Thoughts going into the season, strengths, weaknesses, concerns

here we go, another random useless post on my thoughts. Yeah, I also overreacted after the Falcons game, our secondary was putrid. Then again the defense as a whole was... at least first team. I'm over it, we will get better.

lucky number 17.... yup, that is the number of TD's Ben should strive for. You don't believe me? Check out which years he had them lol.

passing ratio ranking in 2005: 32nd, 42.61%
passing ratio ranking in 2008: 23rd, 54.01%
passing ratio ranking in 2010: 28th, 52.27%

let's check out our defensive numbers those years

2005: ppg:16.1(3rd) rush ypg:86(3rd)ypa:3.4(1st) pass yards: 198ypg(16) sack:47(3rd)

2008: ppg:13.9(1st) rush ypg:80.3(2nd)ypa:3.3(1st) passypg: 156ypg(1st) sack:51(2nd)
2010: ppg:14.5(1st) rush ypg:62.8(1st)ypa:3(1st) passypg: 214(12th) sack: 48 (1st)

takeaways/giveaways: 2005: ranked 10 2008: ranked 13 2010: ranked 2


So going by this we can see the years we made the superbowl we had top ranking defense, more importantly top 3 in sacks, 1st in rush defense ypc, top 3 in ppg.

giveaway/takeways seem to not matter as much, pass yards in the middle(not counting 2008 as our defense was insane).

We also ran heavy, hence Ben's td numbers. It seems great defense and winning time of possession is the key. Let's check our past 3 years numbers.


2014pg: 18th, rush ypg:6th, ypa:25th, pass ypg: 27th, sack: 26th
2015pg: 11th, rush ypg:5th, ypa:6th, pass ypg: 30th sack:3rd
2016pg: 10th, rush ypg:13th, ypa:19th, pass ypg: 16th, sack:9th


our defense needs some work, but our D line/depth is pretty awesome right now, I think our linebacking core will be better than last year, secondary will still suck but hopefully hilton and some other ok bodies help.

Got to hope someone takes out pats, we win the 1-3 games ben is out, and we will win the SB.

Yeah, harder than it looks.

 

My main concern is the trend of Steelers losing to inferior teams they should beat. I called it when the 2017 schedule was released back in April. Steelers will lose to the Bears and Titans. I need to carve this in stone, because it's gonna happen.

Every year is like a BCS race in the AFC and it's always the same. There's the Patriots at 1 seed and then about 8 other teams trying to get #2 seed or a playoff berth.

 

I don't think the Steelers lose vs. Colts. Steelers seem to match up well against the Colts. The offense can move the ball and the defense is not horrible like they are against the Patriots. Luck is an above average QB, but the Steelers D holds it's own against him.

 

Outside of the Colts, the AFC South really does concern me more than people are giving them credit for.


Jacksonville still needs a Quarterback but their offense is now tailored around Leonard Fournette. Given the fact that Tom Coughlin came into a wonderful position to have an insanely talented defense with an offensive predicated on clock control, Jacksonville is going to surprise more people this time then when the hype train went last season as Fournette is essentially Tom Coughlin's "ret con" of Fred Taylor.


Houston now reminds me of the 2010 New York Jets in some ways. A rookie signal caller and a top flight defense? Look for them to make some serious noise during the season. My biggest concern in the division due to said game possibly having either playoff implications or implications based off of playoff seeding.


Last one is Tennessee. They may be a year away but they too can surprise some teams. In addition, I believe that Derrick Murray is going to be an even greater problem than others are giving him credit for.

 

yup, bring it on. I know we will lay an egg, just hope when we do we escape with a W. Only teams that scare me are teams with strong 4 fronts. those teams collapse our pocket while dropping 7(raisins, jets,etc)

 

I know you're on the "writing team" and all, but some of the stuff you post leaves me puzzled. Retroactive continuity?? Not a slight to you, as I dig new phrases and whatnot and I actually enjoy a good wordsmith. I just thought it funny and a weird use of the term. Maybe I'm in a weird mood

 

Agree, teams with a strong front 4 give us fits. That's why I'm liking our DL makeup. Heyward, Tuitt, Hargrave and Alualu give me retcon of days past (or something like that)

 

The Ravens whip us every year at least once, no matter how bad they are. I can carve that in stone, too.

 

I'm not even sure the Titans will even be considered inferior by that game. They have gotten better. D is getting good, OL is good, 2 bruiser RBs, a QB on the rise. But we don't lose prime time games at home. We will lose some other game to a bad team, to be sure though.

 

Nono.


Ret con is a term used to bring back a former idea into a continuation of a series but has a different meaning...


This case being Leonard Fournette. When Tom Coughlin started in the league, Fred Taylor and that Jacksonville defense became the backbone for the Jaguars of the late 90s up to the mid 2000s.



I see a similar situation taking place before us. This Jacksonville defense may take some time to gain cohesion but their running game can win them games.

 

yes, that is what retroactive continuity means lol. I would have went the Sabol route...."the young Fournette running thru tackles like a dozer harkens back to the days of Fred Taylor, barreling thru defenders..."

 

My thoughts are I'd like to see the Offense finally put up 30 points a season. I think they have the strength to do just that with the WR's and RB's we have. Especially if Conner can make an impact in the receiving stats. The weakness of coarse has been and still will be the secondary. I think teams will expose that early in the season and often throughout the season. My concern is nearly the same every year that the coaching staff plays too much not to lose and doing it with the "we do what we do attitude" instead of playing against other teams weaknesses.

