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PREVIEW

We are just past the half way mark of the season and the legit teams start separating themselves from the pack. The Steelers stumbled out of the gates and dealt with early injuries while the Bronco’s remained the cinderella story of the first half. It may seem early but this could very well be the matchup for the AFC championship game a few months down the road.

The Steelers are coming off their bye week and have been on a roll since they got back their defensive captain, safety Troy Polamalu. QB Ben Roethlisberger has his work cut out for himself going up against the #1 ranked defense in the NFL. He is going to need to spread the ball around and this game may well turn out to be an aerial attack from both sides. A major plus would be if Rashard Mendenhall can give the Steelers a boost by helping to balance the attack. With the pressure coming from Broncos star defensive end and AFC sack leader Elvis Dumervil, Ben will have to make quick decisions and trust his teammates to do their job.

The Broncos (6-1), are hoping to rebound from their first loss of the season. What better stage to do it on than in front of a national audience, under the lights on their home field. The offense has done just enough to win this year. They play it safe but get the job done. Kyle Orton has already won the hearts and respect of the Broncos fans. He is not the guy who will make the big plays but he has found success with his style of play throwing to some great receivers. The running game has been consistent and provides a good balance for this team. Knowshon Moreno has put together a nice rookie campaign and ex-Eagle Correll Buckhalter is proving to be a pleasant surprise. The Broncos O Line clashed with a rough defense last week at Baltimore. Like the Ravens, the Steelers play a tough, physical game. How this Denver team responds should paint a clearer picture of what kind of team they will be in the post season.

The Steelers have not won a regular season game in Denver since 1990 and that streak may not be ending tonight.
Prediction: Steelers 17 – Broncos 20

• Neither team could get into a rhythm early and Ben Roethlisberger looked like he thought he was still participating in an episode of Shaq v/s ?
• Rob Bironas, one of the better kickers in the league struggled all night and missed two kicks that would have dramatically effected the outcome of this game. Blame it on the hold or the field, that was a game changer and a few more of those will have him standing in the unemployment line.
• Rookie WR Kenny Britt had an impressive debut for the Titans. Even with a few mistakes he managed to catch some key passes for 85 yds including a 57 yard bomb that helped the Titans get down field for their only touchdown.
• Pittsburgh was unable to do much on the ground as the Titans, sans Haynesworth, managed to limit them to 36 rushing yards.
• The Titans brought the pressure on Roethlisberger getting 4 sacks, but as the game went along it seemed he had enough time to braid Polamalu’s hair before he had to make a throw out of the pocket.
• Uncharacteristically, Hines Ward coughed up a fumble at the Titans 4 with 51 seconds left in regulation and a tie game. He is probably still kicking himself for trying to get the touchdown but the Steelers made quick work in overtime.

Troy Polamalu came down with one of the sickest interceptions I have seen in a while but the bad news is, the Steelers will have to find ways to win without him. Call it the Madden curse (rather EA curse), as Polamalu went down with a knee injury in the first half of tonight’s game. He went off the field on his own power but tests revealed that he suffered a MCL sprain which will keep him in street clothes for the next 3-6 weeks.

Random Thoughts:
Why do people talk about how old Favre is when Kerry Collins looks old enough to be his dad?
Why has the NFL tried to put in a rule for everything but still haven’t come up with a better solution for overtime?
Its only the first game but I really missed Madden calling it. What did you think of the job Cris Collinsworth did?

Pittsburgh Steelers Prediction (14-2): The Champs didn’t change much from last season and should be the team to beat once again. It would take some pressure off from Big Ben if Willie Parker can stay healthy and contribute consistently. Defensively this team is as sound as it gets and it doesn’t hurt that the schedule this year for the Steelers creates an easier path to the post-season.
Cincinnati Begals Prediction (8-8): Carson Palmer’s elbow looks good but its a matter of “will it hold up”. They lost T.J but the combo of Laveranues Coles and Chad Ochocinco’s is very potent and if they can keep things focused on the game rather than off the field antics they should get a chance to make it to the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens Prediction (7-9): They always look good on paper but it never translates. The Ravens success will rely heavily once again on the performance of Joe Flacco who has a year of experience under his belt. The departures on defense will hurt but this team has a chance to repeat last seasons success.
Cleveland Browns Prediction (4-12): The only good news for this team is that the schedule is favorable which should get them a few wins. Eric Mangini has discarded the Browns best player – Kellen Winslow, created a possible QB controversy and has no offensive weapons to work with.

