Look, I didn't expect this "Devin Bush predicts next Steelers game" thing to become a weekly occurrence.
Mostly because I didn't know Bush was freaking psychic.
It started back before the Steelers' Week 6 showdown vs. the Chargers, when I asked Bush when he would register his first defensive touchdown.
“This week. Sunday,” Bush told me.
Sure enough:
Then, after the team’s bye week, Bush predicted “two picks and a forced fumble” with Terrell Edmunds getting a defensive touchdown against the Dolphins. The Steelers did register two picks and a forced fumble (three of those, actually), but Edmunds didn’t get his touchdown.
Bush bounced back perfectly for Week 9, though, making his boldest claim yet:
“It’s going to be a lot of sacks this game — a lot more sacks, probably about four, four to five sacks, a pick — of course a pick,” Bush said.
Nailed it. The Steelers registered five sacks against a Colts team that had only allowed 11 total in the season to that point, and Minkah Fitzpatrick snagged an interception, taking it all the way back, 96 yards, for the score.
Obviously, as the Steelers gear up to face the Rams in Week 10 action at home, I had to get Bush’s thoughts. Now 3-for-3 with the predictions, he’s gotta defend his title. Here’s what he cooked up:
“Sunday at 4 o’clock, right?” Bush began. “Sunday … Two picks. Two picks.”
Here’s where it gets good. Bush pauses after calling the interceptions, tapping into the ether while gazing into his crystal ball.
“Ooo.”
He finds something.
“Four sacks,” Bush adds. “Four sacks, two picks.”
Bush didn’t put names to the interceptions this time, but the line is there. And there might be something to it. Rams quarterback Jared Goff struggles on the road, posting 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions at home the past two seasons vs. a 21/17 split on the road.
Bush and the Steelers are certainly aware of that split, and it gives them all the more reason to get after him and make his life miserable early and often.
“It gives us a reason, a purpose,” Bush said. “Like, OK, we can feed on this. We can take this and put it into our game plan.”
We'll see, Mr. Bush. Your streak is on the line.
