As a fan, this season stings the worst

[In Ben We Trust]

A couple days later and I am still numb from that game. I keep thinking to myself, how in the hell does a team with that much damn talent not have at least 1 or 2 Lombardi's the last 5 years. I mean seriously, on paper there is no team and I mean no team that can match the Steelers in player personnel on both sides of the ball. We have a top 5 quarterback, a top 2 running back, the absolute best wide receiver group, a top 5 offensive line, two phenomenal d-lineman, a talented veteran corner in Haden, two up and coming young defenders in Watt and Burns, and to cap it all off a top 5 placekicker in Boswell. There is absolutely no excuse for this **** year after year. So frustrating.

 

[Steelerfan]

Generally agree but our defensive secondary has sucked ever since Troy left, IMO.

 

[BAS]

Steelers offensive strength covered all season for a defense that was susceptible to the running game and the long passing game. The record was saved by the offense, not the defense, all season long.

I don't think this game stings at all because the signs were all there. I contend the end of the Saints game was a more devastating loss. They fought to overcome their early season losses all season and were on the precipice of getting into the NFCC with 10 seconds left in the game and got stabbed in the heart. Tough to go down that way.

 

[JMM]

Failing to beat San Diego in the AFCC back in 90s stung the most for me. As much trouble as we had containing the Browns Offense (for Christ sake) a couple weeks ago, I was expecting a let down.

 

[Supersteeler]

Nah back in my teenage years and my early to mid 20's, I took all the losses way harder. That San Diego game was the worst I ever took a loss that I can remember. Now I still get disappointed but I get over it a lot faster. In my younger days, I used to get irate, scream and throw ****.

 

[JMM]

Nah back in my teenage years and my early to mid 20's, I took all the losses way harder. That San Diego game was the worst I ever took a loss that I can remember. Now I still get disappointed but I get over it a lot faster. In my younger days, I used to get irate, scream and throw ****.

My brother and I threw a half full keg across the yard. Young and dumb. I was young.

 

[JMM]

I think the most irate I have ever been was the loss to the Cowboys in SB XXX back in the 90s. **** really was thrown that night.

 

[Steelerfan81]

This isn't even in the top 10.

 

[Steeler Pride]

I can honestly say that this one didn't sting that bad because I honestly was not surprised we lost. I was not excited leading up to the game because it was again against a team that we should have wiped the floor with and we all know how this team performs against sub-par opponents and teams that we should beat. I actually bet my wife $20 that we would find a way to lose that game, on the plus side, I did get a nice bottle of Napa Valley Cab. Sauv. for the $20.

 

[TDX27]

The O has had the talent but has been very inconsistent with play calling. The D lost the talent due mostly to age and then started adding pieces the last few years but the D really doesn't seem to have improved much with the infusion of youth.

I honestly believe our D philosophy is the WRONG one and I have been saying it for years. If you give any good or great QB (Marsha) time in the pocket, he will either find an open man or throw a pass that opens the man. It doesn't matter how good the cover guys are, the O always has a slight advantage with a good/great QB. That is why we must focus on pressure and collapsing the pocket. That is done in the trenches and our D-front is not good enough, especially when we go with 2 D-linemen.

It is very disappointed and very frustrating.

 

[6Lombardis]

Steelers offensive strength covered all season for a defense that was susceptible to the running game and the long passing game. The record was saved by the offense, not the defense, all season long.

I don't think this game stings at all because the signs were all there. I contend the end of the Saints game was a more devastating loss. They fought to overcome their early season losses all season and were on the precipice of getting into the NFCC with 10 seconds left in the game and got stabbed in the heart. Tough to go down that way.

This post nailed it. The signs were there especially after Ryan went down.

 

[suncitysteel]

I keep thinking to myself, how in the hell does a team with that much damn talent not have at least 1 or 2 Lombardi's the last 5 years. I mean seriously, on paper there is no team and I mean no team that can match the Steelers in player personnel...

It's frustrating to me not only because the waste of talent on the roster - and by "waste" I mean wasting away the killer B's prime years - but also because as the season wore on, I was sure this was going to be our year. It was as if the storybook was writing itself with Haden's signing plus the little "dramas" that were unfolding during the course of the year (Bell's preseason holdout, JuJu's bike and Bryant's twitter words for JuJu, Shazier's injury, etc.) and that these "dramas" would make perfect SB media-week fodder. We would exact revenge on the Cheaters and the officials in the AFCCG for the Jesse James play, and the Manufactured Dynasty in Massholelandia would come to an abrubt end at the hands of our heroes in Black and Gold.

But the reality is, as much as how it ended truly sucks, it's just one more piece of confirmation to me that football in general and the NFL in particular can no longer steal my joy the way it used to in my younger, fanatical days. I know I can't change the Steelers coaching staff simply by wishing it. I know I can't bring back the loyal Steelers players who would leave their all on the field for team because, for ****'s sake, if I'm feeling a loss well into the work week, the Steelers should too! I know today's players are multi-millionaires employed by multi-billionaires who in the end would not be doing any of this if the money wasn't so lucrative. I know that my heroes of my youth wore football uniforms but now realize my youth fancied other ridiculous notions. If the Cheaters were to win again this year, I've resolved to take a hiatus/sabbatical, not spend a single cent next year on NFLST, Steeler attire, etc. The sting I feel is not the loss of this particular game or any other game in the past.... it's the loss of a pastime, a sport, that I once knew and loved and gave me so much joy and fellowship with other fans, and that today looks NOTHING like it did back then.

 

[Coryea]

This is definitely a top 10 loss this is the second best record in franchise history, most sacks in the teams history.

