PITTSBURGH STEELERS @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 
Vegas Line: Chiefs + 10.5
Rob’s Line: Chiefs + 10.5
The citizens of Chicago aren’t very happy with the Kansas City Chiefs right now. With quarterback Jay Cutler ruled out for a few weeks, if not the season, the Bears put in a waiver claim for Kyle Orton, who was released by the Broncos this week. Orton was originally drafted by the Bears in 2006 and the team was crying out for him again as they make a charge for the playoffs. However, they were placed below Kansas City when it came to waiver claims meaning Orton is now a Chief, at least until the end of the season.
I have to admit that I thought part of the reason for claiming Orton was to start him immediately against Pittsburgh on Sunday night, but coach Todd Haley has said that won’t be the case so Tyler Palko starts his second game on primetime in just six days. You have to feel for an untested quarterback who has to face the Patriots and Steelers on national TV in consecutive weeks, but that’s how Palko’s cards have fallen and he needs to get on with it. He’s actually in a very privileged position and will be envied all over America for the attention he’s garnered for himself, even though it’s not of his own doing.
Last week in New England, he actually did OK, going 24 of 37 for 230 yards, but he blotted his copybook with three interceptions. Palko did cite those as “inexcusable” so hats off to him, but did he really expect for that not to happen? That came against a Patriots pass defense that ranks last in the league so how will he fare this week against Pittsburgh’s third ranked pass defense? The Steelers will show him no mercy whatsoever and he could have a torrid time. No, I’m going to go a little further than that and say that he will have a torrid time and can expect to be sacked more than the three times the Patriots managed last week.
Kansas City does possess a decent rushing attack, ranking ninth in the league and the running back by committee approach of Jackie Battle, Dexter McCluster and Thomas Jones should have plenty of opportunity to run on Pittsburgh, but if Palko is in for a tough day, then the Steelers sixth ranked run defense will also put that committee through its paces.
This should be a good workout for Pittsburgh and not much more before the serious business of the run-in to the playoffs comes around and I don’t mean that to patronise the Chiefs in any way. However, it does make this a tricky proposition when considering the spread, particularly when you see that the Steelers entertain the Bengals next Sunday, a game they may have one eye on and if they do develop a healthy lead they may take their foot off the gas a little.
Extremely tentatively, I’m taking KC and the points on offer.
http://www.sportingopinions.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment