In just a few days, the Steelers will touch down in Buffalo, New York, pass a sea of broken tables and men doused in ketchup and mustard and enter Highmark Stadium to the tune of blue and red boos.
Every year, Week 1 presents a grand dichotomy: the optimism of a fresh slate and a new start to the sport that brings us such pure joy, yet also a feeling of guttural, seemingly permanent sadness if our favorite team loses.
Simply put, there’s a lot riding on Week 1 every season. Teams want to set the tone for the forthcoming year, rookies are looking to shine in their professional debuts and experts are hoping their predictions will come true (from my own experience, this often isn’t the case).