite team, they could light up your world at any given moment. That's why we are fans.

5 Things from Steelers-Bears

By: Donny Chedrick

The Steelers 23-17 overtime loss to the Chicago Bears was a classic case of a Mike Tomlin team playing down to an underachieving opponent. It what was a very interesting Sunday in the NFL full of upsets and kneel downs that didn't celebrate a victory. It wasn't pretty and it sets up a Week 4 showdown between the Steelers and Ravens in Baltimore with first place in the AFC North on the line. But before we get to that, let's take a look at five things from the loss in Chicago.

1. Alejandro Villanueva stands alone:

Photo creds to PennLive.com

Given what happened over the past weekend with President Donald Trump calling out NFL owners and players, as well as those in other major professional sports, it made kneeling for the National Anthem more prominent than ever as several players and owners from around the league did a different representation of themselves during the Star Spangled Banner. The Steelers decided to not be present for the National Anthem by staying in the locker room and standing in the tunnel. However, one Steeler stood out on the field alone - former Army Ranger and starting left tackle, Alejandro Villanueva. Because of this, Villanueva personally feels as if he embarrassed his teammates, but he was a symbol to Americans that still wanted to stand for the National Anthem. Whatever your stance is, it doesn't matter. Alejandro Villanueva is an American hero.

2. Marcus Gilbert was missed

Photo creds to Behind the Steel Curtain

Moving to the other offensive tackle, and what proved to be one of the biggest injuries of the young season was Marcus Gilbert missing this game. After the first two weeks of the regular season, Gilbert was arguably the most underrated player on the Steelers' roster, especially considering his rating from Pro Football Focus. The absence of Gilbert in Chicago proved apparent due to the lackluster performance from Chris Hubbard. Hubbard's struggles in the run game and in pass protection caused issues all afternoon for the Steelers on offense, but the trenches were not a friendly place to the Steelers this past weekend.

3. Got dominated in the trenches:

Photo creds to ESPN.com

I know that Stephon Tuitt was out again, but the defensive line doesn't get out of this conversation given the awful performance  Sunday afternoon. Quite frankly the run defense, in general, deserves to get punished after what fans witnessed in Chicago. The Bears rushed for 220 yards including just waltzing down the field in overtime. Chicago had nine runs that went for 10 yards or more and had four runs go for nearly 20 a pop with some being longer. The defensive effort was poor against the run considering Bears' QB Mike Glennon barely threw for 100 yards. Tackling needs to be addressed and figured out with a hard-hitting game against Baltimore coming up Sunday.

4. Lev Bell is almost out of time:

Photo creds to SB Nation 

Three games into the year and I'm saying that RB Le'Veon Bell is out of time might not make sense, but considering all of his antics over the course of the off-season, the pressure seems to be getting to his head. For the third consecutive, Bell has struggled to find his holes like he did so well last season. He looks out of sync, and he is often found trying to force himself into big runs but ends up running into the back of his linemen or his fullback. Bell broke several big runs last season, and I'mnot t say those won't come, but he had just one run of 13 yards being his longest of the afternoon against the Bears. Emerging more in the run game will make things easier for Ben Roethlisberger and help get this offense in motion.

Photo creds to SFgate

5. Vance McDonald and Jordan Berry deserve praise:In what was a play that every player on the field for the Steelers could have given up on, there were two guys that never gave up on a blocked Chris Boswell field goal at the end of the first half. You can say that Marcus Cooper gave up too early on a play that looked like an easy TD for Chicago heading into the locker room, but Vance McDonald and Jordan Berry did everything they could to make sure that would not happen. The Steelers didn't win the game, but the hustle that McDonald and Berry displayed on that play speaks volumes of their effort, and it is a play every football coach out there should show to their team.

It was an ugly Sunday for the Steelers, but a bounce back is needed and fast as the Steelers head to Baltimore for a clash that will decide the leader in the AFC North. After both teams suffered embarrassing losses in Week 3, they will look forward to an old-time battle on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.

NFL Week 3 Preview/Predictions

Credit to Brad W. Stewart for the graphic

By: Joe Smeltzer

Hello, all. Last week was a good week for the boys. As you can see above, all four of us won at least ten of our games, with Jeffery Stewart posing a fantastic record of 15-1. All four of us are off to a winning start in week three. Hopefully, I continue my winning was, while the others fall off.



