NFL Week 2 Running Thread

They definitely could lose either of those games. I'm worried about the pass rush, especially with Brett Kiesel out a month or two. The secondary is better than it was at the end of last season. That is the biggest improvement in the defense so far, the play at safety because Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu are healthy. The safety spots were a disaster by the end of the '07 season.

I was thinking last week would be a good test, but the Browns look terrible. This should be a much better indicator of what the Steelers really have this year.

 

They play in the regular season.

 

I was talking about the regular-season matchup.

I don't think Pittsburgh will win the AFC this year, but they are on the short list.

 

Let me dream, Simon. Let me dream.

I agree, the Steelers are on the Super Bowl list (especially A.B. - after Brady), but they have just as good of a chance as the Colts, Chargers, Broncs and a few others. The owner of the homefield in the AFC Championship will be the clear choice for the SB, but it is too soon to tell.

After two weeks of the season, the Steelers chance of making the Super Bowl has tripled, though, and they do have a nice track to homefield with five more against the Bengals, Ravens and the Browns.

OOP, I think the Eagles will be a good test, but they are in a trap game following an emotional Monday Night loss.

 

Anyone else think the Ravens and the Texans got screwed by having the bye so soon?

That bye week is nice later in the season. I mean how dinged up could they be after one week?

 

I'm not sure how easy that track to home field is with the NFC East teams on the schedule, and that's ok. Given recent history, I wouldn't mind seeing them go on the road for the playoffs. Remember, Heinz Field really doesn't play to the Steelers strengths because the surface is such a mess in bad weather. The defense and the running game are both built on speed. Willie Parker needs good footing to be at his bast, and so do most of the Steelers' pass rushers.

I do agree that there is no clear-cut favorite in the AFC right now. The Patriots are obviously a lot more vulnerable. The Jaguars' offensive line has been gutted by injuries. The Chargers took a huge hit with Merriman's injury. Three of the trendy picks -- the Browns, Texans and Jets -- look like they aren't quite ready for the big time after all. I know it was only one game for the Texans, but man did they ever look like crap.

 

Anyone else think that the Ravens and Texans were scheduled to play last week but had their game postponed--and their byes moved up to week two--by a hurricane?

 

Sorry, I was assuming that everyone realized that those two teams chewed up their week off (I cannot stop calling it a bye) due to the hurricane.

 

I'm sure thousands of displaced residents don't think the Ravens and Texans got screwed. Life intervened. Their inconvenience is minimal.

 

No blue font.

Hence... the dumbest post I have ever seen by you. Unless your 13-year-old son merely commandeered the keyboard for a few minutes.

 

Moving on ...

Indy loses Bob Sanders for 4 to 6 weeks due to a high ankle sprain. When he missed 12 games in 2006, the Colts were dead last in the league in rushing yards allowed per game.

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/12123/injury_to_sanders_leaves_hole_in_colts_d

 

What's the line from NFL Films?

And hopes that were high in the heat of September
Can wither and die in the chill of November
[/JohnFacendavoice]

I keep hearing all this talk about Dallas, but the Cowboys are going to have to prove they can do something in December and January before I buy any of it. They haven't done jack after Thanksgiving for more than a decade now.

I just looked up their record from Dec. 1 on, including the playoffs, since Parcells took over in 2003 (in other words, after they stopped being horrible year-round). 10-16.

When it comes to the Cows, I'm from Missouri. Show me.