Football week two
It is now official. Football is now underway. College football completed week two of its season and the NFL kicked off last weekend. By now, we know what happened Sunday at Heinz Field. Dennis Dixon was the caretaker of the offense and didn’t do anything (outside of one interception and some low throws) to put his team in jeopardy of losing the game to the Atlanta Falcons. A win in week one, mission accomplished.
This game was close, right down to it going into overtime, the third time this has happened in as many games that these two teams have played. It is a mystery as to why Atlanta and Pittsburgh have such close games in recent years. It was a battle of field goals until overtime, although Jeff Reed had a chance to end it in regulation with a kick into the open end, which is normally a reliable kick from Reed, but the winds can wreak havoc on any kick from that spot. Nonetheless, he kept the Steelers in the game with his other three made field goals and allowed them a chance at the end.
This game may not have been anything to write home about, nor was it expected to be. It was going to be close, low scoring, with each defense giving its respective offense a chance to win the game. It all went according to plan for both teams. The Steelers just happened to capitalize with a more opportunistic defense. This game could have gone either way, and it may well have if it had been played in Atlanta.
Dixon did was what asked of him. He managed the game, made some nice throws, and didn’t do anything major to jeopardize his team’s chance to win. The running game wasn’t much to write home about, although it also did just enough to keep the team in the ball game. Solid if not spectacular. Anyone who expected anything more from this game doesn’t know football.
Some of the more exciting games in the history of the NFL have been defensive battles. When a score does come, it is a premium and gives that team’s defense motivation to protect that score because it could be the only one of the game. Some football fans don’t appreciate defensive struggles. I do. Sometimes shootouts aren’t as exciting because normally the last team with the ball wins. With defensive battles, you never know who is going to win the game. That makes it exciting.
Now that week one and game one is in the books, it’s time to look ahead to the trip to face the Tennessee Titans in Nashville on Sunday. This trip has never boded well for the Steelers, who are 1 – 8 in Nashville, including the playoffs. The last time the Steelers traveled to Tennessee, the number one seed in the conference was at stake for the 2008 playoffs. The game wasn’t close and Tennessee won going away. Not that it mattered because Baltimore went in and upset the Titans, paving the way for the Steelers to host the AFC Championship Game and beat Baltimore with a trip to Super Bowl XLIII on the line.
Of the first four games on the schedule with Ben Roethlisberger, this is the first trip up game. Tennessee is not going to be afraid to test Dixon early and often. It will be expected. The Titans also boast Vince Young at quarterback and Chris Johnson at running back, who might be, arguably, the best running back in the league. This will be another defensive test, especially with Casey Hampton out with a hamstring pull. The linebackers will be called upon to apply a lot of pressure on Young and put the ball in Johnson’s hands. The Steelers defense is traditionally stout against the run. So the game plan could very well be to force Young to make mistakes and force the Titans to rely on the running game. Then again, be careful what you wish for.
While the win in the first game of the season is nice for morale and momentum, it just as easily could come to a stop in week two. This is the game that scares me the most in the first four. A mobile, athletic quarterback and one of the best running backs in the game on the field at the same time. A young quarterback who is being asked to play caretaker until the franchise quarterback returns from suspension. Again, relying on the running back will likely be the order of the day. I see this game being the first loss of the season for a multitude of reasons. Hostile environment and a team that is tough to beat at home. I think this is going to be too much for the Steelers to overcome, in light of all the circumstances surrounding the team. Tennessee 24 – Steelers 13.
On the college scene, last weekend was monster Saturday with a plethora of games on the early season schedule that will go a long way in determining who is going to end up playing for the BCS National Championship. Locally, Pitt played New Hampshire and came away with a win after a tough loss at Utah. Penn State was soundly beaten by the number one team in the country and defending national champion Alabama. West Virginia beat in state rival Marshall by coming from behind, and Ohio State came away with a big win over Miami (FL) in Columbus.
Pitt is idle this weekend before hosting the Miami Hurricanes next Thursday evening at Heinz Field, which should prove to be another monster game, coming in prime time and could be a statement game for the Panthers. Penn State will host Kent State at Happy Valley. West Virginia will play host to Maryland, and Ohio State will host Ohio.
Last week, Green Bay held on to beat Philadelphia in Lincoln Financial Field in the debut of the new era of Kevin Kolb at quarterback for the Eagles. While it was not an ideal game for the Packers, they got the win and earned my pick of the week win. Washington saw the debut of Donavan McNabb, late of the Eagles and now the Redskins would be savior. This game was not a work of art, but it proved how overrated the Cowboys really are after being the sexy pick to get to the Super Bowl in their home stadium. It is still extremely early, but this Cowboys team resembled the team that got spanked in the playoffs last year against Minnesota than the one that swept the Eagles in three games.
Here are the picks for week two:
Week 2
Pick of the Week, Seattle over Denver (1 - 0)
Upset Special, Cleveland over Kansas City (1 - 0)
As of press time, the status of Max Starks, with a high ankle sprain, is up in the air. Initial reports had him out a month. Now, he may be week to week. The offensive line is crucial to how well the Steelers hold up while Roethlisberger is out and whether Byron Leftwich comes back before week four and if he takes over for Dixon. Lots of questions going into this weekend.
