Steelers are the team no one wants to play down the stretch

[slam]

Ahh, good ol' conventional wisdom. Nothing like it …

Technically all of these predictions are still possible.

 

[FourierSeries]

I think people are more scared of KC than they should be. A lot of that probably has to do with last year's game - which really has no bearing on anything.

I see KC's postseason going a lot like it did in 2013. They'll probably lose in the Wildcard round. If they make it any further, they will be on borrowed time, and they'll get bounced quickly thereafter.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think people are more scared of KC than they should be. A lot of that probably has to do with last year's game - which really has no bearing on anything.

I see KC's postseason going a lot like it did in 2013. They'll probably lose in the Wildcard round. If they make it any further, they will be on borrowed time, and they'll get bounced quickly thereafter.

Unlike 2013, KC is playing well down the stretch this year

 

[FourierSeries]

Unlike 2013, KC is playing well down the stretch this year

But also unlike 2013, the easy part of their schedule is down the stretch this year.

 

[Uncle Rico]

When was that from? It's not surprising that the Colts were there, but that all 4 picked them. Hmmmm...

The Eagles is the big headscratcher there. he defense sucked last year and they didn't do alot to improve it.

It was just before the season started. Link is in my signature.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I never thought we would lose to the jets at home after an awesome regular season.
I never thought we would lose to baltimore at home after we got homefield for AFCCG.

Playoffs are a crapshoot, so anything can happen. No point worrying or feeling 100 % of any opponent. I just hope we are lucky to keep playing as long as it is possible in the season with no more injuries

Amen. Four lines. Says it all.

 

[JJDChE]

I think people are more scared of KC than they should be. A lot of that probably has to do with last year's game - which really has no bearing on anything.

I see KC's postseason going a lot like it did in 2013. They'll probably lose in the Wildcard round. If they make it any further, they will be on borrowed time, and they'll get bounced quickly thereafter.

Not saying they are the second coming, or anything, but they've won 7 in a row and only allowed more than 13 points twice in those 7 games. Their defense is playing great and the offense is putting up almost 30 ppg.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Ahh, good ol' conventional wisdom. Nothing like it …

"Conventional Wisdom"...or, "wishful thinking."

 

[TinhWoodhead]

not scare of anybody with Jules back (and Hightower).

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Not saying they are the second coming, or anything, but they've won 7 in a row and only allowed more than 13 points twice in those 7 games. Their defense is playing great and the offense is putting up almost 30 ppg.

Yeah. They've sure gotten people to notice them, haven't they. But can they overcome the the dark shadows that tend to envelop Andy Reid teams in January?

 

[ChessToCheckers]

Personally, I think we match up pretty well against the Steelers.

Assuming a reasonably healthy Patriots: last week, the only two teams that I thought might give us real trouble in the Post-Season were Cincinnati (with three, arguably elite, TALL targets for Dalton) and Carolina (a very good physical defense with a much improved, physical specimen for a QB.)

This week, only Carolina.

Will actively root against the Steelers and the Giants, since Big Ben and "The Last Manning Standing" are the only active, starting QBs with 2 Rings each.

And, of course, on general principles, I don't want to ever face the Giants again!

I would like to face (and destroy) the 72 Dolphins, but that's a just a fantasy of mine!!

 

[JJDChE]

not scare of anybody with Jules back.

Add Hightower to that list and I agree. There's no team in the NFL that can beat the Pats with those two guys if both teams bring their A-game.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

"We're on to Tennessee..."...yada, yada, yada....but..........I really, really am not looking forward to playing the Jets in New Jersey in two weeks. I don't see them losing to the Romo-less Cowboys this week and they are not only thinking playoffs but also of doing well in the playoffs. Fitz is no Tom Brady, but he's not going to make dumb mistakes and their D is playing very well.

 

[FCB02062]

Give me a healthy Pats team (Edelman, Lewis, Solder, etc) and Pats beat anyone in NFL by at least 10 in playoffs. I'm convinced this team was that far ahead of everyone else. But with the current injuries, but expecting Edelman back at 100% for the playoffs, no one in the AFC "scares" me. No one in the NFL "scares" me. Bullschitt penalties nullifying big plays, bs calls nullifying third down stops, manufactured NFL controversies, and edicts from Herr Goodell are what "scare" me...

 

[JJDChE]

Personally, I think we match up pretty well against the Steelers.

The Steelers Achille's heel is pass defense. That definitely gives us a big advantage in that matchup IMO.

Ben can chuck up the deep ball, but really we've been good at defending that this year. Especially with Ryan coming on as the year has gone by. I don't see the Steelers giving us a big problem on defense.

 

[Haterproof]

"We're on to Tennessee..."...yada, yada, yada....but..........I really, really am not looking forward to playing the Jets in New Jersey in two weeks. I don't see them losing to the Romo-less Cowboys this week and they are not only thinking playoffs but also of doing well in the playoffs. Fitz is no Tom Brady, but he's not going to make dumb mistakes and their D is playing very well.

Pickpatrick still has never lead a team to the postseason!

 

[Jackson 2]

Technically all of these predictions are still possible.

Yeah, and technically. I could win the next Powerball drawing since I have a single ticket.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Credit to pitt they have looked great but lets not get too caught up. Everyone is talking about the Steelers cuz they have the sexy air attack. Both Seattle and KC not only are actually hotter right now, but both have beaten Pittsburgh. Yet ppl are only talking about Pitt as the 'dangerous' team. Don't get me wrong they are dangerous, but I think the hype is a bit much.

 

[supafly]

Butler mostly shut Brown down.

I don't think that happened, despite the popular narrative that "Butler pretty much contested almost every ball."

You can't claim that someone "shut someone down" when they allowed 9/11 reception attempts for 133 yards and 1 touchdown. Butler did indeed contest many balls, but that doesn't get you much in the NFL. Hopefully, it would be somewhat different this time around, although Brown is going to get his no matter what.

On the other side of the ball, the Steelers D still sucks.

I don't know. They were 7th in points allowed last week, exactly three spots ahead of us. Things are relatively close this week with NE (8th) giving up an average of 19.5 ppg, and the Steelers (11th) giving up 20.0 ppg.

Pittsburgh's defense has had 2 bad games (OAK 35, SEA 39), but they've also held their opposition to 20 ppg or below in 8/11 remaining games after taking those two out. That's a hell of a lot better than anyone would've imagined from that unit.

 

[supafly]

I like our chances with KC they don't score in bunches like Pittsburgh.

Our defense would eat KC alive, especially at the Razor. I'm not saying that it'd be "easy," but it's the usual type of game that we tend to see in the divisional round.