Post Pats Expectations

[tapeANaspirin2it]

How have your season expectations changed after that Pats debacle?

mine have actually changed very little, although that little bit that changed is pretty important. I still think the steelers will win the North and have one of the best records in the AFC and maybe make a deep playoff run.

what changed? I’m not sure they can beat the Pats. I really expected them to either win or have a competitive loss vs the Pats. I felt the offense still matched up well vs the pats defense and the steelers new speed on defense should have been able to deal with the Pats rub routes.

But then they played and the biggest takeaway is just how enormous the gap is between these coaching staffs. The pats obviously adjusted to what the steelers last did to them and the steelers looked like they were surprised that the Pats like quick rub routes.

It’s hard to believe this staff can come up with a plan that the Pats won’t see coming a mile away.

Yes, many many players had a terrible game and should be ashamed. But part of that was the ludicrous things they were asked to do, especially on offense.

I’ll stop there and just say that I now doubt this dumb team can beat the smart Pats in the playoffs.

The steelers best chance is to get the 2 seed so they would likely not face the Pats until the AFCC and could hope that the Ravens or Chiefs take out the Pats for the steelers.


having said all that, I think the steelers will smash the Seahawks this week....Unless the gameplan is to abandon the run and feature Switzer and Montcrief in the passing game.

 

[Ironcitysteelers]

Nothing changed for me. I had the best intentions going into that game as a fan, but....barely any PS practice with new O players gave me pause. All the drama that we thought went out the door, was smack right back in the face. End of day it was Goliath and we didn’t show.

I expect a big turnaround, I see the Def to swarm, and the offense to show a pulse. Long way to go

 

[stillwright]

Seeing that we are doing the exact same defense from the last few years and it getting exploited again...well if we go 8 - 8 I will be surprised.....but hey.....at least it won't be a losing season.

 

[Steel12]

predicted 9-7 before season and I think that is still the ceiling with this coaching staff.

 

[slashsteel]

Started with 12 and 4 and 13 and 3 mindframe. But after seeing a lot of dumb in the last game, I have to lower it to 11 and 5.

 

[Drink IRON City]

My expectations were pretty high considering all the changes. 12-4 is my usual season prediction. I'm sticking with that but have less faith. I really thought for sure our coaching was going to step up a bit. they haven't shown anything of that nature and I can't believe Switz played more than Washington, how messed up is that? I'm patient and hope both the team & the coaching gets stronger as the season progresses.





Salute the nation

 

[Vader]

Didn't change mine at all. They will still compete for the division. Their schedule isn't that difficult especially since the bungles are horrible and the clowns are over rated. That should be 4 wins right there. Then if you split with the rats that's 5 games. Then they have Miami after a bye week. 6 wins. They plays the Bills, Jets, and a bad AZ team. That's 9 games. They have the Colts at home without Luck and an average Seachickens. That should be at least 11 wins. They play 3 of the worst teams in the league. If they can't make the playoffs with that cupcake schedule then everyone should be fired.

 

[Stryker]

Steelers are young, fast, and inexperienced on D. You don't win championships in September. Whoever is playing the best ball in December, usually wins the title.

 

[Stryker]

Steelers are young, fast, and inexperienced on D. You don't win championships in September. Whoever is playing the best ball in December, usually wins the title.

I will add, in 2008, after we got killed by the Eagles in week 3, and I thought, the Steelers can't stop anyone from sacking them. Though that line was the worst line to win a SB, Ben was the catalyst. He's not done son!

 

[steelhurt]

I agree with you guys who stayed positive since I really believe they will turn this around. I like the young talent and think we have a lot to be excited about. I was pissed for most of the week after Sundays disgrace but I'm better now and looking ahead to a brighter season. My one fear is Tomless and it has been for quite some time now. Thats the intangible here that concerns me since he can destroy any positives for this season. I have lost complete confidence in him.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I still say 10-6. Most of us figured we'd lost to the Cheats. Two games on the west coast, SF and LA, where Ben has won one game, ever, so that's three losses. Away at AZ which is kinda west coast so that's a loss. Probably split with the Stains and Rats, so there's your six.

If Shades is lucky enough to back into the playoffs as a wild card, ****, he hasn't had a bye week since 2011, he'll be one-and-done as usual.

 

[Zack_of_Steel]

I expected us to waste another year of Ben and now I'm sure of it.

 

[Big Ben Rules]

I still say 10-6. Most of us figured we'd lost to the Cheats. Two games on the west coast, SF and LA, where Ben has won one game, ever, so that's three losses. Away at AZ which is kinda west coast so that's a loss. Probably split with the Stains and Rats, so there's your six.

If Shades is lucky enough to back into the playoffs as a wild card, ****, he hasn't had a bye week since 2011, he'll be one-and-done as usual.

Hmmm, didn't they have a bye in 2017. and lost to Jags

 

[SteelerFan448]

I expected us to waste another year of Ben and now I'm sure of it.

The Steelers will win just enough games to make the playoffs and then proceed to lose to a lesser team in the first round.

In all seriousness, I still they're they'll be one of the top teams in the AFC and develop into a serious contender. The Patriots always smack the Steelers in New England and with this coaching staff, there was no reason to think anything different would happen this time.

