State of the Steelers (2013 ed.)

[juny]

Overall I tend to be a bit more even keel on the situation than a lot of my comrades in Pittsburgh (where, as the line goes, "even the bridges are jumping"). For all their success, Pitt has actually started 2-6 three different times in the past decade:

• in 2003 under Cowher; now THAT was a dumpster fire. 2-6, going nowhere, *and having no quarterback*...that was a grim time. Next year we drafted Roethlisberger with our unusually high pick, and went 15-1, eventually winning the Super Bowl in 2005.
  
• 2006, when we started 2-6 after winning the Super Bowl. Arguably more distressing because there seemed to be no reason for it, along with the specter of major potential changes (Cowher leaving / wholesale coaching staff changes / the departure of cornerstones like Porter). We finished 10-5-1 in 2007 and won the Super Bowl in 2008.
  
• 2013. Talent deficiencies at LT, major injury issues across the OL, age issues in the secondary, lack of pass rush from ROLB...but QB in place and youth in most areas besides secondary.

Hmmm.., i guess we can pencil in Pitt winning the super bowl in 2015.

 

[Deus Irae]

Agree with a lot of what's said here. I agree there issues with age in the secondary, that there's an obvious problem with the line (particularly LT), and that there should be coaching changes (although not Tomlin IMHO).

Yeah, I think some of it is obvious, and I think some is just because replacements have been underwhelming (Hood, Worilds, etc...), while some is because they've kept guys around too long while thinking there would be no slippage (Keisel, Taylor, Clark) and some is because players just aren't very good (Gay). As for Haley, either he has to go or the Steelers need to completely revamp the offensive styling to a drop/throw concept, and that means the receivers will need to get open quicker and the line will need to hold up a hell of a lot better.

I think Bell is very promising at RB (certainly "worth a damn" , and that overall we do have some younger players (DeCastro, Pouncey, Brown, Heyward, Bell, Jones) who could form a nice nucleus alongside Ben, Woodley, Timmons, etc.

Time will tell, but that 3.5 ypc isn't all because the OL sucks, IMO.

(FWIW I completely disagree about Mesko -- I think you must be thinking of Mesko the New England punter, not Mesko the Steelers punter...he was absolutely terrible with Pittsburgh, there are only so many 30 yard punts you can have before trying another option!)

Mesko the Pittsburgh punter still knew how to punt in New England, I'm guessing, even if he's having issues this year. McBriar's poor punt let Edelman get a great return and helped put the Patriots in position to put the game away. Hell, even struggling, Mesko could have done that.

I don't know if we're in better or worse shape than those years...time will tell. This year is a lost cause for sure, but with a healthier team, the development of some younger players and another talent infusion from the draft, it may not be as dire as it would appear. Things can turn around quickly in the NFL; it's proven every year (KC is the latest worst-to-first story).

I thought your team would bounce back this year, but the O-line problems killed the season early. I think people are taking yesterday's game too much to heart, because the Steelers defense had been holding up well enough prior to NE blowing them out, and NE has a habit of lighting up LeBeau's defense on occasion. Even a lot of the flaws I'm talking about are more about small amounts (slight slippage, for example) than huge drops.

There's a lot of patching to do, though, IMO.

 

[lillloyd]

Thanks for stopping by, lilloyd. I mean I expected the Pats to win because they were at home and the Steelers haven't been on fire this season but... I never expected to see such a monumental blowout.

I mean I had seen indications to believe that the Pats offense would get BETTER, but I had NO idea a franchise setting 55-burger was going to be put up on that Steelers defense!

Looks like coach Mike Tomlin has his work cut out for him. And right now playoffs look very doubtful for your team. I guess you might have to chalk it up as a rebuild year. Do you believe that Tomlin will still have his job come this time next year?

Things have *always* been ugly for Pittsburgh in NE when Brady has played (hence my 30-10 NE prediction). I've written this here before--it's almost a rock-paper-scissors thing, where schematically what Pitt tries to do on defense plays in perfectly to NE's offense. Some times one team just has another team's number due to style of play (think Giants with their ability to get pressure with the front 4 on NE in the past). This year we tried to do the same thing with a subpar version of our 3-4...the results aren't surprising.

As for the playoffs...Playoffs?! PLAYOFFS?!! LOL to quote Jim Mora, the playoffs are the last thing on my mind (or the Steelers' minds) to be sure.

I absolutely think Tomlin will have his job next year. I also happen to think he deserves it...this will be his first losing season in seven years, during which time he's been to two SBs and has won one. (For those who say "he did it with Cowher's players"...strange that no one was saying that in 1994 and 1995 when Cowher was using a nucleus of Chuck Noll draftees like Greg Lloyd, Rod Woodson (HoF), Dermontti Dawson (HoF), Carnell Lake, QB Neil O'Donnell, Deon Perry, and a host of starters on the lines.) Tomlin has his warts, but the warts IMHO don't warrant the growing chorus of Steelers fans who so desperately want him to go. Whether that's merely a case of always thinking the next guy will be better than the current guy, or something a bit more subtle and sinister, I don't know

 

[lillloyd]

Time will tell, but that 3.5 ypc isn't all because the OL sucks, IMO.

Agree to disagree here. Don't know if it still holds, but as of a couple of weeks ago I believe Steelers RBs were getting hit closer to the LoS than any other RBs in the league. I don't know that he'll be a Pro Bowler, but I'm excited to see what he's able to do when the line heals/improves.

Mesko the Pittsburgh punter still knew how to punt in New England, I'm guessing, even if he's having issues this year. McBriar's poor punt let Edelman get a great return and helped put the Patriots in position to put the game away. Hell, even struggling, Mesko could have done that.

Completely agree that this was a crucial point in the game for an error like that. I think what you may be missing is that Mesko himself had been doing this consistently about once a game prior to this, and in fact had two such terrible punts in Oakland without which we might have won. Pitt had no choice but to move on after Oakland.

I thought your team would bounce back this year, but the O-line problems killed the season early. I think people are taking yesterday's game too much to heart, because the Steelers defense had been holding up well enough prior to NE blowing them out, and NE has a habit of lighting up LeBeau's defense on occasion. Even a lot of the flaws I'm talking about are more about small amounts (slight slippage, for example) than huge drops.

There's a lot of patching to do, though, IMO.

Certainly can't disagree with much of that, although really I'd argue that Pitt's defense had NOT been holding up as well as their statistics might have suggested in pass defense. And I 100% disagree that NE has a habit of lighting up LeBeau's defense "on occasion". (Unless by "on occasion" you mean "nearly every occasion" LOL) Definitely agree about the patching though!

 

[lillloyd]

Hmmm.., i guess we can pencil in Pitt winning the super bowl in 2015.

LOL you gotta dream right?

 

[sb1]

It's amazing how fast Pitt's OL has deteriorated from a real strength of that team to the hot mess that it is today......