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The Steelers Are Legit Super Bowl Contenders

tapeANaspirin2it

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Yeah, i said it. Maybe it's because I drank too much of a gift bottle of rum (Presser's British Navy Rum). but I believe it. Before you go nuts thinking of weaknesses and voicing years of steeler fan PTSD due to playoff drought, take a breath and remember. Not every Super Bowl winner was a great team, they just had everything come together at the right time. The Steelers SB win vs the crybaby Seahawks is proof of that. So are both Raven SB wins.

Remember the old joke. Two guys come across a bear in the woods. One guy says "we should run". The other guy says "We'll never outrun that bear. The first guy says "I don't need to outrun the bear, I just need to outrun you!

That's how you win the Super Bowl. You don't have to be some flawless team. You just have to find a way to win each week in the playoffs.

What's the main way to do that? It helps to be awesome. But more often than not it's more about not being terrible at any one thing. In other words, being versatile.

The Ravens are usually very good on defense and run offense. They fail in the playoffs because at some point they get in a game that goes off their script and Lamar needs to make plays from the pocket, and he's hit or miss at that.

Putting injuries aside, here's how i see the 2025 Steelers

I think the OL will be very good. That's the biggest variable. If this OL is top 10 then the Steelers are absolutely a factor. Frazier had a great rookie year. His floor is above average starter and his ceiling is one of the best in the league. I don't think he'll ever be Dermonti Dawson good, but he can absolutely be Pouncey or Hartings good. McCormick likewise looks like a solid starter. Fautanu looked great last preseason and I expect him to upgrade RT.

Broderick Jones is the question. He has the talent. His problem seems that he's too nice. Somebody needs to tell him it's OK to be a villain between the whistles. Remember the late great Hulk Hogan as Thunderlips in Rocky 3. Before and after the bout, he's super nice. But when that bell rings, he tries to kill Rocky.

Najee is a good RB but he sucks at zone runs. Tomlin's main weakness is pride. He never wants to admit he's wrong, so he was going to feed Najee the ball to prove he was right rather than to give it to the obviously better fit, Warren. Now they have Warren and Kaleb Johnson who are both perfect fits for what Arthur Smith wants to do.

I believe the Steelers will have a very good run game. Better blocking, better backs, and a more consistent passing game to open it up. That's the key to Smith offense, or any offense really. Look at Detroit, they have a reliable run game which opens things up for mediocre Jared Goof to make plays.

That's the base, a strong run game, that may take a month or so to get going but by the end of the year could be brutal. Throwback to Bettis and Barry Foster where we're running the ball and you wussies won't do **** to stop us.

With run threat established, we get to see the real Arthur Smith offense which is all about play action. Metcalf is a huge upgrade to Pickens who only played hard when he felt like it. When you have a run threat and a real WR1, it makes it easier for the rest. There's clamor for a new WR2. Maybe they'll still get one, but they're OK so long at DK stays healthy.

Look at the Eagles. They have AJ Brown and Devonte Smith. If Brown gets hurt, they're in trouble. Smith is good as a #2, but can he carry the load? He didn'tt even carry the load at Bama where he played with Ruggs, Jeudy, Waddle, and Jameson Williams. The point is that Calvin Austin or Roman Wilson pair with a strong run game and DK Metclaf can be very effective as WR2, especially with Feiermuth and Jonuu SMith in the mix.

Then there's Aaron Rodgers. He showed last year he still had the arm talent. The Jets just suck. They had no run game and Garrett Wilson and Rodgers never really clicked.

I don't think the steelers offense will be top 5 but it should be good. Rodgers, coupled with a good run game plus weapons like Metcalf, Freiermuith, Smith, Austin, Roman Wilson and Robert Woods should deliver a versatile offense that can win multiple ways. They can win when the **** hits the fan.


Defense should be top 10 at the worst, with the potential of being best in the league. Watt and Highsmith are excellent edge rushers with Herbis and Sawyer providing depth. If Harmon is a stud then the DL is hugely upgraded. They can give Cam Heyward some rest and have more rotation.

Ramsey is an ugrade to Minkah. Minkah is a good player but Ramsey is much more versatile. Slay is a really good outside man CB. JPJ could have a breakout year and Ramsey can be that chess piece they've missed since Piolamalu.

