The Dolphins are not bad – they’ve been tied or ahead in almost every game this year – but they do tend to give up a lot of air yards (including 345 to Eli Manning last week). And if this year’s game log is any judge, Cassel’s due for a hot streak.  He started with two poor games, followed up with 3 excellent games, and has now had 2 consecutive bad games – time might be ripe for a few hundred yards and a couple TDs.

Why, you might ask, would a lifelong Steelers fan be telling people to sit his beloved quarterback?  Because, as anyone can tell you, Terrell Suggs and the Ravens defense LOVE playing against Ben.  Week One saw 7 turnovers and 18 sacks, and although the Ravens offense lives somewhere between functional and mediocre, the defense is not.  They hate the Steelers, and will be all over Roethlisberger like white on rice. Plus, with Emmanuel Sanders out and Hines Ward hobbled, the receiving corps is seriously depleted.

On this list because everyone seems to think the Steelers’ run defense is (a) still very good, and (b) shuts down Ray Rice.  Neither of those things is true.  In Week One, he had 149 yards and 2 touchdowns, and while those were first two career touchdowns against the Steelers, he has seven TDs through 8 games and without Willis McGahee, he is clearly the Ravens go-to guy for touchdowns.  And with three-fourths of the Steelers’ starting linebacking corps injured, Rice may have a lot of opportunities underneath.

I know some out there are saying to start him, but how can you start a guy with one good game this season and no knowledge whatsoever about what his coach will do?

Don’t think he’s too hurt – I expect a monster day from him.  Belichick, Brady and the Pats are furious, Welker wants to bounce back from getting his clock cleaned last week.  I wouldn’t be surprised if we have another 12 or 14 catch performance coming.

Two words: Darelle Revis.

Finally over the concussion that has hampered him the past few weeks, I expect Colt McCoy to find him early and often against the Texans, whose underneath pass defense isn’t the best.