The Steelers will show up Sunday at the Bank of America Stadium trying to bounce back from a drubbing at the hands of the Ravens last week by the tune of 26 to 6. Big Ben might need to do a shade better then throw for 217 yards and an INT that added to the Steelers other two turnovers last week if he hopes to help his team keep pace with a hot Carolina team. Pittsburgh comes in to the game having been outscored 50 to 9 in their last six quarters of play. Additionally the Steelers seem to be playing flat out undisciplined during their first two contest reviving 20 penalties. To go along with all of these other woeful numbers the Steelers have also yet managed to force a turnover to this point. They will be facing a team in Carolina this week that has yet to turn the ball over. Its not all bad news for the Steelers, despite those poor stats they have managed to split their first two games and have been potent on the ground. Le'Veon Bell is averaging 5.3 yards per rush and has 304 yards from scrimmage, ranking him second in the league. For the Steelers to have a hope of coming out on top in this one Bell will have to average more than the 86 yards per game that Carolina gave up in its first two games.
Despite the distraction of yet another NFL player (Gregg Hardy) that was charged and in this case convicted (he has appealed and awaits a second trial) of domestic violence the Panthers have gone 2 and 0 to this point. This week the Panthers removed Hardy from their active roster taking away any potential distraction that he may have presented. If they needed any motivation to go 3 and 0 the last time they pulled that off in 2003 they went to their only Super Bowl. Panthers starter Cam Newton sat out the first game of the season but his team still managed to win the game 20-14. This of course before we were all made aware of the fact that Tampa more resembled a dumpster fire then an NFL team. Newton came back in week two completing 22 of 34 for 281 and a touchdown, helping his team to a win over the Lions 24 to 7. In the first two weeks the Panthers D has looked stout even without Hardy in the line up. They have forced 3 turnovers in each of the first two games to go along with 7 sacks. While most things have been positive for the Panthers up to this point they are only averaging 3.1 yards per carry on the ground vs. 4.2 last season somewhat due to the injured DeAngelo Williams being out of the line up.
- TV: NBC
- TIME: Sunday, September 21st 8:30 PM EDT
- PLACE: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte North Carolina
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