Before you start preparing for the Steelers

[Uncle Rico]

Heard on the radio a short time ago that Pittsburgh's RB coach was badly burned in a house fire early this a.m. That's awful.

Much less significant but important in football terms, I also heard Pouncey won't play.

 

[lillloyd]

Heard on the radio a short time ago that Pittsburgh's RB coach was badly burned in a house fire early this a.m. That's awful.

Much less significant but important in football terms, I also heard Pouncey won't play.

The Wilson news is awful. He's as hard-working a coach as there is and deserves better. (Not that anyone deserves that.)

The Pouncey news is not unexpected. When he's played recently he's clearly been at half-speed.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Here's a new wrinkle for the matchup. Brady Quinn has gotten half the first team snaps this week in Denver... Oh boy.

 

[Clonamery]

Here's a new wrinkle for the matchup. Brady Quinn has gotten half the first team snaps this week in Denver... Oh boy.

OMG. Good Lord. Pray with me now. All this and Heaven too. Saints alive! Send me an Angel. Praise Jesus! Down on one knee.

Forgive me.

 

[ender24601]

Am I the only person that could care less if we get the Steelers or Bengals? I mean, I will happily take the gift if Cincinnati beats Houston (which I see as a 50-50 thing), but I really think we could shut up all the haters with a victory over Pittsburgh.

If we can't beat a Steelers team with a gimpy Big Ben and no Mendenhall AT Foxborough, then well.... I guess we just aren't that good.

 

[MaineMan]

Don't get me wrong. We will be cheering for The Tebows here in Denver come Sunday. I just don't have confidence that that offense will score many points against the Steelers D.

The Donks will have to play perfect D and ST's in order to give their offense a chance.

A couple of side notes. One of the starting O-linemen for the Donks was carted off the field last week. Placed on IR. Cooper I think. The immortal Russ Hochstein will start in his stead.

Von Miller who may end up being the best linebacker to play for the Donks is hurt. He has been playing with essentially one arm. VERY hard to shed blocks with one arm. Look for him to get less playing time this week. Hagen is his replacement. Hagen has played VERY well in the past few weeks.

I would welcome the Steelers into Foxboro with open arms. I am not afraid of facing them. It's just that I can't stand Rapistburger and their fans are the absolute WORST.

I saw the Chris Kuper injury. Most gruesome thing I've seen since Theisman. Severely dislocated ankle and broken tibia and fibula. I believe that the medical term is "mangled." Seriously, if you haven't watched it - don't.

But the most unbelievable part was watching him get carted off. I've heard he has a rep for being "tough", but that was ridiculous. He's just sitting there looking calm and dejected. Any normal human would have been in and out of consciousness and/or screaming bloody murder.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

i still don't see how the steelers lose this against the ****ty QB in denver that scores 3-10 points it seems

 

[BelizePats]

I've got this gut feeling about the broncos steelers game that tells me the broncos could pull off the upset on the steelers. The steelers have always came across to me as a team that overlooks other teams when they are heavily favored to win against them. A lot of people will be dismissing tebow because of the way he has looked for the last 3 weeks. The main difference I've noticed in him is that he no longer has that swagger that he had when he was on his crazy win streak. When things were looking grim for him in that KC game, his body language didn't seem to be the same as when he believed he could come back from anything.

If it comes down to the 4th quarter and the broncos are within a score of the "elite" steelers, i see tebow getting some of that swagger back, getting the game winning score, and then the steelers self destructing on themselves in disbelief as they realize they may lose to the broncos.

In regards to the bengals texans game, I honestly see the texans winning it. Meaning we get the broncos while the ravens get the texans. The ravens Texans game looks like an actually good match up to me where both teams have quality defenses and less than mediocre QB's. I've actually picked the texans to win that match up, the ravens have lust looked like a sloppy team to me this year, and the texans have been getting a lot of disrespect this entire season.

