I have full confidence thay y'all will enjoy one of the at least 16 glorious Sundays we get each year to enjoy football with family and friends. I mean, come on! Could you ask for better weather in Pennsylvania today? It's in the high 70s in Philly and throughout the state of PA and surrounding areas.
Cheers, y'all. Enjoy this delightful early autumnal treat of fantastic football and pristine weather. I'm sure you all deserve it.My final thoughts on today's game. As always, scatterbrained.
And really, more silly than analytic. As the cliche goes - Any Given Sunday. Who knows what later today will bring in terms of these two dynamic teams. I think I have a pulse on what will transpire, but you just never know. As you'll see though, some developments can be deemed more certain than others.
* Heath Miller will catch at least 5 passes today. Same with Santonio Holmes
* Orpheus Roye, at least once, will contribute in Brett Keisel's absence.
* Jeef Reed will play a big role if we're going to win this game.
* Ben Roethlisber's shoulder will be mentioned 73 times during the early parts of the telecast. If Roeth plays well, it will be a proto-typical Nantz talking point. If he struggles, Simms will incessatntly talk about the day back in 1986 when he had similar shoulder problems and how they affected him. Not sure which I'd rather see take place, really.
* We'll find out if Keisel's absence has the same effect on our defense that Aaron Smith's did late last year.
* You will watch at minimum 15 beer+ truck advertisements during the telecast. You will also be reminded that CBS is America's #1 Netowrk channel prior to multiple pivotal 3rd downs.
* You will ask yourself on several occasions why Jim Nantz isn't in Kentucky covering the Ryder Cup as he gives way to Simms' verbal diarrhea following a pitch of 60 Minutes for the 4th time in the second half. Except on the West Coast of course.
* If you're like me, you'll also wonder how Phil Simms has managed to keep a woman in his life for all these years. Poor lady.
* Troy Polamalu will continue to piece together an amazing start to 2008.
* The Eagles offense, which has looked downright unstoppable for most of this young season, will be sent crashing down to Earth by what I think could be one of the five best Steelers defenses to ever compete in franchise history (barring injurys).
* I hate to do it, as I typically avoid making Steelers game predictions here. But, what the F. I did it last week on the record and came out looking smart, so why not double down. 23-17 Steelers. Time for people to take notice come tomorrow. This defense is for real (I think at least 7 of Philly's points will come cheaply in garbage time), and bum shoulder or not, Big Ben will sling it to where it needs to be. And for all the haters about the Westbrook vs FWP breakdown, either me or you is manning up tomorrow. For our sake, let's hope I'm right :) Mr. Westbrook has an uncanny way of breaking opposing team's backs when he's on.
Be blessed Steelers and Eagles fans.
I'll be here during the game. Can't wait.
Go Steelers!