Bottom line
Excellent Defense
Good offense with a chance to be near top 10 and a QB that limits turnovers.

Here's the other main reason the Steelers are a contender.

There is no great team in the NFL. There's no Montana 49ers or Aikman Emmitt Cowboys, or Cheater Brady Patroits.

The steelers don't need to outrun the bear, they just need to outlast a few otyher flawed NFL teams.

Let the PTSD whie fest commence

Coconut water goes great with Rum.
 
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Glad you had a good boozey night. They will have a decent team till the injuries set in. Same story different year. Even with their best line up there are so many new moving parts many of which haven't exactly been great team players. Again same story different year. Groundhog day will arrive early January. Just outside the playoffs or one and done WC round.
 
Did yinz mix or drink it straight up?

Straight up I will just try to enjoy the season and hope they come away with one playoff win.

I like to hope it one hand and Cleveland brown in the other.
 
Yeah, i said it. Maybe it's because I drank too much of a gift bottle of rum (Presser's British Navy Rum). but I believe it. Before you go nuts thinking of weaknesses and voicing years of steeler fan PTSD due to playoff drought, take a breath and remember. Not every Super Bowl winner was a great team, they just had everything come together at the right time. The Steelers SB win vs the crybaby Seahawks is proof of that. So are both Raven SB wins.

Remember the old joke. Two guys come across a bear in the woods. One guy says "we should run". The other guy says "We'll never outrun that bear. The first guy says "I don't need to outrun the bear, I just need to outrun you!

That's how you win the Super Bowl. You don't have to be some flawless team. You just have to find a way to win each week in the playoffs.

What's the main way to do that? It helps to be awesome. But more often than not it's more about not being terrible at any one thing. In other words, being versatile.

The Ravens are usually very good on defense and run offense. They fail in the playoffs because at some point they get in a game that goes off their script and Lamar needs to make plays from the pocket, and he's hit or miss at that.

Putting injuries aside, here's how i see the 2025 Steelers

I think the OL will be very good. That's the biggest variable. If this OL is top 10 then the Steelers are absolutely a factor. Frazier had a great rookie year. His floor is above average starter and his ceiling is one of the best in the league. I don't think he'll ever be Dermonti Dawson good, but he can absolutely be Pouncey or Hartings good. McCormick likewise looks like a solid starter. Fautanu looked great last preseason and I expect him to upgrade RT.

Broderick Jones is the question. He has the talent. His problem seems that he's too nice. Somebody needs to tell him it's OK to be a villain between the whistles. Remember the late great Hulk Hogan as Thunderlips in Rocky 3. Before and after the bout, he's super nice. But when that bell rings, he tries to kill Rocky.

Najee is a good RB but he sucks at zone runs. Tomlin's main weakness is pride. He never wants to admit he's wrong, so he was going to feed Najee the ball to prove he was right rather than to give it to the obviously better fit, Warren. Now they have Warren and Kaleb Johnson who are both perfect fits for what Arthur Smith wants to do.

I believe the Steelers will have a very good run game. Better blocking, better backs, and a more consistent passing game to open it up. That's the key to Smith offense, or any offense really. Look at Detroit, they have a reliable run game which opens things up for mediocre Jared Goof to make plays.

That's the base, a strong run game, that may take a month or so to get going but by the end of the year could be brutal. Throwback to Bettis and Barry Foster where we're running the ball and you wussies won't do **** to stop us.

With run threat established, we get to see the real Arthur Smith offense which is all about play action. Metcalf is a huge upgrade to Pickens who only played hard when he felt like it. When you have a run threat and a real WR1, it makes it easier for the rest. There's clamor for a new WR2. Maybe they'll still get one, but they're OK so long at DK stays healthy.

Look at the Eagles. They have AJ Brown and Devonte Smith. If Brown gets hurt, they're in trouble. Smith is good as a #2, but can he carry the load? He didn'tt even carry the load at Bama where he played with Ruggs, Jeudy, Waddle, and Jameson Williams. The point is that Calvin Austin or Roman Wilson pair with a strong run game and DK Metclaf can be very effective as WR2, especially with Feiermuth and Jonuu SMith in the mix.

