As is often the case with me, it's been a while since I've written in here.
Sure, I've had a lot of thoughts about the Indians, Cavs, and Browns, but time has often been the biggest issue. Most of my free time has been spent playing with kids and doing work on my YouTube Channel, so it's taken a backseat, but I felt after watching a riveting display of football yesterday it was time to resume.
I'll try to get something on the Indians in the future, but there isn't much to say other than I feel like this year was a missed opportunity by the Tribe to really make a good push. The issues were many, and yet they still hung around until the last week of the season. Not great, but not horrible either.
Cavalier Caveats
I'll start with the Cavs since their most recent preseason game was a highly anticipated match-up against the Miami Heat from Brazil. It was LeBron James facing his new former team for the first time and it followed some interesting remarks from Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh that the media tried way too hard to make a story line.
This of course has been a dominant issue with the national media, who still can't seem to grasp that James is a Cavalier again. Remember, last time I wrote he hadn't decided his future and I was okay with the team either way.
I won't get too deep in how I think this team has been constructed, but it's been put together smartly by David Griffin and David Blatt seems like a good choice thus far to coach these players. Kevin Love committing beyond this season will be huge, but the Cavs did a nice job and I'm really interested to see how Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, and Kevin Love play with James.
Early preseason results have been promising offensively, as was expected. Obviously, this team is a liability defensively, especially with Love, but it may not matter when they can't be stopped at all on the other end.
The game from Rio was pretty fascinating as the starters pretty much had their way with the Heat, building up a 15 point halftime lead without James doing a lot of scoring. What he did though was provide 8 assists and allowed Love, Waiters, and Anderson Varejao to do the scoring. Tristan Thompson also had a nice game, showing that the Cavs are not going to struggle with offense and rebounding.
The game went to overtime, primarily because the reserves to the reserves let up and the Heat reserves tied the game, but the Cavs pulled it off in overtime 122-119.
The main thing I continue to take away from this team is the ball is going to move. No one stood and dribbled until AJ Price came in and started dribbling around the court. Everyone was involved offensively and the Cavs went to Varejao early and often to establish a post-up game. Varejao didn't disappoint his home crowd, dropping in hook shot after hook shot to the delight of the crowd.
Defensively, there are holes, but unless Love and Irving suddenly stop being turnstiles, there isn't much you can do there. The Heat were able to penetrate with ease in the first quarter, but that seemed to be corrected in the second quarter, when the Cavs took control.
What is clear about this team is that it isn't going to be James and/or Irving dribbling for 15 seconds before using a pick to try and make something happen. The ball is going to swing from side to side, inside back out, and fast breaks are going to be especially fun. I'm most interested to see how Waiters fits into all of this. He's been very good the first two preseason games and is showing interest on the defensive end of the floor, which is going to be huge.
I still don't know who's going to start, but it's going to be a fun year.
Brownie Bits
That was fun yesterday, wasn't it?
It didn't seem like it was going to start off well as the Pittsburgh Steelers marched right down the field, primarily running the ball, but the drive stalled and they settled for a field goal. Then the Browns went three and out again and once again the Steelers were marching down the field. Then luck turned to the Browns and the Steelers botched a field goal attempt.
A few plays later, the Browns were in the end zone and leading 7-3 thanks to a big play from Jordan Cameron from Brian Hoyer and a nice run from Isiah Crowell. The Browns held the Steelers on the next possession and once again the Browns struck with a big play, this time a 51-yard touchdown pass from Hoyer to Cameron on 3rd and 1. It was a perfect throw following a nice play-fake from Hoyer that completely fooled the Steelers defensive backs.
Little did we know at the time the route was on and the Browns went on to win 31-10, scoring at will in the second and third quarters before the Steelers finally got a late touchdown with under 4 minutes remaining in the game. At that point, the outcome was not in doubt and the fans were celebrating in the stands, shooing away the yellow towels that usually inundate the stadium in the third and fourth quarters.
The first thing I'm going to take from that game is the Browns continued commitment to the run, but also ability to be aggressive when the opportunity knocks. Ben Tate didn't have a great game rushing, but he and Crowell kept the Steelers thinking about the run enough for Hoyer to hit his receivers down the field. Hoyer only completed 8 passes, but 7 went beyond 10 yards and kept the crowd ignited. Crowell busted a couple of larger runs, but came down with a case of the yips with some fumbling issues.
The defense, while not entirely stout, did what it had to do to keep the Steelers flustered on offense and avoided the big play, something that had bit them a few times. Buster Skrine in particular had a nice game, bouncing back from last week's disaster.
Special teams have completely cleaned up their act. There haven't been any big returns, but the tackling has been sure and the field goal issues have largely disappeared. They don't kick a lot of them though since Hoyer likes to score touchdowns as opposed to field goals.
The big downside is the injury bug hitting this team hard. Alex Mack was lost for the season most likely with a broken leg when he was caught under a pile of players. Armony Bryant is also done for the year with a torn ACL, further hampering a defensive line that was already missing several players.
They were still gashed pretty badly in the run game, but the defense held together at the right moments and were aided by the Steelers surprising decision to all but abandon the run game once the deficit grew. This is in contrast to the Browns, who have shown that they will run whether down by 3 or 23.
All in all, it's hard to complain and hard to find reasons for first round pick Johnny Manziel to even sniff the field at this stage. Hoyer has shown this is his team and he's not going to just give it up.
The next three games will be far bigger tests to me though. All three should be very winnable, albeit not entirely easy. First up is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were a blocked kick away from their first win. You also have games against a suddenly competitive Oakland Raiders team along with a seemingly demoralized Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. How they approach those games will show us how far they've truly come.
Yes, it's possible that the Browns will be 6-2 once they hit a big showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals, but they first need to focus on next week's game and carry this performance over.
Oh, and they might want to get healthy too.
Showing posts with label steelers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steelers. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The Sports Mixer - It's week 12 already?
Getting the post up late last week cost me a valuable pick-win. It's a mistake that won't (probably will) happen again.
In any case, it was a good week for picks, even if I missed badly on the San Fran game, but really, who saw their back-up quarterback having that kind of performance against the Bears defense? I sure didn't. I expected a low-scoring affair, but give the 49ers some credit for playing exceptionally well.
I also doubt many expected the Colts-Patriots game to get so out of hand as quickly as it did, but Andrew Luck was due to have a clunker. Might as well be at the hands of Bill Belichick, who seems to befuddle rookie quarterbacks more often than not. Luck was also on the receiving end of some bad, uh, luck in the game as well.
