Previewing The Pittsburgh Steelers
The Las Vegas Raiders got their season off to a memorable start in coming back to beat the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football.
They'll stay in the AFC North for their next matchup, going on the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A long-standing NFL power and an old Raiders rival, the Steelers actually came into this season as not being considered to be among the better teams in the league.
The end of last season has likely stuck with many, as the Steelers endured a late-season collapse after starting 11-0.
It ended with the Cleveland Browns decimating them at home, 48-37, in a game that wasn't that close.
Coming off that disappointing end, many analysts thought the Steelers were going to take a step back entering this year.
That still might happen, but based on their 23-16 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, they might still be able to compete against the AFC's elite.
It wasn't a perfect win, as 39 year-old quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was up and down, only completing 56.3 percent of his passes for 188 yards and one touchdown.
Their new-look running game didn't generate much either, with rookie running back Najee Harris averaging 2.8 yards a carry.
In all other aspects of the game, though, the Steelers were able to excel and play great complementary football.
The Steelers' defense, which last year ranked third in points allowed and led the league with 56 sacks, stifled one of the most explosive offenses in football.
T.J. Watt in particular continued to show why he earned his new four-year, $112 million contract extension by getting two of the Steelers' three sacks in the game.
The Steelers special teams also made a huge play with a blocked punt in the fourth quarter that they returned for a touchdown.
It might have not been pretty, but the Steelers showed that despite an inconsistent offense, they could still find a way to beat a quality opponent.
They present an intriguing matchup for the Raiders, especially when it comes to finding a way to slow down the Steelers pass rush.
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