Then there's Aaron Rodgers. He showed last year he still had the arm talent. The Jets just suck. They had no run game and Garrett Wilson and Rodgers never really clicked.

I don't think the steelers offense will be top 5 but it should be good. Rodgers, coupled with a good run game plus weapons like Metcalf, Freiermuith, Smith, Austin, Roman Wilson and Robert Woods should deliver a versatile offense that can win multiple ways. They can win when the **** hits the fan.


Defense should be top 10 at the worst, with the potential of being best in the league. Watt and Highsmith are excellent edge rushers with Herbis and Sawyer providing depth. If Harmon is a stud then the DL is hugely upgraded. They can give Cam Heyward some rest and have more rotation.

Ramsey is an ugrade to Minkah. Minkah is a good player but Ramsey is much more versatile. Slay is a really good outside man CB. JPJ could have a breakout year and Ramsey can be that chess piece they've missed since Piolamalu.

Bottom line
Excellent Defense
Good offense with a chance to be near top 10 and a QB that limits turnovers.

Here's the other main reason the Steelers are a contender.

There is no great team in the NFL. There's no Montana 49ers or Aikman Emmitt Cowboys, or Cheater Brady Patroits.

The steelers don't need to outrun the bear, they just need to outlast a few otyher flawed NFL teams.

Let the PTSD whie fest commence

Coconut water goes great with Rum.

Gonna have to try some of that rum bro
Sounds magical…

Where to start…first off we are mostly suffering from CTSD as it is current, we’re not to the post stage yet…we’re right in the middle of the situation causing the stress, maybe one day we can get to PTSD but we haven’t even seen the light at the end of the tunnel yet.

Sure ya just have to outrun the other guy to not get eaten by the bear…problem is the Steelers are always the slowest, oldest, fat guy with a broken foot trying to outrun that other guy vs the bear in the playoffs…the reason they get eaten by the bear before halftime of the WC every year.

There are several reasons for optimism, the largest ones being some young talent on the LOS and a dinosaur future HOF QB that hopefully can put enough pep in our step to outrun one slower, older, fatter guy with two broken feet and finally get a singular playoff win. Optimism that they may be able to squeak 1 out this year, and that my friend is what we call progress…a very slim chance with the right broke down opponent that if everything shakes out in our favor we may be able to add 1 WC round win on top of the Tomlinship. Winning!!!!🏆
 
Yeah, i said it. Maybe it's because I drank too much of a gift bottle of rum (Presser's British Navy Rum). but I believe it. Before you go nuts thinking of weaknesses and voicing years of steeler fan PTSD due to playoff drought, take a breath and remember. Not every Super Bowl winner was a great team, they just had everything come together at the right time. The Steelers SB win vs the crybaby Seahawks is proof of that. So are both Raven SB wins.

Remember the old joke. Two guys come across a bear in the woods. One guy says "we should run". The other guy says "We'll never outrun that bear. The first guy says "I don't need to outrun the bear, I just need to outrun you!

That's how you win the Super Bowl. You don't have to be some flawless team. You just have to find a way to win each week in the playoffs.

What's the main way to do that? It helps to be awesome. But more often than not it's more about not being terrible at any one thing. In other words, being versatile.

The Ravens are usually very good on defense and run offense. They fail in the playoffs because at some point they get in a game that goes off their script and Lamar needs to make plays from the pocket, and he's hit or miss at that.

Putting injuries aside, here's how i see the 2025 Steelers

I think the OL will be very good. That's the biggest variable. If this OL is top 10 then the Steelers are absolutely a factor. Frazier had a great rookie year. His floor is above average starter and his ceiling is one of the best in the league. I don't think he'll ever be Dermonti Dawson good, but he can absolutely be Pouncey or Hartings good. McCormick likewise looks like a solid starter. Fautanu looked great last preseason and I expect him to upgrade RT.

Broderick Jones is the question. He has the talent. His problem seems that he's too nice. Somebody needs to tell him it's OK to be a villain between the whistles. Remember the late great Hulk Hogan as Thunderlips in Rocky 3. Before and after the bout, he's super nice. But when that bell rings, he tries to kill Rocky.