I think the most surprising thing was watching Jacksonville take Houston into overtime, hanging with the Texans step for step until the end when Andre Johnson finally broke away with the winning score. A week after the defense was incredible against the Bears, it was broken against the Jaguars and their backup quarterback, Chad Henne.
What will this week bring? Stay tuned and find out.
Thursday
Houston (9-1) at Detroit (4-6) - 12:30pm CBS
The Texans survived a scare at home last week. Matt Schaub and the offense played a spectacular game, but how in the world do you allow the Jaguars to rack up 37 points of offense while being led by their backup quarterback? What does this mean for them going forward? It means they had a bad game and I expect the defense to refocus and get it together with Megatron looming.
The Lions, I thought they were coming around, but then they laid an egg against the Vikings before having to deal with a red-hot Aaron Rodgers last week. Now they get the Texans, the best team in the AFC. Yes, they're at home, but I doubt it will matter much. No one has stepped up to take the pressure off of Calvin Johnson so teams just continue to double team him without worry.
Pick: Texans 27, Lions 17
Washington (4-6) at Dallas (5-5) - 4:15pm FOX
The Redskins are coming off an impressive performance against the Eagles, which really isn't saying much giving that the Eagles are about as competitive as a pop warner team right now (and that's a disservice to pop warner teams everywhere). But you can't deny how stellar Robert Griffin III's performance was in that game. Now he goes up against a better defense, but one that has some holes in it as the Browns showed last week.
Meanwhile, just how good can you feel in Dallas coming off a 23-20 overtime win over the Browns? Tony Romo was sacked seven times and the run game was still non-existent, a problem against better teams. The Redskins aren't a better team, but they'll give the Cowboys a heck of a fight regardless. It'll be interesting to see DeMarcus Ware try and track down RGIII though.
Pick: Cowboys 24, Redskins 21
New England (7-3) at NY Jets (4-6) - 8:20 NBC
The Patriots continue to roll offensively and make just enough plays defensively to be taken seriously as a contender. They're averaging almost 36 points a game, which is bolstered by two 50 point explosions, a 45 point outing, and several 30+ point totals as well. In other words, Tom Brady hasn't lost a step, which is scary for most teams.
The Jets are one of the few that put up a fight this year, surprisingly enough, losing in overtime in week 7. Mark Sanchez didn't play a great game last week, but he was much more efficient as the Jets had a much easier time with the Rams than anticipated in this corner. This matchup figures to be another close one as the Jets always seem to bring their best against the Patriots.
Pick: Patriots 30, Jets 26
Sunday
Minnesota (6-4) at Chicago (7-3) - 1pm FOX
The Vikings righted the ship two weeks ago with a surprisingly easy victory over the Lions, then had a bye week to prepare for the Bears who are suddenly reeling. I'm still not sold on the Vikings being a playoff team however, and I think this game will be a reminder of that fact. Sure, Adrian Peterson could go off, allowing Christian Ponder the time to throw the ball, but the Bears may be slightly testy following their disappearing act last week.
Speaking of the Bears, that was a putrid performance on Monday Night Football. Defensively, they stunk. Offensively, they were worse. Who knew Jay Cutler meant that much to the offense? In all honesty, when you rely on your defense to give you at least one score a game, sometimes more, and that doesn't happen with Jason Campbell running the show instead of Cutler behind that horrific offensive line, what did you expect to happen? The Sports Mixer obviously did not take this into consideration last week and missed on the pick because of that. I just can't see the Vikings pulling this off though. Is anyone on the Bears defense angry?
Pick: Bears 17, Vikings 13
Oakland (3-7) at Cincinnati (5-5) - 1pm CBS
The Raiders are such a mess defensively. Two weeks ago they allowed the Ravens to score at will and hit the 50 point mark, this past week they improved by only allowing 38 points. Carson Palmer hasn't been terrible for the Raiders, but he hasn't shown anything to justify the picks the Raiders gave up to get him either. They've fared well against AFC North opponents in recent years though, so there's a glimmer of hope Raider Nation.
The Bengals looked lost for a while there, losing three games in a row before suddenly coming out and beating down the Giants two weeks ago. Then they got the Chiefs, who are the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to facing other teams. Now they're back in the wild card picture, one game behind the wounded Steelers. While not a gimme, this is a game they should win.
Pick: Bengals 24, Raiders 12
Buffalo (4-6) at Indianapolis (6-4) - 1pm CBS
The Bills finally received the type of performance from their defense that they expected all season long. Mario Williams was a beast on the defensive line and the Bills kept the Dolphins in check from start to finish, although the offense was very lackluster. Ryan Fitzpatrick goes from being Dan Marino one series to Ryan Leaf the next and that has been one of the more frustrating aspects to an otherwise explosive offense.
The Colts and Andrew Luck were bound to have a bad game and the Patriots handed it to them last week. Now we get to see how the rookie quarterback responds to a bad outing against a defense that has been vulnerable at times to good passing offenses. More importantly, can the Colts defense shore up the weakness shown last week? The Colts have a great shot at making the playoffs, but they can't have any more clunkers.
Pick: Colts 34, Bills 30
Denver (7-3) at Kansas City (1-9) - 1pm CBS
Is there any team hotter than the Broncos right now? After spotting the Chargers an early lead, Peyton Manning wrestled the lead back and led the Broncos to a 30-23 victory that solidified their hold on the division. Now comes the divisional doormats, the Chiefs, who can barely hold a lead, much less win a game anymore. A week after playing the Steelers to the bitter end, the Chiefs came out flat against the Bengals and never were in the game.
This game would normally be an upset alert, but the Chiefs have been so bad this year that I can't possibly consider them for that position until they string two semi-positive performances in a row. I don't think this will be that game. In fact, this game could get ugly before the first quarter is over, something I know Chiefs fans hope isn't the case.
Pick: Broncos 34, Chiefs 13
Seattle (6-4) at Miami (4-6) - 1pm FOX
The Seahawks have been the type of team when I pick them, they lose, when I don't, they win. Russel Wilson has been outstanding at home, but hasn't been so good on the road. What makes this game difficult to pick is how bad Miami has looked the last couple of weeks.
They were embarrassed two weeks ago by the Titans, then couldn't get anything going last week against a Bills defense that had underachieved most of the season. This is a big game for Ryan Tannehill and Reggie Bush. They need to get it together and give fans reason to believe that this team is heading in the right direction.
