I rank the Steelers the favorites in the AFC for next season

[POP]

With two good team still in the race, how could I rank the Steelers as the favorites to win the AFC next season? Easy.

1.) We won't be this beat up. Odds are, there is no way we will have so many players down and dinged next season. Of course if we are missing Ben for any length of time, or out for the season, that would change everything. But in all likelihood, we will have Bell, D-Will, AB, Pouncy, Golson, etc. back. Sure, we will have more injuries, but odds are they won't be as bad as this season.

2.) We got a lot of talent that will be better, maybe much better in some cases, than this season. Bryant, Coats, Golson, Shazier, Tuitt, James, Dupree, Vills should all be better.

3.) This season will likely be a driving force for making the big show. The sting of this loss will stick, like in 2005, after the sting of 2004.

4.) Butler will be better positioned to improve the D. They will have better chemistry.

5.) Why ahead of the Pats and Broncos? Denver will be without a franchise QB. Pats may finally have a drop off; you can't win the conf. every year.

6.) We will improve the secondary, come hell or high water. I like some of the pieces we have, we just need to add a top shelf (or near top shelf) CB and a safety. If we upgraded two spots, all of a sudden our D could be top 10. And with our O, that will be plenty good enough.

7.) Our list of upcoming free agents is not that daunting. Beachum, who Vills filled in nicely for, is probably our best FA. LG Foster is also a FA. Maybe we sign one, but probably not both. Signing Beachum and playing him at LG and letting Foster walk might actually improve the OL, plus we would have more depth at OT since Beach can play there. You need some depth at OL or you are screwed, typically. McLendon is a FA, and while I don't think he is terrible, I'd like to see an upgrade at NT. This D has NEVER been top shelf unless we had a best at NT, and McLendon falls short as far as being a beast. Sean Spence is a FA, but he is mere depth for us, we can live with him leaving. Blake, Boykin and Gay are all UFA. I'd like to keep both Boink and Gay, but that won't happen. If Tomlin could end his ego/hissy fit girl fight with Boink, that would improve us instantly. Note he got more playing time and improved our D from what I could tell.

I have to say: I feel much better about the team heading into 2016 than I did last year, heading into 2015. We are on a good path.

 

[AggieSteel]

Totally agree. But why don't you think we'll keep both Boykin and Gay? They're our best corners and I feel the defense is at its best when both are on the field together.

But other than that, great post.. I'm really excited for 2016 just hoping the health gods are on our side

 

[Punxsutawney]

I agree with most of the premise of your assessment, but it's hard to argue with things such as odds, given the various injuries this season.

I'm still pretty frustrated over what this team could have accomplished, if the likes of Roethlisberger, Bell, Williams, Brown, and Bryant had avoided a combination of injury and offseason stupidity.

The AFC was very winnable this season. ****!

 

[Superman]

next year we play:

Home
New England
NY Jets
Dallas
NY Giants
AFC West team

Away
Buffalo
Miami
Philadelphia
Washington
AFC South team

as well as our usual AFC North

I say we're 8-2 outside the AFC North, splitting with either the Rats or Bungles and sweeping one, while sweeping the Clowns again.
Finishing 12-4.

 

[POP]

Totally agree. But why don't you think we'll keep both Boykin and Gay? They're our best corners and I feel the defense is at its best when both are on the field together.

But other than that, great post.. I'm really excited for 2016 just hoping the health gods are on our side

Aggie, The reason why I feel they won't keep both is teams, in the day and age, are very cognizant of the need for good CBs, and I think both of them are. Neither are Richard Sherman/Revis, but both offer tight coverage and are decent at tackling for their size.

If they don't receive much attention from the market, you could be right. If they can get them both for a relatively cheap cost, they would be wise to sign them. But with how little of playing time Boink got, and the mysterious dog house treatment he got from Tomlin, I don't see why he would come back. If I am another NFL team, I am interested in signing him - especially div. rivals. He would upgrade Browns and Ravens secondaries for sure.

 

[POP]

I agree with most of the premise of your assessment, but it's hard to argue with things such as odds, given the various injuries this season.

I'm still pretty frustrated over what this team could have accomplished, if the likes of Roethlisberger, Bell, Williams, Brown, and Bryant had avoided a combination of injury and offseason stupidity.

The AFC was very winnable this season. ****!

It WAS very winnable, in a vacuum. But you need some luck, to advance very far in the NFL, and we just didn't have much, especially losing Bell, Ben for a month, D-Will and AB before our last game, where I feel we would have won if we had him yesterday.