1:00
Another bad matchup in the U.K.
Ravens (2-0) at Jaguares (1-1)
Line: Bal -3.0

Photo creds to Orioles Uncensored 

The NFL routinely puts teams like Jacksonville abroad. As with most international games, this won't be anything to write home about. The Jags stink, the Ravens are a playoff contender and I don't see Jacksonville's putrid offense getting much done against the dirty birds.

Ravens 24, Jags 10

Won't get fooled again 
Broncos (2-0) at Bills (1-1)
Line: Den -3.0

Photo creds to www.history.com

Last week, I picked the Bills to upset the Carolina Panthers. Buffalo let me down, scoring three lousy points and losing the game. This week, they are once again the underdog, this time playing at home.

With my luck, the Bills will pull an upset this week now that they do not have my support. All joking aside, I don't see Trevor Siemian, Von Miller and the white-hot Denver Broncos slowing down.

Broncos 27, Bills 10

How will my stillers do this week?
Stillers (2-0) at Bears (0-2)
Line: Steelers -7.5

Mike Tomlin-coached teams are known to play down to their competition. Over the years, the Steelers have lost many games that looked impossible to lose. I do not see that happening today.

The Steelers may come out flat, and that could allow Mike Glennon and the Bears to keep things respectable. But Chicago is a bad, borderline terrible football team. I know that hasn't stopped the Steelers from choking in the past, but I think this Steelers team is too good to let  Glennon win the game, or not score more than three touchdowns on this Bears defense that got wrecked in Tampa last week. I could be wrong, but I don't see the Steelers falling into a classic Tomlin trap today.

Stillers 24, Bears 13

Won't get fooled again Part II
Saints (0-2) at Panthers (2-0)
Line: Car -5.5

As mentioned above, I had Carolina falling to Buffalo last week, and it did not work out. I've learned my lesson. The Panthers are gunning for a wide-open NFC South division title, and I don't think New Orleans and its crappy D can slow down Cammy Cam and the boys.

Panthers 34, Saints 16

Mike Tomlin used to coach both these teams 
Bucs (1-0) at Vikings (1-1)
Line: TB -2.5

Photo creds to TBO.Com

Once again, Case Keenum is the starting QB for Minnesota. Like last week in Pittsburgh, I expect the Vikings offense to struggle mainly because of that. What this game comes down to is the battle of field generals, and Jameis Winston is much better than Keenum. Winston is a stud, and having Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson to throw to doesn't hurt, either.

By God, the Browns might win a game
Browns (0-2) at Colts (0-2)
Line: Cle -1.5

Photo creds to Gambling 911

Normally, this would be a perfect candidate for my "who the hell cares?" game of the week. But this one is interesting, as the Clevland Browns not only have an outside chance to win a football game; they have a damn good one.
The Colts are pathetic without Andrew Luck, and I think anybody who has watched this team over the past year knows that. The Browns, on the other hand, are on the rise. That is not a joke. Cleveland is strong defensively, and that could cause problems for Jacoby Brissett while facing a backup QB is a big opportunity for DeShone Kizer to get his first win. The Browns still stink, but the Colts stink a little more.


Browns 17, Colts 14

Who the Hell Cares?
Dolphins at Jets

When two AFC East teams that aren't the New England Patriots play each other, there's a good chance that this honor is bestowed upon that game. Yikes.
Dolphins 20, Jets 13

Will the Patriots lose?
No

Rivalry Game 
GIants (0-2) at Eagles (1-1)
Line: PHI -6.0

New York looked terrible in both of its games thus far, while the Eagles are a respectable 1-1, with a tough loss at Kansas City last week. Philly's strong defense does not bode well for a sputtering Giants attack, and I think the offensive line; as described in the rant above, will have problems with Fletcher Cox and a solid Eagles defensive front. The Giants defense will come to play, as usual, but Eli Manning just won't have enough to get the job done, even with a healthy OBJ


Eagles 20, Giants 10



Other games
Chargers 24, Chiefs 21
Packers 31, Bengals 7
Raiders 34, Redskins 17

Cowboys 31, Cardinals 24

Penn State-Iowa: Three Keys to Victory

Hello, all. It is week four of the 2017 Penn State football season, but considering that this is the first true test the Nittany Lions have faced all year, and the Big 10 opener, one could argue that it is week one. Tonight, Penn State will try to hold off upset-minded Iowa in a brutal road enviornment. Here are three keys that they need to execute to do that.
Key #1: Time of possession

Photo creds to Land of 10.