New England Patriots Prediction (13-3): He’s BAAAAACK! The team barely missed the playoffs last year and with the additions of Shawn Springs, Leigh Bodden, Joey Galloway and Greg Lewis, they instantly become contenders again. As a result, the Patriots could pick up where they left off in 2007, blowing out opponents for much of the season. If Brady returns to 2007 form, anything less than a division championship appearance should be considered a letdown.
New York Jets Prediction (8-8): The Jets are working with a new QB and a new coach – they are probably studying what the Raven’s did last season and hope to have similar success. On the positive though, the team is sound on D and have a reliable ground game. If they manage to find some receivers to help out the QB they should be able to make some noise this season.
Miami Dolphins Prediction (6-10): With the return of Brady, and the Jets looking better than expected, there is no chance in hell the Dophins can duplicate last season’s success. A brutal schedule will negate the positives the team added over the off-season. Essentially the team could be equal or better than last season but still finish with half the wins and no post season in sight.
Buffalo Bills Prediction (5-11): They are solid at WR with Terrell Owens and Lee Evans, while Marshawn Lynch has shown he can run with the big boys. A major weakness still lies on the O line which will make using the running game very challenging and the QB is going to face quick pressure from breakdowns. The team has no stellar defensive lineup to put on the field and will rely heavily on trying to put up big offensive numbers.

Indianapolis Colts Prediction (11-5): As far as coaching changes go, this one should be a smooth transition since Jim Caldwell is not a totally new face. Peyton Manning may have lost his favorite receiver but still has Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, rookie Austin Collie and TE Dallas Clark to connect with. Add in an upgrade on the offensive line along with a better running game should have the Colt’s back on top of this division.
TennesseeTitans Prediction (9-7): The loss of Haynesworth will hurt and their schedule to the start the season may send the team stumbling. Kerry Collin’s is the QB of choice for this team and needs to build chemistry quick with new WR’s on the team to take some heat off from RB Chris Johnson. They surprised people how good they were last season but this year people are watching and with a weaker defense, the Titans may be the surprise “disappointing” team.
Houston Texans Prediction (8-8): Going into the season under the radar, I expect the Texans to have a successful season. Add on a win or two playing behind a solid defense and they could see themselves playing in January. Andre Johnson is one of the best WR’s in the game right now and with a light schedule for the first part of the season, the team is well positioned to finally make some noise in the AFC.
Jacksonville Jaguars Prediction (4-12): The running game is fine with Maurice Jones Drew but David Garrard is no Tom Brady. The team plays in a tough division and the schedule isn’t doing them any favors. There are just not enough weapons on offense to offset the weak defense for this team to improve over last season. 

San Diego Chargers Prediction (9-7): I am assigning this as the worst division in the AFC and the Chargers should be a lock to finish on top. Philip Rivers will continue to do his thing but Tomlinson’s star is fading. If Gates, Tomlinson and Merriman all manage to stay healthy this team will be as dangerous on the field as they look on paper.
Denver Broncos Prediction (7-9): The Cutler drama may be in the past but Kyle Orton is no savior. With a new coach, a QB who threw 3 interceptions in his first season game and a disgruntled WR, the Bronco’s are going to struggle to put together a winning season.
Oakland Raiders Prediction (5-11): The Raiders are set at the RB spot and have one of the best corner backs in Asomugha. They may surprise and finish ahead of the Broncos at the end of the season but the usual drama that follows this team makes me believe something will go wrong before things fall into place.
Kansas City Chiefs Prediction (3-13):The Chiefs are in full rebuilding mode and that means a whole lot of L’s in the loss column. A weak O line and a QB who has no one to throw to when the season starts, this team is going to take a beating from the rest of the league.