In less than two weeks the Pittsburgh Steelers 2015 schedule will be released and even though starting running back Le’Veon Bell will likely be suspended for the first few games of the season, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe believes the black and gold are still the front-runners to play the New England Patriots in the Thursday night season-opener.
In a Monday morning article, Volin says that he believes the Steelers will be the team that the Patriots host to kick-off the 2015 season after having talked to several people around the league.
“The Steelers certainly have the edge in the “powerhouse franchise” category, and have a decided advantage under “star quarterback.” And that, of course, is what the NFL is all about. Tom Brady vs. Ben Roethlisberger is by far the best available quarterback matchup,” writes Volin.
Should the Steelers not be the league’s choice for whatever reason, Volin believes that the Philadelphia Eagles will be the choice.
The Patriots will open the 2015 season without running back LeGarrette Blount as he was suspended for one game by the league a few weeks ago for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. With that noted, a potential Patriots-Steelers opening night game would likely feature running backs DeAngelo Williams and Brandon Bolden.
The last time the Steelers beat the Patriots in New England was in 2008 when they won 33-10. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady missed that game, however, due to a serious knee.
