Tag Archives: Steelers

MY 2014 NFL PREDICTIONS

AFC DIVISION WINNERS AND WILD CARD TEAMS

NORTH – Cincinnati Bengals

SOUTH – Indianapolis Colts

EAST – New England Patriots

WEST – Denver Broncos

WILD CARDS – San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers

 

NFC DIVISION WINNERS AND WILD CARD TEAMS

NORTH – Green Bay Packers

SOUTH – New Orleans Saints

EAST – Philadelphia Eagles

WEST – Seattle Seahawks

WILD CARDS – San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears

 

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Indianapolis Colts vs Denver Broncos

 

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – Seattle Seahawks vs Green Bay Packers

 

SUPER BOWL 49 – Green Bay Packers vs Denver Broncos

 

SUPER BOWL 49 CHAMPION – GREEN BAY PACKERS

MY 2014 PRE-SEASON ALL-AFC NORTH DEFENSE

DE- Carlos Dunlap                         Bengals

NT- Haloti Ngata                           Ravens

DE- Wallace Gilberry                     Bengals

OLB- Vontaze Burfict                    Bengals

ILB- Lawrence Timmons               Steelers

ILB- Karlos Dansby                        Browns

OLB- Terrell Suggs                        Ravens

CB- Joe Haden                               Browns

CB- Lardarius Webb                      Ravens

SS- Troy Polamalua                      Steelers

FS- Donte Whitner                        Browns

 

P– Sam Koch                                 Ravens

 

Team Totals – Ravens 4, Browns 3, Bengals 3, Steelers 2

 

MY 2014 PRE-SEASON ALL-AFC NORTH OFFENSE

QB- Ben Roethlisberger                Steelers

RB- Giovani Bernard                     Bengals

WR- A.J. Green                               Bengals

WR- Antonio Brown                      Steelers

WR- Torey Smith                           Ravens

TE- Jordan Cameron                     Browns

LT- Joe Thomas                             Browns

LG- Kelechi Osemele                    Ravens

C-  Alex Mack                                Browns

RG- Marshall Yanda                     Ravens

RT- Andre Smith                           Bengals

 

PK – Justin Tucker                        Ravens

PR- Antonio Brown                      Steelers

KR- Jacoby Jones                           Ravens

 

Team Totals – Ravens 5, Browns 3, Steelers 3, Bengals 3

STEELERS HALL OF FAMER – FRANCO HARRIS 1 ON 1 WITH KENNY RODA

I asked Franco Harris if one play, the “Immaculate Reception”, changed the direction of the Steelers franchise for ever?

Kenny Roda and Franco Harris 5-3-14

BROWNS BY THE UGLY NUMBERS

The Browns have now lost 5 straight games this season and 8 of their last 9 games.

This is the 6th straight season of 10 or more losses for the Browns.

This is the 10th season in the last 11 seasons that the Browns have lost 10 or more games.

Since returning to the NFL in 1999 the Browns have a (.323) winning percentage.

Since 1999 the Browns have won 9 or more games 2 times.

Since 1999 the Browns have had 7 head coaches and 3 owners.

Butch Davis Photo

Since 1999 the Browns are (5-25) vs the Steelers, (8-22) vs the Ravens and (11-19) vs the Bengals.

Since 1999 the Browns are a combined (24-66) against their division opponents for a (.266) winning percentage.

The Browns have made the NFL playoffs 1 time in the last 15 years.

The last time the Browns won a Division Championship was in 1989 or 24 years ago!

 

 

BROWNS PAINFUL TO WATCH

As painful as it is to watch the Browns blow 4th quarter lead, after 4th quarter lead, after 4th quarter lead and that’s exactly what they’ve done, blown three consecutive 4th quarter leads. And as painful as it is to witness their sixth consecutive ten or more loss season and tenth in the last eleven years, let’s be honest here, in the long run it’s going to pay off right? I mean, the Browns weren’t going to win the Super Bowl this year anyway, so the higher the draft pick, the better the player you get to draft, right?

I used to think that, I really did until the Browns have proved that theory incorrect since returning in 1999. They’ve had the first overall pick, a bunch of top five picks, multiple first round picks and yet here they are after fifteen years, right back where they started in 1999, one of the worst teams in the NFL!

