In a restaurant you might hear someone say, “Oh waiter, check please.”
Around the Prime studios today, you might have executives wishing they could say, “Oh league, flex please.”
Unfortunately, for Prime, which will broadcast tonight’s National Football League game between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, flex is not an option. If it were, flex would be in play tonight just as it will be next week when ESPN has utilized their flex option to shift off a Patriots game in favor of moving the Philadelphia Eagles matchup with the Seattle Seahawks into the primetime spot for Monday Night Football..
In many seasons over the past couple decades, a collision between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots would carry great interest. It may be instrumental in deciding home field advantage in the American Football Conference playoffs between two teams that were as common in the postseason as Santa Claus at Christmas.
Not this year.
The Steelers may crack the postseason field, but they are doing it with mirrors. They were outgained by their opponents in total yards in their first ten games, while recording a never before accomplishment of winning six of those contests. The first game they accumulated more yardage than their opponents was two weeks ago, when the beat the Cincinnati Bengals on the road. Last week, they outgained the Arizona Cardinals in Pittsburgh, but lost the game, 24-10.
On the other side of the ball tonight are the Patriots, a team with an offense that has scored less points in their most recent three games combined, 13, than the San Francisco 49ers tallied in three of the four quarters in their win last week over the Philadelphia Eagles.
And the Steelers, before you run down to bet on them, know you are setting yourself up to root for Mitch Trubisky to clear a point spread that would require him to engineer a win of six points or more. This is not an activity I would wish even on an enemy.
So, take the Patriots tonight?
Ah, who is your quarterback?
No one seems to know yet who is going to be directing the Patriots offense and the books have set the over/under line at 30 points or less.
The Steelers are in the hunt for a playoff berth and at home tonight following a loss at Acrisure Stadium last Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals. That defeat, following an important road win over the Cincinnati Bengals the previous Sunday, should put the Mike Tomlin led Pittsburgh squad in the right frame of mind to beat the Patriots.
That's my story, and I’m sticking with it.
But, bet on the Steelers to win by a touchdown or more with Trubisky behind center?
Didn’t I already mention that?
Thought so.
I’m using my flex option tonight and skipping this game altogether.