Bears vs Steelers Week 3 Preview: Five Questions with Still Curtain
1. Big Ben has hinted at retirement last offseason. How much do you think he has left in the tank? Is the next Steelers franchise quarterback on the roster today?
This is most likely Ben’s last season, but he certainly has enough left in the tank to play at a high level for the entire year. His choice to return after the season will come from him wanting to spend more time with his family and focus on being a dad. If he wanted to, he’d easy be able to play another two or three season, especially with the offensive line getting better by the year.
The Steelers next quarterback is on the roster in Josh Dobbs, but whether or not he’s the franchise quarterback won’t be determined until he plays a full season as a starter. Right now, he has some room for improvement, but if he can take this season to learn behind Ben he should be able to keep the success going in Pittsburgh once he’s behind center.
2. The Bears defense has held Julio Jones and Mike Evans to 4/66/0 and 7/93/1 receptions/yards/TDs in their respective games. Can they limit Antonio Brown in the same way? They’ve also limited opposing rushers to an average of 3.2 yards/carry. Can they slow down Le’Veon Bell similarly?
When it comes to stopping Antonio Brown, it’s impossible to compare him to other receivers. It seems that players like Julio Jones and Mike Evans can have an off week from time to time, but over the last five years or so, it’s very hard to think of a game where Brown didn’t explode. Maybe he won’t put up 150 yards and a touchdown, but Chicago will have to focus on a lot of names in the receiving core, so even if Brown doesn’t take over, someone else should be able to.