This will be the game where overreaction runs rampant in the Steel City, causing fans to ask, "Here we go again? Why, oh why, does it have to be the Raiders always nipping us in the buttocks?
Anybody who is not a Raiders fan hates Oakland, and that is ten-fold for Steelers Country. The fourth game of the schedule is one of the most understated and exciting games of the NFL season: the Keystone clash.
The sports media may not understand the depth of hatred present in this rare matchup, but fans in both Eastern and Western Pennsylvania will be fully ready for their personal version of civil war. The Steelers have struggled against Michael Vick in their previous regular season meetings with the electrifying entertainer. Tommy Maddox described the final outcome, which ended on a Hail Mary pass to Plaxico Burress just inches short of the goal line in overtime, as "kissing your sister" via ESPN.
Next, in , the Black and Gold looked less "big and bold" and more "lax and old" when Vick torched them in the Georgia Dome. Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch combined for five touchdowns without an interception, but Vick's four scoring strikes were paramount in a Falcons win in overtime. In , provided he is healthy, the Steelers are hoping to finally expose Vick's flaws opposed to making the super athlete look like the Superman. After missing the playoffs last season, Pittsburgh's intrastate rivals will look to meet last year's expectations a season late.
The Eagles have their most electrifying player, DeSean Jackson, comfortably signed, and they still boast a who's who gallery of huge NFL names. Does anyone still remember Nnamdi Asomugha? The man who surrendered no passing touchdowns as a member of the Raiders was victimized for a few scores during a "down" year in Philly. Hopefully Big Ben and the Steelers' young, fast receivers can assist in maintaining this new trend.
When the Eagles come to town, you can count on a dynamic live experience, so anyone who can get tickets to Heinz Field on October 7th should do it. Last year, the Eagles defense was like a mix of mustard and molasses, blue cheese and blueberries, and legumes and licorice. Things simply didn't mix.
An offensive line coach served as defensive coordinator; players failed to live up to their hyped expectations, and running backs ran rampant over the defensive front.
While the Eagles defense can provide pressure, particularly Jason Babin and Trent Cole 29 combined sacks , Big Ben's "tweaking" and the revamped line should hopefully begin to gel by October, translating to a nice balance of effective passing and running. Against teams like the Eagles, the outlet provided by Baron Batch or Chris Rainey should prove invaluable. Likewise, the odds simply indicate that it is time for the Steelers to bring Vick's passing game against them back down to Earth.
The Steelers will hope to confuse Vick in a manner similar to last year's preseason, in which they intercepted the athletic passer three times in less than a half of play. Like their last trip to Heinz Field, the talented Eagles will be overwhelmed by the speed, execution and determination of a rising championship contender.
Chris Johnson is the straw that stirs the drink in Nashville, and he will be running behind an improved offensive line that features all-pro Steve Hutchinson. If CJ2K can return to form, circa , the Titans will feature a dynamic young offense. Lately, he's merely been CJ. At receiver, Nate Washington and Kenny Britt are a terrific duo, tall and deceptively quick, able to make big plays at the opportune moment.
The big question regards the deliverer of the football. While Matt Hasselbeck is an experienced veteran who can keep any game close, Locker played well in rare relief during his rookie season, particularly in scoring five touchdowns four passing with no interceptions. While the defense ranked highly early on and received initial praise in , they struggled mightily against the Steelers. Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman ran roughshod over the Titans, allowing Big Ben — now equipped with a superb play-action passing ability — to finish for with five touchdown passes.
While that is unlikely to repeat itself, the truth about how the Steelers offense will perform against the better-than-showcased Titans defense from last season will depend on the ability of Pittsburgh to run the football. Having already lost Cortland Finnegan, an undermanned Titans secondary will have to contend with a passer that has gone of and of against them in his last two outings. In a close, gut-check affair, the Steelers offense will have success against the Titans defense in a sort of " Lite" performance.
Meanwhile, the Steelers defense has fared well recently against Chris Johnson, denying the runner the home run burst needed to get over the top yardage-wise against them.
However, with an improved line and the every down home run threat in the backfield, it will be difficult for the Steelers to completely contain Johnson without one breakdown. All that burst proved is that one missed hold can be the difference between containing the running back and giving him daylight. After two games without a long yardage stroll, I believe that Chris Johnson will be largely contained, but a few bursts into the secondary will keep the game in doubt for Pittsburgh until the last second ticks off the clock.