As good as Penn State's offense has been this year, it has not been dominant as far as holding the football goes. Against Pitt, the Nittany Lions only held the ball for 21:40 while the Panthers had it for 38:20. Against Georiga State last week, the Panthers held the ball for 38:47.
It is true that a big reason for this is that Penn State scores a lot, sometimes quickly. But this is the first decent offense the Nittany Lions have faced all year. If Penn State doesn't hold the ball long, it could allow the Hawkeyes to mount long drives, and keep the ball out of Trace McSorley's hands. While that was all well and good the past two weeks, it might not fly tonight.

Key #2: Bend, but don't suck (but don't bend to begin with)

Penn State's defense has allowed a total of 14 points in three games. If you look past those numbers, however, the defense has had its problems in the first few weeks. A perfect example of this is last Saturday.
Although the Nittany Lions shut out Georiga State, the Panthers had more first downs (21-19) and put up 320 yards of offense, which is a decent amount for a team that scored 0 points. Penn State better be careful not to let Iowa move the ball because unlike Georiga State, the Hawkeyes just might convert those chances. If Iowa gets the ball in the red zone, the defense must hold strong. As former defensive coordinator Tom Bradley used to say; Bend, but don't suck. It would help my heart rate, however, if the defense didn't bend, either.


Key #3: Start fast

Photo creds to Sheraton Iowa City Hotel

There is no question that Iowa will be fired up tonight. This game is in prime time, played in front of an electric home crowd, and Kirk Ferentz remembers last years massacre in Happy Valley. The best time for Iowa to get things going against Penn State will be in the first quarter when the adrenaline is highest. If the Hawkeyes can't outplay the Nittany Lions in the first 15 minutes, it will be hard for them to do so for the next 45. If Penn State can handle the initial adrenaline, I think they have the edge for the rest of the night. If not, we will be in for a fight.

Final Prediction
Considering that the Iowa Hawkeyes caused two of my five worst nights as a Penn State fan; well, from an on-field standpoint anyway, I am always nervous for a game at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa is always a well-coached team that gets the most out of its talent, and the Hawkeyes are a tough out for anybody in the Big 10, especially at home.

With that said, this Penn State team is too talented, in my opinion, to slip this early. The Hawkeyes have not looked impressive these first few weeks, as they've struggled with North Texas and Iowa State. I think Iowa will be a decent team in the Big 10 West, but there's nothing that makes me believe that it will ruin Penn State's dream season before it starts.

It's time once and for all that we vanquish the nightmares of 2008 and 2009. Blowing out Iowa at Kinnick in 2012 was awesome. Last years party was fantastic. But tonight, coming in as a top-five team, with most of the nation hoping for an upset, and beating the Hawkeyes, would signify that the days of Ferentz having Penn State's number are over.

Penn State 30, Iowa 17

5 Things from Steelers vs. Vikings

By: Donny Chedrick 

The Steelers are 2-0 for back-to-back seasons for the first time since  2008, the season in which the Steelers collected their sixth Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 43. The offense looked better at Heinz Field than they did in Cleveland in Week 1, but after two early touchdowns, it stalled on a few occasions, allowing Chris Boswell to connect on four field goals in the 26-9 victory. The Steelers weren't perfect, but looked better than in Week 1. But as the team sits at 2-0, here are five things we can look at before the team heads to Chicago.

1. Limited Turnovers

 Something we saw in last Sunday was the Steelers turning over the football. We didn't see that in the Week 2 victory over Minnesota at Heinz Field, however. The Steelers had the ball for over 34 minutes and kept possession for all 69 plays they had it. Cleaning up on offense is something vital to the Steelers throughout the season because as we all know too well, turnovers can kill a football team. On the other side, however, the defense only forced one turnover against an offense fronted by Case Keenum. A fumble that squandered away from the Vikings is all the Steelers were able to force defensively, but the D looked strong in its first home performance.

