• The scope of the potential swing from this outcome tonight ... man, it's mind-blowing. Lose, and the whole season's blown to bits, no division title, no playoffs and, maybe for the first time ever, no real certainty regarding Mike Tomlin's status. Whereas, with a win, it's party-land! We run the North! Home playoff game! DK Metcalf's back! ... Never covered a scenario like it.
• Crazier still: The Ravens face ALL THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES! Coach, too!
• Slow Derrick Henry. Less than 100 yards. Sacrifice all else on defense, but make that happen. Lamar Jackson's too hurt to run. This won't be like last January in that regard.
• Be sure that'll be John Harbaugh's tack vs. Jaylen Warren and Kenny Gainwell. He once faced Le'Veon Bell in Baltimore with such a heavy front I'd swear the Ravens had 13 on the field. Which is fine, provided ...
• Pat Freiermuth has the game of his life. He should've been treated as WR2 all season long, and I seriously doubt, out of sheer coaching stubbornness, that'll begin tonight. But he SHOULD be set up for double-digit targets, mostly over the middle. Nothing else will back the Ravens out of that box. And if anyone disagrees with that, give me the name of who'll get that done.
• Or just keep slogging along with the sideways stuff. That'll prevent the turnovers and keep Tomlin's rent current at the Hotel Living In My Fears.
• Want to test the crowd's resolve early? Try one of those on the opening series. You know, Jonnu Smith wrapped up for no gain. The special. It might not spark the firing chants that soon, but I'd bet on more than a few boos.
• Has Metcalf's lack of discipline hurt the team? Yep. That's been obvious from the moment he walked toward Mr. Blue Hair. But did the NFL go too far with two games? Also yep, based on the league's own recent precedents. And did any of this prevent Omar Khan from acquiring additional depth at wide receiver, including a similar-styled backup who could run Metcalf's routes? Nope. Khan's now got a two-year streak of doing exactly that ... and damaging his team through it.
• If Marquez Valdes-Scantling gets a helmet tonight, that'll be one sizable step toward not taking this game seriously.
• Adam Thielen, on the other hand, could help. Provided all concerned can conceive of attempting the occasional crossing route. Great way to spread a stacked front.
• This game's winnable. I don't mean to diminish that, and I'm not sure why even Tomlin's greatest critics/cynics would. The Steelers have a better record. The Steelers are at home. The Steelers won the previous meeting just a month ago. And the Steelers will have by far the healthier quarterback. So don't go letting anyone off the hook beforehand: This SHOULD be a victory. And if it isn't, it SHOULD be seen as the deep disappointment that it -- and this entire season -- would legitimately be.
• Copy the full bullet below, paste it an additional 88 times, and my column will be complete.
• Maybe try throwing the damned thing to Freiermuth.
THE ASYLUM
Grind: Maybe try Freiermuth, dammit
My final 100 thoughts on gameday here:
• The scope of the potential swing from this outcome tonight ... man, it's mind-blowing. Lose, and the whole season's blown to bits, no division title, no playoffs and, maybe for the first time ever, no real certainty regarding Mike Tomlin's status. Whereas, with a win, it's party-land! We run the North! Home playoff game! DK Metcalf's back! ... Never covered a scenario like it.
• Crazier still: The Ravens face ALL THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES! Coach, too!
• Slow Derrick Henry. Less than 100 yards. Sacrifice all else on defense, but make that happen. Lamar Jackson's too hurt to run. This won't be like last January in that regard.
• Be sure that'll be John Harbaugh's tack vs. Jaylen Warren and Kenny Gainwell. He once faced Le'Veon Bell in Baltimore with such a heavy front I'd swear the Ravens had 13 on the field. Which is fine, provided ...
• Pat Freiermuth has the game of his life. He should've been treated as WR2 all season long, and I seriously doubt, out of sheer coaching stubbornness, that'll begin tonight. But he SHOULD be set up for double-digit targets, mostly over the middle. Nothing else will back the Ravens out of that box. And if anyone disagrees with that, give me the name of who'll get that done.
• Or just keep slogging along with the sideways stuff. That'll prevent the turnovers and keep Tomlin's rent current at the Hotel Living In My Fears.
• Want to test the crowd's resolve early? Try one of those on the opening series. You know, Jonnu Smith wrapped up for no gain. The special. It might not spark the firing chants that soon, but I'd bet on more than a few boos.
• Has Metcalf's lack of discipline hurt the team? Yep. That's been obvious from the moment he walked toward Mr. Blue Hair. But did the NFL go too far with two games? Also yep, based on the league's own recent precedents. And did any of this prevent Omar Khan from acquiring additional depth at wide receiver, including a similar-styled backup who could run Metcalf's routes? Nope. Khan's now got a two-year streak of doing exactly that ... and damaging his team through it.
• If Marquez Valdes-Scantling gets a helmet tonight, that'll be one sizable step toward not taking this game seriously.
• Adam Thielen, on the other hand, could help. Provided all concerned can conceive of attempting the occasional crossing route. Great way to spread a stacked front.
• This game's winnable. I don't mean to diminish that, and I'm not sure why even Tomlin's greatest critics/cynics would. The Steelers have a better record. The Steelers are at home. The Steelers won the previous meeting just a month ago. And the Steelers will have by far the healthier quarterback. So don't go letting anyone off the hook beforehand: This SHOULD be a victory. And if it isn't, it SHOULD be seen as the deep disappointment that it -- and this entire season -- would legitimately be.
• Copy the full bullet below, paste it an additional 88 times, and my column will be complete.
• Maybe try throwing the damned thing to Freiermuth.
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