USA TODAY International Edition
Can Steelers, Bengals avoid more ugliness?
There will be no shortage of animosity at Heinz Field, where the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals renew acquaintances, to put it mildly, in an early- season showdown that will provide the winner with a leg up in the AFC North.
And the NFL, starting with the officiating crew Sunday, will be watching with perhaps even more scrutiny after what happened the last time these teams played. The Bengals blew a victory in a firstround AFC playoff game after committing two personal fouls in crunchtime — which is why Cincinnati linebacker Vontaze Burfict is suspended for the first three games of this season.
Yes, something major — such as Le’Veon Bell’s knee injury last year — always happens when these teams play. That’s why buzz was created this last week about the NFL warning the teams to be on their best behavior.
But wait a minute. The NFL warned the teams last year, too.
In any event, call it a tossup when trying to weigh which team has the edge when it comes to revenge factor.
What to watch:
WHO’S HOT
Jameis Winston. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, leaner and sleeker after putting the work into his body, began Year 2 on a good note, firing four touchdown passes in the opener at the Atlanta Falcons. Now comes a stiffer test at the Arizona Cardinals, who are reeling from a setback against a quarterback ( Jimmy Garoppolo) with even less playing experience than Winston. No doubt, the Cardinals will unleash a barrage of blitzes at Winston. He’ll have a chance to prove how much he learned with all the extensive work during the offseason aimed to help him better decipher opposing defenses.
PRESSURE’S ON
Jeff Fisher. What a time for a leak about a contract extension for the Los Angeles Rams coach. Fisher’s team had the worst loss of Week 1, falling 28- 0. Now the Seattle Seahawks come to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which means Pete Carroll will be the most popular coach in the place. If the Rams stink it up again, completing extensions at the moment for Fisher and general manager Les Snead — who gave up a bundle in trading up to draft quarterback Jared Goff, who isn’t close to hitting the field — will come with the risk of making the Rams a laughingstock.
ROOKIE WATCH
Ezekiel Elliott. It wasn’t long ago that the Dallas Cowboys running back crowed about having the easiest job in America, before even playing his first NFL game, because he was playing behind Dallas’ richly talented O- line. Elliott’s job wasn’t so easy in his NFL debut, when he averaged 2.6 yards per carry on 20 rushes against the New York Giants. Even worse was that Elliott seemingly threw that talented O- line under the bus, lamenting afterward how his poor performance was linked to Dallas being beaten at the point of attack.
KEY MATCHUP Ndamukong Suh vs. Jimmy
Garoppolo. The Miami Dolphins have lost seven in a row to the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., but there’s more hope this time, with Tom Brady being suspended. The fill- in, Garoppolo, was impressive enough in Week 1. He completed 72% of his passes and was 8- for- 10 on third downs. Yet nothing throws off a quarterback’s rhythm like the type of in- your- face pass rush that can be generated by the inside push that Suh brings.
NEXT MAN UP
Josh McCown. History suggests it was only a matter of time before the Cleveland Browns would be making a quarterback move. Cleveland hasn’t had a quarterback start all 16 games in a season since Tim Couch in 2001, underscoring an NFL longest streak of 15 seasons with multiple quarterbacks drawing starts. And so Robert Griffin III is on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and McCown takes over as the crafty vet. But the Browns are also just one snap away from rookie Cody Kessler.
STOMACH FOR AN UPSET? Indianapolis Colts at Denver
Broncos. The game might not have as much interest with Peyton Manning in retirement. But that won’t matter to Andrew Luck. The Colts quarterback has won three of four games against the Broncos in his career. The Colts, with their quick, small, shifty receivers, have posed a matchup problem for Denver’s secondary, while Luck has used his legs to add another measure of stress. Still, it will be tougher this time. It will be interesting to see how tight the officials call any rough stuff against Luck, who too often puts his body in danger. IF THE PLAYOFFS WERE TODAY The Houston Texans sure look to have a better shot of knocking off the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of the first- round AFC playoff blowout in January. For one thing, turnover- prone quarterback Brian Hoyer is long gone, replaced by Brock Osweiler, who was impressive in Week 1. The other difference is running back Lamar Miller, who came over from Miami as a free agent and put up a 100- yard game and had a career- high 28 carries against the Chicago Bears. The Chiefs run defense allowed 155 yards in Week 1. Houston needs balance if it is to take the next step and become a legitimate contender. It also needs J. J. Watt to return to form.