This game was close, right down to it going into overtime, the third time this has happened in as many games that these two teams have played. It is a mystery as to why Atlanta and Pittsburgh have such close games in recent years. It was a battle of field goals until overtime, although Jeff Reed had a chance to end it in regulation with a kick into the open end, which is normally a reliable kick from Reed, but the winds can wreak havoc on any kick from that spot. Nonetheless, he kept the Steelers in the game with his other three made field goals and allowed them a chance at the end.
This game may not have been anything to write home about, nor was it expected to be. It was going to be close, low scoring, with each defense giving its respective offense a chance to win the game. It all went according to plan for both teams. The Steelers just happened to capitalize with a more opportunistic defense. This game could have gone either way, and it may well have if it had been played in Atlanta.
Dixon did was what asked of him. He managed the game, made some nice throws, and didn’t do anything major to jeopardize his team’s chance to win. The running game wasn’t much to write home about, although it also did just enough to keep the team in the ball game. Solid if not spectacular. Anyone who expected anything more from this game doesn’t know football.
Some of the more exciting games in the history of the NFL have been defensive battles. When a score does come, it is a premium and gives that team’s defense motivation to protect that score because it could be the only one of the game. Some football fans don’t appreciate defensive struggles. I do. Sometimes shootouts aren’t as exciting because normally the last team with the ball wins. With defensive battles, you never know who is going to win the game. That makes it exciting.
Now that week one and game one is in the books, it’s time to look ahead to the trip to face the Tennessee Titans in Nashville on Sunday. This trip has never boded well for the Steelers, who are 1 – 8 in Nashville, including the playoffs. The last time the Steelers traveled to Tennessee, the number one seed in the conference was at stake for the 2008 playoffs. The game wasn’t close and Tennessee won going away. Not that it mattered because Baltimore went in and upset the Titans, paving the way for the Steelers to host the AFC Championship Game and beat Baltimore with a trip to Super Bowl XLIII on the line.
Of the first four games on the schedule with Ben Roethlisberger, this is the first trip up game. Tennessee is not going to be afraid to test Dixon early and often. It will be expected. The Titans also boast Vince Young at quarterback and Chris Johnson at running back, who might be, arguably, the best running back in the league. This will be another defensive test, especially with Casey Hampton out with a hamstring pull. The linebackers will be called upon to apply a lot of pressure on Young and put the ball in Johnson’s hands. The Steelers defense is traditionally stout against the run. So the game plan could very well be to force Young to make mistakes and force the Titans to rely on the running game. Then again, be careful what you wish for.
While the win in the first game of the season is nice for morale and momentum, it just as easily could come to a stop in week two. This is the game that scares me the most in the first four. A mobile, athletic quarterback and one of the best running backs in the game on the field at the same time. A young quarterback who is being asked to play caretaker until the franchise quarterback returns from suspension. Again, relying on the running back will likely be the order of the day. I see this game being the first loss of the season for a multitude of reasons. Hostile environment and a team that is tough to beat at home. I think this is going to be too much for the Steelers to overcome, in light of all the circumstances surrounding the team. Tennessee 24 – Steelers 13.
On the college scene, last weekend was monster Saturday with a plethora of games on the early season schedule that will go a long way in determining who is going to end up playing for the BCS National Championship. Locally, Pitt played New Hampshire and came away with a win after a tough loss at Utah. Penn State was soundly beaten by the number one team in the country and defending national champion Alabama. West Virginia beat in state rival Marshall by coming from behind, and Ohio State came away with a big win over Miami (FL) in Columbus.
Pitt is idle this weekend before hosting the Miami Hurricanes next Thursday evening at Heinz Field, which should prove to be another monster game, coming in prime time and could be a statement game for the Panthers. Penn State will host Kent State at Happy Valley. West Virginia will play host to Maryland, and Ohio State will host Ohio.
Last week, Green Bay held on to beat Philadelphia in Lincoln Financial Field in the debut of the new era of Kevin Kolb at quarterback for the Eagles. While it was not an ideal game for the Packers, they got the win and earned my pick of the week win. Washington saw the debut of Donavan McNabb, late of the Eagles and now the Redskins would be savior. This game was not a work of art, but it proved how overrated the Cowboys really are after being the sexy pick to get to the Super Bowl in their home stadium. It is still extremely early, but this Cowboys team resembled the team that got spanked in the playoffs last year against Minnesota than the one that swept the Eagles in three games.
Here are the picks for week two:
Week 2
Pick of the Week, Seattle over Denver (1 - 0)
Upset Special, Cleveland over Kansas City (1 - 0)
As of press time, the status of Max Starks, with a high ankle sprain, is up in the air. Initial reports had him out a month. Now, he may be week to week. The offensive line is crucial to how well the Steelers hold up while Roethlisberger is out and whether Byron Leftwich comes back before week four and if he takes over for Dixon. Lots of questions going into this weekend.
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