Steelers MMQB: NFL Week 2 Wrap Up
By Kim Myers
Sep 8, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; The Pittsburgh Steelers take the field to begin the game against the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field. The Tennessee Titans won 16-9. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
What We Learned in Week 2 in the NFL:
- Weather delays so far the theme of the 2013 season
- Baltimore loses Ray Rice to hip injury
- Orlando-based network affiliate apologizes for having to show Jags game
- Peyton beats up his little brother for our entertainment
- Steelers prepare to take on Bengals
After two weeks of play in the NFL we’ve already had three weather delays in games. The Thursday night kickoff between the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens was delayed for lightening in the area. This Sunday, the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Bucs game started off late due to lightening as well. Then, with just a little over three minutes remaining in the first quarter of Sunday night’s matchup between Seattle and San Francisco, the game was stopped for yet another weather delay. The game was delayed for over an hour while players waited for the all-clear to return to the field. Just wait till weather delays a Patriots game. Roger Goodell will institute a mandatory dome policy for all NFL stadiums.
If anyone had the displeasure of watching the slop fest that was the Browns and Ravens game on Sunday, I feel for you. I watched the NFL Redzone and there weren’t many break-ins on that game due to the fact that neither team visited each other’s red zone all that often. Ravens RB Ray Rice was stifled all day, limited to 36 yards on 13 carries and left the game early in the fourth quarter. The Ravens ended up being able to score against the Browns eventually, but Rice was diagnosed with a hip flexor strain. He’s also all emotional about the number of fantasy football fans unhappy with his performance. Poor guy.
How bad are the Jacksonville Jagoffs that an Orlando-based CBS affiliate felt compelled to apologize to their viewers for the fact that they are contractually obligated to carry all Jacksonville away games and therefore would not be airing the Manning Bowl in the 4 o’clock spot yesterday afternoon? During the early game of the Dolphins at Indianapolis, the station ran a ticker across the screen apologizing for the “inconvenience” of having to show the Jacksonville game later. Ouch.
I used to live in Orlando. I would have lost my mind if not for the NFL Sunday Ticket either at my parents’ house or the local bar to watch the Steelers games, or at least the more watchable games of the weekend if the Steelers weren’t playing. Jacksonville is a little over two hours away from Orlando but Orlando falls into Jacksonville’s market, per the NFL. As such, they are required to play all of Jacksonville’s games as their regional coverage. Naturally, this isn’t such a bad thing when the Jags are at home because then the blackout rules apply when the stadium doesn’t sell out (which is almost a guarantee) and viewers can watch a more entertaining game. But, when the Jags are on the road, they will always be on in Orlando. It’s bad enough they subject the residents of Jacksonville to their awful football, but to infect towns hours away just seems mean. Orlando, of course, is a town where no one is actually from there and everyone roots for another team. Frankly, the entire state of Florida is almost void of any fans that root for the local professional teams. Aside from the handful of Dolphins fans I know, shout out to you guys, you crack me up with your optimism each season.
Even though Eli has got one more Super Bowl win than his older brother, Peyton, he still can’t beat him in the regular season. The Giants were coming off a 6-turnover loss against the Cowboys and the Broncos were coming off of a 7-touchdown win against the Ravens when the two brothers clashed for the third edition of the Manning Bowl. Eli was almost as generous with the football as he was with Dallas, coughing up four interceptions in a 41-23 loss. Eli has got 7 interceptions already after two weeks of regular season play. Yikes. Maybe someone should tell Eli that even though he can get football on his phone it doesn’t mean he should give the actual football to everyone else all the time.
The Steelers have an overall 40-23 record on Monday Night Football going into tonight’s matchup against the Bengals. Either team will look to join the Ratbirds to be tied atop the AFC North at 1-1. The Steelers haven’t started a season 0-2 since 2002. They lost their Pro Bowl center for the year. They’re still without their most consistent offensive weapon in Heath Miller. They still haven’t established a running game and their rookie running back is still nursing a foot injury and has yet to take an NFL snap. So many cards stacked against them. Clearly that means they’ll come out swinging and hammer the Bengals to the ground, right? Right?
Here we go Steelers! Here we go!
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