2. Defense looked improved 

Photo creds to Yahoo Sports

Given the defense looked shaky at best against a rookie QB and the Cleveland Browns, Week 2 was a big improvement. This time they ran into another relatively inexperienced QB in the form of Case Keenum, but instead of a Mike Tomlin team playing down to a sub-par signal caller, they weren't going to let Keenum beat them in the home opener. Keenum threw for just 167 yards on the afternoon on 20 completed passes. The Steelers pass rush was quality, sacking Keenum twice while he ran around all afternoon. The run defense looked sharp as well as rookie Dalvin Cook rushed for 64 yards on 12 carries after an explosive Week 1 performance. If the defense can transition that performance into Chicago for Week 3, the Steelers should be looking at a 3-0 start.

3. Another solid home opener for Big Ben 

Photo creds to Observer-Reporter

The franchise QB has always seemed to perform well in the home opener since he entered the league in 2004. Sunday was another one of those days. Roethlisberger finished with 243 yards and two touchdowns as he completed 23 of 35 passes. He connected on two first-half scores and did a good enough job moving the offense down the field on other drives that resulted in Chris Boswell field goals. Ben is notorious for having better games at home than on the road, so hopefully, we see him have a similar game against the Chicago Bears.

4. Lev Bell looked...a little better

Photo creds to Steelers Wire

87 yards on the ground for Le'Veon Bell on 27 carries averaged him out to just over three yards a carry. He had runs where he looked dead in his tracks, but others where he showed shades of his fine moments that we have grown accustomed to seeing. Breaking free on a few runs got people excited for what's to come in 2017 if Bell stays on the field, but he looked better than the lackluster Week 1 performance.

5. Bryant and Boswell are still Killer Bees

Photo creds to Still Curtain

The two guys that created a big difference in Sunday's victory were Martavis Bryant and Chris Boswell. Bryant was the Steelers' best receiver on the day, finishing with 91 yards on three catches and his first touchdown of the season. Boswell went four-for-four on field goals, which saved fantasy owners, and solidified the victory. People say a good kicking performance makes an offense look weak or overrated, but being able to count on a kicker can put a team to the next level.

It's hard to complain that the Steelers are 2-0, but Pittsburghers know it can always be better. The last time they started out with this record in back-to-back seasons, Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl. So the Steelers just might be on the stairway to seven.

NFL Week 2 Preview/Predicitions

The Boys are back. It is week two of the NFL season, and week one of myself, David Rutz, Brad Stewart, Jeff Stewart and Ryan Stewart- three of whom are proud members of my family, to give our picks. Let's get into it.

1:00 

The Art Modell Bowl

Browns (0-1) at Ravens (1-0)

Line: Bal -7.5

Photo creds to New York Daily News

Usually writing about the Browns would include a quick joke and not a whole lot else before moving on to the next contest. Here is one of the rare cases where I'll give some analysis of a Cleveland game. 

Let's not kid ourselves. The Browns are not a good football team. Last week, however, they gave my Pittsburgh Steelers everything they could handle before falling 21-18. Now, they move on from the brides of the AFC North to the bridesmaids, as the 2017 Art Modell Bowl (Part I) takes place at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens are going to be pretty good. In fact, they could well be a playoff team. But Baltimore's offense is not great, and Cleveland, believe it or not, could have a solid defensive unit that features safety Derrick Kindred and corner Briean Boddy-Calhoun, both of whom performed well last week.

The Browns defense is good enough to keep them in it,  but I don't see DeShone Kizer being ready to lead this team to a road win in just his second NFL game. It will be close, but Baltimore's talent will prove too much for Cleveland in the end. Fear not, Browns fans. For the second week in the row, your team will not only play hard but cover the spread as well.

Ravens 21, Browns 17

The "never won a Super Bowl" bowl

Bills (1-0) at Panthers (1-0)

Spread: Car -7.0

Photo creds to Bleacher Report

Like the Browns and Jets, the Buffalo Bills have not had a lot go right in the past two decades (or ever, really.) But while Buffalo isn't a team I see making it to the playoffs, I see Buffalo being competitive, and I like them to pull what would be a pretty significant upset in Charlotte. 

I am not sold on Carolina. The Cam Newton era has seen one magical ride, and not a whole lot else. While Buffalo still needs a quarterback, they still have some solid pieces on both sides of the ball, and I have a gut feeling that they can pull an upset. It is true that Kwann Short, Thomas Davis and the Panthers defense played well last week against the hapless 49ers, but I have faith in Richie Incognito and the Bills offensive line to hold its own and open some holes for LeSean McCoy along the way, and that would go a long way in getting the Bills a W. I think the Panthers are vulnerable, and the Bills are talented enough to deal with that defensive front and pull an upset.

