|
 The
Steeler Report
By Harvey Aronson
http://www.geocities.com/steelerhotline/
Game
Predictions - Week 13
Dateline: 11/24/00
Will it be four in a row in the loss column for Pittsburgh? Or will they
finally turn the tide of second half collapses and defeat the lowly
Bengals
in Cincinnati on Sunday? Turning the momentum back in their favor could
not
come against a better opponent this weekend, since there can be no
excuses
for losing to the Bengals if in fact the Steelers believe they are a
good
football team. However, their defense collapsed against the Jaguars last
Sunday night, and that does not bode well for the remainder of the
season.
With the offense yet to show us anything this season except a strong
running
game from Jerome Bettis, the final five games could be ugly. Here is how
the
experts see this Sunday's game:
ESPN Staff (Joe Theismann, Merril Hoge, Sean Salisbury,
Schottenheimer, Mark Malone, Ron Jaworski, Mike Golic, Chris Mortensen):
Golic, Jaworski and Hoge pick the Bengals. Theismann, Salisbury,
Schottenheimer and Mortensen pick the Steelers.
The
Sporting News Staff (Paul Attner, Dave Darling, Carl Moritz, Gary
Horton, Mike Nahrstedt, Matt Pitzer, Dan Pompei): All but Darling
picking
Pittsburgh.
Bob Harmon, CBS Sportsline: Pittsburgh 14, Cincinnati 9
Pro Football Weekly Staff (Hub Arkush, Ron Pollack, Neil Warner, Keith
Schleiden, Dan Arkush, Jeff Agrest, Trent Modglin): All
but Dan Arkush
picking Pittsburgh.
CBS Sportsline (Len Pasquarelli Bart Wright Derek Harper): All
picking the Steelers against the spread.
Peter O'Brien, USA
Today: STEELERS, 24-13
Jay Novacek, MSNBC
Sports: Steelers
Gary
Dulac, Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Bengals, 23-20
Steelers Hotline:
I see this game as an improved Bengal team hyped up to
take advantage of a crumbling Pittsburgh team. Kordell Stewart will have
yet
another bad game, only this time I don't believe he will be in there in
the
fourth quarter to see its outcome. Kent Graham will come in to relieve
and
eek out a victory for Pittsburgh. Again, we will not see Tee Martin.
This
game could however go either way, and Cincinnati could win this game
just as
well as Pittsburgh could win it.
Pittsburgh 17, Cincinnati 14
In other Steeler news for the day, ESPN's power rankings
has Pittsburgh at number 19, down from 17 a week before, with the
comment, "Defense got absolutely shredded by Jaguars." Bill
Cowher's plans for Will Blackwell on Sunday, will include returning
kickoffs. Says Cowher, "I'd like to get him in on kickoff returns
and let him get hit a couple times. He hasn't been hit at all this
year." As for injuries, Courtney Hawkins has a minor knee injury
and will be questionable. With Fred Taylor coming off a monster game
against Pittsburgh, it will be Corey Dillon's chance to shred the
Steelers defense on Sunday. The first time around against Pittsburgh he
rushed for 36 yards on 15 carries. With 66 yards on Sunday, he will
become the eighth player in the history of the NFL to start a career
with four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Over the past five
games Dillon is averaging 122.2 yards rushing.
--Harvey
Aronson, Steelers Hotline
For
More Information:
Pittsburgh
Steelers
Get info on training camps and schedules, commentary on the games, stay
up to date with the new stadium construction, purchase tickets, browse
through the team roster and statistics, check out the Steelers' merchandise and more at these great
Steelers' Web sites!
|