 

[POP]

next year we play:

Home
New England
NY Jets
Dallas
NY Giants
AFC West team

Away
Buffalo
Miami
Philadelphia
Washington
AFC South team

as well as our usual AFC North

I say we're 8-2 outside the AFC North, splitting with either the Rats or Bungles and sweeping one, while sweeping the Clowns again.
Finishing 12-4.

That's not a cake walk schedule, but it could be harder. We go 4-2 in the div., 8-2 outside, like you said. I also see 12-4, flirting with #1 seed. Tons can obviously change between then and now, but that's how I see it where I sit today.

 

[SteelerFan448]

Given how winnable the AFC was this year, even with a banged up team, yesterday's loss was painful. However, I agree that the Steelers are well positioned to be one of the top two seeds in the AFC next year. The key is to stay healthy and to get a first-round bye to give that extra week to rest up and prepare. Given all of the horrors we've had against New England, I truly believe the Steelers had a chance to win if they advanced. Without making a single move, this is the most optimistic that I've felt at this point of the year in quite awhile.

 

[Punxsutawney]

Given how winnable the AFC was this year, even with a banged up team, yesterday's loss was painful. However, I agree that the Steelers are well positioned to be one of the top two seeds in the AFC next year. The key is to stay healthy and to get a first-round bye to give that extra week to rest up and prepare. Given all of the horrors we've had against New England, I truly believe the Steelers had a chance to win if they advanced. Without making a single move, this is the most optimistic that I've felt at this point of the year in quite awhile

I largely agree with that, but I'd really like to see them go out of character by adding an Eric Berry, Josh Norman or Janoris Jenkins in free agency this off season.

The clock is ticking on the Roethlisberger era, and the damage his body took this season cannot lend to the "there's always next year" philosophy,

 

[AggieSteel]

I largely agree with that, but I'd really like to see them go out of character by adding an Eric Berry, Josh Norman or Janoris Jenkins in free agency this off season.

The clock is ticking on the Roethlisberger era, and the damage his body took this season cannot lend to the "there's always next year" philosophy,

Agreed, I'd love to see us sign Eric Berry to be the other safety along with MM. I think that would put us over the top

 

[wig]

You'd have to assume right off the bat we're ranked at the very least behind New England and Denver. That's just straight-forward how-the-cookie-crumbles logic.

 

[Punxsutawney]

You'd have to assume right off the bat we're ranked at the very least behind New England and Denver. That's just straight-forward how-the-cookie-crumbles logic.

Probably just behind New England in the AFC.

Peyton is done after this season. He's a marginal, at best, QB at this point,

 

[AggieSteel]

You'd have to assume right off the bat we're ranked at the very least behind New England and Denver. That's just straight-forward how-the-cookie-crumbles logic.

Disagree. Things change drastically year to year in football. There is no reason to believe we won't be a better team next year than we were this year (assuming relatively good health). Denver on the other hand has aging stars and an offense that just flat out isn't very good.

 

[DBS1970]

I wouldn't count on us not being this beaten up again at this time next year. We are in an exceptionally tough physical division.

 

[Punxsutawney]

I wouldn't count on us not being this beaten up again at this time next year. We are in an exceptionally tough physical division.

More like playing in a division with a POS LB who aims to injury just as much as compete.

 

[SteelerFan448]

I largely agree with that, but I'd really like to see them go out of character by adding an Eric Berry, Josh Norman or Janoris Jenkins in free agency this off season.

The clock is ticking on the Roethlisberger era, and the damage his body took this season cannot lend to the "there's always next year" philosophy,

No doubt I'd like to see us make a move given that we don't have any big-money free agents that are a "must sign."

 

[hcmd]

Steelers should be viewed as at least co-favorites to win the AFC next year. Until Brady is gone, P*** will always be tough. I know all the cheating, Brady gets the calls stuff we like to talk about to dis them. I do not disagree with it. But, give the punk Brady some credit, he is not total crap. Now I gotta puke. Rats should rebound, but that is dependent on the Flacco contract getting redone. This is the year his contract goes insane. They are up against the cap as is. If Flacco does not cut them a huge deal Rats are totally screwed. Flacco and agent have gave no indication of given a discount. Evidence being the current contract he signed. Basically Flacco has them by the balls, Not going to cut him and he is not gonna take a paycut. Fun time ahead for the Rat braintrust.

 

[steelerscotty]

Totally agree. But why don't you think we'll keep both Boykin and Gay? They're our best corners and I feel the defense is at its best when both are on the field together.

But other than that, great post.. I'm really excited for 2016 just hoping the health gods are on our side

I think Gay will be back with a team-friendly deal. He left once and knows its a unique experience in Pittsburgh. I think we will try to sign Boykin but i doubt he wants to come back. Pretty sure he wants a shot to start and, after how this year played out for him, I doubt he thinks we will be given that shot by Tomlin & co.