Steelers Blog

Starting strong is a key

The old cliché ‘it’s not where you start, but where you finish’ sometimes rings true in sports, but for Steelers players their hope is to start and finish the season strong this year.  

“You only have 16 chances to win in this league so every game is important,” said tight end Heath Miller. “You can’t afford to let one slip away early, so hopefully we can go out and get a win this week.”

Last year the Steelers opened the season on a disappointing note, losing to the Baltimore Ravens 35-7 on the road.

“It crucial to get started off on the right foot,” added defensive end Brett Keisel. “We are facing a very tough opponent. Every game is important, especially AFC games. We’re excited about this opportunity, this team, going out and getting a strong start to our season. That catapults you into the rest of the season. We are working hard to make sure that it is good. I am excited to see what this team can do for 60 minutes.”

Keisel has high expectations for the team. He knows they lost some veterans in guys like James Farrior, Aaron Smith, Chris Hoke and Hines Ward, but he thinks the nucleus of veterans who remain, combined with an infusion of youth is the perfect mix.

“I think the sky is the limit for this team,” said Keisel. “We have a lot of young, capable players in this locker room. They are going to get some opportunities here early. We have to be great on all three phases of the game if we expect to go where we want to go.

“Every year you have a new locker room, you have new guys step up and make plays for you. That is the way it is. We miss those guys, love them, they were legendary, but we have to continue to move forward.”