Pick: Seahawks 19, Dolphins 17
Atlanta (9-1) at Tampa Bay (6-4) - 1pm FOX
The Falcons have lived on the edge all season long and I don't see any reason this week will be different against the upstart Buccaneers. Matt Ryan has been good, but the team seems to constantly be playing from behind no matter who they play. Against lesser teams this has been good enough, but at some point it's going to bite them like it did against the Saints.
The Bucs are that scrappy team that no one wants to face right now. Josh Freeman seems to have the ability to play as poorly as possible for a good portion of the game, then suddenly become the best quarterback to ever play the game as he pulls the Bucs from the brink of defeat to win once again. I want to believe that the Bucs can pull the upset, but Ryan and the Falcons just have the poise needed to win close games.
Pick: Falcons 35, Buccaneers 31
Tennessee (4-6) at Jacksonville (1-9) - 1pm CBS
This is the type of game that favors the Titans, a team that has underwhelmed most of the season while attempting to develop Jake Locker. Chris Johnson at times has looked like the guy who ran for over 2,000 yards a few years back, but he's also had games where he's been unable to get anything going. The defense, with one notable exception against Miami, has been awful.
The Jaguars had an offensive explosion last week, but with how their season has gone, is it any surprise that they scored 37 points and lost? Blaine Gabbert is now gone for the season, which for some Jags fans is a sign of mercy. He'd shown little improvement in his second year and the Jags have just not had any consistency on offense. Sure Justin Blackmon has come on of late, but unless he has a moster final 6 games, he will be a disappointment.
Pick: Titans 31, Jaguars 28
Baltimore (8-2) at San Diego (4-6) - 4:05pm CBS
The Ravens won an ugly game against the Steelers last week, a game that featured 23 total points and a knockout of the Steelers' backup, Byron Leftwich. Now the Ravens travel to San Diego where the talented but flawed Chargers wait. Will the Ravens finally unleash Ray Rice and balance the offense? Or will they continue to try and insist on Joe Flacco beating everyone?
The Chargers are beyond lost at this point. Philip Rivers just doesn't seem to be the same guy this year and the team is constantly giving up chunks of yards and points. They can get a lead, but they can't put their opponent away and have yet to recover from their earlier meltdown when they led 24-0, only to lose to the Broncos by ten. This team is going nowhere fast.
Pick: Ravens 27, Chargers 17
San Francisco (7-2-1) at New Orleans (5-5) - 4:25pm FOX
Certainly this is one of the matchups of the week, the 49ers are coming off a stunning beatdown of the Chicago Bears, but now must travel to the Superdome to face the Saints, who have suddenly become the hottest team in the NFL. The 49ers showed a more explosive offense under Colin Kaepernick, who threw the ball well enough to cause their coach to say they might have to play both quarterbacks once Alex Smith is healthy.
The Saints are humming still on offense. Drew Brees and company just put up 38 points on the Raiders, which isn't much considering what the Raiders gave up the week before, but they only allowed 17 points, which is a vast improvement. The defense overall has been somewhat better since the return of Jonathan Vilma. Can they score on the 49ers and slow down the Kaepernick machine? I think so.
Pick: Saints 27, 49ers 24
St. Louis (3-6-1) at Arizona (4-6) - 4:25pm - FOX
The Rams have been such an up and down team. One week after playing the 49ers to a tie on the road, the Rams decide not to show up against the Jets in an uninspiring performance. Now they have to go to Arizona to face another underwhelming team, the Cardinals, who can't decide who's going to get beat up behind their offensive line.
The Cardinals might have the worst offensive line in the history of the NFL. It really doesn't matter who they put behind center; it's almost a guarantee that they're going to get knocked out of the game relatively quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if they were holding auditions by week 14 with all their quarterbacks on injured reserve.
Pick: Rams 17, Cardinals 13
Green Bay (7-3) at NY Giants (6-4) - 8:20 NBC
The Packers are finally playing like most thought they would at the start of the season, racking up points and victories as they attempt to take control of the NFC North. With the Bears dealing with injuries, this is the perfect time for the Packers to take control and move into first place.
The Giants should be angry. Two weeks ago they were 6-2 and being lauded as a top-tier team in the NFC. Now there are questions about how good they really are and if they can even make the playoffs. The Cowboys are now a game behind and a couple of weeks from now, it could be the opposite unless the Giants get it together. This is a tough week to do it in though.
Pick: Packers 34, Giants 20
Monday
Carolina (2-8) at Philadelphia (3-7) - 8:30pm ESPN
The Panthers could easily have won four or five games this season, but have given away a bunch of games due to bad decisions by both players and coaches. Now they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles, who have become a virtual sideshow in the NFL circus. Nick Foles heard the cries of fans everywhere, and promptly played as poorly as one could play in place of Michael Vick. When the problem is a line that can't pass block, it doesn't matter who's back there. Now if they only had a good running back to take the load off their quarterbacks...Wait.
The Panthers could and should win this game. The Eagles have no business winning this game and are in desperate need of a leader to step up and say enough is enough. I don't see that happening, therefore I don't see a win.
Pick: Panthers 23, Eagles 12
Browns Game
Pittsburgh (6-4) at Cleveland (2-8) - 1pm CBS
The Steelers are coming off a tough loss and are in a difficult spot; trying to win football games with Charlie Batch now that both Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich are out with injuries. This is one banged up team, but they probably feel solace in that they're facing the Browns, the most dysfunctional team in the NFL at this point. Still, without their top offensive and defensive players, it's going to be hard to come by a win against a team that has fought to the bitter end most weeks.
The Browns are another team that could easily have five or six wins at this point. Instead, they are 2-8 and facing abundant questions about their future in many areas. A win this week would soothe a lot of fans feelings, but it would have to be a convincing win. Trent Richardson needs to stop dancing and run through the hole. Brandon Weeden needs to cut down the mistakes and rediscover the deep ball that has eluded him of late. The defense just needs to stop people. They can do it, but they have to put forth 60 minutes of effort for once.
Pick: Browns 27, Steelers 19
Last week: 11-2
Overall: 81-29-1
In any case, it was a good week for picks, even if I missed badly on the San Fran game, but really, who saw their back-up quarterback having that kind of performance against the Bears defense? I sure didn't. I expected a low-scoring affair, but give the 49ers some credit for playing exceptionally well.
I also doubt many expected the Colts-Patriots game to get so out of hand as quickly as it did, but Andrew Luck was due to have a clunker. Might as well be at the hands of Bill Belichick, who seems to befuddle rookie quarterbacks more often than not. Luck was also on the receiving end of some bad, uh, luck in the game as well.
