Things to look for tonight...

O-line in the first qtr.
Backs---James Johnson/Leanord/Scott
Wideouts---who is going to shine...I like Purify...
Defense---Rey Rey in live action and Micheal johnson from Gtech...let him get after the qb!

Watching the Steelers last night...
They will be great on defense again, but one thing that stood out..
If Big Ben gets hurt...they are done.
They have no back up at all.. and Starks #78, he was beat so much last night, he should file assualt charges.
My lord he sucks.

I agree that it is nice to be watching football again.

It was good to see Brady come back and toss a couple of TDs. I think that he'll have a nice season and I would be shocked if NE doesn't reclaim that division and challenges Pittsburgh, Indy, and San Diego to be one of the best teams in the AFC.

As for the Steelers, the same could be said about most starting QBs and their teams. Batch is a middle of the road back-up, and the team will be able to run the ball again (and have lots of depth there with Parker, Mendenhall, Moore, Davis, and the kid that got into last nights game and scored 2 TDs!). Even if Ben were to go down, the Steelers are still the favorites in the division. I just don't see the Ravens replicating their 2008 season. And the Bungs and Browns are shoe-ins for losing records in 2009. With that said, if Ben goes down, the Steelers would not be able to win another Superbowl. Ben is maybe the most clutch QB in the game now, and is second to Brady in terms of being a 'big game' QB.

Wyche, I know it was just preseason, but their starting O-line looked terrible and they had zero running game in that first quarter.

"Falc, just because I respond, please dont take it to mean that I give a sh!t about you. I respond because you are the type of person that needs to be told what a whack job you are or else you will go on thinking your behavior is normal and accepted. "

I suppose that it's all relative. I just don't see much competition in the AFCN this season. Baltimore to boot has a tougher 'second place schedule' than Pittsburgh's 'first place schedule' because of New England finishing 2nd to Miami in the East and Indy finishing 2nd to Tennessee in the South. The Bengals will be improved but still won't compete for a division title. The Browns IMO will be awful unless the Mangenius is the second coming of his mentor Bill Belichik.

Even if the O-line isn't great, this team with pretty much the same O-line won the Superbowl playing arguably the most difficult regular season schedule since the merger. I am not going to write them off at all after two series of the first teamers playing in a preseason game, especially considering that their regular season schedule this year looks pretty easy. The playoffs will be more difficult though with Brady back in NE and Merriman back in SD. And Indy is a mystery but the coaching changes could benefit that team come playoff time. The Colts always look unprepared and surprised in the playoffs...the new regime may change that.

The AFC should be a lot of fun at the top this season. No clear cut favorite yet. I actually like the Chargers if LT can get back to being 'LT' again and if he's healthy in the post season. The Patriots, Colts, Steelers, and maybe the Titans will all be there as well.

Browns looked awful against the Packers.

Brady Quinn looked better than Derek Andersen though. Quinn moved the team once and hit some passes in tight areas. Andersen looked awful.