Predictions Summary Projections by Position Projection Team Boxes

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Prediction: PIT 27, TEN 17 (Line: PIT by 5)

UPDATE: Delanie Walker has been held out of practices because of a concussion and is not expected to play. He has been removed from the projections.

This is the Monday night football game and the 6-4 Steelers come in with a 2-2 road mark including somehow losing to the Jets. The 2-7 Titans are on a three game losing streak and are only 1-3 at home.

Two straight games with six passing scores was too much to maintain and the Steelers let down so far that the Jets beat them with one of the worst secondaries. But they remain only a half game out of the AFC North and go on their bye after this week. The remaining schedule is not that tough and the Steelers could potentially win out if the Bengals decline doesn’t get fixed. This week just needs to be a win and then all the injured players get more time to heal up for the stretch run.

QUARTERBACK : His magical tour of the record book only lasted two weeks while Ben Roethlisberger was busy throwing six scores on the Colts and Ravens. He settled down to only one touchdown and 343 yards in New York versus the Jets and threw his first two interception day. Despite his eye-popping stats at home, Big Ben has only thrown for five touchdowns over his five road games. Take away those two monster home games and his numbers look as pedestrian as always.

RUNNING BACK : Le’Veon Bell’s stats took a step down in recent weeks but he’s been worth around 100 to 150 yards for his first eight games. He has only scored twice and just once as a runner back in the season opener. But Bell’s role as a receiver ensures that he never has a bad game. In a reception point league, he’s money every week with five to eight catches.

WIDE RECEIVER : Antonio Brown extends his ridiculous streak of games with at least five catches and 70 yards to all ten this year. He’s scored eight times and broken 100 yards in five games. He doesn’t score like the Packer boys but he’s just as consistent with catches and yards. His 79 catches for 1070 yards are both league high marks. Markus Wheaton was largely invisible all year but scored during Big Ben’s two game spree. But he’s a bad bet to score or even gain more than 40 yards in any other game. Martavis Bryant is four games into his career and still has yet to not score in a game. He’s rolled up six touchdowns over four weeks and comes off a 143 yard effort against the Jets. Bryant will cool off but so far that is just a theory.

TIGHT END : Heath Miller turned in two great games this year – both at home – and basically nothing else. No reliable fantasy value here.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Titans have been bad against the run and given up 12 touchdowns to running backs along with very healthy yardage. This should be at least a good game for Bell even just as a runner and more so factoring in his catches. Big Ben faces a secondary what has faced almost no good passing offenses but Andrew Luck did manage 393 yards and four scores on them. This should be a solid win with Roethlisberger passing for healthy yardage and at least two scores and Bell showing up better than usual. Brown and Bryant are must starts again this week.

The shift to Zach Mettenberger certainly hasn’t set the offense on fire quite yet. The Titans are the lowest scoring team in the league with only 144 points for an average of just about 16 points per game. That is not likely to change soon and maybe not this year with the slate of games left to play. But the offense is finding its way now with a rookie quarterback and running back. There may be three steps forward coming, but so far this offense is just two steps back with Mettenberger at the helm.

QUARTERBACK : After a decent debut of 299 yards and two scores against the Texans, Zach Mettenberger fell to just 179 yards and one score in Baltimore. A home game against a beat-up Steelers secondary may help but he’s still tossing an interception in every game and was just sacked five times by the Ravens. The only difference he is making is for the defense.

RUNNING BACK : Dexter McCluster bruised his knee last week and may not play. Shonn Greene lost a fumble and while HC Ken Whisenhunt insisted that Greene wasn’t benched, he ended up with only three carries for five yards. Greene has fallen from the game plan and that means more work for Bishop Sankey who is slowly getting into a rhythm with 16+ carries in recent games. He’s scored only once all year and his role as a receiver remains minimal. But Sankey is legitimately running better and more often.

WIDE RECEIVER : Kendall Wright tops out at 68 yards this year but has been consistently around 50 yards each week with only one score in the last month. Nate Washington never scores and ended up with marginal yardage in every game. Justin Hunter has the team best game with 99 yards and a score on the Browns but only totals two touchdowns. This is one of the worst units in the league and that is based more from when they were not using a rookie quarterback.

TIGHT END : Delanie Walker really settled down after scoring three times over the first four weeks. He’s managed just one touchdown in the last five games and remains safely below 60 yards in each week.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Steelers are banged up on defense now and that might help Sankey run better but the same was true last week when the Jets only gained 74 yards on 21 carries or when the Browns were held to just 59 yards on 16 carries. Mettenberger is at home and the Steelers usually give up at least one score but banking on more is hard to justify. Consider Sankey a flex option this week and Walker as a moderate tight end play. But the rest is risky beyond moderate yardage and one score.

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