This leaves an AFCCG of Pats vs texans. We will win and go on to the superbowl where we will be the underdogs having not faced the steelers or ravens to get there, where as the NFC team will have faced either the Packers, Saints, or 49'ers. This sounds like a really weird prediction, but I just feel that the steelers and ravens will come up short this season where everyone is marking them to be the AFC representative.

Do not bet a dime on any of what you just laid out in the AFC, my man. Not a single dime!

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Do not bet a dime on any of what you just laid out in the AFC, my man. Not a single dime!

x2 hahahaha

 

[patsinthesnow]

Schefter says Mewelde Moore is out as well for the Steelers. That leaves UDFA John Clay as Redman's backup, the big slow Wisconsin RB, I remember him. (listed at 6'1 248 pounds)

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

^^^ man they are hurt

 

[denverpatsfan]

I tell you what. We better root like heck for the Donks this Sunday. The Steelers are resting many of their best players. They are "hurt" and can't play. Or the altitude really does affect them. Ryan Clark is KEY for that defense. He will be well rested and ready to go in Foxboro next Saturday night. Not a good thing.

I think the most realistic outcome is for Ben's ankle to be a bit more bruised going into the Pats game.

 

[supafly]

^^^ man they are hurt

I don't think they are "that" hurt at all, but it is a difference of opinion I suppose. No big deal.

I am quite sure that Redman will do just fine, and that the loss of Mendenhall is really not that big of a deal at a position of depth like RB.

Pouncey will rest this week against a lesser opponent. Obviously he would like to play, but I would say it's safe to say that he'll be okay next weekend.

Ben's injury is not that severe at all, as he has been a FULL participant in practice; don't get lulled into the whole Roethlisberger is 'hobbled' saga. He may be in some pain, and even somewhat limited in moving around/scrambling, but he admittedly "felt real good" just last week.

His aggrevation of the high ankle sprain will have plenty of time to heal, and it makes you wonder if Brady's broken/fractured foot last yr was WAY worse than drama queen Ben's...

Ryan Clark is basically just taking the week off, isn't hurt in the slightest, and will be well rested for next weekend.

--------

Stating that they are "really hurt" is a stretch...they aren't really hurt until they are using WR's in their secondary...and down to their 3rd and 4th string centers (not their backup center).

This whole Steelers being hurt thing is almost comical. They are a little banged up, but starting everyone except Pouncey and they had to place a player (Mendenhall) on IR. BOO HOO!!!

Do you really think that Mewelde Moore would have seen many touches, if at all? Clay is another bruiser, did very well at WISC last yr, and will be just fine blocking for Redman and taking some goal line reps/late game reps.

 

[supafly]

I tell you what. We better root like heck for the Donks this Sunday. The Steelers are resting many of their best players. They are "hurt" and can't play. Or the altitude really does affect them. Ryan Clark is KEY for that defense. He will be well rested and ready to go in Foxboro next Saturday night. Not a good thing.

I think the most realistic outcome is for Ben's ankle to be a bit more bruised going into the Pats game.

I agree, and I think that's about the best we can hope for, at least the most realistic anyway.

Clark's absence against the lowly passing attack of Tebow and Brady Quinn will not be that missed by the NFL's #1 pass defense.

 

[ivanvamp]

I tell you what. We better root like heck for the Donks this Sunday. The Steelers are resting many of their best players. They are "hurt" and can't play. Or the altitude really does affect them. Ryan Clark is KEY for that defense. He will be well rested and ready to go in Foxboro next Saturday night. Not a good thing.

I think the most realistic outcome is for Ben's ankle to be a bit more bruised going into the Pats game.

Or the Bengals. Either one is fine with me.

 

[PatriotsReign]

Ben's injury is not that severe at all, as he has been a FULL participant in practice; don't get lulled into the whole Roethlisberger is 'hobbled' saga. He may be in some pain, and even somewhat limited in moving around/scrambling, but he admittedly "felt real good" just last week.