Anything less than 10-6 will be disappointing to me even if we make the playoffs. Sure I will treat making the playoffs as an accomplishment and will root for success all the way to a SB victory, but just squeaking in is not the way to do it especially when you need to play the Pats at Heinz Field.

My other concern is that this very well may be Ben's last season and Harrison's for sure so, it's time to really get another ring and keep the Pats from being even with us.

 

Offense can be the best defense, if the Killer Bs can play up to their potential. The last time Ben, Brown, Bell & Bryant were on the field together was Week 8 of 2015, for a total of 17 plays. 10 of those plays were passes. Ben was 6 of 8 (2 plays were called back by penalty) for 51 yards and a TD. The Killer Bs played 10 games together in 2014. The Steelers went 8-2. Ben completed 68.4% of his pass attempts for 3,359 yards 24 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. Bell rushed for 819 yards, caught 55 passes for 603 yards and scored 10 touchdowns (7 rush, 3 pass) during those games. They averaged 31.2 points a game over that stretch, scoring over 40 three times.

As you can see from the list below, the Steelers tied for 10th in points per game last year.

1 Atlanta 33.8

2 New Orleans 29.3

3 New England 27.6

4 Green Bay 27.0

5 Dallas 26.3

6 Arizona 26.1

7 Oakland 26.0

8 Indianapolis 25.7

9 LA Chargers 25.6

10 Buffalo 24.9

Pittsburgh 24.9

If the can average 30 points per game or close to it, they will take some pressure off of the defense. While hope is not a strategy, we can hopefully expect the pass rush to be more effective, with the addition of Watt and a healthy Dupree and Heyward. The improved pass rush should in turn make the secondary better. Further, considering the schedule isn't filled with "light up the scoreboard" type teams (Green Bay, New England and Indy being the only teams from the Top 10 scoring list on the schedule) the Steelers can still win in a shootout.

 

Losing to the Titans is no shame, they're predicted to win their division. They aren't losing to the Bears.

 

Fred Taylor came after James Stewart and Natrone Means, but the point remains. And they had some play makers on D, including Tony Brackens, Hardy, Darius, Paup, Wynn, Thomas....plus had solid O line and good targets in Jimmy Smith and McCardell. Oh, and Brunell was one of the most underrated QBs in his prime. He was really good.

 

This is a spot on assessment and exactly how I see it.

 

Hope that our hyped up offense(haven't been able to back it up) can out score teams.

And #7 stays healthy. Steelers front seven have to be difference makers, get after the opposing qb ATTACK

watch the W's grow.

 

yup I agree. get 30ppg, and let the front 7 do it's work. Stay healthy and get #7

 

Where did you get your memories from or perhaps I missed something. You said "the Steelers D holds its own against him" meaning Luck, right? Funny, the last time I remember the Steelers playing the Colts with Andrew Luck was in 2014 and Ben had 522 yards passing and they scored 51 but the last TD was due to a safety but they needed 40 points to win. Somehow giving up 34, and it could have been more, doesn't seem to me like the D matches up well and don't forget, that D was better than what we have now so I don't see losing to the Colts as being an upset other than on paper, in fact the only way this team wins that game is if they use a back up QB again, Luck is banged up and not well physically, or if Ben has another good day and the offense puts up 40 or more again otherwise it will be a loss. I know I'm not optimistic but watching how bad the first team defense looks against 3rd string QBs so far isn't giving me any confidence, especially not after Matt Ryan, the only first string QB they faced so far, marched his team down field without breaking a sweat, nope, the Colts game could be a disaster.

 

Strengths: Too many to name really.
Concerns: Potential injuries and a lack of great depth in some key positions.
Weaknesses: The most glaring has been the same for a while now - our secondary and coverage.

I think we're good enough to see the playoffs again but I'm not so sure how well we'll play if we do. I think we have a SB caliber offense but a one and done Playoffs defense but please believe me, I'd be ecstatic to see us win a 7th Lombardi this season.

Not much could make me happier than my being proven wrong about our D this year.

 

The Titans are a really good team this year, a playoff caliber team. I have them winning the AFC south

 

Strengths - Talent at the skilled positions; solid offensive line; defense has a good front front 7; Boswell; hopefully some talented 2nd year players rookies.

Weaknesses - Secondary. Secondary. Secondary. (as previously mentioned).

Concerns about the Steelers are perceptions, distractions, injuries, and coaching - game plans and having the players prepared. The Steelers are perceived to have a great offense. I want to see the consistency of it, like the Falcons were last year. Every year in the NFL there is a team that improves to the point of being a surprise; and one of the expected teams to compete for the Super Bowl falls on their face. I do not want to see the Steelers be the one that falls on their face. The Steelers have already had several distractions from Ben's retirement talk, Bell's contract, to Bryant's reinstatement. Will the team have the focus and will to overcome these distractions? Injuries - several training camp injuries; how much do they linger into the season? Coaching - will the game planning be improved from last year's AFCCG? Will the coaching staff have the team ready to compete week in and week out?

15 days counting today. I can't wait!

 

4 B's healthy means our offense should truly DOMINATE. Like it or not Bell is the key. I will trade up, as needed to get him on my fantasy teams. Ben will also do much better than expected.

Our defense has a mix of strengths (defensive line,shazier OLB and s.davis) and weaknesses (defensive backs).

Also, the Cheatriots can be beaten,even though this year they look good on paper.

 

Teams can beat them but they require dominant defenses. D lines that can crash the pocket, secondary that can cover well. Oh and as a coach you have to keep up, bill game plans and adjusts well.