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Pittsburgh Steelers
Which team is happier Tim Tebow starts?
John Elway said he has confidence in Tim Tebow, but will Tebow's pluses outweigh his minuses?
Vote: Five questions for Steelers at Broncos
Which injury hurts Steelers more?
Ben Roethlisberger says his injured ankle is a "five" on a scale of one-to-10. Is that a bigger problem than Rashard Mendenhall's torn ACL?
A veritable feast of linebackers?
Tom Jackson and Jack Lambert won't be out there, but there is some serious linebacker talent among these two teams.
Does one team have the QB edge?
Eli Manning finished 0.7 points better than Matt Ryan in passer rating this season (92.9 to 92.2).
Vote: Five questions for Falcons at Giants
Tom Coughlin or Mike Smith?
Tom Coughlin's job security always seems up for debate, but Falcons coach Mike Smith is 0-2 in two playoff trips. Would 0-3 hurt his reputation?
Are Giants better than their numbers?
The Giants are No. 27 in total defense, right behind the Bills and Colts. But they also have 11 sacks in the past two games and a healthy Osi Umenyiora.
Is Big Ben's ankle OK?
The Steelers have never really been known for their offensive prowess, but a 20-3 loss to the 49ers may have fans worried about Ben Roethlisberger.
Which team is a playoff danger?
Both San Francisco and Pittsburgh are playoff-bound, and though the Steelers have reams of experience in the postseason, the 49ers seem to have the advantage in momentum.
Has Alex Smith turned a corner?
Alex Smith was heavily (and rightly) cricitized during the Mike Singletary era, but he's been exceptional this season -- 16 touchdown passes, only five interceptions and a completion rate well above 60 percent.
A blackout disaster?
The lights went out twice last night, although fortunately neither time was during an actual play. If so, the results could have been disastrous. Or hilarious. Maybe both.
Is playing Ben Roethlisberger wise?
Jamison Hensley blogs that all signs point to Roethlisberger playing at less than full strength against the 49ers. With a division title and first-round bye up for grabs, is that the right call?
The toughest quarterback on the block?
Roethlisberger is built like a linebacker, so perhaps it's no surprise he's developed a reputation in some quarters as the ultimate tough-guy quarterback. Do you buy it?
Will tonight define the 49ers?
The 49ers are still in the running for at least a first-round bye in the NFC, but after losing two of three, including at the Cardinals last week, is their credibility in doubt?
Which franchise wins the history battle?
Tonight's game is big because both teams may be title contenders, but did Jack Lambert's Steelers have a better run as perennial contenders?
Does stubbornness equal selfishness?
As James Harrison makes clear above, he isn't going to change his style despite a one-game suspension for a hit on Colt McCoy. If it takes him out of the lineup, is that selfish?
Could Harrison change his ways?
Harrison told Jerome Bettis he can't change his style, having tried before only to limit his own effectiveness.
The NFL's most infamous defender?
Like Tim Tebow racing up the fourth-quarter comeback charts, Ndamukong Suh is making quick work of the NFL discipline charts. But is Harrison the king of questionable play?
A costly loss for a team trying to win?
The Steelers are tied for the AFC's best record but would be the fourth seed at the moment. Is home-field advantage more important to them than Monday's opponent?
It wasn't pretty, and it was painful for their quarterback, but the Steelers got the win they needed against the Browns. Ben Roethlisberger returned from a high ankle sprain to make sure his team had enough points to win, but will James Harrison be leaving the lineup? Harrison delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland QB Colt McCoy, and it's not exactly his first brush with the NFL law. Should Roger Goodell suspend Harrison?
- "As a fan of neither team, I just do not understand Harrison's mentality. The ball was gone and he still goes helmet to helmet. I am starting to wonder if it is a Cleveland thing. He just does not play this way against most of the other teams." -- SN commenter Painkillers1967
Time to sit down James Harrison?
You can see the video of Harrison's hit here and listen to NFL Network's Deion Sanders make a case that Harrison wasn't at fault.
Your take on Harrison's value?
Harrison plays with passion and is a key cog in the Steelers' defense. But does his intensity run a little too hot for comfort?
What about the other quarterback?
Colt McCoy wasn't the only quarterback worse for wear after Thursday's game. Ben Roethlisberger returned after a high ankle sprain.
The Ravens and Steelers is a big rivalry -- big import, big stars, big hits and big fines. NFL officials provided the last part of the equation in the form of a $40,000 fine for Steelers safety Ryan Clark for a helmet-to-helmet hit in Sunday's game. Clark isn't the only one taking a monetary hit for dishing out a real one, but is his hit more evidence that the Steelers are held to a different standard?
- "All fined defensive players should study film of how hits were done 20 or 30 years ago and then really make people pay. The wallet's going to get hurt either way. If the league wants to make them out as bad guys, let them really be bad and make the league sorry for it." -- SN commenter thebusisinnewyork
- "As a Browns fan, I hate siding with anything a Steelers player/coach says. But man, Ryan Clark is right. The NFL might as will be a touch league now. There is a reason the offensive numbers are through the roof this year -- the defense isn't allowed to tackle the offense." -- SN commenter xcwarrior
Did Clark's hit warrant $40,000?
You can watch the hit for yourself here. The story also notes that Clark (seen here in happier times) said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin used the clip as an example of a good hit.