I think the most surprising thing was watching Jacksonville take Houston into overtime, hanging with the Texans step for step until the end when Andre Johnson finally broke away with the winning score. A week after the defense was incredible against the Bears, it was broken against the Jaguars and their backup quarterback, Chad Henne.
What will this week bring? Stay tuned and find out.
Thursday
Houston (9-1) at Detroit (4-6) - 12:30pm CBS
The Texans survived a scare at home last week. Matt Schaub and the offense played a spectacular game, but how in the world do you allow the Jaguars to rack up 37 points of offense while being led by their backup quarterback? What does this mean for them going forward? It means they had a bad game and I expect the defense to refocus and get it together with Megatron looming.
The Lions, I thought they were coming around, but then they laid an egg against the Vikings before having to deal with a red-hot Aaron Rodgers last week. Now they get the Texans, the best team in the AFC. Yes, they're at home, but I doubt it will matter much. No one has stepped up to take the pressure off of Calvin Johnson so teams just continue to double team him without worry.
Pick: Texans 27, Lions 17
Washington (4-6) at Dallas (5-5) - 4:15pm FOX
The Redskins are coming off an impressive performance against the Eagles, which really isn't saying much giving that the Eagles are about as competitive as a pop warner team right now (and that's a disservice to pop warner teams everywhere). But you can't deny how stellar Robert Griffin III's performance was in that game. Now he goes up against a better defense, but one that has some holes in it as the Browns showed last week.
Meanwhile, just how good can you feel in Dallas coming off a 23-20 overtime win over the Browns? Tony Romo was sacked seven times and the run game was still non-existent, a problem against better teams. The Redskins aren't a better team, but they'll give the Cowboys a heck of a fight regardless. It'll be interesting to see DeMarcus Ware try and track down RGIII though.
Pick: Cowboys 24, Redskins 21
New England (7-3) at NY Jets (4-6) - 8:20 NBC
The Patriots continue to roll offensively and make just enough plays defensively to be taken seriously as a contender. They're averaging almost 36 points a game, which is bolstered by two 50 point explosions, a 45 point outing, and several 30+ point totals as well. In other words, Tom Brady hasn't lost a step, which is scary for most teams.
The Jets are one of the few that put up a fight this year, surprisingly enough, losing in overtime in week 7. Mark Sanchez didn't play a great game last week, but he was much more efficient as the Jets had a much easier time with the Rams than anticipated in this corner. This matchup figures to be another close one as the Jets always seem to bring their best against the Patriots.
Pick: Patriots 30, Jets 26
Sunday
Minnesota (6-4) at Chicago (7-3) - 1pm FOX
The Vikings righted the ship two weeks ago with a surprisingly easy victory over the Lions, then had a bye week to prepare for the Bears who are suddenly reeling. I'm still not sold on the Vikings being a playoff team however, and I think this game will be a reminder of that fact. Sure, Adrian Peterson could go off, allowing Christian Ponder the time to throw the ball, but the Bears may be slightly testy following their disappearing act last week.
Speaking of the Bears, that was a putrid performance on Monday Night Football. Defensively, they stunk. Offensively, they were worse. Who knew Jay Cutler meant that much to the offense? In all honesty, when you rely on your defense to give you at least one score a game, sometimes more, and that doesn't happen with Jason Campbell running the show instead of Cutler behind that horrific offensive line, what did you expect to happen? The Sports Mixer obviously did not take this into consideration last week and missed on the pick because of that. I just can't see the Vikings pulling this off though. Is anyone on the Bears defense angry?
Pick: Bears 17, Vikings 13
Oakland (3-7) at Cincinnati (5-5) - 1pm CBS
The Raiders are such a mess defensively. Two weeks ago they allowed the Ravens to score at will and hit the 50 point mark, this past week they improved by only allowing 38 points. Carson Palmer hasn't been terrible for the Raiders, but he hasn't shown anything to justify the picks the Raiders gave up to get him either. They've fared well against AFC North opponents in recent years though, so there's a glimmer of hope Raider Nation.
The Bengals looked lost for a while there, losing three games in a row before suddenly coming out and beating down the Giants two weeks ago. Then they got the Chiefs, who are the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to facing other teams. Now they're back in the wild card picture, one game behind the wounded Steelers. While not a gimme, this is a game they should win.
Pick: Bengals 24, Raiders 12
Buffalo (4-6) at Indianapolis (6-4) - 1pm CBS
The Bills finally received the type of performance from their defense that they expected all season long. Mario Williams was a beast on the defensive line and the Bills kept the Dolphins in check from start to finish, although the offense was very lackluster. Ryan Fitzpatrick goes from being Dan Marino one series to Ryan Leaf the next and that has been one of the more frustrating aspects to an otherwise explosive offense.
The Colts and Andrew Luck were bound to have a bad game and the Patriots handed it to them last week. Now we get to see how the rookie quarterback responds to a bad outing against a defense that has been vulnerable at times to good passing offenses. More importantly, can the Colts defense shore up the weakness shown last week? The Colts have a great shot at making the playoffs, but they can't have any more clunkers.
Pick: Colts 34, Bills 30
Denver (7-3) at Kansas City (1-9) - 1pm CBS
Is there any team hotter than the Broncos right now? After spotting the Chargers an early lead, Peyton Manning wrestled the lead back and led the Broncos to a 30-23 victory that solidified their hold on the division. Now comes the divisional doormats, the Chiefs, who can barely hold a lead, much less win a game anymore. A week after playing the Steelers to the bitter end, the Chiefs came out flat against the Bengals and never were in the game.
This game would normally be an upset alert, but the Chiefs have been so bad this year that I can't possibly consider them for that position until they string two semi-positive performances in a row. I don't think this will be that game. In fact, this game could get ugly before the first quarter is over, something I know Chiefs fans hope isn't the case.
Pick: Broncos 34, Chiefs 13
Seattle (6-4) at Miami (4-6) - 1pm FOX
The Seahawks have been the type of team when I pick them, they lose, when I don't, they win. Russel Wilson has been outstanding at home, but hasn't been so good on the road. What makes this game difficult to pick is how bad Miami has looked the last couple of weeks.
They were embarrassed two weeks ago by the Titans, then couldn't get anything going last week against a Bills defense that had underachieved most of the season. This is a big game for Ryan Tannehill and Reggie Bush. They need to get it together and give fans reason to believe that this team is heading in the right direction.