Najee is a good RB but he sucks at zone runs. Tomlin's main weakness is pride. He never wants to admit he's wrong, so he was going to feed Najee the ball to prove he was right rather than to give it to the obviously better fit, Warren. Now they have Warren and Kaleb Johnson who are both perfect fits for what Arthur Smith wants to do.

I believe the Steelers will have a very good run game. Better blocking, better backs, and a more consistent passing game to open it up. That's the key to Smith offense, or any offense really. Look at Detroit, they have a reliable run game which opens things up for mediocre Jared Goof to make plays.

That's the base, a strong run game, that may take a month or so to get going but by the end of the year could be brutal. Throwback to Bettis and Barry Foster where we're running the ball and you wussies won't do **** to stop us.

With run threat established, we get to see the real Arthur Smith offense which is all about play action. Metcalf is a huge upgrade to Pickens who only played hard when he felt like it. When you have a run threat and a real WR1, it makes it easier for the rest. There's clamor for a new WR2. Maybe they'll still get one, but they're OK so long at DK stays healthy.

Look at the Eagles. They have AJ Brown and Devonte Smith. If Brown gets hurt, they're in trouble. Smith is good as a #2, but can he carry the load? He didn'tt even carry the load at Bama where he played with Ruggs, Jeudy, Waddle, and Jameson Williams. The point is that Calvin Austin or Roman Wilson pair with a strong run game and DK Metclaf can be very effective as WR2, especially with Feiermuth and Jonuu SMith in the mix.

Then there's Aaron Rodgers. He showed last year he still had the arm talent. The Jets just suck. They had no run game and Garrett Wilson and Rodgers never really clicked.

I don't think the steelers offense will be top 5 but it should be good. Rodgers, coupled with a good run game plus weapons like Metcalf, Freiermuith, Smith, Austin, Roman Wilson and Robert Woods should deliver a versatile offense that can win multiple ways. They can win when the **** hits the fan.


Defense should be top 10 at the worst, with the potential of being best in the league. Watt and Highsmith are excellent edge rushers with Herbis and Sawyer providing depth. If Harmon is a stud then the DL is hugely upgraded. They can give Cam Heyward some rest and have more rotation.

Ramsey is an ugrade to Minkah. Minkah is a good player but Ramsey is much more versatile. Slay is a really good outside man CB. JPJ could have a breakout year and Ramsey can be that chess piece they've missed since Piolamalu.

Bottom line
Excellent Defense
Good offense with a chance to be near top 10 and a QB that limits turnovers.

Here's the other main reason the Steelers are a contender.

There is no great team in the NFL. There's no Montana 49ers or Aikman Emmitt Cowboys, or Cheater Brady Patroits.

The steelers don't need to outrun the bear, they just need to outlast a few otyher flawed NFL teams.

Let the PTSD whie fest commence

Coconut water goes great with Rum.
Whoa Whoa Whoa...Slow down there professor optimism. You are probably believing all the media hype that Penn State is going to win the Big ten and the natty. Like the Nittany lions, the Steelers have a head coach that crawls into the fetal position when the post season presents itself, and don't give me the "well, they won two playoff games..." As a Nittany Lion fan myself, I think we can agree that PSU got the easiest bracket, and it was a fun run. But, when it came time to beat a real contender, Franklin couldn't do it. Neither can Mike Tomlin.
 
Hope springs eternal at Latrobe each year. Camp phenoms show up only to be cut before the season starts. All the pieces are in place as long as they stay healthy, which they seldom do. Tomlin is the cement block that drags this team down every year and it will be the same this year, although the Tomlinship should remain intact.
 
Tape, I appreciate your enthusiasm of success. I share that as well.

I did notice there wasn’t much on the coaching aspect other than the history of the Arthur Smith offense and RBs that fit his scheme. In doing so, the history of our HC must be added into the equation.

If Coach Tomlin can do the change that he said is needed, we may have a better chance of success. It’s the degree of change he is willing to change that will govern the value of the success.

Personnel change isn’t enough although they have improved the roster nicely. It’s the scheme and play not to lose / conservative play that needs to be changed. If they can get aggressive (very possible) then wins can pile up.

