Colin Cowherd: Steelers No Longer Great Organization, Will Go 7-9 Next Season

I think its a combination of both. I watched him make some throws i didn't think he could make and again I think he will only continue to get better as a passer and managing the game. Of course hes no where near mahomes who is fsr and away the best player in the world.

 

Well, let's see, no playoff wins since 2016. Past 2 seasons, watching postseason from the couch. Embarrassing loss to the jagoffs in division round 3 years ago. Same tired ass OL and QB, worse backfield, no all world WR, now 4 years older from the last PO win. The only thing better is that we now have a D. A lot to prove in O. And, the competition has gotten notably better in the conference. Cowturd is an a-hole but his take on the steelers seems spot on until they prove otherwise. Some of you guys should take the black n yellow glasses off for a second, and be a little realistic about this squad. Not saying they can't be good this season, but they have a lot to prove, especially on O.

 

MT is a horrible coach

 

Boobird Saturday...

 

Honestly I think that assessment is fair.

You may have Black and Gold glasses on though, concerning the standard you hold the team to. By a lot of measurable statistics we had the worst QBs, and the 2nd worst offense. I consider have the 2nd worst primary driver of points in the league as bottoming (or very near bottoming) out. Our bottoming out therefore is 8-8. With the "horrible coach" MT the very worst we can ever muster is 8-8, even when all luck seems and feels to be far worse than middle of the road.

So yeah, the offense is largely unproven and incredibly young except for the two most important pieces OL and QB being quite old now.

The division is also quite better (albeit for some just on paper)

But Cowturd is still totally wrong on both points in the thread title. Bottoming out at 8-8 is a great organization, and 7-9 is highly unlikely when our total team QB play being below worst than 32nd, worst than all starters and some backups, is also highly unlikely.

 

um, Cowboys, Chiefs and he used to love the Colts till sissy man quit.

 

I think he struggles because he doesn't get enough first team reps in training camp or enough snaps in the preseason.

 

Steelers haven't had a losing season since Roethlisberger became QB. That's not to say it can't happen, but....If the defense plays like it did last year and Ben plays like he normally does, in 2020 they should win at least ten games.

 

I agree the other teams got better. I see third place and that's only because the Bengals need a year to develop.

 

That may be the case but I don’t expect 14-2 again from the Ravens, I believe they will regress as teams do all they can to stop the run and make LJ win from the pocket. They’ll blow away bad teams but I can see them having difficulty with good defences. Steelers need to split with them at the very least. They almost did this last season with Rudolph and Duck.

There are still question marks over Baker in Cleveland, he was a turnover machine last season. Having added a very good RT in Conklin I think their plan is to become a run first team with Chubb and Hunt and try to hide Bakers deficiencies to a point. OBJ and Landry will not like this one bit. They have a lot of mouths to feed in Cleveland and I would not be surprised to see another tumultuous season in the locker room, they should have traded OBJ imo, then again they never should have traded for him in the first place. They also drafted a college RT to play LT which is quite a different position. Their issues at tackle may not be over.

I think the division is a toss up between the Ravens, Browns and Steelers. Injuries, form and luck will determine who comes out on top. All three have good potential, one or two of them will click. Last year it was the Ravens, can they repeat that? We’ll see

Bengals have improved hugely on paper but with a disrupted offseason and a new QB it may take them some time. 6-10 would be a good season for them imo, and look to competed for the postseason in 2021.

 

This.


Why not the likes of Mekhi Becton is something I have not the foggiest. For that matter, if a run first approach is going to be adopted, kicking Tristan Wirfs inside would have been the better play as Wyatt Teller, while serviceable, does not possess the ceiling that Wirfs would at Offensive Guard.


Obtain a Left Tackle later in the draft assuming Chubb is going to tote the rock more. Kevin Stephanski comes from the Shanahan tree anyway. Boot legs should be the primary point of emphasis.

 

Cowturd. Hates the Steelers. Seahags fan and is still bitter over their Super Bowl loss. Boohoo.

 

Or they could have traded for Trent Williams and taken Wills to play RT if he was the guy they wanted. Perhaps Wills will do just fine but it is quite risky to expect him to fit in seamlessly at LT and they have limited preparation time to make it all work.

I do think they will be very much run-first play action offence going forward and that will probably suit Baker, not so much OBJ and Landry.

 

I`m starting to think we will go 0-0 this season after reading an article about the logistics of playing a season while protecting players.

 

I tend to agree. If we are waiting on a cure for everything to be as it was then it's possible we will wear mask for rest of our lives. Still waiting for the Aides cure since the 80's. I don't see how the magic man can say the virus is all gone.

I'm OK with the other sports but I'll really miss NFL. Our division looks to be so interesting. I also am part of the 1/2 % who loves watching Golf. Really only two sports I miss.

 

There was an NFL.com article they other day talking about how much they are going to run the ball. Hunt was talking about their approach and what Stefranski did in MN. I'm sorry I don't see it. I know they want to run it but you don't draft Baker Mayfield, trade for OBJ, sign Hooper, have Jarvis Landry and David Njoku and then hand the ball off 50+ times a game. The fans won't like it, ownership won't be happy and those diva players will be at each other's throats.

