DolfanISS
Perennial All-Pro
With or Without Big Ben there is still a game to play on Thursday and I feel we really have to win it, especially while Pittsburgh is playing a backup QB, to prove we are amongst the better teams in the NFL. I would never count out any team in today's NFL especially the defending Super Bowl champs as football is the ultimate team game and is was never going to be Big Ben vs the Miami Dolphins anyway. Here is my take on the game.
I'd say the team that passes the ball more efficiently will win on Thursday night. Both of these 2 teams can preach the running game all they want but I just can't see either of them having all that much success vs each of the front sevens they will be facing (Pittsburgh gave up one 100 yard rusher last year and we gave up two). I think this should give us an advantage as Culpepper is our starter and has taken all of the snaps in TC while Batch is obviously a backup, but remember DC hasn't played in a regular season game since October of 2005 and he could be rusty. The Steelers will also probably dumb down the playbook for Batch to make him feel more comfortable and give him a lot of short easy throws. I expect the Steelers to play extremely conservative and sit back and wait for us to make mistakes, than capitalize on them. If we make them we will be all done regardless of whom their QB is. I think Miami needs to keep the vaunted Pittsburgh defense off balance with a good mixture of run (even if we're not that successful) and pass, so they just can't tee of on Daunte. I don't expect Ronnie to have a great game running the football and think anyone who does is kidding him or herself and should start the famous "Ronnie is a bust" threads now. It will not be him, it will be the defense he is facing. But anyway, if we can build an early lead and force Batch to throw often, he will make mistakes and that will give us a nice advantage. I give us the advantage in a high scoring affair but give Pittsburgh the advantage in a conservative game that would be decided in the 4th quarter.
There is my take, can't wait until Thursday, Go FINZ.
I'd say the team that passes the ball more efficiently will win on Thursday night. Both of these 2 teams can preach the running game all they want but I just can't see either of them having all that much success vs each of the front sevens they will be facing (Pittsburgh gave up one 100 yard rusher last year and we gave up two). I think this should give us an advantage as Culpepper is our starter and has taken all of the snaps in TC while Batch is obviously a backup, but remember DC hasn't played in a regular season game since October of 2005 and he could be rusty. The Steelers will also probably dumb down the playbook for Batch to make him feel more comfortable and give him a lot of short easy throws. I expect the Steelers to play extremely conservative and sit back and wait for us to make mistakes, than capitalize on them. If we make them we will be all done regardless of whom their QB is. I think Miami needs to keep the vaunted Pittsburgh defense off balance with a good mixture of run (even if we're not that successful) and pass, so they just can't tee of on Daunte. I don't expect Ronnie to have a great game running the football and think anyone who does is kidding him or herself and should start the famous "Ronnie is a bust" threads now. It will not be him, it will be the defense he is facing. But anyway, if we can build an early lead and force Batch to throw often, he will make mistakes and that will give us a nice advantage. I give us the advantage in a high scoring affair but give Pittsburgh the advantage in a conservative game that would be decided in the 4th quarter.
There is my take, can't wait until Thursday, Go FINZ.
