Steelers and Sam Darnold

The 2008 steelers were not good at running the ball and they had maybe the worst offensive line ever to win a super bowl

Credit to Darnold for his big game vs Rams(the second best team in the league) but overall it was a true team effort for Seattle

 

Darnold is nothing special , better than what we have now but not a qb that can change the steelers

 

Hell... if there's a silver lining in any of this, Patriots didn't get #7. And they won't any time soon unless they get that OL fixed and some better skill players on offense.

 

So they are at least one step closer than the Steelers? Except the Steelers took a step by replacing their HC and coaching staff.

 

Well they're closer because they have Maye... but yeah. Their roster still has holes (like any other team). I'd expect them to be looking at WR's and TE in the draft (or via trade, AJ Brown maybe?). They have a really nice RB tandem right now and a good QB on a rookie deal. Worth taking a shot if I am them.

 

I thought the game was terrible. It was obvious in the 1st half that the Pats were going to go 3 and out or 5 and out the entire half. They hit a couple plays but it was clear they were scoring zero points. They were fortunate that their defense was good enough to keep the Hawks out of the end zone and their team in the game. At 19-0 in the third, it was clear the game was over, I turned it off. I don't know when the Pats scored 13, if it was garbage time or if they made it 19-13 before the Hawks pulled away but that game was over in the third quarter. imo

 

The best NFL team won the Super Bowl. Seahawks looked just as good as Chiefs, Rams and Eagles when they won.

 

I like Darnold. He's playing smart football. He can make all the throws. He doesn't have a magical arm or release like Marino or Favre or Rogers, etc. but he proved he can win it all. Even though his stats weren't gaudy in the Super Bowl, he made plays under all sorts of pressure when he needed to. He was smart with the football. Zero turnovers in the playoffs and super bowl.

And while I wish we had gotten him instead of Rodgers, our former coaching staff would have wasted his talent. Much like we did with Rodgers. No weapons. Avg. scheme.

 

Stop.

Based on his history he easily could have been a $100 million bust.

The Vikings signed him to be a backup.

Half the league had no idea what he would be, was he a system QB or did he find something.

Seattle took a gamble in won.

 

Steelers are a team in transition and have been for some time now. You all being saying Darnold stinks if Darnold signed here.

 

You are wrong

Again

Does the fact that no one agrees with you tell you anything

Anything at all

But you kiddies do crack me up

 

They made a smart gamble. They saw the progress he had made. The Steelers took an ancient quarterback who is often too worried about protecting himself to make plays. Darnold doesn't have that problem.

 

A lot of folks were asking the same question: "How did these 2 teams get here."
That's not a justification, just an observation.
Sam missed two sure-thing TD passes... I think Maye missed 1.
Potentially the score could been more points overall....
One just felt like it was unexciting.
NE couldn't really stop Walker but on random occasions.

I dunno.... maybe I'll look at it again. I feel like

Yeah, a lot of folks felt like it was just waiting for Seattle to explode on New England.
But overall, it really was uninspired and kind of dull.
I found picking through the dessert section at our hosts home more interesting. They some kind of treat had these little flour tubes stuck in them and it was filled with rum (just a tiny pinch) but inject the right flavor combination. They really out did themselves on the snacks and treats. I look forward to next year.

 

Others agreed that they should have signed Darnold when it came up in previous discussions, so he's not on his own. Darnold isn't an elite quarterback, but he would have been a significant upgrade over what the Steelers had this past season and going into 2026.

 

Still would not have paid him over $100 million based on 1 season of success.

 

Based on 1 season of success, tough to give $100 million to him. Again, Seattle gambled and won….could have easily gone the other way based on his past. Hindsight as always, is 20/20.

How many teams gave ludicrous money to Kirk Cousins over the years for his great seasons only to have him do nothing when it counts.

Tua got paid off of a great seasons only to be benched.

Kyler Murray, another example.

And if you really look at them, Cousins, Murray, and Tua all had more success in the NFL before their big contracts and Sam did.

 

Yes I admit there were other people on this board who posted foolishness but this post is in the here and now

He was pretty even with AR this year except for twice as many interceptions so no he would not have been a significant upgrade

And a waste of cap

 

Darnold has become an efficient and effective system QB. The Steelers do not run that system. Darnold knows that and he has spoken publicly about signing with Seattle because of the offensive style they ran.

 

It isn't hindsight. I argued for them to sign Darnold before the season. Also, only about half of that contract is guaranteed. They had the money to sign him for 2025, and a $37.9 million cap for 2026 is not unreasonable.

Tagovailoa and Murray both had significant injury concerns and those played a significant role in both players falling apart. Darnold doesn't have that issue. He is an elite talent who finally figured things out well enough to be a good NFL quarterback.

 

Rodgers held down his turnovers by throwing a high percentage of his passes around the line of scrimmage. That is why he averaged only 6.7 yards per attempt. It also severely limited the Steelers' offense this season.

Darnold threw the ball down the field, which is why he averaged 8.5 yards per attempt. That is a huge difference that your omitted from your incomplete and inaccurate analysis of their play this season.

 

If you think that Rodgers was even with Darnold this year,I don't know what to said.....The TD-INT ratio don't tell everything,otherwise our offense would been better this year that they were with Wilson and Fields

 

I think you and Joel should hang out together more often

Similarities

 

Last year when AR signed it was a given he was the starter

This year I not sure that would be the case

He may very well be brought back to fill in if and when either Howard or maybe a drafted are ready

Last year I think Tomlin thought the team had more potential than it actually did

I do not see Mike McCarthy having the same delusion