Post by Evil Dave on Dec 4, 2007 10:46:51 GMT -5
Well, the Lil' Belichicks have definitely dodged a couple bullets the last couple of weeks. Here's ten reasons why I believe Pittsburgh is gonna help the '72 Dolphins pop the cork on that champagne:
1. Eagles? Ravens? C'mon! -- A lot of people were saying things like, "Invincible" or "Best Team Ever." But after watching them struggle to beat less than average teams like Philly and Baltimore, there's no doubt that they're beatable no matter who they play. But if they show up with the same output they've had the last couple weeks against a contender-caliber team like the Steelers, there's gonna be no lucky close call. They'll be behind by 20 going into the fourth.
2. Everybody's Best Shot -- It's obvious that every team they line up against is gunning for them. This means they're not gonna get anymore "gimme" games, no matter who they're playing. Even the teams whose season is pretty much over are going to play well against them. For teams like New York and Miami, that is their Super Bowl and/or time to shine. Everyone wants to be the team that knocks them off.
3. Run Defense, where are you?! -- I think a chink in their armor has deff been exposed. Especially last night against the Ravens. McGahee absolutely gashed their vaunted front seven time and time again. I think this hasn't shown up until recently because up until the last couple weeks, they've always been playing with a huge lead, causing the other team to all but abandon the run game. Once those offenses became one dimensional, their D has simply been pinning their ears back and rushing the passer. Pittsburgh runs the ball as good as anyone year in and year out, and that's gonna be the focus this week. They're going to pound the rock on NE until they prove they can stop it. If they can't, Tom Brady is gonna spend most the game watching from the sideline and Big Ben will benefit from the threat of playaction. That's a recipe for a Pats defeat.
4. You've gotta get Pressure! -- New England has also struggled with exotic blitz packages the last two weeks. Especially off the edge. Nobody does that better than Pittsburgh. You also saw this against Indy with Freeney and Mathis. Brady's out of this world, but pressure in the pocket is the great equalizer. If he doesn't have time, he can't hurt you. Not to mention it takes Moss away because he doesn't have time to burn you deep. If Haggans, Harrison, Foote, and Farrior show up as they normally do, New England's in a world of trouble.
5. Feeley? Boller? Ben won't beat himself -- For two straight weeks, sub-par QB's have played good enough to take the might Pats down................except for ONE stupid decision at the end of both games. Both Feeley and Boller forced passes that they DIDN'T have to at crucial points at the end of both games where both teams had great opportunities to at least kick field goals to go up by two possessions and win the game. But this week they've got to deal with Roethlisberger, not Feeley or Boller. Big Ben is twice the player both physically and mentally as these previous two, and he won't blow it at the end like they did.
6. Pressure is Building -- Whether they'll admit it or not, each week that they stay unbeaten, it gets harder to keep winning. The pressure ratchets up the farther they go this season, and I think that has a lot to do with why they've looked like anything but the dominant team they've been up to this point. If they come out tight again this week, they won't get by with it against the Steelers because a half-assed effort won't keep them tied or in the lead against a quality team like that.
7. Luck Runs Out -- Last night it took a series of unthinkable events to boost them to a win. The Ravens stopped them 3 times on fourth down, only to be on the wrong side of the stick on a fluke timeout, a false start BY New England that actually HELPED them, and a stupid penalty in the back of the endzone. Not to mention Boller's bad decision that led to a costly turnover to give them the ball back and the tipped pass of Brady's that went literally 15 yards straight up in the air and landed between 5 Ravens yet didn't get intercepted. All those crazy things happening right in sequential order is literally a 1 in a million shot. If any one of them doesn't happen, they lose last night. That kind of ridiculous luck isn't going to last forever. Eventually the worm turns.
8. Physical Steelers -- If you paid attention to the last two NE games, they were not the most physical team on the field in either matchup. The Eagles and Ravens lined up and hit them right in the mouth. If NE struggles against teams that can be more physical than them, then Pittsburgh should give them fits. The Steelers are historically among, if not the most, physical team in football. The Pats better man up quick, because you know Pittsburgh will be taking the gloves off all game long.
9. No. 1 Offense meet No. 1 Defense -- Yes NE's offense is a juggernaut. But let's not forget so quickly about the D being played in Pittsburgh this year. They're rank No. 1 in all the defensive categories that matter. It's going to be a case of the Rock meeting the Unmovable Force. Something's going to have to give. And let's not forget what Indy's D did to that offense for three and a half quarters; they held them under 20 points. If Indy can do it, so can the Steel City. And NE hasn't scored 30 points for two weeks straight now. And neither of those teams' defenses are the Pittsburgh Steelers D. I'm not saying they'll shut the Pats O done completely, nobody can. But I also don't see Pittsburgh having to score more than 4 touchdowns to beat them either. They are more than capable of slowing them down ENOUGH to beat them.
10. Steelers Can Win on the Road -- Because of their inherent style of play, the Steelers are a tough team to beat, even on the road. They can run the ball, they play tough D, and they are physical. In other words, there's no gimmicks to their game. Those type of teams are good on the road because they never get blown out. They will have a chance to win. Also, NE is infamously tough to win at once winter comes around because of the harsh Northeastern weather elements. But if you've watched the Steelers games against Baltimore, Miami, and Cincinnatti, it's fairly obvious to see that crappy field conditions and weather will not bother Pittsburgh in the least.
