Happy Friday to yinz and welcome to the first weekend of the 2018 NFL regular season.
The Philadelphia Eagles squeaked by the Atlanta Falcons at home Thursday night to open the 2018 regular season and that’s was a game that quarterback Matt Ryan should have won. While the game was sloppily played and filled with penalties, at least it came down to the final play to decide it. I was on the edge of my seat for that final drive and perhaps that’s because I had a few pennies on it.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will open their 2018 regular season on the road Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. Running back Le’Veon Bell won’t be participating in that game but even so, it’s one the visitors will be expected to win. Personally, I feel like this is a no-win Week 1 for the Steelers. If they win, they should’ve. If they don’t, the team will be crucified this next week. Even a blowout of the Browns won’t move the needle as far as most of the fan base is concerned. With that likely being the case, here’s to hoping they get the W and can just move on.
I’m headed out to the sleep doctor shortly after finishing this post as it’s time for me to have the chip in my CPAP machine analyzed for the very first time since I started using it several weeks ago. I can’t wait to see his reaction when he finds out how little I sleep during any given week. I’ll make sure to report back to yinz.
As usual, I have five questions for yinz to answer in the comments below on this Friday night and do remember that David Orochena is keeping score and tracking the results. One bonus question is included this week as well that we’ll not know the answer to until after the season is over.
Have a safe weekend and we look forward to covering the Steelers game against the Browns for you on Sunday and through the start of next week.
Peace and love, peace and love and Go Steelers!
1 – Over/under 85 rushing yards for Steelers running back James Conner against the Browns?
2 – With him expected to start Sunday against the Browns, will rookie safety Terrell Edmunds play more than 65% of the team’s total defensive snaps in that contest?
3 – Will Steelers rookie wide receiver James Washington be on the team’s Sunday inactive list?
4 – True or false: Steelers outside linebacker Bud Dupree will beat Browns rookie left tackle Desmond Harrison for at least one sack on Sunday in Cleveland?
5 – Two-parter: Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown needs 90 more regular season receiving yards to hit 10,000 for his career. How many more catches will it take for him to equal or surpass that number?
Bonus – 30-point end-of-season question – What will the Steelers 2018 regular season record be?
Recap of 2018 NFL Cutdown Weekend Friday Night Five Questions
Just a reminder that last week’s questions were a practice round. So, the points mentioned below do not count for the 2018 season. Tonight’s questions do count, and the points awarded for the answers you give now will be tracked.
Question 1 – The Steelers did not sign any players who were on other team’s rosters to their week 1 53-man roster. They did re-sign Nat Berhe, but he was not on another team’s roster. The Ravens Team Gynecologist predicted a roster makeover with 52 new players. Eight respondents did get this right.
Question 2 – Steeler Depot respondents have confidence in Matthew Thomas. 56% believe that the young linebacker will start a game by the Steelers 10th regular season game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars. Points will not be awarded until the Friday after the Jaguars game.
Question 3 – The Pittsburgh Steelers agreed with Steelers Depot respondent Steven Small about Joshua Dobbs who said, “Too good to let go.” Only 16% of respondents got this correct. Kevin Colbert keeping the fanbase guessing.
Question 4 – Jordan Berry will be the Steelers Week 1 punter. Matt Wile impressed us with his strong leg and ability to be an emergency place kicker. He had a strong showing with 42% of respondents predicting he would get the nod over Berry. It will be interesting to track both punter’s performances during the season as Matt Wile was the first Steeler released last week to be signed by another team. He is now a Minnesota Viking.
Question 5 – 72% of Steelers Depot respondents took the over on the Steelers over/under for total regular season wins in 2018 set at 10. Only 5% took the under but 23% were even at 10 wins. People answered this question when most including his own teammates were expecting Le’Veon Bell to show up for week 1. Points will not be awarded until later in the season.
Last season’s top place finishers: Alan Tman, 1st; Wes Lee 2nd; Darth Blount47 3rd.
During the 27 weeks between the Super Bowl and last week’s practice round, two respondents, DirtDawg1964 and Chris92021, did not miss a single week. They will be formidable competitors. In the last two years 301 handles have answered at least one set of Friday Night 5 Questions. Let’s see who appears from the pack or maybe a new Steelers Depot reader will prove their prognostication chops.
Gentlemen (and ladies) … start your engines.
