September 23, 2012; Oakland, CA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery (89) catches a pass during the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
"It’s important to show that Steelers football is back in effect, … We are going to be tough and physical and execute at a high level in situational football. That is what it’s been like around here forever. It’s time to get back to it. The guys are excited about this opportunity to line up once again. And we get to do it in front of our home crowd.-Jerricho Cotchery (via Teresa Varley on Steelers.com)"
Well I guess that the veteran wide receiver is “geeked-up” to start the 2013 regular season tomorrow. Moreover, it looks like Cotchery and his teammates are just as excited to wash the taste of an underachieving 8-8 season out of their mouths. I cannot say that I blame them, especially since the Steelers lost to juggernauts like the Raiders, Titans, and Browns last fall.
2012 regular season issues aside, 2013 is a clean slate for the Steelers as they will try to navigate the “rebuilding waters” in a competitive A.F.C. North. Thankfully, veterans like Cotchery are looking to recapture the formula for success that many of Pittsburgh’s teams used during the last decade: disciplined football mixed in with solid execution on a weekly basis.
Sunday’s game will be a tremendous litmus test for a rebuilding team like Pittsburgh to see if they can take care of teams they should beat instead of struggling through yet another mistake-filled “trap game.” Starting 2013 off on a positive note would really help this franchise, and it would also be nice to see the Steelers exercise the demons from their last two opening games against Baltimore and Denver.
As one of the league’s biggest “mystery teams” heading into the 2013 campaign, Pittsburgh has a tremendous chance to make a statement tomorrow afternoon against the Titans. If Cotchery’s teammates adopt the same type of attitude as him on a week by week basis, then the Steelers could throw a wrench into the plans of many teams in an “up for grabs” A.F.C. this fall.
Stats & Info. Provided By: ESPN.com, Steelers.com and Pro Football Reference
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