Comments from J-Ville

We bumped into a Jags fan two weeks ago who was proclaiming "We own the Steelers." Ummm, a 12-10 record is hardly "owning" anyone. I guess he doesn't understand the phrase. A lot of Jag fans are not super football educated, but I digress. Here is what some fans were posting.


https://www.duvalpride.com/showthread.php?tid=23451

The Steelers are a well balanced team. And a major rival.

Three keys to win the game.
1. Tighten up the middle run defense.
2. Control the clock with Fournette who has to get a TD or two and or ivory. Maybe sneak gant in as well.
3. Cut down on penalties.

If we keep the score low and close we can win. If we play from behind most or all the game. We are in for a long day.

We don't currently have a receiver or te that will stretch the field. Unless someone steps up and catches the very bad thrown ball. Or if run a bunch of screens, slants.

Blake best bet is to be a game/clock manager and not throw passes that can easily be batted away.
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The major concern is Le'Veon Bell. The jags got to prove they can stop the run. Combine that with the threat of Antonio Brown over the top. Despite those the biggest concern is Blake Bortles. He is by far the most bipolar QB I have ever seen. If he has a decent game the jags have a shot of winning. But if good ole BBINT shows up we are in for a spanking. The Steelers will no doubt stack the box and make Bortles beat them.
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..... and at the end of the game, we will all be able to recite in unison of the loser: "They are who we thought they were!" The key for the Steelers victory will still be - "score more points" since all other facets (so far) tend to vary significantly from week to week.

 

Jags have the top rated pass D, with two top shelf corners, plus some good pass rushers. But they seem soft vs. the rush, but will sell out to stop Bell this game. I am hoping we wear them down and Conner and Watson helps soften them up. Gilbert being back helps a lot.

 

Defenses are evenly matched on paper. Steelers have the better offense... which will be the difference.

 

When did we become a major rival?

 

I don't think the Patriots and their fans consider Steelers a rival, since Brady owns the Steelers and it's defense. Hell... Ravens have been much more of a thorn in the side of the Patriots.

 

A lot depends on which Bortles shows up. Will it be the Bortles that sucks or the Bortles that plays lights out? It's like this guy has an evil twin or something.

Apart from that we should be able to run all over them.

 

To quote the Nature Boy you gotta beat the man to be the man. When Jacksonville came in the league the Steelers were the measuring stick for being a tough physical team. So many still believe if you can out physical the Steelers then you are near the top. Which is why sucks teams can give the Steelers a hard time. Everyone gets up to play them

 

Jacksonville used to destroy the Steelers when Brunell was QB. Those games were brutal, but this was before Heinz Field revenue during the last years of 3 Rivers. Several good Steelers went on to Jax in FA. Coughlin owned Cowher like Belichick has owned Tomlin. Last major whoopin' from the Jags was right before 9/11 in '01. Steelers were annihilated on that opening day, but went on to 13-3.

 

Remember when he would sign former Steelers during Steeler week and then cut them after the game just to try and gain that little extra edge.

 

Yeah, it was terrible. Hardy Nickerson went to Bucs and then Jags... Searcy, Lake, etc... probably several more I can't remember.

 

The jets ran all over them last week. 250 yards on the ground if I remember correctly

 

True but that also included a 75 yard scamper by Powell where they thought he was down and completely stopped and he just kept running. Hope they do that again lol

 

Bell Bell and more Bell.
Control the clock. Jets ran all over them last week.

Make Blake Bortles beat you, and not Fournette.

 

This game worries me.
The jags have an excellent secondary and im worried that the coaches and Ben will try to appease AB by forcing to many throws instead of just running Bell down their throat.
We should win if we just Run Run Run, but im just worried Ben is going to be throwing to much in this one, and he hasnt been to on point thus far.
Anyone worried about this too?

 

Maybe 20 years ago when Tom Coughlin was coaching and they were in our division.

 

How can you say Jacksonville's secondary worries you, then have a feeling that Pittsburgh is going to the Super Bowl as your signature? It cannot be both. They lost to the Bears and if they lose the the Jags, the Steelers are probably not going to the Super Bowl. This is a game they need to win if they want to have home field advantage in the playoffs.

 

You do know that Jacksonville has the number 1 ranked passing defense in the league right? Where as they have the worst rush defense in the league.
That is why i want them to run run run.
They also have the 2nd ranked turnover differential in the league as well.
Their secondary is no joke!!
Every game worries me. I dont know how long you have watched the Steelers but you do realize they tend to lose games they shouldnt. That has no barring over whether they go to the Super Bowl. We won the super bowl in 2006 as the 6th seed so we lost games that year we shouldnt have but we still won the Chip.
Also, i dont believe we need Home field advantage in playoffs. As long as we dont have to go to New England we should be good.
Even if we lose we are still tied with New england and we get to play them still this year in Pitt.
So in no way is this a game they "need to win" as we still could finish with a higher seed then the Pats.
Anything can happen in the NFL, there are no sure things, thats why i love it.

 

In Jags infancy, we were in same div. and we were their first win in franchise history - losing at J ville from a blocked field goal attempt that they took back to the house and Cowher almost punched the player who returned it. Then, they got good quickly (Brunell, James Stewart, Jimmy Smith, Boselli, Brackens, McCardell, ect.) and we had a down period (late 90's) so the fans always hung their hat on beating such a iconic team as ours, thinking it put them at our status. Of course, it didn't really but they like to think it did. But in the last 10 years, no one can argue who remains an iconic team and who has been mostly a joke. We are like the big brother they want to try to out do.

 

Ok, that brain cell just came back functioning. I had totally forgotten that.

 

Ditto above. Thanks.

 

I worry about every game except preseason. The bigger the game the more anxiety I get. I'm the same way for Penguins games. I'm surprised I haven't had 4 game initiated heart attacks by now. I should probably ask Santa for an in house defibrillator for Xmas.

 

Ben's had a history of feeding picks to the jags... Can't remember dudes name, but he was decent and he loved laying the steelers. Jags are no slouch... They're trending up with or without Bortles. Better take em serious and Ben is 100% correct their D is a good test.