Thursday Night Observations
What an epic game! I only watched the highlights from a hotel room in Spain, but my lone dog in the fight was the Steelers -2.5 in my picking pool, and it went perfectly. I suppose I was also rooting against all the key skill players in the game, and it was good on that front too, with only Diontae Johnson really doing anything.
I’ll get to the few thoughts I have, but first, check out the GOAT, standing on the edge of a 100-foot cliff in the Asturias like he’s hanging out in his living room:
This one gives a better sense of how far the drop was.
The one regret I have for not having the 40-minute edited version available as I type this is not seeing Will Levis for the entire game. I saw some good throws to DeAndre Hopkins, particularly the one off his own goal line, and the game-ending pick (which wasn’t that bad on third down where he had to try and make something happen), but you have to watch a young quarterback down in and down out. From the overall numbers and what I saw against a solid defense on the road, he seems like a player. I’d easily take him over Kenny Pickett, who looks more like a career backup, for instance.
Hopkins had a modest game, but he still looks like himself to me, spinning, cutting, running after the catch.
Derrick Henry, more or less, the same thing. Maybe he’s lost that top gear though, but he’s still smooth and powerful.
Jaylen Warren seems so much quicker and more nimble than Najee Harris. Maybe there will be counter-adjustment by league defenses that shifts the balance back, but right now, you want to draft the 5-8, 215 guy (Warren) rather than the 6-1, 241 guy (Harris.)
Diontae Johnson finally got into the end zone for the first time in decades. He’s as quick as any receiver in the league. George Pickens barely got into the box score, and I didn’t see any report that he was hurt. I sure hope my opponents had him in their starting lineups! It’s hard for an offense to support two receivers when the quarterback passes for 160 yards.
Even though they’d be a playoff team if the season ended today, the Steelers are a pointless team. There is no upside whatsoever.