2015 NFL schedule: Early look at the Patriots-Steelers Week 1 opener line

[Lady Steel]

The Patriots (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/NE/new-england-patriots) got lucky with a nice little draw of the Steelers (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/PIT/pittsburgh-steelers) in Week 1, mainly because Le'Veon Bell (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1751828/leveon-bell)'s likely to be suspended for the game. And largely because of that Vegas has made the Patriots nearly a touchdown favorite out of the gate.

According to Sportsbook.ag (https://www.sportsbook.ag/sbk/sportsbook4/home.sbk?categoryId=203), New England is -6.5 to open against Pittsburgh. The over/under for the game is 54.5.

Don't think the large line is scaring anyone off: per Sportsbook they've already received 89 percent of the action on the Pats.

That's not entirely surprising. We're talking about a team with a very good coach in Bill Belichick given months to prepare for a single team.

We're also talking about a team with a Hall of Fame quarterback in Tom Brady (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/187741/tom-brady) going against a secondary that's lost Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/396097/ike-taylor) in the past few weeks. This isn't your dad's Steelers defense, much less your big brother's.

The Bell factor is massive, too. He's probably the second most important player on Pittsburgh's roster after Ben Roethlisberger (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/493043/ben-roethlisberger) and not having him is going to hurt the Steelers' offense. DeAngelo Williams (http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/423714/deangelo-williams) is suddenly a huge factor. And that's not a good thing.



http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25158033/nfl-schedule-patriots-nearly-td-favorite-over-steelers

[86WARD]

I love lazy journalism..."...going against a secondary that's lost Troy Polamalu and http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/396097/ike-taylor"]Ike ("[url) Taylor in the past few weeks." Obviously the writer didn't watch the team when Polamalu and Taylor were in the game last season versus when they were out of the game last season...

[SteelerFanInStl]

The Patriots got lucky? Luck had nothing to do with it.

And i agree on the point about Polamalu and Taylor. I have to laugh when these idiots say that our defense is going to be worse because those two retired.

[teegre]

The Steelers go five-wide for 85% of the snaps. The Taperiots do not have the secondary to match up against AB, Bryant, Wheaton, & Heath.

BB throws for 635 yards, and 7 TDs... and wins the game with his arm.

Steelers: 49
Taperiots: 45

[TD's & Beer]

Look at the bright side. The Pats haven't had a chance to steal Butler's defensive signals........yet.

[fansince'76]

Look at the bright side. The Pats haven't had a chance to steal Butler's defensive signals........yet.

All we gotta worry about now is them dicking around with the scoreboard at a critical juncture of the game, or tapping into/jamming the Steelers' wireless frequency, etc., etc....

[Lady Steel]

The Steelers go five-wide for 85% of the snaps. The Taperiots do not have the secondary to match up against AB, Bryant, Wheaton, & Heath.

BB throws for 635 yards, and 7 TDs... and wins the game with his arm.

Steelers: 49
Taperiots: 45

Yeah, but we all know what Haley should do and what he actually does in preparing game plan in accordance to other teams' weaknesses.

I feel like I want to post in a "Fire Haley" thread now. :lol:

[teegre]

Yeah, but we all know what Haley should do and what he actually does in preparing game plan in accordance to other teams' weaknesses.

I feel like I want to post in a "Fire Haley" thread now. :lol:

LOL

Really though, the biggest problem has been red-zone scoring. If they can just convert one more FG into a TD per game, they will go from 31ppg to 35ppg (which is significant).

[Dissolv]

LOL

Really though, the biggest problem has been red-zone scoring. If they can just convert one more FG into a TD per game, they will go from 31ppg to 35ppg (which is significant).


Schedule sucks hard and this game is the pits. (ha ha). The Steelers traditionally come out slow but if they want to have a chance this year, they have to stack wins right out of the gate. Can we outscore the Pats without Bell? I really don't know. But it would be one hell of a statement game if we did.

The Pats will lack Revis this year, but honestly, we need both O and D to step it up, just at the time when both are in flux. Not cool.


Dissolv

[teegre]

Schedule sucks hard and this game is the pits. (ha ha). The Steelers traditionally come out slow but if they want to have a chance this year, they have to stack wins right out of the gate. Can we outscore the Pats without Bell? I really don't know. But it would be one hell of a statement game if we did.

The Pats will lack Revis this year, but honestly, we need both O and D to step it up, just at the time when both are in flux. Not cool.


Dissolv

They usually start slow, but in 2010, the BB suspension forced them to be focused. Likewise, I think that the loss of Bell will create a bunker mentality. They will go 2-0, overlook the Rams, and then blow out the Ravens: 3-1.

TAPERIOTS:
No Revis.
No Browner.
They might have to cheat, in order to win.

Oh... right.

[Dissolv]

They might have to cheat, in order to win.

Oh... right.

:toofunny:

Dissolv

[hawaiiansteeler]

Yeah, but we all know what Haley should do and what he actually does in preparing game plan in accordance to other teams' weaknesses.

I feel like I want to post in a "Fire Haley" thread now. :lol:

:rofl2:

how long into the season do you suppose it will be until we have "Fire Haley", "Fire Butler" and "Fire Tomlin" threads?

[86WARD]

I'm all for firing Tomlin now...

[hawaiiansteeler]

I'm all for firing Tomlin now...

http://cdn.25stanley.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/824591415.gif

[hawaiiansteeler]

Butler should show this to the Steelers' defense before the game:

http://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/bradyhighv.gif%3Fw%3D640%26h%3D360

[Lady Steel]

Butler should show this to the Steelers' defense before the game:

http://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/bradyhighv.gif%3Fw%3D640%26h%3D360


Brady's such a dweeb. :lol: