The first week is in the books. We had players wearing different colors for other teams, new rules that the refs eyeballed closely, and nerves and rust. We had big money-making athletes dormant and few athletes chewing up the field, and, more importantly, we had big plays coming down to the wire, including my beloved Steelers, who (I've said since before training camp) won't be contenders until they straighten out the locker room.
Let's get right to the recap.
Steelers: A tie? Do people pay for a tie?
- Initially, I wasn't going to comment on the Le'Veon Bell drama. What was the point? I said it all last year at this time, so what could I add to it? But then peeps kept asking me my take on it, so let's get this out of the way. One, I get that Bell feels he is the greatest running back and deserves a big paycheck. Two, the Steelers offered him that large paycheck. Three, neither side could agree for whatever reason, and so Bell is optioning his right not to show up or sign the franchise tag that the Steelers have put on him. That is his right. HOWEVER...One, I disagree that Bell's play lives up to the type of reward he is asking for from the Steelers organization. The man has been suspended twice for a drug violation. He missed another season due to injury. Had he shown up this year and played like he's done in the past, I wouldn't argue his big-money offer. Two, had Bell shown up this year for training camp and the season, I think it would have done more for him in terms of respect and negotiations for next year. I hear what he is saying in regards to his body and all, but can the NFL keep this precedent? Bell told his teammates that he would report after missing training camp, and he didn't show up for the Cleveland game forfeiting $855,000 (so, is it about the money or the title for his ego?). I'm okay with his teammates voicing their displeasure. This is a team sport, and while they all agree (or not) that each player should be paid, they also have the right to wonder if Bell even cares about the rest of them because pretty much he is staying away to stay healthy for his next team next year. Three, the NFL and players organization might want to sit down and reconsider all of this because what's the point? That being said, Seattle's Earl Thomas wants more money, but he showed up on game day for "his teammates," so I suppose that if Bell's holdout has shown one player, the err of his ways...
- James Connor got his first touchdown. It was smooth into the end zone with the team opening up a huge hole, but what I loved about it was his delayed excitement more than the touchdown itself. He was cool as a cucumber running, and then suddenly he was like holy-shit-I-just-scored-a-touchdown-in-the-NFL. You could see the moment when he realizes it, and I got a bit teary. Shook whatever nerves he looked like he didn't have. This kid has had an Osaka week (that's a US Open tennis reference btw) with the whole Bell drama, so I'm sure the celebration with the guys was pure and real and necessary for the entire team. He isn't a rookie this year, but he's number two, and yesterday he was number one.
- The whole James Connor story is a big one. Born and raised in Erie, PA. Goes to Pitt for college. Gets hurt and then sick. Discovers he has cancer. Twelve chemo rounds while he is recovering from his football injury. Back at football for Pitt and then drafted by his hometown team? People, this story vs. Le'Veon Bell? No contest. 135 yards rushing, 57 yards in passing, two touchdowns in his debut. So happy for this kid, although his fumble in the middle of the fourth quarter that resulted in the Browns comeback will be all he thinks about this morning, I'm sure. Pfft. Kid, you were the reason we were in this thing all day!
- Hey! Guess what? Penalties abounded (12 with 6 turnovers) just as if no one on the Steelers coaching staff took a look at my blog from last year or glanced at last year's tape. I'm going to keep track of how many Mondays I discuss this topic. Our defense kept getting frustrated like little kids on the playground. Artie Burns and Jarvis Landry messing with each other with a smack, a punch, a stiff arm, a face mask, and then wrestling on the turf? Boys. Please. Play some damn football and leave that other stuff for the bar.
- Ben ran! But it wasn't the typical Ben run. Roethlisberger lost weight, and apparently, that freed him. He must have practiced on perfecting his run because he looked like a runner should. Quite impressive for a big guy. Big Ben made some nice plays running and even threw in the elusive quarterback sneak. Too bad that didn't offset his three interceptions and two fumbles.
- Antonio Brown wasn't explosive with huge plays that will get him on ESPN's SportsCenter's Top Ten this morning, but he quietly received for 93 yards that pushed him into the 10,000-yard career receiving club, joining active receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Brandon Marshall, and Antonio Gates. Brown achieved the mark in 116 games, the second-fewest games to do that.
- The Steelers only had to hang on in the fourth, but they made PENALTIES that the Browns scored on, and the game went into overtime. The Steelers Boz missed his FG attempt, and the Steelers blocked the Browns FG attempt, and neither side posted a win or a loss. It's going to be a long year.
Other:
- Whoa! The Bucs came to play in New Orleans. It was a shootout match between the old-timers, both of them firing long bombs to receivers willing to catch. Brees and Fitzpatrick combined The Bucs won the slugfest, and quarterback Fitzpatrick should have the Bucs franchise fuckup quarterback rethinking his position, not to mention his ways.
- Kudos to Saints Mike Thomas, who received from Brees and then fell to the turf with a handful of Bucs players staring down at him. However, not one touch, so Thomas stood up and took off running until he reached the end zone. Problem? The ref inadvertently blew the whistle. But nice follow through Thomas. Sorry, the refs f**ked it up.
- Roughing the quarterback was the new rule of the week. No more falling on top of the quarterback. ??? No more tackling by lowering the helmet. ??? Wow. Those rules were broken left and right and most likely will be until the players learn to tackle and fall in other ways. I'm not sure how you tackle without lowering your head. Is that not instinctive? And how do you stop yourself from falling on top of someone? Uh??? Crazy, but at least the NFL is trying?
- I got a big kick out of the head referee for the Colts/Bengals game. Mr. Cool and Collect. His reports were so deadpan that I just wanted to watch him to see if he would mess up and show some emotion--any emotion. It was chuckle-worthy.
- The Miami Dolphins game was suspended for two hours due to lightning in the area, and when I watched the RedZone channel, I thought, "Wow, what a boring game that one turned out to be," until I realized they were just coming out of the delay. Welcome to Florida football fans during hurricane/storm season. And apparently, the NFL isn't afraid of any other weather except lightning.
- A lot of good playing from teams and individuals--the Bucs, Kirk Cousins, and how great was it to see Andrew Luck back on the field? Although every time someone came near him, I cringed. Don't hurt Andy! Don't hurt Andy!
- Chicago Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack ended the first half with a sack, a pick, a touchdown, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He also was tagged with the pressure on Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers that caused the injury that resulted in Rodgers leaving the field.
- BUT...Rodgers returned with his team down by 20 yards, and he showed, with the help of his receivers, that his big paycheck making him the highest-paid QB in the league was worth every penny. Hell, Bell, give Rodgers a call and ask him how he managed that money. Guarantee holding out and missing training camp isn't high on Rodgers list. Who has the money?
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