Ike Taylor and his counter-corner will need to test their vertical jumping prior to the contest, as Washington and Britt will certainly test them with their ability to move the chains and make big plays. Altogether, this promises to be a Thursday Night nail-biter.
The Steelers are all-time in Tennessee, including 's loss to the then-dubbed Tennessee Oilers. Or, will fans see the a slight return of the "Bungles," as Andy Dalton and the Bengals suffer through a sophomore slump following his superb rookie campaign?
Last season, Ben Roethlisberger voiced his confidence in Dalton per Neal Coolong of behindthesteelcurtain. I think he's that good of a quarterback. If Dalton was rising above the NFL scene his rookie season, it certainly wasn't quite high enough to see over the Steelers.
In all, Dalton did throw three touchdowns against the Steelers, largely due to the supreme athleticism and ri-dic-u-lous touchdown catches of A. However, he did fail to complete 50 percent of his passes against the Black and Gold in Pittsburgh, and he was the victim of two crucial interceptions in a narrow Cincy home loss.
His progress will be the key if he plans on beating one of the AFC North's elite teams. This marks his second such opportunity after facing Baltimore in Week 1. Defensively, the Bengals failed to stop both the Pittsburgh pass and run attack last season. Isaac Redman averaged over six yards per carry against Cincy, while Rashard Mendenhall scored four touchdowns. While his yardage was not gaudy against this Ohio rival, Big Ben tossed three touchdowns and only forced one interception in last year's season series.
Big Ben has been money in his collegiate state since turning professional. In fact, the recent series between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati has generally favored the road team. However, it hasn't come easily. Another very disturbing trend has worked against the Steelers many of those games, dating back as far as So many times in the last few decades, the Steelers have blown huge leads against the Bengals.
In , they led in the fourth quarter only to be victimized by Carson Palmer and Terrell Owens in the second half. Last season, they led , only to surrender the lead in a fourth quarter tied game. If Pittsburgh wants to keep a leg up on their stiff division competition, it will be important for the Men of Steel to have a killer instinct.
History tends to repeat itself. Likewise, it will be difficult for the Steelers to win both of back-to-back primetime contests against the Titans and Bengals. A blown fourth quarter lead will give Dalton his first win over the Black and Gold. Who will be responsible for the winning points? Get ready for a week in which the media forces two letters and numeral down the collective throats of all in Steelers Country. With a dazzling and electrifying quarterback at his disposal, Mike Shanahan, a man who has worked very well with talented signal-callers in the past, hopes his first-round acquisition helps turn the Redskins into the season's surprise team.
Last year, they swept the eventual champion Giants , lost six games by less than a touchdown and tended to play to the level of their competition. Considering the Steelers' pedigree, they should not expect anything less than Washington's best effort.
Just ask Eli Manning about how wise it is to put a red circle around the Redskins as a "win" on the regular season calendar. If Shanahan hopes to contend for the playoffs with his new quarterback, he needs to hope for improved performance from the offensive line. Also, last season, the depth at receiver did not allow Washington's quarterbacks to have much aerial success.
Fred Davis, the team's most frequent pass-catcher, returns at tight end, but the key acquisitions of Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon a fantasy sleeper should provide some dividends. Defensively, the 'Skins are passable upfront. They resigned London Fletcher, a necessary move if Washington had any hope of playing beyond late December. With a dearth of talent, the Redskins have struggled in the secondary, and Big Ben could have a huge game with so many weapons at his disposal.
Sure, they should expect the 'Skins' best effort. However, what they expect and what they get can be two very different things. While the Redskins played to the level of their competition last season, they are not the only team with their hand in the fate of this game. The Pittsburgh Steelers are returning home in Week 8 after an emotionally taxing two-game prime time exclusive road trip. The home confines of Heinz Field will provide a nice boost, further amplifying the advantage of the team's defensive front against Washington's lackluster modern day "Hogs" and rookie quarterback Robert Griffin, who WILL get the start over Rex Grossman.
Your guide to Wild Card Week. Grab your Terrible Towels and experience the playoffs with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Check out photos of the best fan pets in Steelers Nation.
Take a look at where Steelers fans have taken their Terrible Towels throughout the world. In this latest episode of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series, we go mic'd up with Coach Tomlin and meet the team's Secondary Coach, Grady Brown. Season 2 episode 4 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on Cam Heyward mic'd up, Tyson Alualu's recovery from injury, and Coach Tomlin's newest accomplishment.
Season 2 episode 3 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on T. Watt's new contract, his hometown of Pewaukee and returning to Wisconsin for the game in Green Bay. Season 2 episode 2 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on signing Joe Schobert, learning more about Najee Harris and Ben Roethlisberger's impressive preseason performance. Season 2 episode 1 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on the start of training camp, the tight ends and new Steelers in The Hall of Fame.
Episode 9 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on the technology that helped make the Steelers draft happen, Najee Harris arriving in Pittsburgh and more. Episode 8 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on preparations for the NFL Draft, Kevin Dotson's maturation, and new offensive line coach Adrian Klemm. Episode 7 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on the Hall of Fame inductees, preparation for the NFL Draft, and new offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
Episode 6 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on resodding Heinz Field, pregame routines, and the inside linebackers. Episode 5 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on the defensive success, Bud Dupree's talk show, and how the Steelers Radio Network is adapting this season.
Episode 4 of the Steelers' behind-the-scenes series focuses on the offensive line, the Watt brothers, and the first three games. Ben Roethlisberger is making sure the younger players on the roster know how serious Sunday night's playoff game is, but to have fun at the same time. Huddle Up during the playoffs with family and friends to Connect and Compete against your favorite Steelers digital tailgate crew. Make your picks to earn points and prizes, and bragging rights in our unique in-game group chat!
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The Steelers Nation Unite Huddle is a great way to get access and ask questions to Steelers players, legends, coaches, and front office personnel LIVE throughout the year. Their running game should return at full power and with a deeper backfield than before. Peyton Hillis could be a problem with his bruising style if the Steelers don't repair their run defense. Offensively, the Steelers should be able to exploit the Chiefs, but they struggled with this last season.
The key will be getting Isaac Redman going and then using the play action pass to draw the defense out of position. The Baltimore game is always a must-see event for Steelers fans. This is Pittsburgh's most bitter rivalry and it's always intense when it comes to Pittsburgh for the annual game. Baltimore has been quietly and steadily improving and return their key offensive and defensive players. It remains to be seen how they'll improve in the draft, but it is safe to say that Joe Flacco will attempt to use Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin against what right now seems to be an overmatched secondary.
Offensively, the Steelers would be wise to counter with a more run-heavy offense. They'll need to test Ray Lewis at his age, although that's never a good proposition. Still, the Ravens likely will be best beaten by keeping their offense on the benches.
Ball control should be key. Going to Cleveland is usually like a vacation for the Steelers. It must be psychological, but part of it is also that the Steelers bring a lot of fans up to Cleveland with them, making this like a ninth home game for the road team. They can pose a problem with the pass rush, but the Steelers will attempt to shore up their offensive line in the draft and hope for a healthy season. Defensively, the Steelers will have to get after Colt McCoy and company.
Cleveland actually projects worse on offense, their only real weapon still being Joshua Cribbs. This could be ugly. Going to Baltimore is a challenge for any team, but the Steelers will be trying to forget their last trip south to play the Ravens.
They were crushed by a motivated team. The two teams have a penchant for close, vicious games. Blowouts are about as likely as a sudden ice age. On offense, Pittsburgh will be best served to control the ball and keep Joe Flacco off the field.
Defensively, keying on Ray Rice is important. The Steelers and Chargers have had some interesting matchups despite not playing each other regularly. The two teams match up quite well together each season because they do so many things the same way. The Chargers are facing down a do or die season for Norv Turner. That will make them a hungry team all season long. The offense looks to be dynamic as Ryan Mathews continues to grow as a back and as the team continues to build a dynamic group of receivers.
Bank Stadium. Titans Tennessee Titans. Browns Cleveland Browns. AT Ravens Baltimore Ravens. Cowboys Dallas Cowboys. Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Game Recap Rewatch on Game Pass. AT Eagles Philadelphia Eagles. Lincoln Financial Field.
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