Bills 24, Panthers 20

The "Who the Hell Cares" game of the week

Cardinals (0-1) at Colts (0-1)

Arizona suffered an embarssing loss at Detroit last week, while the Colts are starting Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. If I ever have kids, I don't think I'll be telling them about this one.

Cardinals 31, Colts 17

Ewwwwww. AFC South.

Titans (0-1) at Jags (1-0)

Line: Ten -1.5

The AFC South. Somebody has to win it, and theirs a good chance that the tallest little person is playing in this game. 

Yes Tennesee lost at home in week one. Yes Jacksonville won on the road. But while Tennesse played a Super Bowl contender in Oakland, the Jags played the Texans, who had Tom Savage as their starting QB. I think that Jacksonville has something brewing with Leonard Fournette, Jalen Ramsey and a lot of promising young talent. But Tennesse is the team to beat in the AFC South (for what it's worth). I think this game will come down to strength at the quarterback position. Marcus Mariota is good, while Blake Bortles is not. If Mariota outplays Bortles- which I think he will, the Titans will win the game. 

Titans 24, Jags 16

The Andy Bowl

Eagles (1-0) at Chiefs (1-0)

Line: KC -5.5

Photo creds to USA Today 

The Eagles have a shot to be pretty good this year. A stout defense led by Fletcher Cox, along with a more experience Carson Wentz could be a recipe for a winning season in Philly. But we all saw what KC did in Foxborough 10 days ago. Now, playing in one of the leagues toughest venues for the first time this season, I don't see how Philly can score often enough on KC's defense- even without Eric Berry, to get a W. Alex Smith and Kareem Hunt might not do what they did last Thursday, but they will play well enough to get the job done.

Chiefs 24, Eagles 14

Will the Patriots lose?

Patriots (0-1) at Saints (0-1)

Line: NE -6.5

In case you don't know, Drew Brees is a decent football player, and him going against a New England defense that is shaky at best is intriguing. But do you see Tom Brady starting a season 0-2? I didn't think so. The Pats might allow some big plays, but they will make some more big plays and pull away in the second half to get back on track after an opening night massacre.

Patriots 38, Saints 24

Famous Jameis

Bears (0-1) at Bucs (0-0)

Line: TB -6.5

Photo creds to CBS Sports

As bad as the Chicago Bears were last season and probably will be this year, they did give the Atlanta Falcons all they could handle last week, and I commend them for that. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on the other hand, could not play last week due to the hurricane. I think Tampa is going to win the AFC South, and Sunday afternoon will be the first step to doing so.

I'm excited to see this Tampa Bay offense in Jameis Winston's third season at QB, especially with DeSean Jackson now in the fold. Tampa will have an opportunity to flex its muscles against a growing Bears team, and I think the Bucs will cash in.

Tampa 34, Chicago 15

4:05

"Who the hell cares?" Part II

Dolphins (0-0) at Chargers (0-1)

Two aging quarterbacks who probably will never win anything again going against each other. Uh, yay?

Chargers 31, Dolphins 17

4:25

The "Craig Morton" bowl

Cowboys (1-0) at Broncos (1-0)

Line: DAL -2.5

This should be a good one. Two flagship franchises going at it in one of the leagues iconic venues.

Denver is always tough to beat at home, so Dallas will be in for a fight. The Cowboys showed time and time against last season that they know how to win close games, and I think they will do it again here. Denver's defense will make life misrable for Dak Prescott at times, but in the foruth quarter, the Dak, Dez and Zeke combination will take over, as we have seen a few times before. How 'bout them Cowboys?"

Cowboys 20, Broncos 17

HTTR

Redskins (0-1) at Rams (1-0)

Line: LAR -2.5

Photo creds to Fantasy Pros

Of all of this week's games, this one is probably the most based on gut instinct.

The Rams looked pretty solid last week, while the Redskins lost at home. But I see LA coming back down to earth here. I have always been a fan of Kirk Cousins, and have a feeling that he will throw for 350+ yards to get the 'Skins a clutch W. I'm still not sold on Jared Goff, and because of that, the quarterback matchup will be the difference in a Redskins victory.