Pick: Seahawks 19, Dolphins 17
Atlanta (9-1) at Tampa Bay (6-4) - 1pm FOX
The Falcons have lived on the edge all season long and I don't see any reason this week will be different against the upstart Buccaneers. Matt Ryan has been good, but the team seems to constantly be playing from behind no matter who they play. Against lesser teams this has been good enough, but at some point it's going to bite them like it did against the Saints.
The Bucs are that scrappy team that no one wants to face right now. Josh Freeman seems to have the ability to play as poorly as possible for a good portion of the game, then suddenly become the best quarterback to ever play the game as he pulls the Bucs from the brink of defeat to win once again. I want to believe that the Bucs can pull the upset, but Ryan and the Falcons just have the poise needed to win close games.
Pick: Falcons 35, Buccaneers 31
Tennessee (4-6) at Jacksonville (1-9) - 1pm CBS
This is the type of game that favors the Titans, a team that has underwhelmed most of the season while attempting to develop Jake Locker. Chris Johnson at times has looked like the guy who ran for over 2,000 yards a few years back, but he's also had games where he's been unable to get anything going. The defense, with one notable exception against Miami, has been awful.
The Jaguars had an offensive explosion last week, but with how their season has gone, is it any surprise that they scored 37 points and lost? Blaine Gabbert is now gone for the season, which for some Jags fans is a sign of mercy. He'd shown little improvement in his second year and the Jags have just not had any consistency on offense. Sure Justin Blackmon has come on of late, but unless he has a moster final 6 games, he will be a disappointment.
Pick: Titans 31, Jaguars 28
Baltimore (8-2) at San Diego (4-6) - 4:05pm CBS
The Ravens won an ugly game against the Steelers last week, a game that featured 23 total points and a knockout of the Steelers' backup, Byron Leftwich. Now the Ravens travel to San Diego where the talented but flawed Chargers wait. Will the Ravens finally unleash Ray Rice and balance the offense? Or will they continue to try and insist on Joe Flacco beating everyone?
The Chargers are beyond lost at this point. Philip Rivers just doesn't seem to be the same guy this year and the team is constantly giving up chunks of yards and points. They can get a lead, but they can't put their opponent away and have yet to recover from their earlier meltdown when they led 24-0, only to lose to the Broncos by ten. This team is going nowhere fast.
Pick: Ravens 27, Chargers 17
San Francisco (7-2-1) at New Orleans (5-5) - 4:25pm FOX
Certainly this is one of the matchups of the week, the 49ers are coming off a stunning beatdown of the Chicago Bears, but now must travel to the Superdome to face the Saints, who have suddenly become the hottest team in the NFL. The 49ers showed a more explosive offense under Colin Kaepernick, who threw the ball well enough to cause their coach to say they might have to play both quarterbacks once Alex Smith is healthy.
The Saints are humming still on offense. Drew Brees and company just put up 38 points on the Raiders, which isn't much considering what the Raiders gave up the week before, but they only allowed 17 points, which is a vast improvement. The defense overall has been somewhat better since the return of Jonathan Vilma. Can they score on the 49ers and slow down the Kaepernick machine? I think so.
Pick: Saints 27, 49ers 24
St. Louis (3-6-1) at Arizona (4-6) - 4:25pm - FOX
The Rams have been such an up and down team. One week after playing the 49ers to a tie on the road, the Rams decide not to show up against the Jets in an uninspiring performance. Now they have to go to Arizona to face another underwhelming team, the Cardinals, who can't decide who's going to get beat up behind their offensive line.
The Cardinals might have the worst offensive line in the history of the NFL. It really doesn't matter who they put behind center; it's almost a guarantee that they're going to get knocked out of the game relatively quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if they were holding auditions by week 14 with all their quarterbacks on injured reserve.
Pick: Rams 17, Cardinals 13
Green Bay (7-3) at NY Giants (6-4) - 8:20 NBC
The Packers are finally playing like most thought they would at the start of the season, racking up points and victories as they attempt to take control of the NFC North. With the Bears dealing with injuries, this is the perfect time for the Packers to take control and move into first place.
The Giants should be angry. Two weeks ago they were 6-2 and being lauded as a top-tier team in the NFC. Now there are questions about how good they really are and if they can even make the playoffs. The Cowboys are now a game behind and a couple of weeks from now, it could be the opposite unless the Giants get it together. This is a tough week to do it in though.
Pick: Packers 34, Giants 20
Monday
Carolina (2-8) at Philadelphia (3-7) - 8:30pm ESPN
The Panthers could easily have won four or five games this season, but have given away a bunch of games due to bad decisions by both players and coaches. Now they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles, who have become a virtual sideshow in the NFL circus. Nick Foles heard the cries of fans everywhere, and promptly played as poorly as one could play in place of Michael Vick. When the problem is a line that can't pass block, it doesn't matter who's back there. Now if they only had a good running back to take the load off their quarterbacks...Wait.
The Panthers could and should win this game. The Eagles have no business winning this game and are in desperate need of a leader to step up and say enough is enough. I don't see that happening, therefore I don't see a win.
Pick: Panthers 23, Eagles 12
Browns Game
Pittsburgh (6-4) at Cleveland (2-8) - 1pm CBS
The Steelers are coming off a tough loss and are in a difficult spot; trying to win football games with Charlie Batch now that both Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich are out with injuries. This is one banged up team, but they probably feel solace in that they're facing the Browns, the most dysfunctional team in the NFL at this point. Still, without their top offensive and defensive players, it's going to be hard to come by a win against a team that has fought to the bitter end most weeks.
The Browns are another team that could easily have five or six wins at this point. Instead, they are 2-8 and facing abundant questions about their future in many areas. A win this week would soothe a lot of fans feelings, but it would have to be a convincing win. Trent Richardson needs to stop dancing and run through the hole. Brandon Weeden needs to cut down the mistakes and rediscover the deep ball that has eluded him of late. The defense just needs to stop people. They can do it, but they have to put forth 60 minutes of effort for once.
Pick: Browns 27, Steelers 19
Last week: 11-2
Overall: 81-29-1
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Joined in progress - The Sports Mixer game blog
I was going to do a live blog during the Sunday night game, but unfortunately the sight of the Steelers made me queasy and I had to let my stomach settle first.
Just kidding.
I was doing laundry and didn't get to sit down with my laptop until 12:00 left in the third quarter.
So far, Peyton Manning has looked good, particularly in the no-huddle. Unfortunately, Ben Roethlisberger is looking good as well.
It's 10-7 Pittsburgh as we join the game in progress.
Time notations are time left in the current quarter.
3rd Quarter
10:40 - Roethlisberger dumps off to Isaac Redman, who juggles it before finally corraling it.
10:15 - He dives! And he looks short, at least according to the ugly yellow line that is draped across the field inaccurately most of the time, so now it's 4th and inches.
10:11 - Well that was a fortunate spot by the side judge. On replay he never makes it to the yellow line, but the refs blow another call.
9:32 - Another false start on the Steelers. By my count, that's now 27 on the Steelers.
8:26 - Apparently I'm the only person who hears the whistle blowing for another false start, but the play carries on and then the Referee goofs on the call, saying the penalty was declined even though it was a deadball foul. Yeah, they aren't doing so hot.
8:03 - I really think players who hold out should be suspended for the first game. Just saying, Mike Wallace.
7:30 - I'm fairly certain Denver missed the memo about the Steelers line being a mess. They aren't getting near Roethlisberger right now. Easy first down.
6:55 - Hey, Mike Adams. We miss you here. Trust me. Nice play there. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning is certain he's never seeing the field again in this game. This drive is taking forever.
6:40 - Oh look, lost helmet. They have chin straps, right?
6:09 - Almost had him. Browns fans are familiar with Ben just barely getting rid of the ball as the pressure gets there. Field goal try time.
6:05 - Steelers 13, Broncos 7 as the near-nine minute drive finally ends.
That drive was the epitome of a Steelers drive though. They ran the ball a lot, Roethlisberger completed passes when he needed to, and third and long didn't slow them down one bit, at least until the end when the Broncos rush finally got there. Now we'll see if Manning can resume his mastery.
5:59 - First pass of the second half for Manning is right on the money, and back to no-huddle we go.
5:32 - That was quick...and very easy. Second play is a short pass left on a hot read to Demaryius Thomas, and 70 yards later it's 14-13 Broncos. Wow. Someone might want to inform the Steelers that Manning is the quarterback and blitzing ends badly.
In short, it took the Steelers almost nine minutes to put up a field and Manning less than a minute, after sitting for 57 minutes total, to put up a touchdown. Oh, and it's his 400th career touchdown.
5:29 - I'm pretty sure the kickers are competing to see who can get a ball in the stands first. They are booming these kickoffs right now.
That may have been the creepiest Old Spice commercial ever. Sometimes I wonder where these ideas come from. The Nissan commercial afterwards wasn't much better. Personally, if my gas station attendant knew me like that I'd be using a different company.
5:25 - That was a dangerous throw by Ben. Triple coverage there buddy.
5:18 - That was almost as dangerous. Tracy Porter had his hands on that one. Ben might want to reconsider where he's throwing.
5:12 - Dropped pass on a helmet-to-helmet hit. I'm not a big proponent of the penalties that get called, but that was a pretty blatant hit there. Meanwhile, the refs had trouble spotting the ball after the possession started on the 20. Uh, 15+20 is what now?
5:03 - Little dump-off loses 2 yards. Chris Rainey should've just dropped that one.
4:28 - Roethlisberger finally goes down. I think the Steelers lineman were on a coffee break. The entire middle brokedown.
3:48 - God I hate Steelers fans. Meanwhile, the Broncos apparently decided not to include Heath Miller in their gameplan. Fourth time he's been wide open now and 3 and 18 is converted.
3:10 - Denver must really like playing on defense right now. Short gain just got longer thanks to a facemask penalty. Tiime of possession is terribly in favor of Pittsburgh right now. Yikes. At least Manning won't be tired. If he sees the field again.
2:41 - Jonathan Dwyer is a tough guy to bring down. He just bounced off 4 guys, 3 coaches, and several cheerleaders to pick up a first down.
2:05 - Um, Ben? Your receiver was about 10 yards closer to you.
1:35 - I love when coaches cover their faces with paper while speaking. Because every team makes sure to hire lip readers.
1:15 - Imagine that, a third and seven converted because Miller is wide open. Again. Linebackers? Where are you?
0:24 - Dwyer is just tough. He shrugged off Adams like he wasn't there. However, where's the containment on the outside? Meanwhile, replay just showed Dwyer's knee was down as he crossed the 2 yard line. Refs? Did you see that? Probably not. Luckily, scoring plays are reviewed and the right call is made.
That marks the end of the quarter. In the third quarter, the Broncos had the ball for all of 36 seconds, the Steelers the other 14:24, yet the Broncos lead 14-13 after three quarters. Just goes to show you.
4th Quarter
14:56 - Nice play by Von Miller to stuff the middle and drop Redman for a loss. Can Pittsburgh punch it in?
14:11 - Yes they can. Mike Wallace catches the pass. Hate Ben, but that was a perfect throw.
God, I just said that. Punch me.
Oh look, going for two. Fail. 19-14 your score.
On a side note, how do Fox and NBC both have America's game of the week?
13:41 - Well at least this possession will be longer than two plays. Two runs and a first down since the safeties are playing deep.
13:04 - Well Thomas just stiff-armed Troy like he was a rag doll. Wow.
12:15 - Manning makes the position look so easy. He faked a handoff then threw a dart to Eric Decker.
11:45 - Another laser, this time to Stokely. He's running no-huddle like he's still in Indy.
11:20 - That was a bit high. There was also a ton of grabbing going on between the receiver and defensive back.
11:10 - Great effort by Jacob Tamme to get that first down. The throw was low, but he got up and fought to get past the marker when most would've just rolled out of bounds.
10:35 - He's just picking them apart right now. Decker almost fumbled though.
9:34 - What a mess. The Broncos ran a play while Mike Tomlin threw the challenge flag on the field, so the refs are going to review whether there was a fumble or not. Sadly, there wasn't so the Steelers should lose the challenge and timeout. God I hate the Steelers sometimes. This replay isn't even close. He doesn't lose the ball til well after his knee hits, his elbow hits, and someone throws confetti in the air.
9:23 - Tamme with the catch, although I'm sure this is going to get reviewed. He crossed the goal line, started to fall, and the ball went flying out of his hands, but it appears he had control. Now Denver going for two. They convert so it's 22-19 now in favor of the Broncos.
9:23 - He thought about bringing that one out from nine yards deep, didn't he? Meanwhile they're pointing out how Manning changed the play while the refs were trying to figure out what was going on.
9:16 - Rainy just turned a near seven yard loss into a six yard gain. Nice cutbacks.
8:35 - Nice job by Porter to break-up a long pass attempt to Wallace. Roethlisberger got hit again too. Big third down coming since Denver keeps giving up big plays on third down.
8:29 - Hey! They covered Heath Miller! Wallace was wide open down the field, but Ben was under so much pressure he never saw it. Punting time.
