Rich Eisen says picking the Steelers to win the AFC North isn't an overreaction
The AFC North is as packed of a division as there is in the NFL. Still, while many will start to narrow down their selections, Rich Eisen suggests that you don’t make the mistake of counting out the Pittsburgh Steelers yet.
Eisen addressed the Steelers’ chances to win their division in the segment titled Overreaction Monday on his show yesterday. Considering their current trajectory and their talented young players, he just doesn’t see that possibility as an overreaction but, rather, something that’s entirely capable of happening.
“This is not an overreaction. This is entirely possible,” said Eisen. “Anyone who says it’s not possible? That (Kenny) Pickett can’t make the leap? That (George) Pickens can’t make the leap? That Najee Harris can’t do the things we’ve seen him do? And the defense if TJ Watt is healthy? Good lord.”
“The Steelers finished strong, the Steelers have a dynamite coach. You can’t say that’s an overreaction at all.”
On one hand, Pittsburgh has won the AFC North just once in the past five seasons. That says a lot about the recent growth in their fellow divisional franchises in the Cincinnati Bengals, the Baltimore Ravens, and, to a lesser degree, the Cleveland Browns.
On the other hand, everyone knows that the Steelers are never out of the race. You’re always in it when you finish with a .500 or better record over the past 20 years, which is evidenced by, in that same five-year span, they’ve only finished lower than second once. That was last season when they started the year at 3-7 before winning six of their final seven.
You could look at the competition in the AFC North and make a genuine case that Pittsburgh won’t finish in the top spot. Even so, Eisen says you will do so at your own risk considering the consistency that you’re betting against.
“You can’t sit here and say the Steelers have no shot to win the division.”
Cris Collinsworth predicts the Cincinnati Bengals will win the Super Bowl
Cris Collinsworth is supposed to be neutral when he’s in the booth for Sunday Night Football. But he can make predictions in August about the Super Bowl in February.
The receiver-turned-NFL analyst went against conventional late-summer projections. He predicted an upstart team brings home the Lombardi Trophy from Allegiant Stadium in Vegas. The crew of Good Morning Football on the NFL Network asked Collinsworth the Super Bowl question on Tuesday.
“I’m picking the Cincinnati Bengals for the first time in my entire life,” said Cris Collinsworth, who, coincidentally, is a former Bengal.
And the reason for his certainty?
“I think that Joe Burrow is too good to, at this point, not have a ring on his finger. You know, let’s put a ring on it,” Collinsworth said. “Let’s go. He’s been too good. Look at the skill positions they’ve got around this guy. I mean Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, Joe Mixon. Which team skill position players would you rather have? Joe Burrow has been right there, give and take, you know with Patrick Mahomes, and they split the games that they’ve been in.”