Team CEO/President Joe Banner and General Manager Mike Lombardi need to change that in what will be the most important off-season since the Browns returned. They have multiple picks in the first and third rounds and their own in the second round and a total of ten draft picks as of today.  Their biggest need of course is to find a franchise quarterback and then go from there.  Granted it’s not their only need, far from it, but it starts right there. If the Browns are going to contend with Joe Flacco and the Ravens and Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers, they need to find their Flacco, their Big Ben.

Yes there are some pieces in place for this team like Joe Thomas at left tackle, Josh Gordon (as long as he stays out of trouble in the off season) at wide receiver, Jordan Cameron at tight end, Barkevious Mingo at rush-backer and Joe Haden at corner back, but an upgrade in talent is pretty much needed everywhere else. So use the draft Mike Lombardi. Get creative in free agency Joe Banner. Go find some play makers and difference makers, so come next December, we’re not talking about another double digit loss season for the Browns. Instead, maybe a late season push for a wild card spot, or at least a .500 or better season which hasn’t happened in Cleveland since 2007. Yes it’s been that painful!

10 Reasons Why The Browns Should Beat The Steelers Sunday in Cleveland

Steelers Can’t Run – Pittsburgh is 30th out of 32 teams in the NFL in running the football. Rookie 2nd round pick Le’Veon Bell is only averaging only 3.1 yards per carry. The Browns defense, ranked 8th against the run this year, should be able to stop the Steelers ground attack and make Pittsburgh a one dimensional on offense.

Pressure Big Ben – The Browns D-Line should dominate a very poor Steelers O-Line and be able to put pressure on Ben Roethlisberger and gets some sacks and force Big Ben into a few turnovers. Roethlisberger already has thrown 10 picks and fumbled 5 times this season. Plus if anybody can shut down Antonio Brown it’s Joe Haden, forcing other receivers to make big plays. Heath Miller could be the one guy who really hurts the Browns on Sunday, because Cleveland’s linebackers don’t cover well. But you can double up on him if you have to.

Pittsburgh Steelers 24 - Cleveland Browns 10

Photo/ CBSPittsburgh.com

Horton’s Familiarity – Ray Horton’s 7 years with the Steelers as an assistant coach should come in handy. His knowledge of Big Ben and the Steelers offense and as well as Dick Lebeau’s defense, should help the coaches and players be better prepared for the Black and Gold on both sides of the ball.

Run, Run, Run – If there was ever a game where the Browns should be able to run the ball, it’s this game against the Steelers who are ranked 26th in the NFL in run defense. If the Browns can establish some type of running game, it will allow Jason Campbell to use play action to his advantage, and suck up the linebackers and safeties of the Steelers and connect on some big plays down the field to Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron.

Road Woes – The Steelers are a totally different team on the road this year than they are at home. Pittsburgh is just (1-4) away from Heinz Field and giving up 27.2ppg on the road.

Banged Up – With S-Shamarko Thomas out and DE-Brett Keisel and LB-LaMarr Woodley both questionable due to injury, along with other season ending injuries to key players, the Steelers are hurting big time and their backups are not very good!

Who’s Calling The Plays? – Will Mike Tomlin insist that offensive coordinator Todd Haley call the plays, or will Tomlin let Ben Roethlisberger go more no-huddle and call the plays? The Steelers have proved to be more effective on offense this year when they go hurry up and Big Ben is in control. If Haley is in charge, advantage Browns.

Value The Football – The Steelers are a (-8) in the give- away/take-away stat. The Browns aren’t real good either at (-3), but if they can get Jason Campbell to protect the ball and manage the game and win the field position battle, that would go a long way in helping the Browns beat the Steelers for just the 6th time in 30 tries since the Browns came back to the NFL in 1999.

Lack Of Focusness (Jim Thome term) – While this is supposed to be one of the most hated rivalries in the NFL, it has lost it’s luster in recent years because of the Steelers total domination of the Browns. At one point Pittsburgh won 12 straight. The Steelers real rival these days is Baltimore and they play the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. So it’s very possible the Steelers could be looking ahead to that game more than they are focusing on this game.

Mother Nature – With the projected high temperature being 27 degrees on Sunday and with the chance of snow and winds at around 20mph, the weather in my opinion would favor the Browns in this game just like it did back in 2009. In subzero temperatures in that game the Browns sacked Ben Roethlisberger 8 times in route to a 13-6 win at Cleveland Browns Stadium as running back Chris Jennings scored the game’s only touchdown on a 10 yard run in the 2nd quarter.

 

My Prediction –     Browns 16     Steelers 13