Steelers face tough first month of the season...

[Troyisabeast_43]

Well here we go again it's time to put all the talk of the 2nd and 3rd stringers making the team to rest and it's time to kick it off for real when it counts once and for all next Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans. Some might say the Steelers schedule is a walk in the park and easy. But Im here to tell you that while it might be easy or not that difficult for a better term the first 4 weeks of the season for the Steelers with games against the Titans, then back to back games on the road in Chicago and Cincy, followed by hosting a very good San Diego Chargers team on a Sunday night the first week of October will be anything but easy.

I believe these first four games are just what the doctor ordered for the Steelers to test them against two of the AFC's best in the Titans and Chargers, and playing a pretty tough game in Chicago in their home opener against a Bears team that will be improved. And against a division rival on the road in Cincinnati the 3rd week of the season who will be looking to make a statement early on in the year, and who I believe will be much improved with a better defense and Carson Palmer back in the lineup. While I do believe the Steelers are better then all 4 of these teams they will face to start the year they are going to have to be on top of their game in each 4 of these contests or I can definitely see them slipping in one of them for sure.

If I had to pick a game for the Steelers to lose out of the four I would pick the Bears. I say this because the Steelers always seem to slip early on in the year in September and they have done it the last 2 years under Mike Tomlin losing their first game of the season in Arizona in 2007 and in Philly last year in 2008. Losing to an NFC team either is not the worst thing in the world because it will not count against tiebrakers later on in the season and it's only one loss very early in the season when it doesnt have much impact

The bottom line is I believe the Steelers at the very worst will come out of the first 4 games 3-1 and with the Lions and Browns up next on the schedule after the first 4 games that should put them in great position to stay right on track and continue to stay on top in the AFC North and in the AFC overall going into the latter month of October into November. Steelers fans though need to be careful though as I mentioned about saying this schedule is easy and their are no tough games because as I pointed out the first 4 games of the season could be nothing further from the truth. Anybody that thinks the Steelers are going to win those games simply by just showing up are mistaken because they will get tested and tested fairly good I believe this first month of the season and they will be a better football team because of it later on in the season when it really starts to matter.

[K Train]

cutler had a game against us the last time we played denver....but i dont think the bears have the firepower to pull one out, they are all run and we demolish the run....its not like dropping a game to the pass happy cardinal or eagles like you mentioned. they get past tennessee.....i say the season could easily be a 6-0 start. the offense looked sharp and i just think this defense is suffocating. barring any injuries i think tennessee is the hardest game by far.

[Troyisabeast_43]

cutler had a game against us the last time we played denver....but i dont think the bears have the firepower to pull one out, they are all run and we demolish the run....its not like dropping a game to the pass happy cardinal or eagles like you mentioned. they get past tennessee.....i say the season could easily be a 6-0 start. the offense looked sharp and i just think this defense is suffocating. barring any injuries i think tennessee is the hardest game by far.

I agree it could very easily be 6-0 and if the Steelers play like they are capable of playing the first 6 weeks they will be 6-0. My point is they are going to drop a game at some point this season and the only one I can see happening early on in the year is the Bears game. For whatever reason as I mentioned above the Steelers always seem to have a brain fart in the 2nd or 3rd game of the season in September even going back to the Bill Cowher years. Maybe this team under Tomlin this season will be different. I can definitely see this Steelers team winning every single week and doing so a lot of the time in dominating fashion. I really believe they are that good this season to do just that.

[Black@Gold Forever32]

Historically the Steelers play terrible in Chicago but man they have to win the Bears game....I have so many bets out on that game its not even funny....I'm in Bears country so most of my friends and co-workers are Bears fans....I would never hear the end of it if the Bears beat the Steelers.....

No game is ever easy in the NFL....Any Given Sunday.......But personally I see there is noway the Steelers drop the season opener to the Titans....The team is going to be so pumped with all the pre-game ceremonies of the banner and all that garbage....I think its going to be a tough game for sure but I think the Steelers will win it.....23-17

I agree with K-Train the Bears offensively play into the Steelers defensive hands......Forte won't do much on the ground and would have to believe the Bears OT's won't be able to handle Harrison/Woodley......But Cutler does throw the ball well on the run and has the arm to get it deep to Hester and Olsen is a threat at TE.....If the Steelers bring their A-game and the Bears get no lucky bounces then I really see the Steelers blowing the Bears out......I just don't think the Bears can hang with the Steelers.....

