Benz is spot on today...

That's the problem with Benz's article. He does have a point but in order to support it he zooms in on this season, zooms out to the last 12 years to lump everything into one then zooms into this season and cherry picks what factors made up this season as well as the past three. He chooses the evidence that supports his view and ignores those that don't like the 28 points Ben helped spot the Browns or the 14 he spotted the Packers in that last SB appearance 12 years ago. Then he gets everyone to buy into it and they start with the making excuses for mediocrity speech. As if the factors that affect games in a season aren't valid in losses because it looks like whining. You lose your top defensive player in game one it's going to affect the whole season. You start a rookie QB there will be a learning curve.

 

I would echo what was already shared, Philly fans were upset with Reid towards the end of his tenure. I would say much like what is happening with Tomlin. I actually was happy to see Reid win one with KC to spite all of my friends who are Philly fans.

 

Thorn, I totally get your point, dude. You can't blame all the failures on Dumblin since 2007, that's just not fair, nor is it accurate. Hell, until about 8 years ago, I was a strong supporter, too. I think the point of Tim Benz' article was more about how damn important the "non-losing" streak was to so many Steelers fans...INSTEAD of about winning Championships.

Just be careful with the picture of incompetence you're painting about Big Ben, though. If you're going to deflect the blame from Dumblin for the Sh!tstains game, and the Super Bowl game against the Cheesed!cks, then you best remember that only a 100 yard interception return, combined with a pinpoint TD pass in the final minute from #7, kept your "hero" from having ZERO Championships. Basically, Ben is the main reason they don't call him Marvin Lewis, Jr.!

 

My struggle with the article is that it implies that many fans, or a large portion of fans, are happy with the non-losing season. I would ask, of all the Steelers fans you know, how many are happy with the non-losing season. I don’t know any friends that feel this way. I don’t think the non-losing season is worth anything.

I do have some friends who are encouraged by how the season ended, with the o-line and running game showing some signs of life, Pickett’s progression, etc. To which I would agree. I am more encouraged heading into this offseason than I was heading into last offseason.

 

The no losing seasons isn’t important, but it is impressive. Denying that is just plain stupid. The fans accepting mediocrity thing is even worse. The fact there are a dozen or so posters on this board parroting that line is shameful. These people can’t even come up with an original thought.

 

I’m unaware of any fans accepting mediocrity

I’m aware of a few troll posters who twist acknowledging accomplishments into something more than it is

I’m not aiming the last part at you I’m just riding off your comment

 

I think Reid is not as good as others. JMO. Imagine if other coaches coached for 24 years, and only won one SB, and only after He has the best Qb in the whole NFL. Repeat the best Qb....not 2nd, not 3rd, but best.

 

My point is good coaching is sometimes obvious. Like the 2016 Rams going 4-12 and the 2017 rams with a new coach going 11-5. The 2017 Rams didn’t win a super bowl but you knew they had a better coach. Just like the lions and Giants are improving and playing better football with new coaches. Your response to the other guy was basically (you listed 5 coaches that didn’t win a super bowl and go 20-0)

 

No. It was 5 coaches He said He knew for sure are better coaches than M. Tomlin. Go read the whole thing.
A lot of teams automatically do better for a year ,or two just changing a coach. Because it takes teams a while to see what they do. This is historical. Doesn't make them a better coach. Just means teams don't know how to defend them yet.

 

your original thought: Ben sucked, tomlin great, you happy not lose season.

 

I’ve accepted what we are. A pretty stable franchise who hasn’t been a true Super Bowl threat for a long time. Ben’s salary is gone so maybe we can build another contender. Maybe our defense won’t allow 40+ and Kenny limits turnovers to win a playoff game soon.

 

IMO, the big drought since our last Super Bowl appearance is due to management letting the O-line get old and Ben not being elite.

Rightful criticism could be heaped on management for letting the O-line get old. Not planning ahead for dumping Ben sooner also hurt.

So yeah, there were mistakes.

To say we have devolved our winning culture into the likes of Denver..........Detroit as mentioned is stupid. This is a question best left to be answered by fans. I bet majority of fans of quite a few teams consider their management crap and have no winning culture (Browns, Chargers, Lions etc.).

I think our management and culture have not descended into an abyss of accepting mediocrity like some others.

 

Exactly.

Like I said before, the article stands on the existence of fans “celebrating”. Hey, I don’t live in Pittsburgh, maybe they’re lining the streets there. I’m assuming they’re not.

Take away the non-existent celebrations and the article isn’t really saying anything that we can’t all see.

 

And the majority of those fans would be correct.

 

The article specifically notes 'fans outside of Pittsburgh, media and Steelers bloggers'.

 

Your implication that his implication is inaccurate is based on what?

 

As much as the whole winning season thing goes it is impressive. But i'm not out bragging to anyone about it. It's hollow.

Its about Playoff Wins and competing for Championships.

Tomlin coined the phrase The Standard is the Standard. He and the organization haven't lived up to that in some time now.

So hopefully in 2023 we see a team on the rise, getting into the playoffs and actually winning a game!

I feel good about Pickett's trajectory. The offense needs to be more balanced in 23 and giving the ball more air and improving in the red zone.

 

If he brings back Canada which it’s looking like is the case all these positives go out the window IMO. Guy has no business calling plays at this level. We won’t be able to score enough next year either.

 

@KnoxVegasSteel What exactly are you disagreeing with? Let's see if the most important player on the field the QB doesn't play well, you probably aren't going to win, guess what if Ben doesn't throw 4 interceptions against the Browns in the playoffs they win the game.

 

But to certain fans they only beat crap teams, so the progress means nothing .

 

Unless he established a baseline I'm unaware of, 'the standard' could be non-losing seasons and nothing more, in which case he has lived up to the standard.
Alotta y'all still being duped by words.

 

When the offense turns the ball over the defense gets no rest, and the opponents get a short field sometimes, that stuff matters to the outcome.

 

I bet you cling to your BF nut sack every night too.

 

My comment is based on a question of whether this is really a pervasive issue? To illustrate this further -

In another response you cited Tim Benz being accurate in his comments about fans outside the city, media reports, and Steelers bloggers.

For fans outside of the City, how does he have a sense of what people are generally thinking? I believe Tim lives in the Pittsburgh area, so I would be curious how he reaches a conclusion on people who don’t live near him.

To your point on the media, I would ask if you saw a recent article, tv report, or blogger who is talking about the non-losing season. I typed Steelers into the Google news search and there isn’t anything recent on the record….