I've heard all of the angst surrounding this game.
"The Steelers sometimes lose to bad teams." "Drew Brees is dangerous." "This game could be a trap because the Steelers play the Bengals next week."
I think it's all a bunch of mularkey.
It is precisely because of those three things that the Steelers won't lose this game.
Yes, at 4-7, the Saints aren't a very good team. But they do have Brees, which should have everyone's attention - most notably, the guy who wears No. 7.
Ben Roethlisberger gets pumped to play against other great or big-name quarterbacks, especially at home.
And because the Steelers know they can't afford a stumble before giving Cincinnati their best shot, they'll be focused as a team as well.
Roethlisberger went as far as to call this a must-win game. The Steelers will treat it as such.
With Brees at quarterback, the Saints can score. But the Steelers will take a similar tact to the one they did against Indianapolis earlier this season.
They'll try to keep the ball out of Brees' hands while also putting up as many points as possible. They won't back off the throttle.
And New Orleans' defense isn't nearly as formidable as the one in Indianapolis.
The Saints give up big yards on the ground and through the air. And they'll do stupid thins like play Cover-0, with seven or eight pass rushers and no safety help.
Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan can't help himself. It's what he does.
With Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, two guys who are built to beat one-on-one coverage, that's a recipe for disaster.
And Roethlisberger is at his best when blitzed.
The Steelers also are getting healthy at the right time - right tackle Marcus Gilbert's ankle injury in practice this week notwithstanding.
The Steelers are 4 1/2-point favorites in this one and I like them to force a couple of turnovers and win this one going away, 38-27.
8 comments:
I remember the last time we played NO, Ben got blitzed and blitzed and blitzed, and our offense looked awful.
That was in New Orleans. Different at home
And it was a different offense. This group is pretty dynamic
I don't know. Peyton was laying into Ryan on the sidelines of their last game. I expect the saints to come out with a different look. If Bree's is on, I'm not sure the steelers will hold on for the win. I say a field goal either way.
Mark, Ryan doesn`t have a different look, he really can`t restrain himself. The guy is blitz happy and Ben will make him pay.
whoever turns the ball over more will lose. I'm betting the Steelers win the turnover difference and win the game by 6.
33-27 Steelers
This is exactly the type of game - and time of year - that the Steelers have lost recently. San Diego & Cincy at home in '12, Miami last year (people think of that as the game that was lost by 84's toe on the chalk; I think of it as the game where, in the 4th quarter, the defense fell apart and the offense didn't show up).
But I was really encouraged how they won in Tennessee. QB didn't play great, crazy turnaround near the end of the half, fall behind by eleven in the third quarter - yet came back to win, steady.
Steelers - 29 Saints - 24
I hope coach Tomlin has them ready to play.... if not can't wait for black Monday and the jive be over Dave W in Las Vegas
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