Steelers/Redskins thoughts:
In case you didn't know I'm a Skins fan so I thought I'd get that out there and am definitely not a homer. Actually prolly the complete opposite when it comes to this hobby keeping my fandom aside. That being said, I like the Steez a good bit tonight and am starting to think I'm being led to the slaughterhouse as it almost seems like the line begs for Steeler money and I'm holding a bad number as of now (can get -1 and -130 ML on 5Dimes). So I'll maybe resist the urge to add more to it for now as I think I'm pretty well exposed to this point. Washington was a pretty good home dog at 5-3 ATS LY and Cousin Kirk has Redskin nation feeling pretty good about the future, or at least better than they did a year ago this time. I'd love to have the same sentiment as I can't really remember when the Redskins have been solid at QB since, um, Theisman maybe? Kirk had a great second half last year so I give him all the credit in the world for that. But I also remember the first half when he was turnover prone and a huge question as to whether he was even starter quality. So I look at last year as a mixed bag and I think the Redskin organization is in the same boat. Otherwise he'd have signed a long term extension in the offseason instead of playing for it this year. So I don't think the organization is sold and they're much smarter than I and I think we'd be fooling ourselves if we thought he was the answer long term as of right now. He is possibly but not for sure. Then there's this little nugget: the Skins are 2-14 in the L16 Monday night games and didn't beat a team with a winning record last year. They beat up on the team they should've beaten anyways so their 9-7 record might be a little watered down IMO. They'll get a big test tonight and just don't think they're at that level of perennial playoff contenders just yet.
Now he has a wealth of talent around him and when utilized correctly they can hold their own on the offensive side in the passing game. Huge concerns in the run game though. They like to run play action and if Jones isn't a threat you mise well throw all those out the window (no pun intended). Reed is a matchup nightmare and Jackson, Garcon, and Crowder are a good trio to throw to but if he doesn't have time or the offense is one dimensional they won't be as effective. The Steelers are without Bell,Wheaton, and Bryant but D. Williams is more than a capable back and either Coates or Heyward Bey will be ok as the fill ins at WR against the Skins D. Hell, I'd take D. Williams in a heartbeat as a primary back at this point over anything the Skins have. I do think Ben and Brown will get theirs against Norman as well and we're about to find out just how much that front 7 in Carolina helped make him one of the best in the game. It's an understatement to say the Skins front 7 isn't on the same level as Carolina and therein lies the problem. It will be their achilles heel this year I believe. As is years past the defensive side of the ball for the Skins can't capitalize on the stars being our for the Steelers and I just trust Ben more (even on the road where he's been pretty pedestrian) than I do Kirk and the suspect Redskin D. Huge coaching mismatch here as well as Tomlin will run circles around Gruden which shouldn't be overlooked.
The Steelers should be able to move the ball both on the ground and through the air as I don't see a ton of resistance from the Skins. Ben will find a way as winners do while the Skins are still trying to figure that part out. They're at least a season or two from winning a game like tonight IMO and my bad line of 3 isn't too much to ask much less what you can get now. Feels too easy at this point but I'll pay to see Kirk and the Skins get a win against a 2016 super bowl contender.
Steelers 27 Redskins 17
