1751 replies to this topic

[Titoschew]

This guy rapes chicks.



This guy bangs chicks on tape.

The football gods appreciate the latter and not the former.

Win.

[PeaceSignMoose]

For those of us in my general age range, we may remember a little cartoon called Rocko's Modern Life. In said cartoon, a wise, if not neurotic, turtle once said "Turn the page, wash your hands." It is at this moment that I realized that this was advice. To us. AT THIS VERY MOMENT.

We face a traditional (er, neo-traditional) rival in the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. A rival that, for some reason or another, has always been viewed as the runaway favorite in these matchups. And time and time again, the Patriots have defied the odds and pierced the Steel Curtain. This week will be no exception.

This week. We're on the road against a superior opponent on paper. We've got em right where we want em.

This guy remembers the glory days

do you?

[Hendu's Gait]

[Mystic Merlin]

As confident as I was about the Browns game, I'm as equally lacking in confidence about this one.

I'll be surprised if the Pats pull it out. The Steelers are an incredibly tough match-up, particularly at home.

[BigSoxFan]

I just don't see how the Pats are going to move the ball against the team. Like at all. The Steelers' pass rush is going to hound Brady and I can't see the Pats being very effective at running the ball. Since this is now a retro team, I hope we see a lot of screens to Woodhead early to combat the Steelers' aggressive nature. On the defense side of things, we don't have a very good pass rush so Roethlisberger will have all day, which I think will lead to a lot of long, sustained drives, like we saw today.

[soPhisHticated]

[Ed Hillel]

[BucketOBalls]

They certainly took a giant step back last game, so hopefully they can move forward here.

[MarcSullivaFan]

One cause for optimism after (hopefully) the low point of the season: Tom Brady's 67.6 completion % and 7.72 y/a against the Steelers. For whatever reason, he has chewed this usually very good defense up.

[dcmissle]

Via ptf.com, looks like Pouncey dodged a big bullet. Assuming the concussed guys clear this week, the Steelers came out of the game pretty clean --

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin met with the media on Tuesday to address the team's 27-21 win over the Bengals. Among other things, he reviewed the injuries from Monday night, which he described as "somewhat of a laundry list."

The fourth-year coach said three players suffered concussions on Monday night: safety Will Allen, running back Mewelde Moore, and fullback Isaac Redman.

Tomlin said that center Maurkice Pouncey, who returned after suffering a leg injury in the first half of the game, has a tibia bruise. Guard Chris Kemoeatu has a knee sprain, and he's expected to be limited in the first part of the week.

Tight end Heath Miller has fluid on his knee, tackle Max Starks suffered "stingers," and defensive end Brett Keisel continues to deal with a hamstring injury. Tomlin said that Keisel "was really quite unable to get it going last night."

Edited by dcmissle, 09 November 2010 - 01:41 PM.

[KiltedFool]

Via ptf.com, looks like Pouncey dodged a big bullet. Assuming the concussed guys clear this week, the Steelers came out of the game pretty clean --

Don't know how likely it is to see the concussed guys back, Allen is a special teams guy and a backup DB, Moore and Redman I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both of them not dress Sunday, in which case the next guy to be tapped might be Frank (some PGH fans call him The Tank) Summers, a 5'9" 240 pound bowling ball of a back who is on the practice squad.

The offensive line is a mess right now, no one on the line has avoided getting injured this season, and the Steelers have been dressing 7 linemen instead of 8 and will likely continue. Pouncey is an utter stud, my stomach dropped when I saw him on the ground.

Third or fourth receiving options in short to intermediate depth routes are a weakness, though there's an element of gambling in those routes too, since occasionally an unexpected defender drops into the pattern. William Gay is a good nickel corner but he was exposed last year as a starting corner, if a team's 3rd or slot guy is high quality he can get torched. Bryant McFadden's a good tackler but doesn't have the speed anymore to avoid being burnt deep so he plays too much cushion, which gives up a lot underneath.

Hell the bend but don't break label applies, a patient team that can string together the dozen plus plays to dink and dunk their way down the field can be successful, though they do firm up in the red zone.

Ziggy Hood, the second year guy stepping in for the injured Aaron Smith, hasn't really shown much push in the pass rush but has been pretty solid against the run, so the run defense hasn't dropped off since Smith got hurt like it did last year. Still no one runs on them by and large.

