Steelers are underrated

Lost to the top 4 ranked teams. Minus patriots who raped us, combined total of the rest of the losses is 9 points.

juju doesn’t fumble, Conner doesn’t fumble, we stop wilson on third and long and this team is 7-2 right now in a different world. (I gave colts the kick lol)

So far we are beating the bad teams(let’s hope we do THU), beat 2 decent teams, and held our own with 3 great teams.

There’s no way this defense can maintain this level of greatness but if they somehow do, they are SB worthy for sure.

 

Let me just say I’m hoping for 9-7, offense is just too bad for anything else imo

 

I think we are rated

 

Sounds about right...I just don't know if the Offense is good enough ( I THINK ) not...Mason must improve, Conner must stay healthy ( Big if ) ...

But the number 1 reason is...The WR's just aren't good enough imo...JuJu struggling to be a no. 1 ...Johnson ( think he WILL be very good, Washington improving ( hope it continues ) All the others meeeeh...

It's one thing to have a fresh rookie QB... It's another to have that and....Not have a good receiving core...

Lastly...Even though I love this Defense more than I have in years... Is it THAT good to carry again imo...An inept offense ( Damn I wish we still have Tuitt ) Just shut everybody out like the 76 team!

 

Yeah agreed not sure I see this sustainability of turnovers as well from higher tier offenses and qbs although we picked Lamar off 3 times but Wilson shredded us

 

Hey Disco.

I think the WRs may be better than what you are giving them credit for. They are still a year or two out from being really good if they can continue to progress. One of the biggest issues with the WR corp is there really is no true #1 as I stated in another post. Given that, do we really need one if everybody would just play within their capabilities and.... stop dropping the freakin' ball....and make the tough catches when needed? The passes cannot always hit them in the breadbasket every time. That is what made AB special and separated himself from the pack as a true #1. An elite WR. Plus AB's work ethic was incredible.

Mason is doing an admirable job up to this point. Except for better Red Zone efficiency I am going to ask him to just keep playing within his comfort zone, continue building chemistry and expand on those each and every week. That is where good coaching is critical.

As far as the "D" goes, they are playing insanely. And it seems that they may be turning a corner to being capable of holding a lead now in the 4th quarter. Unfortunately, they are going to have to keep this pace up and even turn it up more given the state of our "O". Sorry to do that to you "D" but it is your turn now. The "O" has been "carrying" the team for years now. Now the tables have seemingly turned overnight. Plus.... Special Teams needs to come up big one way or another and provide us with some sparks as well. They are at the door now come in STs and join the party.

Oh yeah, that 1976 Defense was just plain sick. I know people always bark about the different era thing. Bunk that! 28 points in nine games I believe with I think five shutouts. I do not care what era that is, that is just nuts! STEELWINDS

 

5 shutouts wtf lol

 

Yes bigbenhotness.

If my memory serves me correctly. Just sick!!!! STEELWINDS

 

Agree Steelwinds...

I will hold off on the receiving corps...New QB, Lost the best WR in the game imo ( all the bull**** aside ) Hey, When you lose Ben and AB...No team is NOT gonna be affected by that but...

Moving forward ( Even though I'm not giving up on this year be) Loving it actually...Next year

The continued maturation of Rudy ( Who knows what's gonna happen with Ben ) Or even how good HE'LL be...

JuJu
Dionte
Washington

Maybe add another vet ( A.J.Green, Boyd , Robbie Anderson type )

And draft another one, And let's go get no.7!

 

I know I'm being optimistic (which never happens), but I think at some point this group of receivers will "click." When they do, we could be having a whole different conversation about our offense. The problem is when will this "click" happen? May not happen with enough time to really make a difference this year I'm afraid.

 

On to the Browns.

 

How can you be 5-4 and underrated?

 

Hey Iowa.

Yes, I too believe that they will eventually "click". The $64,000 question is: Will it be in time for this season? We do not have time on our side. Given that, it is not like these WRs are rookies. None of them are. Young but not rookies. The drops are becoming magnified. As of lately it has not cost us any games but it did earlier in the season. It is a fine line between a drop and a win/tie/loss. Bottom line: This "nonsense" has to stop now before it does cost us more games. We are in playoff mode as I have stated. Everyone should be laser-focused.
As I also stated, We do not have a true #1. Given that, if everyone plays within their capabilities, cut down on the blunders, then we do not need one to be successful. Each of JuJu, Diontae, and James are all very capable and talented receivers. Play disciplined, reliable, and within your strengths and trust me the other teams will have three pieces to worry about. Now sprinkle in the same for the TEs and RBs. STEELWINDS

 

I don't know, 12th sounds about right. Yeah it is funny how it is 1 through 4 are our losses this year, but the fact is, if we beat just 1 one of those teams, our 12 ranking would be bumped up around 8th, and if we had beat 2 of them, top 5, and so on. So I think it is about right.

