Drinking The Purple Kool Aid

Perhaps no team in the league has more assumptions than the Pittsburgh Steelers. Let’s add ‘em up: 1) They’ll lose at least two games with Ben Roethlisberger out, 2) They’re going to be dominant when he returns, 3) The defense is going to top five with Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu back in the lineup, 4) Roethlisberger has learned from his mistakes and has no plans to violate any future coeds. Any or none of these could be true; they’re a true wild card.

Watch Out For LaMarr Woodley. By both process of elimination and raw talent, Woodley is the new star of the Pittsburgh defense. In a few years, they’ll let him go, he’ll sign a massive contract elsewhere and underperform. But for now, he’s making $500k. Maybe the most legit contract gripe in the league.

Don’t Worry About Mike Wallace. The second-year pro is a sophomore slump in the making. It’s a different story when you’re the third receiver in a chuck-it-everywhere offense than when you’re arguably the new #1 guy. Plus, Pittsburgh is trying to run it more.

Best Case Scenario: An honest split of the first four games without Roethlisberger and a fully loaded defense with healthy veterans everywhere. A division sweep and surprising return to the playoffs. 12-4.

Worst Case Scenario: Ben’s suspension is six weeks and he spends one of them in Mexico. The defense looks their age and the team gets shellacked by the rest of the division. 6-10.

If They Were A Harrison Ford Movie, They’d Be Clear And Present Danger. No puns in the title, it’s just a lot of decent pieces that might be near the end of the run. I also feel the same way about this team that I did the trailer, where they gave away the confrontation with the president. Plus, there was that scene where Willem Dafoe sexually assaulted a Comm major. It’s on the Special Features.

Thing I’ll Regret Saying in January: The Steelers don’t have the personnel to get back to their power-running roots.