 

[Steelr4evr]

I will add, in 2008, after we got killed by the Eagles in week 3, and I thought, the Steelers can't stop anyone from sacking them. Though that line was the worst line to win a SB, Ben was the catalyst. He's not done son!

Oh man i remember that. They got mauled.

 

[Steelr4evr]

I haven't seen a change from the status quo. Just too many seasons now stacked up high. It's a long season and i wish the hell they'd stop using the first few games of the year as the real preseason.

 

[Skott]

I’m a realist...with Tomlin as coach this year 9~7 at best.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Oh man i remember that. They got mauled.

I think they sacked our dear Benjamin 9 times that game.


There is a lot of season and historically we get stronger as the season evolves. I'm counting on that and have faith as a whole, they'll step up.


Salute the nation

 

[johngaenzler]

This game exposed some major flaws in this team (aside from the coaching); the safeties are terrible, we don’t have one elite skill player on offense other than Ben, the receiving group is sub-average in the league. Conner and Juju I don’t believe will have anywhere near last year’s numbers. I see this team as .500 at best. With a decent head coach, maybe 9-10 wins but we definitely do not have that...


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[ExUSAF]

I figured 9-7 at the beginning but now think we may be in competition for the division basement. Ravens will take the division barring serious injuries, we'll probably split with Cleveland, and will compete with the Bengals for the bottom. Our coaching staff is easily the worst in our division. Anyone who thinks this team will make the playoffs needs to listen to Jim Mora again.

 

[Big Ben Rules]

I think they sacked our dear Benjamin 9 times that game.


Salute the nation

Yep, he almost quit after that game.

https://www.12up.com/posts/3836720-ben-roethlisberger-admits-eagles-almost-made-him-quit-football-in-2008


Ben Roethlisberger Admits Eagles Almost Made Him Quit Football in 2008
Adam Weinrib
24 SEP 2016


​Remarkably, no Steelers QB has ever won a game in Philadelphia during the Super Bowl era.



That's not the biggest loss the team has ever suffered in the city of Brotherly Love, however. They very nearly lost their franchise QB for life last time Pittsburgh visited in 2008.



Strange, but true: the man who loves getting hit, Ben Roethlisberger, nearly quit the game in 2008 because he couldn't handle the punishing smackdown the Eagles laid on him in a 15-6 defeat, his only trip to Philly.

​​"I'm not a big 'remembering games' type guy, especially losses, but that's one that I do remember vividly," Roethslisberger said regarding the vicious contest. "I remember getting sacked eight or nine times. I remember driving home from the airport after that game and thinking to myself like, 'Do I want to keep doing this? Do I really want to keep playing football?'"



Naturally, tough guy that he is, Big Ben stuck around. And it was none other than ​​Brett Keisel who set the man straight over a few beers, convincing Roethlisberger his competitive juices weren't done flowing just yet.



It would certainly seem, though, that Roethlisberger is hardly excited to return to these stomping grounds this week. Who knows? If Fletcher Cox gets the right jump, maybe he can send the aged general to the showers, permanently.

 

[SojournerSteel]

8-8 to 10-6 would again just mask what's really holding this team back. The Steelers will never be a realistic SB contender until the Tomlin problem is addressed by ownership. Because Tomlin isn't humble enough to learn or change. His halftime and post-game comments were grounds for firing.

 

[AggieSteel]

I’m with the OP in that my expectations aren’t changed. We have had bad week 1s and other games, especially in New England. We always bounce back. I’m very confident that we will and we will all look back on this week and laugh that it was so bad.

However.. also as OP said, we just can’t beat them. Belichick will outsmart Tomlin every single time. Our coordinators are hapless.


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[Super Dave]

The team is led by Dum Dums. Starting at the top with the Deuce. Nobody can admit that they made a mistake, so they just keep extending them. The best talent walks away from the madness (IE MUNCH) mediocre talent walks away from the madness (IE James) and somehow that leaves a huge void???

The AB Plague that has been unleashed on the league was created by Coach Tomlin by going back to his lab, so to speak, if you will, one too many times. Does he own it?

The league, also run by higher paid political Dum Dums, folds it's arm as the AB virus flies to NE to play in Gillette Stadium (the most "Woke" venue in all of sports) because they see TB getting number #7 and they see this as a further repudiation of Spygate (Fingers Crossed)

Meanwhile they hire JZ to help the NFL get past the Kaepernick disaster despite his misogynist songs, (available on iTunes)

The media won't say boo because they like the NFL circuit, the parties, the lifestyle and will not write anything that threatens to cut off their access.

**** all this Bull ****. It does not matter.

If the league does not care about the integrity of the game, and the team owner does not care about the product on the field AND winning a Championship, then why should I?

WWF Bozo Bullshit.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

I still say 10-6. Most of us figured we'd lost to the Cheats. Two games on the west coast, SF and LA, where Ben has won one game, ever, so that's three losses. Away at AZ which is kinda west coast so that's a loss. Probably split with the Stains and Rats, so there's your six.

If Shades is lucky enough to back into the playoffs as a wild card, ****, he hasn't had a bye week since 2011, he'll be one-and-done as usual.

West coast teams are the Steelers kryptonite, plus losing to a bad team (Miami) wouldn't shock me with this teams brain trust.