Steelers-Patriots AFC Championship prediction roundup: Don’t expect Roger Goodell at party
COMMENTARY
When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell does, eventually, one day, make his much-not-so-really anticipated return to Gillette Stadium, maybe he’ll get cozy in seats on the 50-yard-line, tickets gifted to him by old friend Bob Kraft, who’ll be smiling politely from his high chair perch above.
To think the man will ever come back to Foxborough with some semblance of his league power still intact is like presuming the return of the Messiah was once destined to occur in a Burger Chef men’s room.
If our current NFL overlord hasn’t made it perfectly clear with his travel itinerary for this weekend’s conference championship games, he won’t be visiting the Patriots anytime soon. For the second-straight playoff weekend, Goodell will travel to Atlanta to watch the NFC Championship game between the Falcons and Green Bay Packers. This, despite some brewing, delusional thought that his schedule might force him to finally visit Foxborough, a town he has avoided since the days when Deflategate was in its infancy.
Nope.
Roger Goodell is a coward. A duplicitous, detested, and dynamic coward.
This isn’t any sort of new revelation that has come about over the past few weeks, as Patriot fans linger with mild fascination to see if the commissioner would actually show up for the AFC Championship game this weekend between the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers. Why should this month be any different than the previous 24?
A Goodell visit to Gillette would probably utilize a helicopter landing on Mr. Kraft’s grass pad, a personal security escort to the luxury suites, and hell, maybe a postgame snack at the Red Wing. That’s all easy enough, but not as simple as sitting within the same confined space as Bob and Jonathan Kraft, not to mention a host of other Patriot higher-ups who probably have more than one comment to make to him about the stupidity he put the franchise through during the curious case of leaked air.
The fans aren’t the problem. Please. Goodell is more apt to shake the hand of Matt Walsh than he would encounter a Patriots fan during any potential visit. Clearly, Goodell is more fearful of facing the soap opera he created without the aide of his PSI cronies. And if he can’t hide in the comfort of the owner’s box, where else is he going to go?
I suppose he could spend the bulk of the game in the press box, since he has said he’s available at any point in time for discussion. Except, of course, for when he deems it unnecessary, which is always. But it’s OK, Rog. You won. It’s over.
Now, excuse the Patriots as they go and blow a hole in the possibility that Tom Brady’s four-game suspension might bring down a dynasty.
“Owners don’t extend invitations,” Jonathan Kraft said during last week’s pregame show on 98.5 The Sports Hub. “If you’re opening a stadium or if there is something special [maybe that happens], but in the playoffs, I think the league determines based on a variety of factors where the commissioner is going to go. And I might be totally wrong on that, too, I don’t know. … I have no idea. You should probably ask Park Avenue and the guys there about how it gets determined.”
Here’s how it gets determined: Wherever Goodell can be his sniveling self in the safest space is where he’ll end up.
That won’t be here. Not as commissioner.
Don’t act surprised.
This week’s picks
Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Steelers 27, Patriots 24. “Everyone knows the storyline by now: The Steelers have never beaten Tom Brady in New England and are 0-2 against the Patriots in AFC championships. New England has the best record in the league and its rush defense, which ranked tied for third during the regular season, might be more equipped than the Dolphins or Chiefs to handle Le’Veon Bell, who has 337 yards rushing in two postseason games. But Mike Tomlin has never lost an AFC championship (2-0), and the Steelers have won a league-best nine games in a row. We saw this same type of surge in 2005 when the Steelers beat the Colts and Denver on the road to go to the Super Bowl. This is no different.”
ESPN.com staff: Six out of eight go with the Patriots.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Patriots 27, Steelers 20. “The Patriots beat the Steelers 27-16 in October, but that was a Steelers team without Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers have also made big strides on defense. Running back Le’Veon Bell is on a tear right now, rushing for 330 yards in two playoff games. He has to be controlled here. The Patriots do a great job of taking away your best offensive options, but who is that in this one? Is it Bell or receiver Antonio Brown? I think the focus will be on Bell. That will put a lot of pressure on the passing game. Tom Brady has 26 touchdown passes and three interceptions in his 11 games against the Steelers. That will put a premium on the Steelers secondary and pass rush. If they can hit Brady, they have a chance. But with two rookie starters in the secondary, that’s asking a lot. I think this will be close for a while, but in the end the Patriots will pull away and advance to another Super Bowl.”
CBS Sports staff: Four out of seven pick the Steelers (New England -6). Five out of seven pick the Patriots straight-up.
Will Brinson, CBS Sports: Steelers 24, Patriots 21. “Big Ben is a little bit better than Brock Osweiler, obviously, but for the Steelers to win their defense must slow down Brady. And the thinking here is they will because their young pass rushers are starting to come of age and their secondary is better than advertised, so it’s entirely possible.”
Foxsports.com staff: Four our of five pick the Patriots.
FiveThirtyEight: New England with a 70 percent chance of winning.
SB Nation staff: Six out of nine go with the Pats.
Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: Patriots 27, Steelers 20. “Bill Belichick likely will try to take away Antonio Brown, forcing the Steelers to run the ball into a two-gap front that could make Le’Veon Bell hesitate a little more than he already does before hitting the hole. Forcing the Steelers to sustain drives without mistakes on one hand and moving the ball largely at will against a defense that Tom Brady traditionally has managed to crack adds up to the Patriots emerging from the game with at least one more point than the Steelers.”
Michael David Smith, Pro Football Talk: Patriots 24, Steelers 20. “Both of these teams’ offenses struggled in the divisional round, with the Patriots throwing as many interceptions in one game as they had thrown in 16 games of the regular season, and the Steelers failing to get to the end zone and winning on field goals. I think the AFC Championship Game may be a defensive struggle as well, perhaps with a defensive touchdown making the difference. In the end, I like the Patriots to win a close game and get to their seventh Super Bowl in the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era.”
Michael Hurley, CBS Boston: Patriots 31, Steelers 27. “Essentially, it comes down to this: against opponents who are not on the Patriots’ level, it’s a bloodbath. But when the opponent is worthy, it’s an old-fashioned donnybrook. And I think the Steelers are worthy. They may not be great, per se. But they’re competitive and they’re tough and they’re mad as hell and they’re not gonna take it anymore!”
USA Today staff: Four out of five go with the Pats.
Neil Greenberg, Washington Post: Patriots with a 69.6 percent chance of winning. “Pittsburgh will want to avoid left tackle Nate Solder. Solder hasn’t allowed a sack since Week 10 and allowed Brady to be hit on Saturday for the first time since Week 16.”
Jimmy Kempski, Philly Voice: Patriots. “It’s worth noting (as others have) that the last eight quarterbacks the Patri*ts have faced are Colin Kaepernick, Ryan Fitzpatrick (twice), Jared Goff, Joe Flacco, Trevor Siemian, Matt Moore, and Brock Osweiler, which is obviously not exactly a murderers’ row. If you want to talk yourself into believing that the Patri*ts are untested or overrated or something, do so at your own peril. Also, they cheat.”
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: Steelers 27, Patriots 24. “Look for the Steelers to have success moving the ball, both powering through and setting up a few long passes for Big Ben. They are hoping for a little more from James Harrison and the defense — consistent pressure and a takeaway or two — to keep Brady from keeping up. Brady will pick apart the Steelers’ young secondary for the most part, but the hits and the pass rush against him will be the difference in a second consecutive AFC championship game. The Steelers were SN’s preseason choice to win Super Bowl LI with the assumption they would pull off an upset like this on the way there. With the prediction in sight, there’s no turning back now.”
David Steele, Sporting News: Patriots 29, Steelers 24. “The Steelers piled up yards against the Chiefs but never scored a touchdown. The Patriots limiting the damage from the so-called Killer B’s this week would be a fatal blow. They’re capable of pulling it off.”
MassLive.com staff: Four out of five pick the Patriots.
Joe Giglio, NJ.com: Patriots. “It’s OK to be tempted to pick the upset here, but attention to detail, coaching and one turnover will make the difference. Brady and Co. are going back to the big game.”
Elliot Harrison, NFL.com: Patriots 26, Steelers 24. “If Pittsburgh is to upset everyone’s Super Bowl favorite, the premier RB in the league must come up huge (again). Bell’s production over his last eight games is staggering: 1,431 scrimmage yards. That pace would produce 2,862 yards over a full, 16-game season — which, yes, would easily be an NFL record (by more than 350 yards). Bell’s ridiculous output might not be enough if Ben Roethlisberger continues to be shaky away from Heinz (nine TD, nine INT, sub-80 passer rating this season). Methinks he’ll play well, but the Steelers lose.”
Boston Globe staff: Four out of five pick the Patriots (New England -6).
It says here: Patriots 27, Steelers 24. The guess here is the Patriots’ defense steals another one, and will be looking to shine in one more game against Aaron Rodgers and friends.
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