NFL 2010 Week 3 Review: Steelers Stomp Buccaneers, Patriots Barely Beat Bills

We continue our look back at the NFL 2010 Week Three with a review of a blowout win and near miss by a huge underdog.

Pittsburgh continued their impressive play as their offense finally woke up some and they stomped the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay.

The lowly Bills almost buffaloed New England who look like the Patriots of old on offense but are brutal on defense.

The Bucs Stop Here As The Steelers Roll On – Final: 38-13

A lot of the talking heads out there tried to pump this game up into more than it really was. Yes, it was a “battle” between two unbeaten teams but one of those teams is the real deal while the other is just a pretender.

It has been a so far, so good, season for the Pittsburgh Steelers who are out of the gate at 3-0 despite not having suspended QB Ben Roethlisberger in the fold and leading the team.

A knee injury to Steelers backup QB Denis Dixon forced Pittsburgh to turn to 35-year old journeyman QB Charlie Batch who sparked what had been an anemic Steelers offence. Batch finished a serviceable 12 of 17 for 186 yards along with three touchdowns and two interceptions.

Sophomore wider receiver Mike Wallace had a career day as he caught three passes for 100 yards and scored twice with sprints of 46 and 41 yards. Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall rebounded from a tough Week Two and gashed the Buccaneers defense with 143 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Tampa Bay was unable to get anything going on this day as they were held to 303 yards of offense and saw their starting quarterback benched because the game was a blowout. To make matters worse, a near senior citizen quarterback manhandled their defense.

We knew the Buccaneers were a fraudulent 2-0 team and it showed as the good times are over at the “Big Sombrero” in Tampa Bay.

The Steelers will look to go 4-0 without Big Ben when they host the Baltimore Ravens in Week Four. The Buccaneers will lick their wounds and try to figure out a fix while on their bye week

Buffalo Bills Almost Ambush The New England Patriots – Final: 38-30

The game with the longest odds (13.5) so far in the young NFL 2010 season almost turned into a shocking win by the underdog.

The Patriots welcomed the hapless Bills to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA and the visitors gave them all they could handle. The Bills had the lead in this game three times and trailed by a point, 17-16, at half time.

The Patriots however closed out the scoring in the third quarter with a TD and opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with another TD to put the game away.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was a sparkling 21 of 27 for 252 yards and three touchdown passes. Two of the touchdowns went to wide receiver Randy Moss who had two catches for 42 yards and the two scores.

With their running back situation in flux the Patriots turned to BenJarvus Green-Ellis for a spark. “Law Firm” went off 98 yards and the game-sealing touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

The Bills turned to six-year career backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in place of starting quarterback Trent Edwards who has now been cut from the team.

Fitzpatrick did spark what was a stumbling and bumbling Bills offense but the Patriots have been anything but solid on defense so far this season. He finished his first start by completing 20 of his 27 pass attempts for 247 yards, two touchdowns and two costly interceptions.

Buffalo also got a lift from rookie all purpose back C.J.Spiller who scored a receiving and a kickoff return touchdown in a losing effort.

The Patriots slide on defense continues and the Dolphins on the road in Miami are up next. The Bills continue to slide in all areas and head home to welcome the surging New York Jets in Week Four NFL action.