7:49 - Too much dancing by McGahee. He had a hole to the left, but missed it.
6:54 - Lance Ball with a nice run on first down. Manning is looking like he didn't miss a game, much less a season.
5:45 - What a pretty throw that was to Tamme. He lofted that ball perfectly. After several runs, he hits you with that. Just not fair.
5:20 - Not a big gain, but effective run. Manning is working quickly.
4:38 - Manning is changing the play, then waiting for the Steelers to set up, then changing it again. Eight yards later, it's third and two and the game is on again.
3:57 - That's the most annoying thing a quarterback can do. The safeties kept running up when Manning would go under center, so he'd back off and look at them. They'd start backing up and he'd go back under center. The safeties came up again, so he backed off again, this time calling a timeout.
3:51 - Incomplete pass, but a flag is thrown. Pass Interference on the Steelers. That one hurts. The defensive back never turned around to find the ball.
3:44 - McGahee is stood up, but the clock is ticking on the Steelers. Oh, and the Steelers are down to two timeouts.
3:07 - That one was too high, but he made it so no one could catch that ball.
3:03 - Back shoulder throw to Decker, but he can't haul it in. That was a catchable ball. Broncos have to settle for a field goal. 25-19 is the score. A touchdown can win it with 3 minutes to go.
2:52 - How did Roethlisberger get that one off? Bad snap, pressure coming, and he puts it right on the money for a big gain? I just despise the guy sometimes.
2:10 - Throwaway since no one was open. I'm pretty sure he double-pumped at least twice on that play. One day, that ball is going to pop out of his hand. I hope.
2:04 - Porter steps in front of the pass and he's going the other way for a pick-six. That'll put the game away. He just jumped the route and 43 yards later, it's a touchdown. Now Peyton comes running in to try for two. Well, after the two minute warning. Okay, so the refs messed that up too. Sheesh. In the meantime, the conversion fails. Yeah, the refs are going to force the NFL to get the regular refs back soon. Like tomorrow. Please.
1:58 - Well, that kickoff almost made it in the stands. Now back to our regularly scheduled football game.
1:54 - Von Miller just blew by the offensive lineman to get the sack. Sorry Mike Adams. I love the Buckeyes, but you blew that one.
1:22 - Sanders just got knocked around like a ping-pong ball. Third and five now.
0:57 - Miller gets him again. It looks like Ben just gave up on the play from the get go. He just ducked down and disappeared in a mass of jerseys. Nice tribute to Tim Tebow by Miller by the way. Why are the Steelers taking a timeout?
0:47 - Oh, to give the Broncos a second-wind to sack Ben for the third time on this possession. Kneel down time.
Final thoughts
Well, the Steelers couldn't run the ball, couldn't stop Peyton Manning, gave up some big chunks of yardage on the ground, and have a horrible offensive line.
They'll still win 10 games though.
The Broncos look good tonight, but we'll see how the defense holds up. They were getting gashed early in the game. Manning looks like he didn't miss a day though. That's going to get them several wins alone.
Final: Broncos 31, Steelers 19.
Just kidding.
I was doing laundry and didn't get to sit down with my laptop until 12:00 left in the third quarter.
So far, Peyton Manning has looked good, particularly in the no-huddle. Unfortunately, Ben Roethlisberger is looking good as well.
It's 10-7 Pittsburgh as we join the game in progress.
Time notations are time left in the current quarter.
3rd Quarter
10:40 - Roethlisberger dumps off to Isaac Redman, who juggles it before finally corraling it.
10:15 - He dives! And he looks short, at least according to the ugly yellow line that is draped across the field inaccurately most of the time, so now it's 4th and inches.
10:11 - Well that was a fortunate spot by the side judge. On replay he never makes it to the yellow line, but the refs blow another call.
9:32 - Another false start on the Steelers. By my count, that's now 27 on the Steelers.
8:26 - Apparently I'm the only person who hears the whistle blowing for another false start, but the play carries on and then the Referee goofs on the call, saying the penalty was declined even though it was a deadball foul. Yeah, they aren't doing so hot.
8:03 - I really think players who hold out should be suspended for the first game. Just saying, Mike Wallace.
7:30 - I'm fairly certain Denver missed the memo about the Steelers line being a mess. They aren't getting near Roethlisberger right now. Easy first down.
6:55 - Hey, Mike Adams. We miss you here. Trust me. Nice play there. Meanwhile, Peyton Manning is certain he's never seeing the field again in this game. This drive is taking forever.
6:40 - Oh look, lost helmet. They have chin straps, right?
6:09 - Almost had him. Browns fans are familiar with Ben just barely getting rid of the ball as the pressure gets there. Field goal try time.
6:05 - Steelers 13, Broncos 7 as the near-nine minute drive finally ends.
That drive was the epitome of a Steelers drive though. They ran the ball a lot, Roethlisberger completed passes when he needed to, and third and long didn't slow them down one bit, at least until the end when the Broncos rush finally got there. Now we'll see if Manning can resume his mastery.
5:59 - First pass of the second half for Manning is right on the money, and back to no-huddle we go.
5:32 - That was quick...and very easy. Second play is a short pass left on a hot read to Demaryius Thomas, and 70 yards later it's 14-13 Broncos. Wow. Someone might want to inform the Steelers that Manning is the quarterback and blitzing ends badly.
In short, it took the Steelers almost nine minutes to put up a field and Manning less than a minute, after sitting for 57 minutes total, to put up a touchdown. Oh, and it's his 400th career touchdown.
5:29 - I'm pretty sure the kickers are competing to see who can get a ball in the stands first. They are booming these kickoffs right now.
That may have been the creepiest Old Spice commercial ever. Sometimes I wonder where these ideas come from. The Nissan commercial afterwards wasn't much better. Personally, if my gas station attendant knew me like that I'd be using a different company.
5:25 - That was a dangerous throw by Ben. Triple coverage there buddy.
5:18 - That was almost as dangerous. Tracy Porter had his hands on that one. Ben might want to reconsider where he's throwing.
5:12 - Dropped pass on a helmet-to-helmet hit. I'm not a big proponent of the penalties that get called, but that was a pretty blatant hit there. Meanwhile, the refs had trouble spotting the ball after the possession started on the 20. Uh, 15+20 is what now?
5:03 - Little dump-off loses 2 yards. Chris Rainey should've just dropped that one.
4:28 - Roethlisberger finally goes down. I think the Steelers lineman were on a coffee break. The entire middle brokedown.
