I told you we would be having an email battle with bloggers for rival teams, and this week is obviously the Steelers. Donald from Steelers Today was who we did eBattle with this game.
Donald, as stated on his site, feels he crushed me. I feel differently. I think I tried to be civil and he shot back with analysis that… well… its filled with a lot of typical Pittsburghian (a Peter King word) irrationality. I’ll let you decide.
My first email:
So, Steelers Today, as you know the Titans and the Steelers open the NFL season this Thursday. I find this appropriate because I felt last year we were the two best teams in the NFL and going into this year, I see no reason for this not to be the case again. So lets cut to the chase. This is why I think the Titans will be the victorious team on Thursday:
1) Line domination: When we won last year, it was all because our Offensive Line held serve against your insanely good defense enough for Chris Johnson to get some daylight and for Kerry Collins to get a pass in on a Polamalu misread. On defense, our line dominated your struggling Offensive Line, the closest thing the 2008 Steelers had to an Achilles Heel, and this was WITHOUT Albert Haynesworth. I really see no reason why this won’t happen again. The same units are lining up for the Titans on both sides, and I doubt your Offensive Line has improved enough to keep Big Ben upright.
2) Improved Offense: We were able to put up 31 points with our offense last year, and our offense this year is drastically improved. While I do not think we will get 31 points again, I could see us reaching 24 points with our improved weapons, and I don’t think your offense can put up that many on our defense.
3) Special Teams: The Titans almost always win the special teams battle, and I feel the Steelers always are below average on special teams themselves. In a game with two teams as close as these two are, special teams always seems to play a role. I give that edge to the Titans.
4) Terrible Towels Crush it, LenDale. Crush it.
You disagree with any of this, Steelers Today?
His response back to me and my well thought out and brilliant points though, was this:
You do make a few good points in your analysis. Let’s see……ummmm, well you said that…..nope that was total B.S……..Hmmmmm, there must have been a good point in there somewhere. Upon further review, you didn’t make any good points in your analysis. But thanks for trying.
Here are the real reason why the Steelers are going to be the ones doing the stomping tomorrow (and I don’t mean on a towel).
1. The Steelers are practically unbeatable at home. Jeff Fisher knows all too well how hard it is to win at Heinz Field. He’s seen the bad mojo that 60,000 Terrible Towels can bring to opposing teams. He understands that the outcome is inevitable. But he has to bring his team to Pittsburgh anyway lest he seem like a coward.
2. The Steelers defense is better than the Titans’ offense. Period. End of story.
3. The Titans big off-season free agent signing was former Steelers WR Nate Washington. Titans fans are going to discover what Steelers fans already know. Washington drops too many balls. There is a reason why he was our #3 receiver. But of course, he might not even play. His alleged injury is clearly a thinly veiled attempt to avoid playing against the Steelers.
4. Kerry Collins is 74 years old.
5. I do acknowledge that our offensive line was our achilles heel last year, but they had 4 new starters. Max Starks had to fill in at left tackle when Marvel Smith sustained an injury. Chris Kemoeatu was a first time starter. Justin Hartwig was a newly acquired free agent, and Darnell Stapleton was a first time starter who was forced into action when Kendall Simmons suffered a season ending injury. This year, the offensive line will be a cohesive unit with a season of experience under their belts. Darnell Stapleton got injured in training camp and is going to miss the season, but the others will be back with far more experience playing together than they had last year.
6. If you think the Titans have the advantage on special teams, you haven’t been paying attention. I have just two words for you: Stefan Logan.
So the only questions going into tomorrow’s game are:1) How badly are the Steelers going to beat the Titans?
2) When will dentistry final be introduced in the state of Tennessee?
1) Jeff Fisher has a towel phobia and 60,000 all at once will make it hard for him to handle. This ignores the fact that Jeff Fisher is 12-7 versus the Steelers, including 11 of the past 14 meetings. I think he’ll be just fine.
2) Your defense was the best in the League last year, thus is better than our offense. As I remember, we still put up 31 points without blinking an eye. The Cardinals, by far the worst Superbowl team in the history of the NFL, then put up 23 despite being completely one dimensional and having no run game.
3) Nate Washington does drop a lot of balls and was your 3rd string receiver. This is true. However, we beat you into the ground just fine without him last year. I think we’ll be okay.
4) Kerry Collins is 74, but your Quarterback is a moron. Not only because he bounced his head off of a windshield but, while I believe he is innocent of all rape charges from that chick, he still showed his insanely bad, borderline autistic judgment. Have you seen her? She’s hideous! And crazy! HE IS THE STARTING QUARTERBACK OF THE SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS AND HE CAN ONLY GET A 5?!?! Who is he? Bill Clinton? COME ON. If you’re going to plow a crazy chick, at least make her hot. However, in his defense, she’s like a 9 by Pittsburgh standards.
5) So, essentially your plan is “Take 5 bad Offensive Lineman (Justin Hartwig to us is what Nate Washington was to you) who let our star Quarterback get his head bashed in all year long and show no signs of cohesiveness and in a year they will magically be good.” FAIL. Bad players are bad players from year to year. If they were going to improve with chemestry and timing, then why didn’t they as the season moved along? As I recall, our game against you was week 16. Plenty of time for a new Offensive Line to gel. Yeah, that didn’t work out too well. They won’t be better, our Defensive Linemen are going to abuse them this year as well. It’ll be a massacre. Willie Parker will have -7 yards rushing at best. Mendenhal, who I like, might get 2.
6) 5 words. Jeff Reed vs. Rob Bironas.
To answer your two questions: 1) Steelers will win by -10. and 2) if you google image Pittsburgh Steelers fan, you’ll find that the dental and weight issues faced by Pennsylvanians are much worse than any found in beautiful Tennessee, home of Jack Daniels and a good running game.
Tags: NFL Week 1, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Terrible Towel
This is 2 easy… 4 out of 5. Nothing else to say, and after tonight god willing it will be 5 out of 6. The rest is all hot air, I have hated them since 1974 and while i respect the 6 rings its towel stompin time!
Damn, i was goin for First but i had to log in… We are gonna win solid long as Collins has minimal mistakes. Not impressed w/ steelers run game behind shoddy o-line, and our line is still beast. Only question is who Snoop Dogg is rootin for.
The Steelers are practically unbeatable at home. lol The Colts came into Heinz Field…. and not only did big brother Manning come into Heinz Field so did his lil brother and whooped that monkey ass and shit if we had some towels to stomp on we would have too GO TITANS
i declare you the victor. His final witty retort is admitting you are right and hoping for the best for his team. Cant hold back though, logic is left at the door come rivalry time. See you on the boards gametime. GO TITANS
Nate is a go for tonight, think he might have something to prove? 1 long td is what im lookin at 6 for 125 1 td Go Titans!