This exercise is doomed to fail, I know. Any team could win this weekend. But What the heck I’ll do it anyway.
Steelers @ Broncos.
Plummer, Anderson, R Smith & Lelie vs. the Steelers defense. Actually, that’s not exactly true cause the Broncos offensive line is the key factor here. I have a hard time seeing the Steelers defense getting beaten too many times unless they’ve just exhausted their bag of tricks to get this far. That seems unlikely.
On the other side of things, I’m really impressed by Roethlisberger. He’s gotten really good since coming back from injury, which coincidentally has coincided with the Steelers winning streak. But the Broncos defense is very good and has perhaps the best secondary they’ve faced with Lynch and Bailey. It won’t be easy.
I just can’t pick against the Steelers the way their defense is playing, and I freaking hate the Broncos more than the Steelers. Pick: Steelers.
Panthers @ Seahawks
I think Nick Goings wil have a great game, so losing Foster won’t hurt Carolina. And there’s no reason to think the Panthers won’t put up a lot of points.
This game will hinge on Shaun Alexander. Can he come back and play? And if he does can he prove he’s not a pretender? I like the ’hawks, but not unless Alexander plays well, and that is not certain. Pick: Panthers.
Be back next week to comment on how I really did, deep down, know what was going to happen despite what I just wrote above.... Have a good weekend.