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[Troglodyte]

Nowhere near as bad as 1994 or 2001 AFC Championship losses for me. Disappointment and underachievement have become too much of a norm with the Steelers, I was prepared for this.

 

[jitter77]

This is definitely a top 10 loss this is the second best record in franchise history, most sacks in the teams history.

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Im not shocked by this loss, the steelers do not buck trends to often. Look at our performances against the bears and when we goto philly. Jax is now 5-1 in pittsburgh. Also our D struggled with the run all year and the D in general has been slipping the second half of the season. The writing was on the wall for a disappointing loss.

 

[Coryea]

Nowhere near as bad as 1994 or 2001 AFC Championship losses for me. Disappointment and underachievement have become too much of a norm with the Steelers, I was prepared for this.

The 1994 loss was not a shock. SD played in a much better division, had a tougher schedule, had a top 5 offense, a top 10 defense while playing a tougher schedule than we did. We had the 16th ranked offense and a top 5 defense. Yeah they had Stan Humphries, well we had ******* Neil. We finished 1 game ahead of them, we played in a division where the Oilers and Bengals combined for 4 or 5 wins that season.


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[BAS]

This is definitely a top 10 loss this is the second best record in franchise history, most sacks in the teams history.

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As far as results based on regular season record, then yes I'll agree there. No reason a 13-3 team should lose first playoff game.
But as far as emotional impact? Not even close. I suppose the younger you are the more devastating it may seem, but as I've gotten older, I tend to not be affected nearly as much by a loss in the playoffs that I used to. SB XXX was a tough one to handle, followed by the 2001 AFCC, to a lesser extent the 2004 AFCC. Those were still more frustrating than losing SB XLV to me.

 

[Troglodyte]

The 1994 loss was not a shock. SD played in a much better division, had a tougher schedule, had a top 5 offense, a top 10 defense while playing a tougher schedule than we did. We had the 16th ranked offense and a top 5 defense. Yeah they had Stan Humphries, well we had ******* Neil. We finished 1 game ahead of them, we played in a division where the Oilers and Bengals combined for 4 or 5 wins that season.

The Steelers were like 11 point favorites. SD only won due to a trick play and an incomplete pass from the 3 yard line. It’s not like they showed they were obviously the better team.

I checked and I’m not crazy. Steelers had 415 yards to Chargers 226, 22 first downs vs 13, and were 11/20 on 3rd down vs 3/11. That stings!

 

[JMM]

I remember they (SD) then got their ***** handed to them against the 49ers that year.

Tom how old were you in 94?

 

[Coryea]

The Steelers were like 11 point favorites. SD only won due to a trick play and an incomplete pass from the 3 yard line. It’s not like they showed they were obviously the better team.

The Steelers were favored by 6, less than Sundays games vs Jax.

www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501150pit.htm

Everyone just assumed the Steelers should win and should win easily because it's the Chargers. No one actually looks into it any deeper.
Chargers had a top 5 O, top 10 D
We had a the 16th ranked O, and #2 D
We played in a **** division with Cincy and Houston having a combined 5 wins
SD played in a much better division.
SD had a tougher schedule and only finished 1 game behind us.

No they didn't show they were obviously the better team, but they showed both teams were pretty equal. Steeler fans thought that shouldve been a route, and I have no clue why.

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[Superman]

worst loss for me was the '03 to the titans in the playoffs.

**** Joe Nedney.

 

[Coryea]

I remember they (SD) then got their ***** handed to them against the 49ers that year.

Tom how old were you in 94?

I was 16. That doesn't mean much, Denver and Tebow got their ***** handed to them after beating us, so did Jax in 07.
I'm not saying that loss didn't hurt, but those teams were more closely matched than most people care to admit.

We had almost 200 more yards than Jax Sunday as well.

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[JMM]

Steeler fans thought that shouldve been a route, and I have no clue why.

We had Coach Cahr stalking the sidelines, a bad assed LB named Lloyd, on one side of the line, Greene on the other a RB with the last name of an Australian beer, Woodson and Lake patrolling downfield and off the field we had an awesome batch of Steeler Chili in the Crock Pot, and a cold keg. Steelers were destined to win.

 

[Coryea]

We had Coach Cahr stalking the sidelines, a bad assed LB named Lloyd, on one side of the line, Greene on the other a RB with the last name of an Australian beer, Woodson and Lake patrolling downfield and off the field we had an awesome batch of Steeler Chili in the Crock Pot, and a cold keg. Steelers were destined to win.

LOL, all very good points.

I don't know, I look at the losses when you have a franchise QB as more devistating because you're probably not going to win the Super Bowl without one, yeah there are exceptions, and I know our years with a franchise QB are running low.

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[Hypocycloids]

The Steelers were favored by 6, less than Sundays games vs Jax.

www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199501150pit.htm

Everyone just assumed the Steelers should win and should win easily because it's the Chargers. No one actually looks into it any deeper.
Chargers had a top 5 O, top 10 D
We had a the 16th ranked O, and #2 D
We played in a **** division with Cincy and Houston having a combined 5 wins
SD played in a much better division.
SD had a tougher schedule and only finished 1 game behind us.

No they didn't show they were obviously the better team, but they showed both teams were pretty equal. Steeler fans thought that shouldve been a route, and I have no clue why.

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None of that matters when you're kicking their *** all game.

SD made two stinking plays all game...both 40 + yds pass plays for TD's.

That's why it's high on Steeler fans of most disappointing losses because in that game SD didn't look like they belonged on the same field with the Steelers.