HOW DID WE GET IN THIS POSITION?

I am beginning to wonder and ask questions
how this could happen to a 6 time superbowl champ.
Where have we gone wrong,I am not liking the
product that we will be fielding.There seems to be
a talent void in alot of areas.Do you trust Troy, Woodley, Ben
to play in all 16 games? These are your leaders, folks
What happens if these players cannot perform at a high level?
So many questions, so few answers. Is this a playoff team?

 

Because of your odd formatting I chose to read this as a poem, and it sort of works in a existential crisis sort of way. Especially the last line "So many questions, so few answers. Is this a playoff team?".

 

try and look at he positives and drop the doom and gloom. The Steelers are going to be just fine in the big picture. We have a number of proven players returning and with the young talent and draft picks I think we will do well this season. Is there a chance we have another 8-8 season? Sure, butwe all know that this organization will not put up with to many tough seasons. I trust in the Steelers front office. They haven't let us down in a long time.

P.s. I was just going to post " The Sky is Falling"

 

I wonder if Browns fans ask this every year?

 

Nope! They just do this every year

 

To answer the question of the OP... Simply put, bad drafting. We're about to have ONE player on the roster from the 2008 and 2009 drafts. For a team that build through the draft that can't happen.


[TABLE="class: pt8, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]2012[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: stathead, bgcolor: #ABABAB"]
[TD="width: 40"]Rnd[/TD]
[TD="width: 150"]Name[/TD]
[TD="width: 200"]College[/TD]
[TD="width: 60"]Note[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]David Decastro[/TD]
[TD]Stanford[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Mike Adams[/TD]
[TD]Ohio State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Sean Spence[/TD]
[TD]Miami[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Almeda Ta'Amu[/TD]
[TD]Washington[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Chris Rainey[/TD]
[TD]Florida[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7
7
7
7[/TD]
[TD]Toney Clemons
David Paulson
Terrence Frederick
Kelvin Beachem[/TD]
[TD]Colorado
Oregon
Texas A&M
Southern Methodist[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="class: pt8, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]2011[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: stathead, bgcolor: #ABABAB"]
[TD="width: 40"]Rnd[/TD]
[TD="width: 150"]Name[/TD]
[TD="width: 200"]College[/TD]
[TD="width: 60"]Note[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Cameron Heyward[/TD]
[TD]Ohio State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Marcus Gilbert[/TD]
[TD]Florida[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Curtis Brown[/TD]
[TD]Texas[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Cortez Allen[/TD]
[TD]Citadel[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Chris Carter[/TD]
[TD]Fresno State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Baron Batch[/TD]
[TD]Texas Tech[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]2010[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: stathead, bgcolor: #ABABAB"]
[TD="width: 40"]Rnd[/TD]
[TD="width: 150"]Name[/TD]
[TD="width: 200"]College[/TD]
[TD="width: 60"]Note[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Maurkice Pouncey[/TD]
[TD]Florida[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Jason Worilds[/TD]
[TD]Virginia Tech[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Emmanuel Sanders[/TD]
[TD]SMU[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Thaddeus Gibson[/TD]
[TD]Ohio State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Chris Scott[/TD]
[TD]Tennessee[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Crezdon Butler[/TD]
[TD]Clemson[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Stevenson Sylvester[/TD]
[TD]Utah[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Jonathan Dwyer[/TD]
[TD]Georgia Tech[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Antonio Brown[/TD]
[TD]Central Michigan[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Doug Worthington[/TD]
[TD]Ohio State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]2009[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: stathead, bgcolor: #ABABAB"]
[TD="width: 40"]Rnd[/TD]
[TD="width: 150"]Name[/TD]
[TD="width: 200"]College[/TD]
[TD="width: 60"]Note[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Evander Hood[/TD]
[TD]Missouri[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Kraig Urbik[/TD]
[TD]Wisconsin[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Mike Wallace[/TD]
[TD]Mississippi[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Keenan Lewis[/TD]
[TD]Oregon State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Joe Burnett[/TD]
[TD]Central Florida[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Frank Summers[/TD]
[TD]UNLV[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Ra'Shon Harris[/TD]
[TD]Oregon[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]A.Q. Shipley[/TD]
[TD]Penn State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]David Johnson[/TD]
[TD]Arkansas State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]2008[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: stathead, bgcolor: #ABABAB"]
[TD="width: 40"]Rnd[/TD]
[TD="width: 150"]Name[/TD]
[TD="width: 200"]College[/TD]
[TD="width: 60"]Note[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Rashard Mendenhall[/TD]
[TD]Illinois[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Limas Sweed[/TD]
[TD]Texas[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Bruce Davis[/TD]
[TD]UCLA[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Tony Hills[/TD]
[TD]Texas[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Dennis Dixon[/TD]
[TD]Oregon[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Mike Humpal[/TD]
[TD]Iowa[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Ryan Mundy[/TD]
[TD]West Virginia[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 4"]2007[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: stathead, bgcolor: #ABABAB"]
[TD="width: 40"]Rnd[/TD]
[TD="width: 150"]Name[/TD]
[TD="width: 200"]College[/TD]
[TD="width: 60"]Note[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Lawrence Timmons[/TD]
[TD]Florida State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]LaMarr Woodley[/TD]
[TD]Michigan[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Matt Spaeth[/TD]
[TD]Minnesota[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Daniel Sepulveda[/TD]
[TD]Baylor[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Ryan McBean[/TD]
[TD]Oklahoma State[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Cameron Stephenson[/TD]
[TD]Rutgers[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]William Gay[/TD]
[TD]Louisville[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Dallas Baker[/TD]
[TD]Florida[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

Outside of 2008, which was a bomb, those are pretty good drafts. Just because we lose Wallace and Lewis to free agency, doesn't make 2009 a bad draft. If we draft 4 starters in a draft and they command mega contracts, we'll never be able to afford that every year

 

The bad drafts compound in other areas.

