Cowher gives Pats props

Maybe Cowher finally gets it, don't talk about it and expect it, just work for it.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06087/677368-66.stm

Him and BB seem tight:

"When they've won, they've done it with humility and they've done it with class," Cowher said of Belichick's Patriots, who won two AFC championship games in Heinz Field. "I think that's why they've been able to play at a very consistent level -- they've kept a very simple approach to the game. They've never taken themselves very seriously. They realize it's done through a lot of hard work and a lot of good fortune.

Maybe it should be required reading for Cafardo and Borges, but then again would probably minimize this article also...

It's a very classy interview. My new stripey Patriots beany hat is off to him.

As rivals go, the Steelers have always been a lot more like us than the Colts. Tough, physical, defense oriented. Where they fell off the map was smarts. Cowher has learned as much of late at the feet of the master as some of the protoges. Maybe more looking at some of Saban's and RAC's recent moves. And certainly more than the Colts - who simply refuse to learn from their mistakes or even acknowledge them (much like the Spitter used to always make excuses).

You can hate a rival and still respect them. That's the way I feel about the Steelers at this point. Although their fans at time remain a different story. And Ben remains a bit of a crap shoot going forward.

It will be interesting to see if the Steelers struggle as we did in 2002 with that SB bullseye on their backs. They seem to be making efforts to keep the winning unit in tact, sans the Bus, and that complacency is what in part bit us in the butt defending that first Lombardi. It's the old BB adage if you aren't getting better you're getting worse, and when everyone else is gunning for you that can become even more apparent in a hurry. They could come out of the gate pretty flat after the hoopla of the home opener ring ceremony too - their first mistake before the first snap of their title defense.

No doubt in my mind that Belichick and Cowher love facing off against each other...what better way to get better than old-time football.

MoLewisrocks said:

You can hate a rival and still respect them. That's the way I feel about the Steelers at this point. Although their fans at time remain a different story. And Ben remains a bit of a crap shoot going forward.

It will be interesting to see if the Steelers struggle as we did in 2002 with that SB bullseye on their backs. They seem to be making efforts to keep the winning unit in tact, sans the Bus, and that complacency is what in part bit us in the butt defending that first Lombardi. It's the old BB adage if you aren't getting better you're getting worse, and when everyone else is gunning for you that can become even more apparent in a hurry. They could come out of the gate pretty flat after the hoopla of the home opener ring ceremony too - their first mistake before the first snap of their title defense.

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If there is one rival I respect it is the Steelers, and I believe it is mutual from the other side as well. That being said I am curious to see if they have a "fall from grace" like we had in 2002 or 2005. Every week is tough it seems and road games are ridiculous b/c your opponent has something to prove. The guys you pushed around last year are pushing you around this year. Plays don't work like they did the year before. I think our 2004 squad was a lot tougher than 2003, so we were still able to stay on top. The Steelers will still be in the playoff mix, but they definitely won't be the same team (like us last year).

PatsRI said:

Maybe Cowher finally gets it, don't talk about it and expect it, just work for it.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06087/677368-66.stm


"I learned a lot just watching them handle that and hopefully we can emulate what they've done. Three in four years is not easy. We've done it once; nobody can take that away from you, but now the challenge is to be able to maintain that same level."

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PatsRI, thanks for posting that article.

Had to laugh at the above quote. What you mean we, Kemosabe, that was in the 70s!

Fanfrom1960 said:

PatsRI, thanks for posting that article.

Had to laugh at the above quote. What you mean we, Kemosabe, that was in the 70s!

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I think he meant this past one, Steelers never won 3/4 in the 70s.

richpats said:

I think he meant this past one, Steelers never won 3/4 in the 70s.

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You are right. I guess I'm still too quick to jump on Cowher.

Cowher & BB have always had a lot of mutual respect. IMO the Steelers FO has used the same methods of not overpaying and replenishing that the Pats are using under BB/SP. IMO they were doing this before us.

As opposed to the past Cowher broke from the Shottenheimer school and played to win rather than playing not to lose in the playoffs this year. Look at how aggressive they were in Q1 of the Indy game eg.

They will be dangerous for a few years, and the QB knows how to win.

patsfan13 said:

They will be dangerous for a few years, and the QB knows how to win.

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Man I was almost sold on Big Ben until the Super Bowl. You have to consider who Cowher has had at QB and how those good those teams were: O'Donnell, Stewart, Maddox, the Steelers won division titles with THESE guys at QB. I'm not comparing them to Ben b/c I think Ben is definitely better, but he stepped into the perfect situation in Pittsburgh. The guy rarely has to throw more than 20 times and the Steelers have an excellent ground game and a great D. He'll probably never have a losing season in that situation.

Somebody could think Brady is in the same boat, but I'd like to see Ben play great when his o-line is shot, he has to hand off to street FA's, his D disappears and is pummeled on every other throw.

Honestly Ben is a raw QB who has horrible mechanics and pulls plays out of his ass. If he can turn that into winning seasons more power to him, it just won't make him a good QB.

Never been able to work up the disdain for Coach Chin ... that some can reach so easily.

Now he appears to be making himself a still better coach. Mimicking the right mentor doesn't hurt.

Some also find it easy to denigrate BigBen. But i'll stick with my verdict of a season and a half ago ... he IS the real deal.

richpats said:

Man I was almost sold on Big Ben until the Super Bowl. You have to consider who Cowher has had at QB and how those good those teams were: O'Donnell, Stewart, Maddox, the Steelers won division titles with THESE guys at QB. I'm not comparing them to Ben b/c I think Ben is definitely better, but he stepped into the perfect situation in Pittsburgh. The guy rarely has to throw more than 20 times and the Steelers have an excellent ground game and a great D. He'll probably never have a losing season in that situation.

Somebody could think Brady is in the same boat, but I'd like to see Ben play great when his o-line is shot, he has to hand off to street FA's, his D disappears and is pummeled on every other throw.

Honestly Ben is a raw QB who has horrible mechanics and pulls plays out of his ass. If he can turn that into winning seasons more power to him, it just won't make him a good QB.

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Big Ben led his team to a 15-1 record and the AFC Championship Game in his first year and won a Super Bowl his second. Case Closed. You want him to do what Brady did in 2005? This is Brady's 5th year as a starter. He never put up numbers like that before this year. However, you want Big Ben to put up those same kind of numbers in his second season, right? Go back and look at what Brady did in the playoffs in his first two seasons. 115, 145, 201, 237 yards passing. Wow, those are huge games. Yet, we praise Brady and say Big Ben is playing out of his ass. Let's see where he is three years from now. He may not be Brady - nobody is - but he's pretty darn good. He's already proved that. And if you say he wins because the Steelers have a great defense, you have to say the same thing about Brady early in his career. You can't have it both ways.

patriotsrule said:

Big Ben led his team to a 15-1 record and the AFC Championship Game in his first year and won a Super Bowl his second. Case Closed. You want him to do what Brady did in 2005? This is Brady's 5th year as a starter. He never put up numbers like that before this year. However, you want Big Ben to put up those same kind of numbers in his second season, right? Go back and look at what Brady did in the playoffs in his first two seasons. 115, 145, 201, 237 yards passing. Wow, those are huge games. Yet, we praise Brady and say Big Ben is playing out of his ass. Let's see where he is three years from now. He may not be Brady - nobody is - but he's pretty darn good. He's already proved that. And if you say he wins because the Steelers have a great defense, you have to say the same thing about Brady early in his career. You can't have it both ways.

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Time will tell on Big Ben as it has Brady. I'm not trying to compare his 2nd year to Brady's 5th year, I just want to see his performance when he has to carry the load himself. I don't base his wins purely on D, moreso the running game (which Brady never consistently had except for '04) which leads to less attempts. Brady will throw 25 times in any game. Ben will throw that much if the game goes into OT

Well to be fair, Ben was awful in the SB, BUTTTTTT he was very good against the Colts and the Broncos, Cowher let him loose in the Colt game to keep the Colts from jumping out early and they controled the tempo the whole game, He even made a game saving tacle.

Now back to the SB while he did suck, he made a huge play when he threw the TD where he pulled up short of the LOS and threw the ball rather than run, GREAT awareness.

What is he like 27-4 as a starter with 2 losses being to the Pats...the kid will be a big time player, IMO the 2nd best QB of his era after Brady ;-)

flutie2phelan said:

Never been able to work up the disdain for Coach Chin ... that some can reach so easily.

Now he appears to be making himself a still better coach. Mimicking the right mentor doesn't hurt.

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I never hated Cowher...but IMO I felt his incessant whining and complaining was a detriment to his team. He has cut way back on that I have noticed. It's one thing to support your players and another to give them an excuse.

Belichick is great at not giving them an excuse for failure on a play. Cowher seems to have grasped that now also.

But, let's be realistic...football is a two way street and Cowher is a smart coach. We would be unrealistic to think Belichick hasn't picked up a thing or two from Cowher himself. We know Belichick too well to think he's evergoing to stop being a collector of all things football.