Brady can do a lot of damage if he can get the ball away quickly enough, I don't know the Pats' tackles to know how well they can keep the edge rushers off of him without blatant holding, there tends to be a lot of it but not a lot of flags thrown.

[Morgan's Magic Snowplow]

Via ptf.com, looks like Pouncey dodged a big bullet. Assuming the concussed guys clear this week, the Steelers came out of the game pretty clean --

It looks like LT Max Starks may actually have a pretty serious neck injury. If they're speculating on whether he might be done for the season, then I imagine he definitely won't be suiting up next Sunday.

Steelers tackle Max Starks has a serious neck injury involving a disc and may not play again this season.

Starks was consulting with doctors late today to determine if the injury required surgery, or if it would heal over time without surgery using physical therapy instead, a source close to Starks told the Post-Gazette.

The source emphasized that the injury does not threaten Starks career.

Starks, the Steelers starting left tackle, left Monday night's game in Cincinnati with what coach Mike Tomlin described as "stingers" in his neck. He returned to play but then left the game for good. Tomlin again described Starks' injury as a "stinger" at his press conference today.

But an MRI later showed it to be a more serious injury of a disc in the upper verterbrae or neck area.

Edited by Morgan's Magic Snowplow, 09 November 2010 - 07:06 PM.

[jsinger121]

MikeReiss

QB Tom Brady does not practice today. He is listed on the injury report with a foot injury.

[Mystic Merlin]

I was looking over the predictions for my own amusement, and this puzzled me:

* NFL Live: Darren Woodson and Herm Edwards both pick the Patriots. In a separate Field Pass clip, Woodson predicts the Steelers will win 28-13.

Huh? He picked both teams to win? Did he take one too many hits to the head during his career and simply forgot he picked the Pats already?

[KiltedFool]

I was looking over the predictions for my own amusement, and this puzzled me:

[/font][/color]


Huh? He picked both teams to win? Did he take one too many hits to the head during his career and simply forgot he picked the Pats already?

Might have picked the steelers at first until the additional injuries to the OL became known, then made a new prediction. Don't know if the picks are time stamped. Still kind of dumb.

[CaptainLaddie]

INSERT VERY PHALLIC IMAGE HERE

Seriously, when I say this I mean it:

Phish is fucking horrible.

Edited by CaptainLaddie, 12 November 2010 - 02:16 PM.

[FelixMantilla]

Steelers continue assault....

After the NFL began its crackdown against illegal hits on defenseless receivers, Steelers wideout Hines Ward pointed a finger at quarterbacks who lead players into big hits via the placement and timing of passes.

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, who gradually become the most outspoken player against the league’s stance on illegal hits, is now blaming the shift to wide-open offense.

How do you fit that many assholes into one locker room?

Edited by FelixMantilla, 13 November 2010 - 02:19 PM.

[Mystic Merlin]

Ward is a moron.

QBs actually do the EXACT OPPOSITE. Why the fuck would they want to hang their receivers out to dry, in case they might get the NFL to dock the guy 50K?

[mikeford]

MikeReiss
Patriots downgrade OL Stephen Neal, RB Fred Taylor and DL Myron Pryor to out for Sunday's game.

[NortheasternPJ]

James Harrison questionable with back spasms. Great news for NE.

http://espn.go.com/b...o-injury-report

[Titoschew]

James Harrison questionable with back spasms. Great news for NE.

http://espn.go.com/b...o-injury-report

Maybe, at the very least, he'll be slowed down by these spasms.

[Sille Skrub]

I am really going to enjoy this win tonight.

Pats 24
Steelers 23

[RedOctober3829]

ESPN
4 of 5 picked Pittsburgh. Boomer picked NE.

NFLN
Only Marshall picked NE

[ngruz25]

It's been raining out pretty much all day here in Pittsburgh. Since Heinz is a natural surface I'd expect it to be pretty sloppy out there tonight.

[Jim Burton]

Those "New Enemies" from last week have quickly again become "Old Friends"!

[shawnrbu]

With the Jets and Dolphins winning, this game became even more important.

[nazz45]

My heart wants to pick the Pats badly here, but the brain is telling me that the things the Steelers do well offensively (vertical passing game and play-action) are things that have hurt the Patriots defense all year. Unless they are able to pressure with some consistency and force the ball out of Roethlisberger early, they are going to fall short in a shoot out. And since we haven't seen this defense pressure a QB consistently all season, I have no reason to believe they will start tonight.

