Random Thoughts From a Black and Gold Mind: Week 9

My random thoughts this week have been fairly bitter. After the Dolphins debacle, the Pats loss and the Bye Week blahs. But it's a new day...yes it is. Let's hope.

Before I unveil my random thoughts, It's my custom to apologize to all those that I may have offended in last week's feature.

So, my sincerest sack-stuffing apologies go out to:

• Potato skins eaters
• Portly gents
• Ax-wielding mad men
• Those offended by the vision of somebody getting their head lopped off
• S&M enthusiasists
• Dukes of Hazzard scrubs
• Kool-Aid Man
• People who have had their face burned off by a Galaxy Note 7
• Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.
• Grease's Coach Calhoun, but not Danny Zuccco (He never really earned that letter jacket)

and

• Rick Strom

Now for Random Thoughts...

• It's Ravens Week. Steelers-Ravens is a great and bitter rivalry. Some feel that it has lost intensity recently. It hasn't. There are currently less villains with Suggs injured more and more lately, Ngata gone and Ray Lewis and Hines Ward retired. But the intensity is there between the players and the fans.
• Is it just me or do Ravens fans hate the Steelers more than Steeler Nation hates the Ravens? It's kind of like little brother-big brother envy. I was at the game last December and those fans were horrendous.
• I hate to compliment the Ravens on anything, but their pregame is very patriotic and military-oriented. With November being a "Salute To Service" month, I anticipate it being even nicer.
• I've heard Mike Tomlin call Terrell Suggs "Kool and the Gang" over recent years in admiration. As an 80s aficionado, this offends me. Until I hear No. 55 belt out "Celebration", "Misled" or "Ladies Night" on the 50-yard line, that name is inappropriate.
• On September 8th, I wrote in this very series my thoughts and fears on the Ravens signing of Devin Hester.
• The Union of Devin Hester and the Baltimore Birdies has me nervous. He's the kind of return man that gives the Steelers fits. I don't know if Mike Tomlin could even slow him down. I know he's long-in-the-tooth and this isn't 2006, but he's still faster than most humans. He's faster than me and I've been known to run a 4.28-40 when they put more food on the buffet at the local Sizzler.

Now that he is the league's leader in kickoff returns with an average of 28.8 YPR, I fear him even more. Hester would have been a great piece of the puzzle in Pittsburgh. I have a bad feeling that the Steelers ST will be seeing the back of his jersey on Sunday.

• Although Joe Flacco looks like one of Draco Malfoy's cohorts in the House of Slytherin in the Harry Potter Series, he throws one of the best deep balls in the NFL. Now Voldemort's Deatheater has a full compliment of guys like Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman and Kamar Aiken to get behind secondaries. If that happens, it will be "Avada Kedavra" for sure for the Steelers.
• The Steelers quarterback situation this week feels like a double edge sword. We desperately want Ben to return because of the extreme drop-off when Landry Jones plays, but Ben's performances when rushing back from injury have been subpar.
• Cam Heyward's return will bolster the defense like A1 Steak Sauce to the taste of a school cafeteria burger. Trust me, A1 works on anything. No. 97 is dynamic against the run and his absense was just as devastating as that of Ben's.
• Why am I worried about this game? I previously mentioned Ben's performance when he returns from injury. But the fact that the Steelers are away against a team with a losing record that just got all the pieces of their decimated offensive line back and had suffered through a tirade from a head coach in a team meeting, is worrisome. It is the same scenario as in Miami.

And finally....

• I wonder what Joel Steed is doing these days.

Until next time,

Heed the warning of Rod Stewart who shared with the world this wisdom..."Some guys have all the luck. some guys have all the pain. Some guys get all the breaks. Some guys do nothing but complain."

Sound like anyone you know?