Statement Game

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(09-16-2016, 04:44 PM)OrlandoBengal Wrote: A win by more than 14 points would do wonders for the confidence of this team.  I don't think they are afraid of the Steelers anymore, but Pittsburgh still has a way of getting under their skin.  It would elevate the team in the eyes of the media, the rest of the league, and within the players themselves.  Let's all hope.

This made me think of Ric Flair. I loved him as an entertainer going all the way back to his early days when he was billed as "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.

As much as I think we can make too big a deal of bulletin board material and who said what to or about whom, there do seem to be those teams who "psyche out" (to use an old phrase from the early '70s sports parlance) their opponents. And, yeah, Pittsburgh seems to get in Cincy's head and under their skin. Which brings me to the Nature Boy. You all know what is coming. Ric's immortal line: "If you want to be the man, you've got to beat the man!"

So week 2, long season, Pittsburgh a team on the decline, Cincy on the rise, etc. but, yeah, this could be a big game psychologically. But that door swings both ways. We lose, and it won't shatter but could impede confidence. We win, it won't assure but could bolster confidence.