Steelers to rest Roethlisberger and Bell against Cleveland

[PatsDeb]

There is no chance the patriots lose so there is no risk.

I don't agree that there's no chance, but they know the Pats will play to win, that they probably will win, and that their (Steelers) back-ups might beat Cleveland anyway, so it's not that surprising. However, since they already have a bye next week, I think it's risky to sit your star players, particularly your QB, for such a long stretch. We've all seen how quickly the rust can set in. I'd say this is advantage Pats for the playoffs.

 

[Froob]

3 weeks without contact is a long time.

Plenty of teams have done it before. Hell Colts and Saints both took like the last two to three weeks off of 2009. Good move by them to protect Ben and Bell who are very injury prone.

 

[ivanvamp]

Alabama can beat the Browns /s

Alabama would get absolutely annihilated by the Browns.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't agree that there's no chance, but they know the Pats will play to win, that they probably will win, and that their (Steelers) back-ups might beat Cleveland anyway, so it's not that surprising. However, since they already have a bye next week, I think it's risky to sit your star players, particularly your QB, for such a long stretch. We've all seen how quickly the rust can set in. I'd say this is advantage Pats for the playoffs.

Well I thought it was understood that by no chance I meant no conceivable chance not no literal chance.

However I 100% agree that you should never rest starters in week 17 when you have a bye. That is 3 weeks without football and 2 without even preparing for a game (which is at least as important).
If Marcus Gilbert is out there spouting the lineup then that means the steelers best players also essentially had the week to goof off. Next week is the”rest week”. They will come back the week after to practice and prepare after 2 weeks of barely going through the motions then take the field without having done a thing at live slows in 3 weeks.

This is why I support B.B. approach.
Prepare for week 17 play about a half.
Self scout and work on your own issue during the bye week and ratchet it up for round 1.
It’s like a breather rather than an extended break from football.

 

[Ring 6]

Plenty of teams have done it before. Hell Colts and Saints both took like the last two to three weeks off of 2009. Good move by them to protect Ben and Bell who are very injury prone.

I dont believe either benefitted from it even though they won games they would have any way.

 

[Clonamery]

#2 seems to suite the Steelers

It's a sweet suite the Steelers where.

 

[TB_Helmet]

Often when you rest players 2 weeks in a row they come out flat the third week. Happened to the Colts a bunch in the Pink Head era.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

They should put their money where their mouths are and play the game 10 vs 11.

 

[Joey007]

Landry Jones without Brown and Bell can probably beat the Browns..

They actually did this last year in week 17 vs. Cleveland.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

It's a sweet suite the Steelers where.

Thanks, I must have jeted there for second

 

[Wheelman]

Just curious what the numbers mean.

How many games ahead or behind the division is in wins relative to the AFC East.

 

[NE_Zealot]

I could go to the local Arby’s and cobble together a squad that could beat the skidmarks by 10+.

That being said, Pissburgh better not ruin the skids’ perfect season or I’m gonna be seeing red!

 

[TommyD4207]

Alabama would get absolutely annihilated by the Browns.

Normally I'd agree - but you then have to remember the Nick Saban Revenge Factor.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Marcus Gilbert says Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell won’t play Sunday


I guess they are giving up on the 1 seed? both NE and Pitt play at 1 PM...

I think they have decided that, as @PF_SU observes later in this thread, they could beat the Browns with their Practice Squad and that the Patriots will be playing to win against the Jets, who might even be giving Christian Hackenberg, from whom little is expected, his first start.
I also think that Tomlin has made a smart decision, given how banged up Ben has been this year. Brown was, as far as I know, Questionable anyway for the game.

 

[Uptown]

LOL

Jay Busbee on Twitter

“That Ohio State band member holding up a Browns jersey with Darnold’s name on it is like a mob boss showing you pictures of your kids on the playground.”

 

[Nehalem]

Probably figure it doesn't matter if they get #1 seed over the Pats. If its Pats vs. Steelers in AFCCG its a Pat win no matter where its played.

 

[brdmaverick]

Whover rips the pats because we play in the afce, at least teams in our division are competitive. The Steelers have the browns and bengals.

I'm not sure that's a winning argument.

I think 2010 (Jets) was the last time a team in the AFCE other than the Pats was a threat to be competitive in a divisional round game or later.

The Ravens have been more than respectable over that same period.

 

[TommyD4207]

I'm not sure that's a winning argument.

I think 2010 (Jets) was the last time a team in the AFCE other than the Pats was a threat to be competitive in a divisional round game or later.

The Ravens have been more than respectable over that same period.

The Ravens have currently made the playoffs once in the last 5 years.

 

[supafly]

We've all seen how quickly the rust can set in. I'd say this is advantage Pats for the playoffs.

I agree. They shouldn’t be resting their starters for an entire game with the bye. I like Belichick’s approach to play for a half. You get the week’s worth of prep in, play like it’s a “real” game, and have the added benefit of cutting your injury risks in half. I think that’s the way to go.

Then again, we’ve also seen examples of key players getting injured in week 17 which ruined the rest of the season, like in Welker’s case, so if that happened Tomlin would look even worse. After all, they’re playing the Browns. I’d have to imagine that Pittsburgh would consider changing this approach had they been scheduled for an actual NFL team.

 

[DarrylS]

I am still pinching myself about how Gilbert has become the spokesman for the Steelers, another duty that Tomlin has acquiesced for some reason..

The AP did some sort of poll ranking the current best HC's of the NFL, of course BB is #1 and then there is Mike Tomlin.. what a tremendous gap. Then there is Harbaugh at #4(triple flush)...

Sean Payton ranked fifth-best NFL coach of 2017 by AP panel