We draft badly = We hold on to old vets too long (b/c there's no one to replace them)

We hold onto old vets = We pay them too much

We pay them too much = We can't sign young guys (Wallace & Lewis)

 

When you're consistently good you have a lot of stars. It costs a lot to keep them. Eventually, those players get old and that run is over. At that point you can go through a several seasons process of cleaning up the cap and getting younger or you can do like the Colts and tank a season, dump everyone and re-start.

 

It takes a few years to see the results. I think that we're struggling right now because of the 2008 draft. In 2007/2008/2009 the Ravens kicked ass draft wise. Out of those drafts they got Yanda, Flacco, Rice, Oher, Kruger, Webb... Which is why we've seen the success they've had lately.

However, I think their more recent drafts have been more shaky... Which means the next 3-4 years could be trouble for them unless they really step it up soon draft wise. 2010 looks very questionable with Sergio Kindle and Terrence Cody. They did hit late on Pitta and Arther Jones. 2011 is not all that stellar either with Torrey Smith being the only contributor thus far.




So on that front I'm with you. But don't get so upset when I say we haven't drafted well. It's really a shame with Spence's knee injury and Rainey's bonehead problems... That could've been a stellar draft, and still could be very good. I have faith in DeCastro, and Adams scared me when we drafted him because he seemed to have huge bust potential... But just last year he showed me that he can be an elite run blocker if nothing else. Once his technique improves he has the tools to be a stud LT. Paulson and Beachem were great 7th rounders. Ta'Amu still is up in the air, but i think could be a contributor.

 

Our first four picks from 2009 are still in the NFL and David Johnson just resigned. 2008 was bad but Mendenhall had some big games and Mundy did some nice work.

 

exactly right. There should have been big changes after the SB loss 2 years ago.

 

I remember reading a very similar post . . . in 1997, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009 . . .

 

Look on the bright side, we could have the Dolphins FO who grossly overpaid for a one trick pony WR diva and let a premier LT walk. I'd be really worried if I were a Dolphin fan this morning but I'm sure if you go to their message board there is jubilation and rejoicing. Let's see who wins their next Super Bowl first.

 

You probably shouldn't have posted the drafts. Your data killed your hypothesis. Those look like pretty solid drafts to me. It's not the recent drafts that are hurting us. It's the recent decline in play of a collection of all-world players. You can't replace a mass defection overnight. Most of the guys in those drafts that were mentioned couldn't see the field because they were buried on depth charts behind studs. We're in a transition between old and new with our veteran quarterback in place and a handful of superstars still holding on.

 

ahh yes! ye' ole

ODE TO A GRECIAN URN

you just gotta love Keats and the rest of the Romantic Age in poetry

without it we would not have Frankenstein , Don Juan, Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner

i find it appropriate for this time of offseason

keep up the good work WARD

 

I was about to say the same thing.

And nobody can call the 2012 draft bad drafting. Everything that happened to that group happened after the draft. At the time, everyone was utterly high on it. 2011 and 2010 also don't look too bad - but we'll see how well some of these guys step up this year now the gaps are opening for them to play.

PS. What happened to Dallas Baker?

 

That 2012 draft might go down as one of the better ones in team history. We might have just drafted 60% of our o-line for the next decade in that one draft. Add a young perennial Pro Bowl center and the biggest area of weakness of the past decade has, all of a sudden, become a strength.

I was looking at past drafts the other day and you could see how those great Cowher teams were built through the draft. Finding gems in the late rounds like Strzelczyk and Haselrig after the 10th round.

Our '87 draft . . . hell, coal miners up in the hills shoud be singing folk tales about it similar to our '74 draft. In '87 we picked up Rod Woodson, Delton Hall, Thomas Everett, Hardy Nickerson, Tim Johnson, Greg Lloyd, and Merril Hoge. A Hall of Fame corner, two solid safeties, a Pro Bowl inside linebacker, a DPOY at outside linebacker, a solid DL, and a solid RB. Followed it up with another HOF'er, Dawson, in the next draft along with John Jackson. Lake, Olsavsky, and Haselrig the year after that. Then Eric Green, O'Donnell, Foster, and Strzelczyk . . . Nice work, Chaz!

I GUESS COWHER WON WITH NOLL'S PLAYERS?!?!

 

We should have gotten rid of some of these guys 2 or 3 years ago (Hampton, Farrior, Smith)

 

What we really need are crystal balls.