3:48 - God I hate Steelers fans. Meanwhile, the Broncos apparently decided not to include Heath Miller in their gameplan. Fourth time he's been wide open now and 3 and 18 is converted.
3:10 - Denver must really like playing on defense right now. Short gain just got longer thanks to a facemask penalty. Tiime of possession is terribly in favor of Pittsburgh right now. Yikes. At least Manning won't be tired. If he sees the field again.
2:41 - Jonathan Dwyer is a tough guy to bring down. He just bounced off 4 guys, 3 coaches, and several cheerleaders to pick up a first down.
2:05 - Um, Ben? Your receiver was about 10 yards closer to you.
1:35 - I love when coaches cover their faces with paper while speaking. Because every team makes sure to hire lip readers.
1:15 - Imagine that, a third and seven converted because Miller is wide open. Again. Linebackers? Where are you?
0:24 - Dwyer is just tough. He shrugged off Adams like he wasn't there. However, where's the containment on the outside? Meanwhile, replay just showed Dwyer's knee was down as he crossed the 2 yard line. Refs? Did you see that? Probably not. Luckily, scoring plays are reviewed and the right call is made.
That marks the end of the quarter. In the third quarter, the Broncos had the ball for all of 36 seconds, the Steelers the other 14:24, yet the Broncos lead 14-13 after three quarters. Just goes to show you.
4th Quarter
14:56 - Nice play by Von Miller to stuff the middle and drop Redman for a loss. Can Pittsburgh punch it in?
14:11 - Yes they can. Mike Wallace catches the pass. Hate Ben, but that was a perfect throw.
God, I just said that. Punch me.
Oh look, going for two. Fail. 19-14 your score.
On a side note, how do Fox and NBC both have America's game of the week?
13:41 - Well at least this possession will be longer than two plays. Two runs and a first down since the safeties are playing deep.
13:04 - Well Thomas just stiff-armed Troy like he was a rag doll. Wow.
12:15 - Manning makes the position look so easy. He faked a handoff then threw a dart to Eric Decker.
11:45 - Another laser, this time to Stokely. He's running no-huddle like he's still in Indy.
11:20 - That was a bit high. There was also a ton of grabbing going on between the receiver and defensive back.
11:10 - Great effort by Jacob Tamme to get that first down. The throw was low, but he got up and fought to get past the marker when most would've just rolled out of bounds.
10:35 - He's just picking them apart right now. Decker almost fumbled though.
9:34 - What a mess. The Broncos ran a play while Mike Tomlin threw the challenge flag on the field, so the refs are going to review whether there was a fumble or not. Sadly, there wasn't so the Steelers should lose the challenge and timeout. God I hate the Steelers sometimes. This replay isn't even close. He doesn't lose the ball til well after his knee hits, his elbow hits, and someone throws confetti in the air.
9:23 - Tamme with the catch, although I'm sure this is going to get reviewed. He crossed the goal line, started to fall, and the ball went flying out of his hands, but it appears he had control. Now Denver going for two. They convert so it's 22-19 now in favor of the Broncos.
9:23 - He thought about bringing that one out from nine yards deep, didn't he? Meanwhile they're pointing out how Manning changed the play while the refs were trying to figure out what was going on.
9:16 - Rainy just turned a near seven yard loss into a six yard gain. Nice cutbacks.
8:35 - Nice job by Porter to break-up a long pass attempt to Wallace. Roethlisberger got hit again too. Big third down coming since Denver keeps giving up big plays on third down.
8:29 - Hey! They covered Heath Miller! Wallace was wide open down the field, but Ben was under so much pressure he never saw it. Punting time.
7:49 - Too much dancing by McGahee. He had a hole to the left, but missed it.
6:54 - Lance Ball with a nice run on first down. Manning is looking like he didn't miss a game, much less a season.
5:45 - What a pretty throw that was to Tamme. He lofted that ball perfectly. After several runs, he hits you with that. Just not fair.
5:20 - Not a big gain, but effective run. Manning is working quickly.
4:38 - Manning is changing the play, then waiting for the Steelers to set up, then changing it again. Eight yards later, it's third and two and the game is on again.
3:57 - That's the most annoying thing a quarterback can do. The safeties kept running up when Manning would go under center, so he'd back off and look at them. They'd start backing up and he'd go back under center. The safeties came up again, so he backed off again, this time calling a timeout.
3:51 - Incomplete pass, but a flag is thrown. Pass Interference on the Steelers. That one hurts. The defensive back never turned around to find the ball.
3:44 - McGahee is stood up, but the clock is ticking on the Steelers. Oh, and the Steelers are down to two timeouts.
3:07 - That one was too high, but he made it so no one could catch that ball.
3:03 - Back shoulder throw to Decker, but he can't haul it in. That was a catchable ball. Broncos have to settle for a field goal. 25-19 is the score. A touchdown can win it with 3 minutes to go.
2:52 - How did Roethlisberger get that one off? Bad snap, pressure coming, and he puts it right on the money for a big gain? I just despise the guy sometimes.
2:10 - Throwaway since no one was open. I'm pretty sure he double-pumped at least twice on that play. One day, that ball is going to pop out of his hand. I hope.
2:04 - Porter steps in front of the pass and he's going the other way for a pick-six. That'll put the game away. He just jumped the route and 43 yards later, it's a touchdown. Now Peyton comes running in to try for two. Well, after the two minute warning. Okay, so the refs messed that up too. Sheesh. In the meantime, the conversion fails. Yeah, the refs are going to force the NFL to get the regular refs back soon. Like tomorrow. Please.
1:58 - Well, that kickoff almost made it in the stands. Now back to our regularly scheduled football game.
1:54 - Von Miller just blew by the offensive lineman to get the sack. Sorry Mike Adams. I love the Buckeyes, but you blew that one.
1:22 - Sanders just got knocked around like a ping-pong ball. Third and five now.
0:57 - Miller gets him again. It looks like Ben just gave up on the play from the get go. He just ducked down and disappeared in a mass of jerseys. Nice tribute to Tim Tebow by Miller by the way. Why are the Steelers taking a timeout?
0:47 - Oh, to give the Broncos a second-wind to sack Ben for the third time on this possession. Kneel down time.
Final thoughts
Well, the Steelers couldn't run the ball, couldn't stop Peyton Manning, gave up some big chunks of yardage on the ground, and have a horrible offensive line.
They'll still win 10 games though.
The Broncos look good tonight, but we'll see how the defense holds up. They were getting gashed early in the game. Manning looks like he didn't miss a day though. That's going to get them several wins alone.
Final: Broncos 31, Steelers 19.
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