Redskins 27, Rams 17

Blowout special 

49ers (0-1) at Seahawks (0-1)

Line: Sea 14.0

Photo creds to The NEws Tribune 

San Fran scored three points last week, and they are playing in Qwest Field. Not a lot more needs to be said. 

Seahawks 31, 49ers 6

Sunday Night

Will Aaron Rodgers get his revenge?

Packers (1-0) at Falcons (1-0)

Line: ATL -3.0

Photo creds to Alabama News Center

If this game were at the frozen tundra, my opinion would be drastically different. I'm not a huge believer in home field advantage, but I think it applies to the Green Bay Packers, as they are much better at Lambeau Field than they are away from it.

The Falcons closed out the Georiga Dome with a demolition of the Packers. Now, they open Mercedes-Benz Stadium against that same team. Although I don't think this one will be quite as lopsided as last year's game was, I see Matt Ryan and the Falcons being too pumped up to disappoint.

Falcons 30, Packers 20

Monday Night 

Lions (1-0) at Giants (0-1) 

Line: NYG -3.0

The Giants are a decent football team that embrassed themselves in primetime last week. This week, they're facing a Detorit squad that they should be better than, and it's their home opener.

As much as I dislike the Giants, and as much as the OBJ injury hurts them, I still see that defense as a force. If the Giants D plays as well against Detorit as it did against Dallas, I have enough faith in Eli Manning and Brandon Marshall to exploit this Lions defense just enough to get the job done.

Giants 21, Lions 14

The "Heidi" bowl

Jets (0-1) at Raiders (1-0)

Line: Oak -13.5

In case you don't get the reference, here is more about the Heidi game. Unfortunately, I don't think Sunday's contest will match the excitement of that nearly 50-year-old classic.

The Jets are perhaps the biggest non-Cleveland punchline in the National Football League. Point blank; they suck. Oakland, on the other hand, is one of the best teams in the NFL, with one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and the Raiders are playing at home. Oakland will win and beat the spread as well. Although the Jets defense isn't horrible, and could even give Derek Carr some fits early on, I don't see Josh McCown doing anything, even against Oakland's average defense. The Jets D will play well, but will also be on the field longer than it would like, and that will allow Carr to have some opportunities late in the game to pull away. 

Raiders 24, Jets 10

How will the Steelers do?

I can't see this offense being any worse than it was last week in Cleveland. Although Minnesota is not slouch, the unknown status of Sam Bradford is a factor. With or without Bradford, there are still too many question marks with the Vikings offense for me to believe that they can come into Heinz and get a W.

Steelers 26, Vikings 17

Steelers-Browns: Takeaways from season opener

By: Donny Chedrick

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 1-0 after what some say was an ugly win against the Cleveland Browns Sunday to kickoff the 2017 season. Some say if it weren't for a great special teams effort by Tyler Matakevich in the first few minutes (the first blocked punt for a touchdown the Steelers produced since 1998), the Steelers would have suffered an embarrassing defeat. No matter how they did it, Pittsburgh the Browns after 60 minutes of football on Sunday and took their 1-0 record home to Heinz Field for a matchup with the 1-0 Minnesota Vikings. But before that, here are five things that stood out from Sunday's performance.

1. Rust

Endzonescore

Short of Antonio Brown, Jesse James and a few players on defense, every Steeler looked a little rusty on Sunday. Some more than others, of course. Ben Roethlisberger and the offense were out of sync for most of the first half until Roethlisberger connecting with his only reliable wide receiver, Antonio Brown. Martavis Bryant dropped a few passes and missed a few blocks, Eli Rogers hauled in two catches, while guys like Darrius Heyward-Bey were non-existent. Ben Roethlisberger airmailed a few passes, including one for an interception. The defense was shaky as, but we'll get to that in a bit.

2. Good thing AB was on top of his game

Photo creds to SB Nation

If Antonio Brown had a down game on Sunday, the Steelers could very well be 0-1 coming back home for Week 2. Thankfully, he didn't. He played like he always plays - great. 11 receptions on 11 targets are something you don't often see in the NFL, but that's what Brown did Sunday. 11 catches for 182 yards along with one that saved and ultimately won the game for Pittsburgh on the final drive.