Are Steelers unfairly targeted?
"It wasn't a spear. It wasn't a forearm to the head. It wasn't any of those things and to be fined $40,000 for that? To me it's either targeting me as a single player or it's targeting this team." --Clark on the fine, one of 13 for the Steelers this season
Words that could haunt him?
"So it's going to turn into if you're going to fine me $40,000, I might as well put him to sleep for real or I might as well blow his knee out." -- Clark.
Are all the fines helping?
Roger Goodell has docked the Steelers for $182,000 in fines this season, and James Harrison came close to that by himself last season. But are the dollars adding up to fewer bad hits?
It's no surprise that the Ravens, fresh off a comeback against the Cardinals, and the Steelers, having dispatched the Patriots, meet with AFC North lead on the line. It's considerably more surprising that the winner might have to share those bragging rights with the Bengals. After a 34-12 win against the Seahawks, the Bengals are making it a three-way race in the division.
- "The next three weeks will determine how the Bengals do this year. Murderer's row. At Tennessee, vs. Pittsburgh, at Baltimore. I've been pulling for them just because they've been underdogs all these years, but this is bringing back painful memories of 2009, when no one took them seriously and they ransacked the division. Andy Dalton's got to be in serious consideration to beat out Cam Newton for ROY." -- SN commenter RavensSuperbowl44
- "Look out, NFL. The Cincinnati Bengals are for real. One of the top defenses in the league and an underrated offense led by the best rookie combo ever!" -- SN commenter BengalNation365
What is the playoff picture?
With just two wild cards available for the conference, it's not easy for one division to send three teams to the playoffs.
Will the division make or break Bengals?
The Bengals are off to a strong start, but they play half of their final eight games against the Steelers and Ravens.
Andy Dalton or Joe Flacco?
Dalton threw two touchdowns and two picks against the Seahawks, while Flacco totaled 336 yards but no touchdowns against the Cardinals.
Is there a race for rookie honors?
Cam Newton keeps piling up statistics but isn't getting many wins. Does either half of a rookie combo in Cincinnati deserve the nod as top newcomer?
The first game of the NFL season kicks off in a little more than 24 hours, and we'd be lying if we said we weren't at least a little excited. Pro football can be a messy affair at times -- see the entire labor battle during the offseason -- but it's a glorious sport at its heart. Most every team's fan base has something to look forward to this weekend, although Colts fans may be dreading a future without Peyton Manning after the news that he'll miss at least his first game with a neck injury.
- Rank: Is Peyton Manning still in the MVP race? | Which are football's best teams?
- Vote: Which teams are the favorite to win each division?
Best game?
There are a lot of good matchups in Week 1 of the NFL's 2011 regular season. Steelers-Ravens, for example, could be a preview of a future AFC playoff game.
Colts without Manning?
Peyton Manning is out for an undetermined amount of time. This could be a prime opportunity for other teams to break Indianapolis' stranglehold on the AFC South.
AFC East
The Patriots responded to their 14-2 record last season by signing or trading for several marquee names. Are they good enough to beat the Jets?
AFC North
The Steelers fell just short of winning the Super Bowl last season, as their vaunted defense wasn't able to stop Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
AFC South
Peyton Manning took a pay cut in order for the Colts to keep some of their key players, but is it enough for Indianapolis to win the AFC South?
AFC West
There's a brewing quarterback controversy in Denver, with Kyle Orton delaying the seemingly inevitable succession of Tim Tebow to the starting job. Can the Broncos compete with Orton?
NFC East
The Eagles made a number of humongous moves this offseason, including trading Kevin Kolb and signing Nnamdi Asomugha. Are they the team to beat in the NFC East?
NFC North
Aaron Rodgers led the Packers on an incredible run to a Super Bowl title last year. Are they the favorites in the NFC North once again?
NFC South
The Saints looked to make another deep run at a Super Bowl, but were stunned by the lowly Seahawks. Are they still an elite team?
NFC West
Speaking of the Seahawks, they won the NFC West despite a 7-9 record. Will they sneak into the playoffs once more?
The NFL may have a collective bargaining agreement on the verge of being ratified, but that doesn't mean there is much collective good will on the part of players toward commissioner Roger Goodell. Steelers linebacker James Harrison recently apologized for his caustic remarks about Goodell, but teammate Ryan Clark took up the torch, arguing against the exclusive control of the personal conduct policy the commissioner retains under the new CBA.
- "I say good for Roger Goodell. Of course he's not going to be popular. Of course he's going to be ridiculed. But here's the reality. To many players are breaking rules, committing crimes and getting tangled in police and legal trouble. To many players are publicly demeaning their bosses and talking about issues that are professionally and ethically not acceptable in the norms of society behavior." -- SN commenter charles-schwabe
Is the commissioner fair game?
Among Clark's comments: "I think (Goodell has) decided to make himself a major part of this game. I don't know if he had some type of high school dreams or Pop Warner dreams of being an NFL football player, but he's made himself the NFL."
Judge, jury and appeals process?
Clark made it a bit personal, but his larger point seemed to be that players aren't happy that Goodell is the lone voice implementing, interpreting and enforcing the league's personal conduct policy.
What about the big picture?
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has former player Brendan Shanahan to be his tough guy on discipline. Would having an NFL Shanahan help?
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