In spite of what ESPN and the NFL would like you to believe, tonight’s MNF game is a bit of a bore. Both teams, the 6-4 Pittsburgh Steelers and 2-7 Tennessee Titans, are third in their respective divisions, and neither has played with any consistency unless you count the Titans’ consistently bad performance against anything other than the other team’s passing game. Still, there’s one Big reason to watch Monday Night Football online Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tennessee Titans live streaming on ESPN: Ben Roethlisberger.
“Big Ben” has laid some eggs this season, though his 72.3 Total QBR is still good enough to place him in the top 10 (the No. 8 spot). Much of that rating has come from a handful of huge performances, highlighted by his six-touchdown, 522-yard domination of the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 26. Will we see that Roethlisberger when we watch MNF live on ESPN or free online, or will we see the Week 2 Roethlisberger who completed just 59.5% of his passes for 217 yards and no TDs with an interception?
Naturally Pittsburgh fans hope to watch Steelers game online and see the former. On paper tonight’s Titans game will be a challenge in that regard. Tennessee ranks almost last in the NFL on offense and generally poorly on defense. Yet the Titans’ pass defense is rated 11th in the league, holding opposing QBs to 232.1 yards per game. For the Titans this season, that’s their lone bright spot. Against the Steelers tonight, that may be their saving grace.
The Steelers are still expected to watch tonight’s Monday Night Football game against the Titans end up in their favor. However, as much as fans may want that victory to come via Big Ben, it may come by pounding it on the ground.
Last week the Steelers lost an embarrassing game to the NY Jets 13-20, ending the Jets’ eight-game losing streak and giving Michael Vick a win in his first start for the Jets. Roethlisberger entered the Jets game having thrown six TDs in each of his previous two games. He ended the Steelers game with just one, an 80-yard bomb to Martavis Bryant with just 1:16 remaining in the game. He was also sacked twice for 17 yards lost.
From a yardage standpoint, Roethlisberger still had a big game, but Ben may instead want to watch MNF tonight as a second option and give his backfield some love. Pittsburgh has run the ball just 42 times during its past two games, posting a meager 91 yards on on the ground. They also even scored a rushing touchdown in eight weeks.
Against a Titans defense that allows 136.6 rushing yards per game, 29th in the NFL, it may be time to once again give running backs Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount some touches. For the season Bell has 747 yards to Blount’s 266.
Giving them some additional touches would be bad for wide receiver Antonio Brown, who’s lighting up the league this season. Brown has 79 receptions through 10 weeks for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns. However, knowing he’s a serious threat down field could keep the Tennessee defense from cheating and provide more room for Bell and Blount to break through to the second level.
Is all hope lost for the Titans? Not necessarily, but probably. As you watch MNF live online free tonight or watch MNF on ESPN, you’ll see a team that’s playing its first nationally televised game of the season. And it’s doing so with a rookie quarterback in Zach Mettenberger, who might not respond well to a Steelers defense that’s 17-2 against rookie QBs since 2004.
But the Titans have won two in a row against the Steelers, and both teams have been streaky this season. If the Titans come out fast like they did last Sunday, and then don’t completely fall apart defensively, they could pull off a Monday Night Football win.
Here’s some pre-game info as you prepare to watch Monday Night Football online Pittsburgh Steelers vs Tennessee Titans free live stream via the Watch ESPN app. Tonight’s Panthers / Eagles MNF game is also on TV on ESPN.
- Kickoff for Steelers vs Titans Monday Night Football: 8:30pm EST / 5:30pm PST
- Stadium: LP Field (the Titans are the home team)
- Point spread as you watch MNF tonight between the Steelers and Titans: the Steelers are 4-point favorites
- Live stream Steelers vs Titans on the Watch ESPN website or app
- Watch live online on DirecTV: here (requires NFL Sunday Ticket with MAX)