 

I can absolutely see it. Minnesota ran the ball more than every team except Baltimore in 2019 despite having Diggs, Thielen and Rudolph to throw to, and I think that’s how Stefanski will operate in Cleveland as well. Chubb and Hunt might be the best backfield tandem in football so why not.

Stefanski will want to put his own stamp on the team, he didn’t sign OBJ or Landry, and as for Baker I think he might benefit from a strong run game taking the pressure off him given the difficult season he had in 2019. I think OBJ will be gone after next season, his face just doesn’t fit there.

 

I believe that they have a desire to pound the rock with a two headed monster in the backfield but I dont think it will last long for the reasons I gave. Everyone points to the year Minnesota had as why KS got the Cleveland job and what he will do but not many look past the initial numbers at what really was going on in MN. They ran the ball because that was the mandate from Zimmer he wanted to be a powerful rushing attack team. The fallout from getting that desire is Cook is talking about holding out if they don't offer him more money, Diggs wax unhappy and forced himself out of town, Rudolph who is a good receiving TE and only soso in blocking had another down year. Theilen who is a phenomenal player with the type of work ethic you build a team around was getting banged up trying to find open spaces for Cousins to throw to is now the top guy but just like Juju he is more of a slot possession guy than a true #1. Only two people got anything from the Vikings season last year, Cousins got a ridiculous extension for what he has brought to the table and Stefranski got a head coaching job based on the illusion that he was responsible for the Vikings potent ground game.

The personalities on the Browns will tear them apart. Outside of Chubb, Hunt and the Oline nobody will want traditional power football. They want high octane offense and Baker slinging the rock. They will be calling for heads by mid October if the season starts like mormal.

 

First, there will be a season in 2020. The NFL does nothing better than smell money. While MLB will slit its own throat as the owners and players squabble, and the NBA and NHL dink around, the NFL will play games on TV in before empty stadiums and make zillions from advertisers in a sports starved nation. And unlike the MLBPA and the NBAPA, NFL players are sheep, they will play.

Watched German Bundesliga soccer, they pump in crowd noise from somewhere, maybe only to the broadcast feed, but you'd think you were hearing the real thing. I'm sure the NFL is paying attention.

Second, while I don't think the Steelers will be a 7-9 team, I sense a lot of optimism from Yinzer nation, that I don't understand.

Ok, Ben is back! But what can you expect from a 38yr old guy coming off throwing surgery? Ben has been in decline for a few yrs, but because he threw 40 times a game, his totals looked decievingly good. I'll be surprised if Ben plays 12 games, and doesn't look worn out in December. If Mason or Duck or Paxton plays a lot this could be a 7-9 team.

I'm not betting on any rebound from James Connor. I don't doubt his training regimen, desire or work ethic. But I do doubt that he can give you even 8 games of ProBowl RB anymore. Maybe Bennie or MacFarland surprise, but that's a lot to ask.

The OL is in decline, and it might be an average NFL group by mid season. If that's the case this O won't be much better, even if Ben is healthy.

There's an expectation that this will be a great D. It's a lot better than in the past. But as the season went on, teams figured out how to play against them. Turnovers dropped,sacks dropped. Maybe they can counter that. But this D won't be scoring a TD once a game, like it did last year mid season, to salvage and sustain a weak offense. A good D? Sure. A great one? Not so sure.

I see this team 8-8 to 10-6, maybe catch a WC. Don't see them catching Balt for the div. but, if Ben misses half the season, the OL gets suddenly old, the RBs are average, and the D is only decent, 6-10, 7-9 is possible.


Flame away!

 

I agree in relation to the personalities and have made the same point above. I don’t like the mix that they have on offence, it’s awesome on paper but there are too many guys looking for carries / targets. If they are winning it may be fine but if they start slow the locker room issues are inevitable.

Baker slinging the rock in a high octane offence is fine in theory but if he is turning it over in big moments like last season that’s no good for the team. It’s an intriguing situation. I still think they’ll be run heavy but you make some good points and perhaps the outcome will be somewhere in the middle.

 

That’s not that unreasonable or controversial. 8-8 to 10-6 is about right, maybe 11-5 if they get some breaks in one score games. A lot depends on Ben, can he give them a full season and can he still play at a good / very good or even just efficient level. If he can there are reasons to be hopeful as everything should improve on offence with better QB play.

I don’t think anybody is expecting the defence to play at 2019 mid season level. They need to be solid and make stops and the odd big play, if they are a top 10 unit that’s fine. One thing that worries me is that they had a virtually injury free season in 2019 (bar Tuitt) and they are unlikely to be that lucky again. The depth in places on defence is very questionable.

Baltimore are the Division favourites and have the MVP but things rarely pan out as expected and they may come back down to earth a little as teams figure them out. The league is too good to let them run all over everyone again. If anything happens to Jackson they are completely screwed.

11-5 could win the Division if BAL / CLE / PIT split with each other and CIN take a win or two as well.

Whether it’s blind optimism or not I like to go in to a season with some hope, maybe I’m a glass half full type or something.