Thursday 26 September 2013 11:24, UK
I'm afraid the jokes had started even before the dust had settled at Heinz Field last Sunday. "The Steelers are so bad, they're leaving the country." And "The Vikings are going into the witness protection programme - overseas."
The pre-season injury loss of rookie running back Le'Veon Bell has definitely hindered their cause (as a Michigan State fan, I've seen a lot of Bell in action, and he is an absolute beast of a workhorse), and the combination of Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer and Felix Jones has been about as successful as Paolo Di Canio's dressing-room manner, but it can only get better. Right? Minnesota obviously have no problems running the ball, with Peterson totalling 281 yards to date (fifth best in the league), a touchdown per game (joint first with Detroit's Joique Bell) and 23 rushing attempts per outing (joint second with Chris Johnson and behind only Tampa Bay's Doug Martin). Defensively, the Vikes rank a healthy fourth in yards/game BUT they have conceded a whopping 96 points, behind only the NFC L-East duo Washington and the Giants (with the Eagles also well up in that ignominious list), which hints at a different kind of problem. Sure enough, when you notice the five INTs and four fumbles so far this term, you can see another team with turnover-itis. Quarterback Christian Ponder is responsible for a stunning seven of those turnovers, so the finger of suspicion is easy to point and it is therefore pretty clear he will be the focal point of a make-or-break effort from the Steelers' 'D' this week. Even if Ponder fails to shake off his rib injury and Leslie Frazier has to give Matt Cassell his full debut, you can expect to see a LOT of intensity around the line of scrimmage when Minnesota has the ball. Whoever wins that particular battle is most likely to be the happier team for the flight back to the US and their bye week on Monday. While it is easy to get carried away with the Big Game on home soil this week, there are several others worth particular scrutiny, especially in light of some wacky goings-on in Week Three. San Francisco are currently a bagful of questions with precious few answers. If ever it were possible for a 6ft 4in, 230lb quarterback to look like a little boy lost, that has been the perception of Colin Kaepernick in the defeats to Seattle and Indianapolis, and he will be most under the spotlight of punditry scrutiny at St Louis (live on SS1 HD at 1am on Friday). And, if ever a team has gone into screaming reverse after their high-profile 2012 campaign, it is these 49ers, with so many aspects of their game mis-firing in those two recent defeats. They are neither throwing nor running the ball well, and the defence was positively man-handled by the Colts running game last Sunday. Clearly, Jim Harbaugh has a big task to turn things around this week, and nothing less than a convincing win against the suddenly-floundering Rams will suffice for the critics over here. Equally, Sunday's match-up of San Diego and Dallas (also live on SS2 HD after the Wembley game) ought to show us if these Cowboys are for real - or if the Chargers actually have changed their ways. Both teams have been incredibly hit or miss through the first three games, alternating periods of real potential with moments of maddening inconsistency. San Diego could easily be 3-0 but for two late-game meltdowns while Tony Romo has operated in confounding fits and starts. The re-emergence of DeMarco Murray as a major rushing force last Sunday against St Louis suggests Jason Garrett's men should have the edge, but I'd hate to have to call this one in advance, especially at Qualcomm Stadium, where the Chargers can be either brilliant or boneheaded, often at the same time.
