It would have been difficult for the Minnesota Vikings (1-0) to look better in a dominating opening week win last Monday night. For the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) it would have been hard to look worse in a three-point win over the Cleveland Browns. Somebody is going to prove something in this game, specifically that what we all saw in Week One was a fluke.
The Game: Minnesota Vikings at Pittsburgh Steelers (-6)
The History
History can sometimes hurt and for the Minnesota Vikings, one of two teams to lose four Super Bowls and never win one, lost one of those Super Bowls to the Steelers in January, 1975, 16-6.
Minnesota has a one-game edge in the series, 9-8, with just 17 games spanning from 2013 to 1962. The last contest between the two was at Wembley Stadium in London and the Vikings won 34-27 with Matt Cassel at quarterback.
The longest streak either team has put together is three consecutive wins. The Vikings won three in a row from October, 1964 to November, 1969. The Steelers won three from December, 2001 to October, 2009.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-0)
The Vikings’ Sam Bradford carved up the Saints defense like he was testing out a katana on Forged in Fire. Bradford finished Week One as the top ranked QB in the NFL, completing 27 of 32 passes for 342 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a quarterback rating of 143.0.
Bradford wasn’t the only Minnesota offensive player that had himself a day. Rookie Dalvin Cook set a team record for a rookie in his debut, rushing 22 times for 127 yards. Adam Thielen caught nine passes for 157 yards and Stefon Diggs caught seven for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Is this how the Vikings are going to be every week or was it just the Saints defense?
Speaking of defenses, while we might have some legitimate questions about Minnesota’s offensive explosion, there was never a doubt about the defense the Vikings are fielding. They have stars at every level and while they just had one sack as a team (Everson Griffen), they consistently forced Drew Brees and the high powered Saints offense off the field, holding New Orleans to just four third down conversions in the entire game.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-0)
Regardless of how shitty the Steelers looked last week, and they did look shitty, they still won the game over the Cleveland Browns which makes the problems that presented themselves easier to deal with. This should be an elite Pittsburgh defense with Joe Haden plugged in at quarterback and an already emerging star in T.J. Watt at outside linebacker, but they surrendered eight points to the Browns in the fourth quarter and if not for a dropped pass earlier in the game from Kenny Britt, they might be having a very different conversation in Title Town this week.
Pittsburgh managed seven sacks in the game with Watt recording two as well as his first career interception. Watt also led the Steelers with 13 tackles. The kid might be pretty good is what I’m saying.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was solid and Antonio Brown was already in midseason form, catching 11 passes for 182 yards. Brown didn’t get into the end zone and that was the problem. For all the stats that Roethlisberger and the wideouts put up, the running game was all but nonexestent, with Le’Veon Bell and James Conner combining for just 14 carries for 43 yards.
The Pick
I like the Steelers to win at home, but until they get their offense on track, I don’t like this spread at all. If Pittsburgh can be stymied by the Browns defense, they’ll have a much tougher time moving the ball consistently against Minnesota. For the Vikings, Bradford won’t have nearly as clean a pocket with Watt, James Harrison and Anthony Chickillo bearing down on him. If he comes anywhere close to the numbers he put up last week, go ahead and reserve his spot for the Pro Bowl. Steelers 24, Vikings 23
UPDATE
Sam Bradford was a late scratch Sunday and won’t play due to a sore knee. Case Keenum will start for Minnesota. New score. Steelers 24, Vikings 13
This week
Straight up: 0-1
Against the spread: 1-0
Season
Straight up: 10-6
Against the spread: 9-7
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