3. TJ Watt had a memorable debut

Photo creds to Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Given what his older brother has already accomplished in the NFL, TJ Watt had extremely high expectations coming into his rookie season. Then he just went out and did something his big brother hasn't done in his career - turn in a two sack performance with an interception. Not only did Watt accomplish that; he also led the Steelers in tackles with seven total, six of them being solo and two and a half tackles for loss. Watt had a few missed tackles, but overall, not many people can complain from what they saw in the Steelers' first round pick.

4. The secondary is still shaky

Photo creds to Steelers Wire

Even with the addition of Joe Haden late in the preseason, the Steelers secondary looked shaky at best. Rookie QB DeShone Kizer got sacked seven times but was still able to stay calm and make some good throws against the Steelers defense. Finishing 20-30 for 222 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT, while adding a rushing touchdown, Kizer's receivers had Haden and Artie Burns beat a few times on Sunday along with Mike Mitchell, JJ Wilcox and Sean Davis. That came with the rust, but we should expect the Steelers secondary to get better as the season goes on.

5. Was Le'Veon Bell being punished? 

Photo creds to Sports Illistrauted 

The numbers would certainly say so. Just 10 carries for 32 yards with three receptions for 15 yards is what Steelers all-pro RB Lev Bell finished with on Sunday afternoon. Bell notoriously sat out all of the preseason and returned following the Steelers final exhibition game against the Carolina Panthers. Was this a punishment from Mike Tomlin, Todd Haley and others? Bell is one of the most explosive players in the NFL but was so underused in Sunday's close win that it bodes the question. Bell looked rusty in some spots, but if he gets more reps, he will help the Steelers offense. Hopefully, that will change in Week 2.

The Steelers struggled at times but got what needed to get done and picked up the win. This week the Steelers welcome a Vikings team coming off an impressive win against the Saints on Monday Night Football. We all know the offense looks better at home, so hopefully, that stays true for 2017.

Pitt-Penn State: Three keys to victory

Photo creds to Onward State

Today is the day. It's Pitt and Penn State. No more needs to be said about the rivalry in general. As a PSU die-hard, I obviously want the Nittany Lions to beat the hated Panthers. Here are three things that Penn State can do to get that done.

1. Mike Gesicki

Photo creds to Land of 10

The 6 foot 5, 215-pound tight end developed into one of the best in college football at his position last season. Not only is Gesicki a giant; he is also a deep-ball threat that is capable of making a highlight reel catch downfield.

A lot of the attention coming into today's game centers around Saquon Barkley, and rightly so. But if offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is smart, he will recognize that Pitt has nobody to match up with Gesicki and design the offense to where the big man is heavily involved. Next to Barkley and Trace McSorley, Gesicki is arguably the most valuable player in Penn State's offense. If they use him correctly, I don't think Pitt will have a solution.

2. Pressure Max Browne

Photo creds to Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Because of how loaded Penn State is offensively, we tend to forget that this defense is solid, too.

The Nittany Lion defensive line is particularly promising. Shareef Miller, Curtis Cothran, Parker Cothren and Torrence Brown make up a talented front four that could create problems for Pitt's inexperienced offensive line. If the defensive line can out muscle Pitt and put pressure on its quarterback, Max Browne, it will be hard for the Panthers to score points. If Pitt's offense can't put at least 35 on the board, they won't win the game. If defenders are in Browne's face, it will be hard for Pitt to score as much as they need to.


3. No big mistakes. 

For a big upset to take place, a few things have to happen. The underdog has to play an almost perfect game, while the team that is favored has to make some big mistakes.

Pitt's win over Clemson in Death Valley last season is a perfect example. As good as the Panthers were that day, if DeShaun Watson doesn't throw a red zone interception late in the fourth quarter and if Clemson converts a crucial 4th and 2 with a late lead, that upset doesn't take place.

In short, if the Nittany Lions take care of the ball and don't take any stupid penalties, they will win the game. But a few big mistakes could lead to a big upset if Penn State isn't careful.





Final Prediction

Penn State is three touchdown favorites for a reason. They are the team that's in the top five. They are the team with the best player in college football in the backfield. They are the team one of the best offenses in the country. They are the team gunning for a national title. Pitt is a team in transition that should have lost to Youngstown State. RIP 42-39.

Penn State 52, Pitt 17