 

I thnk we lost those games because of an identitiy crisis, as a team and as individual units.

The defense hasn't had an identity since Shazier went down, and we were just beginning to develop one then. It has been muddling around, trying to find itself ever since.

But with the addition of Fitz, the back end is holding up, allowing the big boys to ball. There is excitement and fun again on the defensive side of the ball. We aren't there yet, honestly. I think we can get better. But our identity crisis on defense is over.

Offensively, getting gang raped week one and then losing Ben was only the tip of the iceburg.

The offense was in trouble already because of losing AB and Munchak. What gets lost in all the conversation is how devastating the loss of Munch was. Offensive identity? It starts in the trenches. And our OL has been heralded as one of the best for a while. Age is a factor, but it didn't do as much damage as losing the hogs' leader. As the OL goes, so goes the offense.

So now the offense is struggling for identity. MR is managing admirably, but he's struggling to be a leader. The offense needs one. It could turn to Pouncey if he wasn't having his worst year in like forever.

Its youth isn't producing dividends yet and its vets aren't stabilizing the unit. Something needs to give. This ship might right itself this season. But we also might have to wait a couple years and waste a defensive juggernaut.

 

We are who we thought we were

 

I think the rating is spot on and sums up where the team is. I'm all in on Mason Rudolph, he gets better each game but he needs help. I think he would look really good if we had a running game. I blame the running game woes partially on the o-line but also on the OC. Did you see some of the designed runs in that last game??? All you have to do is look at the formation and you not only know that they are running it but to what side it is going.

I know if the guys can't run block it doesn't matter which side the ball is going but not even a hint of misdirection play when the defense is overloading a side. Nope, the OC doesn't live in his fears as he lets those disastrous 3 and 4 yard losses pile up without any change. I think the Chucks experiment is over, the guy can't run or pass block very well so I hope this offseason they can find a replacement. On a good note though, the o-line isn't even close to the level of bad as the Giants, Jets, Chargers, and Bengals, now those are true dumpster fires.

 

The second matchup vs the Ravens will be a different story, IMO. Lamarr Jackson will have to deal with Fitzpatrick, who will have many more games experience as a Steelers DB than he did the first matchup. If Steelers can keep the game low scoring.... we can beat the Ravens, IMO.

 

The Steelers certainly had some bad luck in their losses, especially Smith-Schuster's fumble in overtime pretty much handing that game to the Ravens. They also got very lucky the last two games. They got lucky that the Colts are stubbornly clinging to Vinatieri as their kicker. A competent NFL kicker makes that one with the game on the line. They also got some key calls their way against the Rams, particularly the Goff fumble that Fitzpatrick returned for a touchdown. That probably should have been an incomplete pass.

The Steelers are probably right where they should be on merit.

 

They should have beaten them the first time, but that doesn't mean the second is a lock.

 

I didn't say the second game was a lock. Sports media has crowned the Ravens as some kind of unstoppable juggernaut. I don't buy into the hype. We've seen QBs like Jackson before... most recently Deshaun Watson and Cam Newton. They all come back to earth eventually.

 

Remember the O had an unknown QB named Mike Kruczek. Completely different circumstances as all he really had to do was hand the ball off to Rocky of Franco (who both had 1000 yard seasons on a 14 game schedule). If he had to pass he had to HOF receivers ready to help. if MR had that kind of support he might look like an all pro, lol.

 

Wish we were even lower to be honest ,,maybe light a bigger fire under these boys butts ..Hell,remember when we would go into every year with the 3 "great" B's at onr of the top teams,,never amounted to anything !!I say drop em further ..Keep doubting MR ,keep bashing this o line ,let em know how "crappy" they are..I got a feeling MR is gonna surprise a few people by years end ..

 

I agree, still confused. it may be the whole combination..Mason's inexperience, young WR's losing their Coach, losing Munch, so Oline has it's issues. Inept and inconsistent play callling by OC. Lack of a consistent running game due to injury of Nix and other RB's or OL problems. Where are the TE's in all of this? Is it they need to stay in and help pass protection, or just the OC does not use them correctly (or enough).

Tha fact is they are dealing with these issues every week on some level. As the season deepens you would think some get resolved (at least the things they can control). I guess I would have more faith in the players on the field, if I had trust in the Coach's on the sideline

 

I doubt the players give a rat's behind to this type of ranking. Hell it is only done for the networks to make some talking points.