Anyways, there's my reasons why I actually think the streak ends this week. And yes, I'll be putting my money where my mouth is. I'm taking Pittsburgh over the mighty Pats this week in my Pick 'Em. What do you guys think?
1. Eagles? Ravens? C'mon! -- A lot of people were saying things like, "Invincible" or "Best Team Ever." But after watching them struggle to beat less than average teams like Philly and Baltimore, there's no doubt that they're beatable no matter who they play. But if they show up with the same output they've had the last couple weeks against a contender-caliber team like the Steelers, there's gonna be no lucky close call. They'll be behind by 20 going into the fourth.
2. Everybody's Best Shot -- It's obvious that every team they line up against is gunning for them. This means they're not gonna get anymore "gimme" games, no matter who they're playing. Even the teams whose season is pretty much over are going to play well against them. For teams like New York and Miami, that is their Super Bowl and/or time to shine. Everyone wants to be the team that knocks them off.
3. Run Defense, where are you?! -- I think a chink in their armor has deff been exposed. Especially last night against the Ravens. McGahee absolutely gashed their vaunted front seven time and time again. I think this hasn't shown up until recently because up until the last couple weeks, they've always been playing with a huge lead, causing the other team to all but abandon the run game. Once those offenses became one dimensional, their D has simply been pinning their ears back and rushing the passer. Pittsburgh runs the ball as good as anyone year in and year out, and that's gonna be the focus this week. They're going to pound the rock on NE until they prove they can stop it. If they can't, Tom Brady is gonna spend most the game watching from the sideline and Big Ben will benefit from the threat of playaction. That's a recipe for a Pats defeat.
4. You've gotta get Pressure! -- New England has also struggled with exotic blitz packages the last two weeks. Especially off the edge. Nobody does that better than Pittsburgh. You also saw this against Indy with Freeney and Mathis. Brady's out of this world, but pressure in the pocket is the great equalizer. If he doesn't have time, he can't hurt you. Not to mention it takes Moss away because he doesn't have time to burn you deep. If Haggans, Harrison, Foote, and Farrior show up as they normally do, New England's in a world of trouble.
5. Feeley? Boller? Ben won't beat himself -- For two straight weeks, sub-par QB's have played good enough to take the might Pats down................except for ONE stupid decision at the end of both games. Both Feeley and Boller forced passes that they DIDN'T have to at crucial points at the end of both games where both teams had great opportunities to at least kick field goals to go up by two possessions and win the game. But this week they've got to deal with Roethlisberger, not Feeley or Boller. Big Ben is twice the player both physically and mentally as these previous two, and he won't blow it at the end like they did.
6. Pressure is Building -- Whether they'll admit it or not, each week that they stay unbeaten, it gets harder to keep winning. The pressure ratchets up the farther they go this season, and I think that has a lot to do with why they've looked like anything but the dominant team they've been up to this point. If they come out tight again this week, they won't get by with it against the Steelers because a half-assed effort won't keep them tied or in the lead against a quality team like that.
7. Luck Runs Out -- Last night it took a series of unthinkable events to boost them to a win. The Ravens stopped them 3 times on fourth down, only to be on the wrong side of the stick on a fluke timeout, a false start BY New England that actually HELPED them, and a stupid penalty in the back of the endzone. Not to mention Boller's bad decision that led to a costly turnover to give them the ball back and the tipped pass of Brady's that went literally 15 yards straight up in the air and landed between 5 Ravens yet didn't get intercepted. All those crazy things happening right in sequential order is literally a 1 in a million shot. If any one of them doesn't happen, they lose last night. That kind of ridiculous luck isn't going to last forever. Eventually the worm turns.
8. Physical Steelers -- If you paid attention to the last two NE games, they were not the most physical team on the field in either matchup. The Eagles and Ravens lined up and hit them right in the mouth. If NE struggles against teams that can be more physical than them, then Pittsburgh should give them fits. The Steelers are historically among, if not the most, physical team in football. The Pats better man up quick, because you know Pittsburgh will be taking the gloves off all game long.
9. No. 1 Offense meet No. 1 Defense -- Yes NE's offense is a juggernaut. But let's not forget so quickly about the D being played in Pittsburgh this year. They're rank No. 1 in all the defensive categories that matter. It's going to be a case of the Rock meeting the Unmovable Force. Something's going to have to give. And let's not forget what Indy's D did to that offense for three and a half quarters; they held them under 20 points. If Indy can do it, so can the Steel City. And NE hasn't scored 30 points for two weeks straight now. And neither of those teams' defenses are the Pittsburgh Steelers D. I'm not saying they'll shut the Pats O done completely, nobody can. But I also don't see Pittsburgh having to score more than 4 touchdowns to beat them either. They are more than capable of slowing them down ENOUGH to beat them.
10. Steelers Can Win on the Road -- Because of their inherent style of play, the Steelers are a tough team to beat, even on the road. They can run the ball, they play tough D, and they are physical. In other words, there's no gimmicks to their game. Those type of teams are good on the road because they never get blown out. They will have a chance to win. Also, NE is infamously tough to win at once winter comes around because of the harsh Northeastern weather elements. But if you've watched the Steelers games against Baltimore, Miami, and Cincinnatti, it's fairly obvious to see that crappy field conditions and weather will not bother Pittsburgh in the least.
Anyways, there's my reasons why I actually think the streak ends this week. And yes, I'll be putting my money where my mouth is. I'm taking Pittsburgh over the mighty Pats this week in my Pick 'Em. What do you guys think?
