View topic - Disecting the Schedule

[lloydrules Profile]

I know, I know: Just as the seemingly murderous schedule of '08 turned out not to be AS brutal as it seemed when it came out, this seemingly easy schedule will probably end up tougher than it looks on paper now. There are always teams that were good last year who end up not being as good, and there are always teams that go from sucking to good in one season. (i.e. Pats lose Brady for the season and all of a sudden are not so tough and the Fins go from winning only one game to winning the division and being a play off team in '08. Who thought TN would be so good in '08?)



1 Sep 10 TEN @ PIT Heinz Field 8:30 PM - TN is for real. They lost a few players, but at least they know who their QB is, and that is critical. They have a bona fide home run hit at RB, other teams should have spotted the talent of Johnson but didn't. They lost Haynesworth, but they have other good, young DL as we saw when we played them. All this being said, I like Pgh to win on the season opener, at home, on national TV. I feel they will get to Collins and bottle up CJ. 24-17, Pitt.


2 Sep 20 PIT @ CHI Soldier Field 4:15 PM - This is a tough one. How much better is Chi with Cutler? Pit has a poor history of playing NFC teams on the road, and Chi will be up for beating the world champs. Pit is better, but I feel they might be for a slight let down after getting so hyped to win home opener and coming off winning Lombardi. Chi is an upset. 1-1

3 Sep 27 PIT @ CIN Paul Brown Stadium 1:00 PM - It's Cinci. Won't have all their holes plugged. Pit wins to right their ship. 2-1

4 Oct 04 SD @ PIT Heinz Field 8:20 PM - Pit at home in a night game. Norv as anon-head coach trying to play one. Pit wins. 3-1.

5 Oct 11 PIT @ DET Ford Field 1:00 PM - It's Det. Maybe this regime actually rights the ship....it could. But not in time to win this game. 4-1.

6 Oct 18 CLE @ PIT Heinz Field 1:00 PM - Cle in Pgh. I do think Mangini will improve this team right away. But they don't have the horses to win this one. 5-1.

7 Oct 25 MIN @ PIT Heinz Field 1:00 PM - Min still has no QB. You don't beat the world champs without one. 6-1.

8 Bye
9 Nov 09 PIT @ DEN Invesco Field at Mile High 8:30 PM - Who is their QB? A rookie or a noodle arm. Pit may have over looked this game, but it's a night game so they will be focused enough. 7-1.

10 Nov 15 CIN @ PIT Heinz Field 1:00 PM - Bungals. 8-1

11 Nov 22 PIT @ KC Arrowhead Stadium 1:00 PM - They may be better than in recent years. But they just don't have the horses. Could be an upset game. But, not likely. 9-1.

12 Nov 29 PIT @ BAL M&T Bank Stadium 8:20 PM - Blood feast. Their D will be lesser but their O will be better. Ravens upset on national night game. 9-2. Pit can't play their A game every week. Loss will actually help them in long run.

13 Dec 06 OAK @ PIT Heinz Field 1:00 PM - Raiders. Mess. 10-2

14 Dec 10 PIT @ CLE Cleveland Browns Stadium 8:20 PM - Browns Super Bowl. A win will be their crowning achievement of the season. First Browns win vs. Pit in 8 games? It will be Mangini's big game to win fans over. Maybe catching Pit with some injuries, etc. 10-3

15 Dec 20 GB @ PIT Heinz Field 1:00 PM - Bounce back game. 11-3

16 Dec 27 BAL @ PIT Heinz Field 1:00 PM - Revenge game. 12-3

17 Jan 03 PIT @ MIA Dolphin Stadium 1:00 PM - Possibly Pit without any reason to win - maybe not. Fins might be fighting for play off spot. Could go either way depending on scenario. If Pit needs a win they get it. If not, maybe not. 12-4 or 13-3.

And then the play offs.

Pit - AFCN
NE - AFCE
TN - AFCS
SD - AFCW

Wild cards - Miami, Indy (Jags seem out of sorts after failing to sign the right free agents last year and having OL collapse; NY added too many free agents and have no QB or chemistry; Denver has no QB to speak of and still a weak ass D; I actually think CLE could have a chance of a wild card if they pick a QB and that QB plays decent. Mangini will have them playing as a team and not just a posse of jack asses, which I believe is how the team was run last year.

I know, not very creative, basically just taking who won last year but that's how it looks now. Indy could falter but they got Manning and he counts for 10 wins himself.

[toomuchmerrilhoge Profile]

I'm worried about these games:
Week 1 vs TEN: The Steelers will have their vengeance on national TV, defeating Lendale White and his classless thug teammates. Harrison will knock Collins into next week. Rashard will break out and establish himself as a huge piece of our offense. We win 30-14.
Week 2 @ CHI: They have Forte, Hester (against our thinner secondary), and Cutler who has done damage against us before. We lose 27-17.
Week 12 @ BAL: I think the The Knife will hire a sniper to assassinate Ben/Rashard. Could get even uglier than usual, but I think Ben will be able to throw more against the Ravens next year. I say we sweep the Ravens again!
Week 9 @ DEN: We just have a hard time up there. I'm still in shock at how bad we beat them in the '05 AFC title game in Denver. Hell, the last time we went there Ryan Clark almost died. We lose 24-21 to some bullshit mile high 'magic'.
Week 17 @MIA: Only worried if we need a win for a seed, but then again, the #2 seed saved our asses last season, allowing the Titans and Ratbirds to beat up on each other. If Boldin heads to the Dolphins, the fish could be a surprise team in the AFC East.

Other than that, we have a sweet schedule. For success we need:
a) healthy Ben
b) Rashard/Willie combo to flourish
c) Sweed to quit watching jumbotron
d) find a gem DB in the draft
e) find two quality O-lineman
f) Wille Colon to keep his f$%!#$in' helmet on the line and not get called for illegal formation

[steelcitymetal Profile]

TN is for real. They lost a few players, but at least they know who their QB is

an old douchebag.

[lloydrules Profile]

TN is for real. They lost a few players, but at least they know who their QB is

an old douchebag.

LOL. But even knowing your QB is an old douche bag is better than not knowing who it is, or a 10-year old kid who can't take any criticism or hit the broad side of a barn.