Steelers now the dysfunctional ones

[Brady_to_Moss]

Pittsburgh Steelers echoing New York Jets' dysfunctional ways - NFL.com

Love it. Glad this is happening to them as well

 

[Uncle Rico]

is that you celebrating the Steelers' woes in that gif?

 

[Joey007]

Am I the only one who wants Cleveland and Cincy to take over the North so badly??

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Am I the only one who wants Cleveland and Cincy to take over the North so badly??

i am sure 99% of pats fans would love to see this happen. Steelers aren't going to be good next year. It will be between cincy and balt for division winner

 

[Joey007]

i am sure 99% of pats fans would love to see this happen. Steelers aren't going to be good next year. It will be between cincy and balt for division winner

Can Cleveland just make the playoffs already?!

 

[MoLewisrocks]

My gut on Tomlin was always that he basically walked into a ready made contender and hit the jackpot out of the gate and it would be all downhill from there. He has this clueless look he gets on the sidelines when it all unravels like he has no idea where that comes from. Probably because he had nothing to do with building it.

Hiring the golf pro as his OC was a mistake. Ben isn't easy to work with and when things go south he and Haley are like two unaccountable forces colliding. Colbert should have tagged and traded Wallace when he had the chance. Selfish guys don't tag well in the long run.

Been hanging on to the aging defensive names talent a little too long lately, too. Should have started to transition after they won that one for the thumb. Veterans get complacent in the presence of multiple rings. Bill knew that, which is why he moved on from so many suddenly. Guys like Brady, Tedy, Rodney, Faulk are really the exceptions to the rule. Few guys keep chasing the next one. Start thinking about being healthy as the kids grow up, stockpiling a few more $$$, timing of second career options, etc.

The Steelers used to let veterans who could command big deals walk if they demanded top tier $$. Used to keep the pipeline well stocked via the draft. Had a longstanding system built to grind out wins on both sides of the ball, but also had finally found a franchise QB (albeit one who wanted to be the focal point and the face of a franchise). Colbert seemingly got complacent when that emerging new dynamic won anyway until it couldn't consistently maintain and the Rooney's got a little miffed at recent results and he started scrambling to regain the division. Short term plans and catering to existing talent will land a GM in cap heck and eventually on the hot seat. The Rooney's seemed to want to return to the system that stood them in good stead for decades. Arians got canned as part of that process, only they hired a guy who is all about passing to win. Never made sense.

I always thought Cowher left because he saw the handwriting on the wall. Didn't think they had another SB in them or he'd have hung around for that, but definitely anticipated the system and the talent on a collision course. Just a different mentality than the lunchpail teams he coached for 15 seasons whose stars were mostly on defense. Ben's ego was a big part of that culture change.

 

[BTTA]

This franchise did a remarkable job of maintaining consistent excellence. I wonder what has changed? There may be something here to be learned by other franchises that have a long track record of excellence. I'm curious.

 

[Joey007]

This franchise did a remarkable job of maintaining consistent excellence. I wonder what has changed? There may be something here to be learned by other franchises that have a long track record of excellence. I'm curious.

Hines Ward. James Farrior. Aaron Smith. They're losing their old leaders. You also have James Harrison on his way out. Brett Keisel and Casey Hampton aren't getting any younger. Troy Polomalu can't seem to keep himself healthy anymore. Losing mike Wallace won't help, either.

The fact of the matter is, these are not the same Steelers we saw hoisting two Lombardi's a few years ago. The young talent is just not there.

 

[captain stone]

And their running game might need to be completely overhauled. That'll put more pressure on RapistBooger,
whose OL isn't quite up to the task as it is, though that unit has at least already begun the process of
transitioning from older & slower to younger & faster.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Troy Polamalu: 32 years old
Ike Taylor: 33 years old
Ryan Clark: 33 years old
Casey Hampton: 35 years old
Larry Foote: 33 years old
Brett Keisel: 34 years old
James Harrison: 35 years old

The Steelers defense had a great 8 year run, but it's time they experience the sudden crumble the 2005/2008 Pats had to deal with. Their secondary may of been #1 last year, but it's on the brink of collapsing with their #1 CB leaving in FA, both safeties running out of gas, and Taylor unable to cover 1 on 1 anymore.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Can Cleveland just make the playoffs already?!

Not until the year after any picks they give BB for Mallett.

 

[Kontradiction]

Troy Polamalu: 32 years old
Ike Taylor: 33 years old
Ryan Clark: 33 years old
Casey Hampton: 35 years old
Larry Foote: 33 years old
Brett Keisel: 34 years old
James Harrison: 35 years old

The Steelers defense had a great 8 year run, but it's time they experience the sudden crumble the 2005/2008 Pats had to deal with. Their secondary may of been #1 last year, but it's on the brink of collapsing with their #1 CB leaving in FA, both safeties running out of gas, and Taylor unable to cover 1 on 1 anymore.

Some of those guys haven't hit the age wall yet while others have. I think the Steelers will stick with that core until the rest of the ship goes under water, probably after this season. I look forward to playing them this season, and sincerely hope we smack them around.

 

[fester]

This franchise did a remarkable job of maintaining consistent excellence. I wonder what has changed? There may be something here to be learned by other franchises that have a long track record of excellence. I'm curious.

Short version is that the Steelers have not been able to build a pipeline of NFL competent talent to replace their elite playmakers while also growing younger elite playmakers at other positions.

