Even if Conner is ready to go next week...

Which I don’t think he will be I still am not playing him in this game against the Raiders. I think you gotta give him at least a full week or two to heal and get him ready for the games with the Pats and Saints where you will really need him. If you can’t beat the crap Raiders with either Samuels or Ridley as your starting running back then you’re doomed period. If they aren’t going to have any confidence to let Ridley get some playing time now if Conner indeed is out long term then they need to go out and give a guy like CJ Anderson a call and sign him.

 

They need him against the Raiders. That game is not going to be easy. The Raiders just gave the Chiefs a game. Their biggest weakness on defense is stopping the run. The Steelers need Conner to take advantage of that.

That said, I don't think they are going to have an option. I don't buy the contusion explanation for a second. He wasn't hit in the leg. He got it twisted under something. It's a sprain, probably a high ankle sprain, which usually means the player is going to be out a while.

 

You still gotta be able to beat the Raiders with or without Conner. There is still enough talent on this team on offense with Ben and the receivers as long as they don’t turn the ball and give this game away the Steelers should win this game without much of an issue.

 

Do not make the mistake of taking the Raiders lightly. We need James Conner to be healthy for this game. The combination of Ridley and Samuels is not nearly as effective as a healthy JC.

 

He will likely need the rest, but not because we should be able to beat the Raiders without him. History certainly refutes that notion regardless of team records.

That being said, our normal game plan against teams weak in a certain area is to avoid that area at all costs. So Conner probably wouldn’t have seen much action anyway. I mean, how fair is it to exploit another team’s weakness????

 

I’m not going to take the Raiders lightly but let’s face it they stink and aren’t very good. The Steelers will have absolutely no business what so ever losing this game whether they have Conner playing at running back or Willie Parker playing at running back pushing 40 years old.

 

When Brain Dead Tomlin is the coach you can lose any game anytime

 

Steelers haven't beaten the Raiders in California since '95. This will be the Raiders' Super Bowl. They will bring more effort than the Steelers will.

 

yep another loss. don't care that we are desperate lol

 

Well then they are due to win in California this week which they should be able to do. Losing this game to the Raiders this week would be a complete and total epic disaster.

 

.... and it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

 

The Raiders game is pretty much a must-win. Lose that and we are looking at 8-7-1 whereas the Ravens have a clear path to 9-7.

I would call the Raiders game pretty much a toss-up at this point. Let's hope we have run out of creative ways to lose winnable games and actually get the W.

 

Yea I would agree that this game is a MUST win now in Oakland this Sunday. The Steelers margin of error now for having bad losses to give up has now run out. The Steelers have to win the game in Oakland and the last game here at home against a bad Bengals team and get to 9 wins at least assuming they don’t win either of the Patriots or the Saints games and also assuming as well that Baltimore wins their games with both the Bucs and Browns at home and worst case gets to 9-7. The schedule this week absolutely favors the Steelers and I would expect the odds are very strong that the Ravens lose in Kansas City this week and drop to 7-6 and the Steelers win in Oakland and move to 8-4-1 and get that 1.5 lead back in the division with 3 games left to play which would then almost make it impossible for the Ravens to still ovetake the Steelers and win the division.

 

Raiders game is a must win but they are awful and for the record the ALWAYS play the Chiefs well (Division Rivalry plus Chiefs really have no D). I would rather have a healthy Connor for New England, get ready for Ben to have a 500 yard, 50 plus attempt passing game.

 

Yea I’m with you that they gotta be able to win this game with the Raiders on Ben’s arm and with guys like Samuels and Ridley. Get Conner healthy for the Pats game and for the last 3 games.

 

My prediction:

PIT (7-4-1)
@OAK (2-10)—W
NE (9-3)—L
@NO (10-2)—L
CIN (5-7)—W

Final: 9-6-1 (0.594) <-- division winner

BAL (7-5)
@KC (10-2)—L
TB (5-7)—W
@LAC (9-3)—L
CLE (4-7-1)—W

Final: 9-7 (0.563)

 

Way this season is going the Steelers will beat the Patriots and lose other 3

 

I hope you're right, but I think Steelers will tank either against Raiders or Bengals. Bengals knocked the Ravens out last year, and they would love nothing more to knock Steelers out with their backup QB. I can see Steelers slacking in Week 17 game.

 

I doubt they lose at home to a backup QB at home if the division title happens to be on the line. The Bengals stink and have pretty much quit on this season. They won’t win a meaningful game here against the Steelers In week 17 if it comes down to that.

 

No Dalton, No Green - No way. I know it's a division matchup and all, I just don't see it.

Raiders game, I worry about. Ben will have to be on, and depending on how bad JC's injury is, he'll have to sling it 50 times or more to win.

NE, well. NE.

NO as I said before, I think we have a shot if we can get everyone on the same page. And again, Ben has 50+ attempts.

 

Plus, I don't think you can ever place too much on divisional matchups. That was the Raiders Super Bowl.

That being said... what you said. LOL

 

The Saints are better than the Patriots. Brees is playing every bit as well as Brady this season. New Orleans has better running backs, a better offensive line and more playmakers on defense. New England's advantage is the head coach and they have more options at receiver. Also, that game is in New Orleans. The Steelers' audible-heavy offense is better at home, especially when compared to a very loud road venue like the Superdome.

 

I'd like to see Dobbs worked in the mix somehow.

 

The Bengals won't have Dalton or AJ Green in that game, I doubt the Steelers will lose to them.