[TheoShmeo]

My heart wants to pick the Pats badly here, but the brain is telling me that the things the Steelers do well offensively (vertical passing game and play-action) are things that have hurt the Patriots defense all year. Unless they are able to pressure with some consistency and force the ball out of Roethlisberger early, they are going to fall short in a shoot out. And since we haven't seen this defense pressure a QB consistently all season, I have no reason to believe they will start tonight.

That it's raining in Pittsburgh (or was) and the field is likely to be a mess is just another reason to pick the Steelers. Having to win a game with a lot of ground attack against a run defense that has held opposing backs to less than 3 yards per carry? Mouth vomit.

Edited by TheoShmeo, 14 November 2010 - 05:25 PM.

[RedOctober3829]

Pregame show: Rain has stopped at the field.

[koufax32]

Win.

Somehow

[Mystic Merlin]

I feel even less confident about this game than I did the Miami and Baltimore games.

I think the Pats will manage to get some points on the PIT D, but I don't see them containing the PIT offense, even with their O-Line injuries. They have a lot of playmakers and Big Ben is a monster on third downs; he's tough to bring down, improvises as well as any QB in football, and can take off and implode your coverage scheme.

Ultimately, the Pats need to keep the Steelers out of third and shorts. If they don't, PIT will win by 10-14 points; they're too lethal on play action to stack the box, and even then Mendenhall is a pain in the ass.

EDIT - PIT is a better, more balanced team when all is said and done, so I'll take them by a touchdown.

Edited by Mystic Merlin, 14 November 2010 - 06:37 PM.

[Ed Hillel]

Butler is inactive tonight, leaving us with 3 corners suited up. Chung is back, though.

[mikeford]

Butler is inactive tonight, leaving us with 3 corners suited up. Chung is back, though.

Meriweather was drafted as a corner, so theres that.

Darius Butler is the new Chad Jackson.

[RedOctober3829]

James Harrison is ACTIVE for the Steelers.

[SemperFidelisSox]

[Mystic Merlin]

Holy shit.

[ifmanis5]

Wow, now that is a GAME FACE.

Sh!t be on, bro.

[dcmissle]

Wow, now that is a GAME FACE.

Sh!t be on, bro.

Yes, bearing the demeanor and aura of the guy who whacked Meyer Lansky -- I mean Hyman Roth -- in the airport terminal.

[patinorange]

Yes, bearing the demeanor and aura of the guy who whacked Meyer Lansky -- I mean Hyman Roth -- in the airport terminal.

I got a DeNiro vibe. I wish he would wear that outfit on the sideline.

[Ed Hillel]

Oh my God, fuck you Bob Costas.

[axx]

Watching it on the SNF online stream... field looks fine to me. The Pats just practiced kicking a FG.

[Caspir]

Oh my God, fuck you Bob Costas.

Yes.

[shawnrbu]

Costas starts off asking about 19-0 with the biggest sh*t eating grin imaginable.

[TheoShmeo]

James Harrison is ACTIVE for the Steelers.

Shades of Haloti Ngata the week the Pats played the Ravens. Crap.

[ifmanis5]

Watching it on the SNF online stream... field looks fine to me. The Pats just practiced kicking a FG.

62% of users think the Pats will win.

[Vinho Tinto]

Costas starts off asking about 19-0 with the biggest sh*t eating grin imaginable.

Followed by a bold faced lie by Tom Brady. He's tailor made for his future life in politics.

[bean8282]

I know it's just a week ten regular season game, but this is a huge game in my opinion. A loss would put the Pats behind the eight ball for the AFC East Championship, let alone a bye in the first round. A win would be a huge confidence builder for the young team and to keep pace with the Jets. Get it done anyway you can. I am glad Chung is back. Here's hoping he has a huge game.

[axx]

Mesko now practicing his punting

[shawnrbu]

Rodney picks the Pats, Dungy picks the Steelers. Shocking.

[Mystic Merlin]

Rodney picks the Pats, Dungy picks the Steelers. Shocking.

I'm honestly a bit surprised Rodney went with the Pats. He's not a complete Pats shill, not by any means; he's torn into and picked against the Pats a good number of times.