Down on Steelers this season

[Tibs]

I can't copy & paste them all, but I've noticed - going back to mid summer - that quite a few pundits are down on the Steelers. I don't know if it's Ben's age, the situation with Bell, the defense folding last year without Shazier, the loss(es) against the Jags, or a combination of all these factors. The fact is, it seems some experts feel increasingly compelled to **** on the Steelers chances this year. Mostly, we're considered 'overrated' and 'middling' and even 'mediocre'.' Walterfootball.com in particular, has been really going out of their way to denigrate the Steelers.

They have us ranked #20 overall, with the following AFC teams ahead of us:
http://walterfootball.com/nflpowerrankings.php

Jacksonville
Baltimore
Tenessee
Oakland
Kansas City
San Diego
Houston
New England

On their 'Overrated Teams' list they have this to say about us:
http://walterfootball.com/overratedunderrated.php#ixzz5Q3Ed2gbm

There are three teams with season win totals of 10.5 or greater at the Westgate as of mid-July: the Patriots, Eagles and Steelers. Two of those teams are great. One is mediocre.

People think of the Steelers as this dynamic, Super Bowl-contending team, and that was once the case. Pittsburgh still has terrific players like Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, as well as some other studs like Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt and JuJu Smith-Schuster. However, the Steelers suffered a major decline last year when they lost Ryan Shazier to his devastating injury. Shazier was arguably the top linebacker in the NFL, so it's understandable why his absence would have such an impact.

How great of an impact? Prior to Shazier going down, the Steelers allowed 17.5 points per game. Following his injury, Pittsburgh surrendered 28 points per game. If your Windows calculator isn't working, that's a disparity of 10.5 points. And here's the thing: Aside from Tom Brady, the list of quarterbacks the Steelers battled and couldn't contain following the Shazier injury were Joe Flacco, T.J. Yates, DeShone Kizer and Blake Bortles. What's going to happen when the Steelers go up against great offenses?

Furthermore, while the Steelers went 13-3 last year, they were very lucky in many of their wins. They had five victories decided by three points or fewer. If those games went against them, they would've gone 8-8, which is a realistic record for them in 2018, especially if the other three teams in the division have improved.

Not surpisingly, they're picking the Browns to beat us Sunday.

Of course, the proof is in the pudding, Steelers gotta go out there and prove these haters wrong. A good start would be putting this brash, uppity Browns team in its rightful place.

 

[BLITZ]

Good

 

[SteelBuckeye]

I like it. This team plays the "disrespect' card very well. They don't respond well at all to positive press.

 

[SanDiegoSteeler]

19-0.

 

[Steelers1356]

Walter Football is run by clowns. Who's KC's QB, some unproven 2nd year guy? Ravens LOL, big whiffs in the draft and forced to grab has beens in FA to make up for it. San Diego, just signed 38 year old Antonio Gates, no stopping them now! Their biggest laugh might be the Raiders. As for the Steelers, Sports Illustrated likes how we've improved our secondary and has us going to the Super bowl. Plenty of opinions out there.

 

[AggieSteel]

Bring on the hate. It’s when this team is believing its own hype when it falls flat on its face


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