WESA Talking Steelers: how rude! O-line shuffles, and will Justin see the field(s)?

The Pittsburgh Steelers play the Atlanta Falcons in week one of the NFL regular season on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1 p.m.

247Sports.com publisher, editor, author, and podcaster Jim Wexell spoke with WESA All Things Considered host Jeremy Scott about what to expect from this weekend's matchup.

Jeremy Scott: Jim, before we talk about the game, I've got to bring your attention to something that I saw today: There was a study that they did, and Steelers fans are ranked the fifth rudest in the league. This is based on how much a fanbase curses and swears and gets rowdy at their respective home stadium at their games. Steelers fans were ranked number five in the league with their rudeness. Not that I have ever in my life contributed to any kind of curse words being uttered at the team at Acrisure Stadium, but any thoughts or analysis about the study, Jim?

Jim Wexell: You know, my first book was about the 1979 Steelers, and one of the chapters I included was about a couple fans. One was a very respectful local man who coached, and a lot of people knew him, and he went out and they had a nice, respectable time. The other guy wasn't so respectable. He went out and blew marijuana smoke all over people. When Jack Lambert intercepted that pass in the Rose Bowl, he was waving Terrible Towels and hitting people in the face, and he swore at the guy in front of him because the guy says 'Hey, quit hitting me with that Terrible Towel.'

And so, the gist of the chapter was that was the introduction of the rude Steelers fan. And I think there's something to it. I think there's a lot of rude fans from every fanbase, so I don't know how you gauge them, but I'm kind of counting on some rude fans going to Atlanta and taking over that stadium. Everybody's talking about the Falcons have the home field advantage. But we know that baseball towns like Atlanta get taken over by Pittsburgh fans. And I'm expecting a Steelers takeover. And hey, I'm not above saying hopefully some rudeness if you're going to hope the Steelers win. And I'd like to see them get off on a winning edge.

Scott: Well, one of the storylines that these rude fans who will be in attendance on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Atlanta's stadium will be watching is whether or not Justin Fields will get on the field. Russell Wilson was named the starting quarterback to pretty much nobody's surprise. Do you expect there to be a package for Justin Fields and all of the versatility that he brings to the table?

Wexell: I do, and it has nothing to do with anything I may have seen this week in practice. But in training camp, when they were open to the public, they ran Fields in and out. Russell Wilson would play a couple snaps and then Justin would get out there and play a couple, and they would alternate. And somebody asked Arthur Smith if that was a precursor, if they were doing that to get these two quarterbacks ready to be juggled and toggled in-game. Arthur Smith just smiled and said, 'It's an interesting question,' but he didn't answer it.

So I think you're going to see some of that. I do believe Justin Fields is going to have a run package, and you're going to see some of it.

Scott: The venerable Isaac Seumalo, starting left guard for the Steelers, is out for a few weeks, shall we say. It wasn't as bad as they thought it might have been with a pectoral injury, but it's been a matter of Spencer Anderson or Mason McCormick taking over for Seumalo. Mike Tomlin, during his news conference on Tuesday, seemed to intimate that it will be Spencer Anderson that will get the starting nod over Mason McCormick. But do you think, Jim, that if Anderson were to acquit himself during Seumalo's absence well enough, that Isaac Seumalo could get Wally Pipped?

Wexell: Oh, no. No. Isaac Seumalo is probably their best offensive lineman. And somebody they were really leaning on to help the rookie center Zach Frazier. Hey, if Spencer Anderson does become Lou Gehrig, then that's something to be happy about for Steelers fans. But that would take a lot of doing.

Scott: All right, Jim, before we wrap this up, real quick, your prediction for Sunday.

Wexell: I like the Steelers. I like the Steelers in a low-scoring game. I like their defense. I really like their special teams. I think that's been underrated this preseason because they gave up a few 15-yard returns on punts, things like that. I like their kickoff return men Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson. They have several coverage aces that they've reacquired in [Tyler] Matakevich and Mark Robinson's a real coverage ace. Jalen Elliott made the team because of his coverage skills. And of course, [Miles] Killebrew made the Pro Bowl last year.

The gunners, I think, will be faster this year. And the punter is great and kicker is great, and the defense is going to be great. Nick Herbig really looked special in the preseason. So I want to see him on the field with TJ [Watt] and with Alex [Highsmith] in some way. I think they've got to figure that out and get to the statue known as Kirk Cousins. So I think defense and special teams will carry the Steelers. I do.