A healthy Palmer and an improving Bengals defense could be troublesome.....But Ben never has lost a game in Ohio in his NFL career....He will keep that streak alive......

Of the first four games I could see the Steelers losing to the Chargers but I think the Steelers will find a way to pull a win in another tough game.....

I think 6-0 is very likely but Any Given Sunday could turn into 3-3 or 4-2.......

[Troyisabeast_43]

Historically the Steelers play terrible in Chicago but man they have to win the Bears game....I have so many bets out on that game its not even funny....I'm in Bears country so most of my friends and co-workers are Bears fans....I would never hear the end of it if the Bears beat the Steelers.....

No game is ever easy in the NFL....Any Given Sunday.......But personally I see there is noway the Steelers drop the season opener to the Titans....The team is going to be so pumped with all the pre-game ceremonies of the banner and all that garbage....I think its going to be a tough game for sure but I think the Steelers will win it.....23-17

I agree with K-Train the Bears offensively play into the Steelers defensive hands......Forte won't do much on the ground and would have to believe the Bears OT's won't be able to handle Harrison/Woodley......But Cutler does throw the ball well on the run and has the arm to get it deep to Hester and Olsen is a threat at TE.....If the Steelers bring their A-game and the Bears get no lucky bounces then I really see the Steelers blowing the Bears out......I just don't think the Bears can hang with the Steelers.....

A healthy Palmer and an improving Bengals defense could be troublesome.....But Ben never has lost a game in Ohio in his NFL career....He will keep that streak alive......

Of the first four games I could see the Steelers losing to the Chargers but I think the Steelers will find a way to pull a win in another tough game.....

I think 6-0 is very likely but Any Given Sunday could turn into 3-3 or 4-2.......

Im with ya 32 any given Sunday anything can happen and I agree with pretty much all of your predictions as well with the Steelers finding ways to squeeze out a lot of tight games early on in the season. You gotta love that stretch of games after the first 4 tough ones with the Lions,Browns,Vikings,Broncos,Bengals,and Chiefs. As you mentioned if the Steelers do get off to a 6-0 start it could be smooth sailing from that point on. Ill be in Chicago for the Bears game I cannot wait for that matchup. As you mentioned the Steelers should be able to take care of business the first 4 weeks but people need to realize that the Steelers at some point this season are going to have a bad game and probably lose. We know how things get on here when the Steelers lose one freakin game all hell and panic breaks loose. Certain fans start spewing out a bunch of nonsense and act like the season is over and start acting like they want to slit their wrist.

So while this Steelers team as Ive said numerous times has the potential to be dominate they most likely are not going to go 19-0 and people need to just stop for a minute and take a deep breath when they do at some point lose a game as opposed to going into complete panic mode after one loss on here like they did after the Steelers dropped the 3rd game to the Eagles last season. The Steelers are a great football team and will be right there come January when all is said and done but they will not go undefeated and will have adversity to overcome at some point during the season...

[DanRooney]

cutler had a game against us the last time we played denver....but i dont think the bears have the firepower to pull one out, they are all run and we demolish the run....its not like dropping a game to the pass happy cardinal or eagles like you mentioned. they get past tennessee.....i say the season could easily be a 6-0 start. the offense looked sharp and i just think this defense is suffocating. barring any injuries i think tennessee is the hardest game by far.

Being pass happy had nothing to do with us losing to the Eagles or Cardinals for that matter.

[K Train]

the cards pick the steelers apart....the eagles was a terrible showing by the oline but the cards passed with success and even though it was close and won on a breaston PR, same **** happens with the colts and patriots....usually are close games but teams that run the bll dont stand a chance

[LarryNJ]

....I'm in Bears country so most of my friends and co-workers are Bears fans....I would never hear the end of it if the Bears beat the Steelers.....

I went through the same thing last year in Philly...I did hear the end of it though several months later around 9:30 or 10:00 PM on Feb. 1st actually I guess it ended 2 weeks earlier when the Eagles lost to the Cards and 3 hours later we beat the Ravens!

I say we'll be 3-1 with the loss coming to the Chargers