His aggrevation of the high ankle sprain will have plenty of time to heal, and it makes you wonder if Brady's broken/fractured foot last yr was WAY worse than drama queen Ben's...

Actually, no one recovers from a high-ankle sprain quickly. It is without exception an injury that heals very slowly with rest...so yes, Ben is hurting pretty bad. The good part is that he's hurting in a critical area (ankle) for him.

Here's to hoping that Ben's injury helps the Bronco's pull off a huge upset! I'll also add to that the hope that if the Steelers win, Ben comes to Foxboro hurting a little more.

 

[PatriotFan77]

Ryan Clark is KEY for that defense. He will be well rested and ready to go in Foxboro next Saturday night. Not a good thing.

I believe the other safety they have is pretty good too. Won Defensive MVP last year if I'm not mistaken.

 

[supafly]

Actually, no one recovers from a high-ankle sprain quickly. It is without exception an injury that heals very slowly with rest...so yes, Ben is hurting pretty bad. The good part is that he's hurting in a critical area (ankle) for him.

Here's to hoping that Ben's injury helps the Bronco's pull off a huge upset! I'll also add to that the hope that if the Steelers win, Ben comes to Foxboro hurting a little more.

I disagree, and have been following the information quite closely here in Pittsburgh.

Ben only played one time from Dec.8 all the way to Jan.1, and was feeling just fine going into the CLE game last weekend.

Yes, he "aggrevated it" last week--but isn't it a bit hard to tell with such a drama queen?

When you are full participant in practice, your coach totally disagrees with your status (this week), and you have a history of crying wolf already, people are going to tend to be a bit leery of the situation.

He didn't immediately go from "feeling great again," or "feeling fine again" or whatever the quote was to "aggrevating" the injury after almost a month.

I agree with you that he is certainly not 100%, and that's great news for a potential showdown. I do disagree about the severity of his injury, albeit respectfully. Chances are we'll never know the "truth" anyway, as it likely lies somewhere in the middle of both of our opinions.

 

[supafly]

I believe the other safety they have is pretty good too. Won Defensive MVP last year if I'm not mistaken.

Yes, the terrific pass defense on PIT's side of the ball this yr is certainly something to be a bit leery of, as it seemed in yrs past that the CB position(s) were of a weakness there.

This season they have had great play from Ike Taylor, who has really stepped into his own in 2011.

With Taylor, Polamalu, and Ryan Clark manning the secondary, it puts a bit more pressure on our offense in this potential matchup than in yrs past (at least in my opinion anyway).

 

[VJCPatriot]

Please explain to me how the Donks will win? Tebow has NO confidence right now. The gig is up. Defenses know how to defend his running. He can't make the passes required to beat press man coverage. Something that the Steelers are THE BEST IN THE LEAGUE at. They play 8 or 9 in the box. He never learned how to play QB in HS or College. He is not going to learn in 1-week prior to a playoff game against the best D in the league!

Donks may keep it close for a quarter or 2 but I see 24-10 final. With the Donks TD coming in garbage time.

Better hope Dalton can maintain his composure in a DOME in the playoffs...

I don't get it. You can't control what the other teams in the playoffs do so why worry about them? The Pats will need to beat the best to become the best. So I don't care about the results either way. All I care about is that the Pats keep piling up Ws on the way to their next Lombardi.

As for Tebow. Maybe the gig is up but you never know. Big Ben is banged up big time, the Steeler's secondary is weak, and Denver has two of the best passrushers in the League in Von Miller and Dumervil. Do I think they can get after a hobbled Big Ben? Absolutely. They could give him fits. If Ben has a very dirty uniform at the end of the game chances are that Denver can pull out a win.

The playoffs look to be very interesting. bottom line - the Pats must take care of their OWN BUSINESS whoever they face. And the road to the superbowl in the AFC runs 1through Foxboro. That is a GREAT advantage to have. Let's make the best of it! Go Pats!!!