BELIEVE in Dilfer's surprise team for the Super Bowl:)

At least if we get into the playoffs, the Raiders,Titans, and Browns won't be there.

But the Broncos and Ravens will be.

We still have a long way to go, but we have to get healthy and improve. If we do that we can hang with anybody anywhere.

 

You keep harping on the Raiders and Titans while over looking the Bengals, Redskins, and Giants which all happened after the Raiders and Titans losses. Those 3 wins were all great quality wins. Two on the road against really good football teams and a complete drubbing at home of a decent team that they should have drubbed. This team was starting to move away from those losses (Raiders, Titans) and really get their wheels going when Ben went down half way through the KC game.

I am just preferring to look at the most recent history of this team at (nearly) full strength and anticipating what will happen when they get back there, while you cant get past 2 games that happened two months ago even though they've greatly improved since those 2 games.

 

I'll get past the two games that happened 2 months ago when the Steelers start beating teams they should beat. No way the Steelers should have lost to the Raiders, the Titans and the Browns, but they did. To me one of the hallmarks of a good team, a championship caliber team is that they win the games they are supposed to win. The Steelers have been very inconsistent in that category and unfortunately, that has been an all too common occurrence with Mike Tomlin. Not sure if it's a lack of preparation or what, but they all too often come out flat against mediocre teams, allow them to hang around and then find a way to lose it in the end. I'm still hopeful that the Steelers can turn this thing around, but my glasses aren't quite as rosy as yours seem to be.

 

This is the NFL. During the course of a season all teams lose games they 'should' win. Read my posts on pg 1. The Packers lost to 3 sub .500 teams 2 years ago. And the Giants 4 games to .500 or less teams last year including TWO to the 5-11 Redskins. If anything recent history shows that the team that gets healthy and hot at the right time...down the stretch...is often the team that wins the SB. Look at 2011, 2010, 2006, 2005. I think the Steelers have the potential to be that team this year given they get healthy and considering how they were starting to play just before Ben went out. Trent Dilfer agrees.

As far as the Browns loss? Really? Im not sure that ANY team in the league could win a game with their 3rd string QB starting. If anything I see keeping it close the way they did despite the QB and the uncharacteristic 8 turn overs as a positive.

 

BB, I truly hope you're right. I really do. Maybe I have the tendency to think too negatively at times but I really get po'd when I think about what a hole the Steelers have dug themselves. Had they simply beaten the teams they should have beaten this year, they'd be sitting pretty with a divisional crown easily within their grasp at 9-2. Instead, they'll be scratching and clawing the rest of the season to sneak in as a wildcard at the number 6 seed. I know lightning struck for the Steelers back in 2005 when we ran the table but I'm not optimistic that lightning is going to strike again in 2012. Sorry.

 

Aren't you then calling yourself a prognosticator? Or maybe just a better prognosticator then Trent Dilfer?

Either way, Groundhog Phil, the question is why are they?
Trent Dilfudd (spelled correctly) is doing a job where there are at least 32 topics to talked about.

Either way, I agree. This team has run written all over it. With both sides of the ball getting healthy. The Oline that has been coming together; oh and we get our Number 1 draft pick as a back up on rotation, sounds great.

I think it took the Offense a few more weeks then the Defense to get up to game playing speed. This team was controlling the ball and limiting turnovers ala the Giants game. Ben TD to INT is 17-4. That pace is for about a 30-8 that is a great year. Lets face it, the Vets play very little preseason and get very little game speed practice.

We have a softer season after this game, hopefully. If we make this game a decisive victory, in Baltimore, this will change the entire season.

From,
Steel City

 

Man, that makes me feel a lot better.

 

I wish I was optimistic as you guys....after last week, the way we just FAILED to show up. I just dont know. If Ben does not come back this week, Im not feeling too great about our chances.

 

The Steelers are going to beat the Ravens on Sunday. I hope you're all ready for that.

 

I don't know. I just can't look at this current Ravens team, record be d*mned, and say I'm afraid we can't beat them. We almost beat them 3 weeks ago - and a sucky Chargers team almost beat them Sunday if not for some stupidity on the def. coordinator's part. They can be beaten - this isn't the same feared Ravens D from seasons past. I just don't buy into the hype.

Steelers win.

 

You're right that we've almost beat them and so did the Chargers. The only problem is that for whatever reason they SUCK on the road but they are REALLY hard to beat at home. Does that sound like another team you might know something about?

 

Unfortunately. But I'm hoping they've sacrified a bunch of chickens this week or something to get rid of that problem.

 

Agreed about what our D needs to do. Our road issues aside, keep their 38 pt home avg in perspective - those games were against Cincy, Cleveland, NE, Dallas and Oakland. Not exactly league defensive powerhouses when it comes to ppg (all averaging 22+ with Oak being 32+, and they scored 55 against them).