Once in the playoffs, Tomlin must stay away from his histories Tomcepts and play the game that got them there (Rudy as an example of not what to do).

There is a lot to be excited about and I will remain positive until the Tom Lin shows me otherwise.


Thanks for the great post tape, appreciate yaz. !



Salute the nation
 
I am jumping on the bandwagon. I believe/hope Tomlin will change up his philosophies on both sides of the ball this season.

I thought he might do it last season. And the season before that. And the season before that one. He didn't.

I am thinking this is the season though he does. Tomlin has all the tape of his past failures. He just has to act upon them.

🤞
 
Prior to last season and the season before the Steelers were going to be a force to be reckoned with according to those YouTuber analysts, and I was all in both times.
The third time is the charm so I believe Tape.
 
I love the optimism. For me, the key will be the defense playing at an elite level all season. They have the talent on this side of the ball to be excellent and need to prove it all year. Rodgers doesn't have to be great for the Steelers to have a good season. We've had terrible QB play over the past 5-6 years and still scratch and claw to playoff contention. This is the most talent the offense has had in years and even at his age, Rodgers should be good enough to help put the Steelers in that second tier of teams in the AFC if all goes well.
 
We have an interesting roster with some holes, a smart coaching staff could maximize the roster and cover up some of the flaws.

It would take:

-having developed and improved our young oline since the last time we saw them. If Rodgers takes a bunch of hits at 41 years old, he won’t hold up and it’s game over

-Tomlin telling Smith and Rodgers to get in a room and figure out an offense that maximizes Rodgers strengths but is still rooted in the run, AND USES THE WHOLE FIELD TO KEEP THE DEFENSE HONEST- the reason we struggled to run the ball last year was the defense isn’t kept honest. How about you trust your HOF QB to throw some seem routes to your 3 good tight ends over the middle of the field…Rodgers can’t play like he’s 35 years old, his strengths half to be maximized but he also has to be protected from himself. Then Tomlin needs to step back and let Smith run it unimpeded by Tomlins conservative nonsense

-run a defense that plays to the strengths of the roster: OLB and CB. Play man to man and trust your corners. Hopefully Porter Jr. is a year better and developed. Load up the box and stop the run. Play man to man and trust your OLB group to get home

-a strong leader at head coach to manage and keep in line some of the strong willed and at times in their past disruptive vets like Ramsey, Metcalf and Rodgers

Do I hope they do it? Yes. Do I think Tomlin will swallow his pride and allow this change to happen? No. Do I think our oline coach can develop the talent drafted there? No. Do think Smith is a good enough coach to cooperate with and keep Rodgers happy, and maximize his talent, assuming Tomlin leaves him alone? Doubtful

Here’s hoping I’m wrong
 
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Tape, with all due respect come back after your hangover and you’ve sobered up and rethink this.
I just don’t share your optimism about this organization from ownership to coaching. Hope I’m pleasantly surprised this year but all the usual suspects are still in place.
 
Tape, with all due respect come back after your hangover and you’ve sobered up and rethink this.
I just don’t share your optimism about this organization from ownership to coaching. Hope I’m pleasantly surprised this year but all the usual suspects are still in place.
Ahhh. I see the board's official "debbie downer" finally showed up. 🤔
 
Tape, with all due respect come back after your hangover and you’ve sobered up and rethink this.
I just don’t share your optimism about this organization from ownership to coaching. Hope I’m pleasantly surprised this year but all the usual suspects are still in place.
Ahhh. I see the board's official "debbie downer" finally showed up. 🤔
Really? Surely you jest Youngblood!
Posters don’t need to be tagged just for stating their opinions. It’s a message board where posters share insights and opinions. Just because we don’t agree or share the same opinion is no reason to start with the name calling.
 
Tape, with all due respect come back after your hangover and you’ve sobered up and rethink this.
I just don’t share your optimism about this organization from ownership to coaching. Hope I’m pleasantly surprised this year but all the usual suspects are still in place.

Really? Surely you jest Youngblood!
Posters don’t need to be tagged just for stating their opinions. It’s a message board where posters share insights and opinions. Just because we don’t agree or share the same opinion is no reason to start with the name calling.
You are correct. Sorry. 😔
 
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