I know this post will not gather much attention, but I like to go on record with some bold predictions for the upcoming 2011 season, if only for the sake of fun - and laughing at my "knowledge" at the end of the season will surely be fun. Of course I will not be able to find actual answers to some of these questions, but I will leave it to the judgment call of this community.
So here we go, and feel free to join in with the same set of predictions in the comments!
1. Steelers 2011 regular season record: 13-3
2. Steelers 2011 AFC North place: 1st
3. Steelers 2011 regular season wins: @Bal, Sea, @Ind, Ten, Jax, @Ari, Cin, @Cin, @KC, Cle, @SF, STL, @Cle
3(a) Number of wins where the defense will score more points than the offense: 1
4. Steelers 2011 regular season losses: @Hou, NE, Bal
4(a) Number of cornerbacks blamed and/or criticized after the NE loss: 3
5. Roethlisberger passing yards: over 4,100
5(a). Roethlisberger sacks: between 30 and 35
5(b). Roethlisberger injuries he plays through (that would have benched Jay Cutler): 2
5(c). References to the fact that Roethlisberger has been named team captain as opposed to the previous season, as a sign that he is a new man (and he is also married now) before bye week: 12
5(d). Will Roethlisberger be shown talking to James Harrison pregame in Week 1 as a sign that there is no hard feelings between them, or will this be referred to by the announcers: Yes
6. Mendenhall rushing yards: over 1,300
6(a) Times Mendenhall's twitter is mentioned during game broadcasts, before bye week: 10
7. Wallace receiving yards: between 900 and 1,000
7(a) Week of the season when Antonio Brown takes over Mike Wallace for "NFL's biggest deep threat": n/a (Wallace keeps the title)
8. AFC East Winner: NY Jets (I do think NE will implode with too much overhaul)
8(a): What Patriot will face most controvercy during the season: Belichick
9. AFC South Winner: Houston
10. AFC West Winner: San Diego
11. NFC North Winner: Green Bay
12. NFC East Winner: Philadelphia (if I could take one free pass, I would take it here)
13. NFC Sourt WInner: Atlanta
14. NFC West Winner: Arizona
15. AFC Wildcards: Indy, Baltimore
16. NFC Wildcards: Detroit, New Orleans
Bonus: Pittsburgh Penguins are 6-0 when I attend their game (from 2005 to 2011). Pittsburgh Pirates are 1-3. Pitt Panthers are 1-0. I have never been to a Steelers game. Question: Should I attend a Steelers game this year?