The March to Phoenix – NFL News
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By Jay “Jawz” Crum
Thursday September 9, 2015 8:30 ET, kicks off the 49th year of the National Football League and the crusade to Phoenix, Arizona for Super Bowl 49. Thursday’s season opener will be in the glorious confines of the world champion New England Patriot’s house in Foxborough, Mass. The current and 4-time Super Bowl Champions New England Patriots will host 5 time Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
2 weeks ago this game might not have looked like much of a match up on paper with the Patriots QB Tom Brady set to start the 2015 season with a 4 game suspension over the infamous 2014 season “Deflate gate”. But a last week’s decision by Judge Richard Berman to overturn the suspension handed down by the NFL has the Patriots set to run the table on the NFL this season.
Brady has been taking reps in the pre season with the hopes of the ruling being overturned. With that being said the injury riddled Patriots will have the gunslinger behind the controls of the ship from the start.
The Pats will have some key starters out for this game. Work horse RB LeGarrette Blount will be out for the opener while serving a one game suspension for violating the NFL’s player conduct policy. Starting FB James Develin broke his right tibia during the last preseason game against Carolina and will miss the entire 2015 season. Pat’s WR Brandon Lafell being placed on the PuP list(foot) and a banged up Julian Edelman whom did not play the entire pre season, that will put a lot of pressure on WR Danny Amendola and the All-Pro TE Rob Gronkowski and head coach Belichick banking on a lot off new running backs to help- shoulder the load for the season opener.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off an 11-5 season last year. Led by all pro QB Ben Roethlisberger coming off arguably his best season in his NFL career production wise averaging 301.6 yards passing per game and ranking the Steelers 2nd in passing in the NFL.
Pittsburgh’s offense will also start out the season missing a couple of major offensive weapons due to suspensions. Touted the NFL’s top rusher, RB Le’Veon Bell will miss the first two games of the 2015 season for violating terms of the NFL player conduct policy after being arrested on charges of marijuana possession and driving under the in 2014. Bell led the AFC in rushing last season (1,361 yards). The Steelers will turn to RB DeAngelo Williams, who they acquired as a free agent in the offseason. Williams averaged at least 4.1 yards per carry for eight consecutive seasons with Carolina before injuries limited him to six games last season. Pittsburgh will rely on pro bowler WR Antonio Brown, and TE Heath Miller to help ignite the offense. Notable injury for the Steelers is pro bowl Center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle).
Both New England and Pittsburgh are well coached defensively. The Patriots seemingly have the edge returning many of their core group from last year’s super bowl championship team with one big loss, team leader and former all pro Vince Wilfork to free agency (Houston Texans).
Pittsburgh will be searching for a new identity losing all pro and future hall of famer Troy Polamalu to retirement. Many new faces will take the field and try to step into the shoes of the legends of giants that played before them.
All said and done, with the soap opera of Tom Brady being over and playing the season opener in Gillette stadium in front of the world I would say the Pats are going to be really hard to beat. Never the less this should be a great start to year 49 and the march to Phoenix.