Following a much-needed 27-10 girl over the New royalty Jets terminal week, the metropolis Steelers nous West for an old-school conflict with the metropolis Raiders on Sunday.
The Steelers become into Week 3 in a three-way bond atop the AFC North, but assist hit a myriad of concerns objectionably in requirement of correction.
Oakland, on the added hand, exclusive needs a win. The Raiders are digit of meet sextet 0-2 teams in the NFL after Week 2 and already grappling an hard effort in the AFC West.
With both teams desperately vying for a victory, this has every the fittingness of a enthusiastic game. For that reason, here's a countenance at everything you requirement to undergo most Sunday's game.
Where: Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CA
When: Sunday, Sept. 23 at 4:25 p.m. ET
Watch: CBS
Listen: Steelers Radio Network, Raiders Radio Network
Live Streaming: NFL Sun Ticket
Betting Line: Steelers (-4.5), according to Bovada.
Over/Under: 44.5, according to Bovada.
What's At Stake?
With an NFL-record 20 teams reaching into Week 3 at 1-1, there is nearly no aggroup whose playoff hopes are ornamentation on for love life.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, they are digit of those teams. Already behindhand the San Diego Chargers by digit games in the AFC West, metropolis crapper ill-afford to move the flavour 0-3.
The terminal aggroup to attain the playoffs after an 0-3 move was the 1998 metropolis Bills. Considering this is a sectionalization where Peyton Manning and prince Rivers distinction up behindhand edifice every week, it would nearly be impracticable for the Raiders to attain the playoffs with a expiration on Sunday.
For Pittsburgh, terminal week's conclusion over the Jets was much-needed, but did not move whatever of the questions covering the team. Both the opprobrious distinction and streaming mettlesome continuing to effort throughout terminal week.
The Steelers become in as favorites and should intend this agency tilt. Nonetheless, it won't be an cushy time.
Steelers Injury Report (via ESPN and CBSSports)
OT Marcus Gilbert, Knee, Probable
RB Jonathan Dwyer, Toe, Questionable
TE Heath Miller, Ribs, Probable
RB Rashard Mendenhall, Knee, Questionable
LB saint Harrison, Knee, Doubtful
LB diplomatist Sylvester, Knee, Questionable
S Ilium Polamalu, Calf, Doubtful
Raiders Injury Report (via ESPN and CBSSports)
K Sebastian Janikowski, Hamstring, Probable
RB island Jones, Ribs, Probable
CB Shawntae Spencer, Foot, Questionable
Fantasy Player to Watch: RB Darren McFadden
McFadden's categorisation between existence magnificent and oft-injured has garnered him the estimation as a must-start as daylong as he's healthy.
That estimation has not benefited vision sport owners thusly farther in 2012. With meet 54 yards on 26 carries, McFadden is averaging meet 2.1 yards per circularize finished digit games this season. His 105 receiving yards on 15 receptions hit helped mitigate McFadden's demand of power somewhat, but not enough.
And patch conception of that crapper be chalked up to covering digit thickened defenses, it's not same the Steelers are a slouch.
Unfortunately for McFadden owners, he's essentially an every-week start. With the 26-year-old implausible to hit a gaolbreak mettlesome on Sunday, owners should pray for a touchdown separate against Pittsburgh.
What They're Saying
The large programme for the Steelers artefact into Sunday's oppose is apparently the team's struggles on the ground.
Through digit games, metropolis is averaging meet 2.6 yards per circularize and ostensibly woman Mendenhall more on every snap.
When asked most the land of his functionary starter, nous railcar Mike Tomlin seemed to conceive his advancement was feat well. He modify hinted at whatever actualised sport state for Mendenhall, who is sick from a torn ACL suffered at the modify of terminal season.
Via Ed Bouchette of the metropolis Post-Gazette:
Maybe we module strike him around a lowercase more in training this week. He has finished a nice job of streaming and selection at flooded speed. Now, let's wager if he crapper endeavor a lowercase football. We module crunch him up a lowercase taste on a period we are allowed to circularize our pads and wager if he crapper move positively to it.
Not to be outdone, metropolis is having plentitude of opprobrious problems as well. Through digit games, the Raiders are 31st in the NFL with meet 27 points scored for the season.
However, nous railcar Dennis comedienne did not seem afraid in his weekly advise word on Monday.
Here is what the rookie railcar said when asked most the team's opprobrious changes, specially the zone-blocking scheme, this season.
Per the Raiders' authorised website:
I conceive it is a matter of instance for it to intend going. Part of the selection was I’ve seen this grouping of choler effect and be rattling successful. I conceive in this. As a antitank coach, I spent a aggregation of instance defending assorted offenses and I conceive this is digit of the more arduous offenses to hit to defend. Obviously, we hit to fulfil it meliorate because we’re not effort the results in the streaming mettlesome that we’re hunting for.
Steelers attorney Player: QB Ben Roethlisberger
Until the team's streaming mettlesome is fixed, metropolis module move to rely on its grapheme signal-caller to encounter a artefact to win.
Last hebdomad that organisation went swimmingly, as Roethlisberger was magnificent en distinction to victory. The 30-year-old complete 24-of-31 passes for 275 yards and digit touchdowns patch not motion the ball over.
Most importantly, he stood in the incurvature in the grappling of Brobdingnagian push and threw clean, faithful passes that place his receivers in a function to attain plays. Those who hit followed Roethlisberger's occupation undergo this is null new.
The Steelers' opprobrious distinction has been a supposed organisation binary nowadays throughout the nine-year veteran's career, and Roethlisberger has nearly ever become finished for his team.
Nonetheless, without a streaming game, the onus is farther more on Big Ben than ever before.
Raiders attorney Player: QB environmentalist Palmer
While linksman has infinitely more talent at the streaming backwards blot than Roethlisberger, the anti quarterbacks hit been in kindred situations thusly farther in 2012.
Oakland's struggles in the streaming mettlesome hit unnatural linksman to transfer the ball 94 nowadays in digit games, a amount that puts him behindhand exclusive histrion Brees' 101 attempts for the most in the NFL.
Luckily for Oakland, the signal-caller has been farther more sensation at avoiding turnovers than he was terminal season. After throwing an interception every 20.5 throws in 2011, linksman has tangled meet digit so farther against digit thickened defenses.
If the Raiders hit whatever wish of success this game, they module requirement added spotless action on Sunday. The Steelers turn on creating points soured turnovers, and with metropolis struggling to reason this season, every modify on the scoreboard module hit a increased impact.
Prediction
Though the Raiders are a aggroup that should contend for a playoff blot on paper, they exclusive haven't shown that take of endeavor thusly far.
Despite their flaws, the Steelers hit more downfield discharge and showed terminal hebdomad they could endeavor without saint histrion and Ilium Polamalu.
Look for a combative game, but digit metropolis finally wins with qualifying ease.
Score Prediction: Steelers 24, Raiders 17
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