For instance, the Steelers have had the same 2 starting OLBs since 2008 (Woodley/Harrison) which is an oddity for the Steelers as they tend to replace one starting OLB every three or four years with a much younger, cheaper and almost as good guy who had spent a year or two in the system and was good enough in the first starting year to let the expensive veteran walk in free agency. They have only one OLB since 2002 (perhaps earlier) Pro-Bowl or better hit with Woodley despite investing a decent amount of draft resources (Woodley, Worilds, Jackson in the 2nd round, good half dozen or more guys in rounds 3-6) in that position.

The same applies to cornerback (Taylor was the last big hit, Lewis might or might not be a hit but he is becoming a hit just as he hits free agency), safety, interior defensive line. The only positions where the Steelers have gotten a string of solid hits that produced better than competent NFL starting talent is QB (where you really only need 1 hit a decade) and WR. The O-line drafts recently are interesting, but so far they are potential instead of performance.

The short story is that the Steelers had an elite core group that has both gotten old AND injured AND not been displaced by a similiar number of elite but still younger and cheaper players

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

is that you celebrating the Steelers' woes in that gif?

that and hearing about the jets just strait sucking

 

[supafly]

I agree that Pittsburgh appears to be on the ropes at the moment, and I agree that is to some strange moves like the hiring of Haley/firing of Arians, and some ego maniacs like Roethlisberger and Wallace. The malcontents and poorer seasons of Mendenhall etc certainly did not help.

One thing to keep in mind is that they have set themselves up for a huge rebuilding project on defense, but they still have many formidable names remaining, and an excellent DC in LeBeau. They're coming off the #1 pass defense ranking, and even their aging stars in Polamalu, Clark and Taylor are definitely still capable of playing nicely for another year or two. Retaining Keenan Lewis would be a step in the right direction, and all accounts point to that being the plan for them at the moment. Believe it or not, they actually have some defensive replacements in the making. Whether they can step up and fill the void like other Steeler defenders of the past will likely be the biggest key to their success or failure for the next couple of yrs. My guess is that less of them will work out than in the past but that it also won't be as bad as some are expecting.

I think they are on the ropes right now, and are probably looking at a couple/few years of having to rely on some old fashioned Steeler luck to compete for a playoff spot, but I wouldn't put it past them to easily be a 9-7 or 10-6 team still.

In other words, no one is celebrating their perceived "downfall" as much as this guy, but I'm a little leery of counting them out just yet. Let's see if any of their younger high pick OL can make the grade, and whether or not their replacements in the pipeline on defense can step up or not first. If they can't, they may be looking at a few years of losing seasons. If they can though, the situation may not be anywhere near as dire as this article makes it out to be, although I do agree that they aren't in the top tier of the AFC any longer, or even their division for that matter. I still think they can easily be a wildcard team and even compete for more if they get hot next season, and I certainly am not going to count on an easy victory in Foxborough.

 

[supafly]

Short version is that the Steelers have not been able to build a pipeline of NFL competent talent to replace their elite playmakers while also growing younger elite playmakers at other positions.


The short story is that the Steelers had an elite core group that has both gotten old AND injured AND not been displaced by a similiar number of elite but still younger and cheaper players

They actually have some guys in the pipeline and have spent high picks on defensive replacements, we just have no idea as to whether or not they are going to work out or not as their experienced vets have yet to give way. Some of these guys have been slowly blended in via rotational roles, while others are waiting in the wings for their chance.

To say that they haven't prepared themselves would not be true though. Some of these guys could get their shot this year with possible departures by Hampton and J.Harrison.

Just about every year they have spent multiple high picks on defense, while also producing some key offensive roles too. The proof will be coming up this year and the next, but the truth of the matter is that we honestly don't know how much of a dropoff there will be just yet.

Last 4 drafts on defense:

2009

Hood DT (1st rounder)
K.Lewis CB (3rd rounder)

Also chose Wallace on offense

2010

Worilds DE/OLB (2nd rounder)
Gibson DE (4th rounder)
Butler CB (5th rounder)
Sylvester LB (5th rounder)
Worthington DT (7th rounder)

Also chose Pouncey, A.Brown, and Dwyer on offense

2011

Heyward DT (1st rounder)
Brown CB (3rd rounder)
Allen CB (4th rounder)
Carter DT (5th rounder)

Also chose Gilbert on offense

2012

Spence LB (3rd round)
Ta'amu NT/DT (4th round)

Also chose DeCastro and Adams on offense (first and second rounds)

 

[mgteich]

For Cinci, the time has come. They should be favored to win the division. The only thing that holds them back is their unwillingness to spend cap money.

 

[Deus Irae]

Mr. Head and Shoulders missed most of the season, their 1st round pick got hurt and they were forced to scramble an already lousy O-line, and Wallace was worried about his contract. If TP is healthy this year and DeCastro is fully recovered from his injury, they'll be right back in the playoffs.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

If TP is healthy this year and DeCastro is fully recovered from his injury, they'll be right back in the playoffs.

if they are lucky enough to snag a wildcard spot

 

[supafly]

if they are lucky enough to snag a wildcard spot

I think that many will have a different opinion on the top 3 finishers in the AFCN this season, but those who are already counting the Steelers out may be fooling themselves.

Let's remember that it was between PIT/CIN for the last wildcard spot in the week 16 matchup, which went down to the wire with 0:14 seconds remaining. Roethlisberger threw a pick while trying to march down the field for the GW drive, and then AJ Green made a spectacular catch to set CIN up in FG range. Let's not act like the Cincy Bengals have taken a huge step forward over the Pittsburgh Steelers based on one game.

You could probably play the upcoming season 5 times, and you'll get 5 different finishes in order from BAL, PIT, and CIN every time.