Still alive in week 17

Never would have thought that at 2-6, but glad they still are slightly alive.

That being said, the next time someone says it's early, there's a lot of time left when they blow a winnable game early, look only at this year

One play could have changed the whole season - what play you ask?

The late INT vs Miami on 2nd and 2 from the Miami 25 with around 30 seconds.

If that's a TD instead of an INT (and Johnson was arguably open), the Steelers right now are the 7 seed.


The turnovers in the red zone vs the Ravens is a close 2nd - 4th, if the Steelers win that game as they likely should have - they'd be the 8 seed (even if they lost to the Dolphins) but they'd be playing for a playoff spot and control of their own spot in Baltimore next week. Win that game and they'd have a win and in scenario vs Cleveland in week 18.

So yeah, one play even in October or November can certaininly change the whole season.

 

The Steelers had opportunities to win most of he games they loss. The Steelers made more mistakes in the losses than the opposition. It's difficult to win games this way.

 

Let's try to keep this in perspective please. We have only beaten teams with losing records except for week one against the Bengals. We have benefited from playing the weak NFC South. Now keep in mind I enjoy watching meaningful games but I do this with the knowledge that we aren't that good and being that we also have a losing record at this point, it's not worth getting overly excited about..... Yet!!!

 

It's almost like the NFL Gods want us to have a little more hope. Tua could have thrown the worse passes I've ever seen. He threw two right into the Packers hands. Dolphin fans got to be pretty PO'd today.

 

I have always been concerned with Tua's accuracy, he really needs to work on this. I said that when he was still in college at Bama.

 

The problem with the steelers since last year is that they never won by blowout,so every game is close and they have no margin of error.14 of their 16 wins since last year are by one score or less!

 

I take your point, but the OP was pointing out that even in a lot of the losses it came down to one or two key plays that could have done otherwise.

I’m not sure how much I invest in strength of opponent. The Patriots won multiple Super Bowls in a piss poor division - the wins still count.

I don’t think anyone is claiming the Steelers are a great or even good team right now. Still being in it at this point of the season is still a positive

 

Steelers are a mediocre football team that is better than the true bottom feeders. Problem is this year after year gets us 0 playoff success and lower draft picks. Stuck in neutral forever it seems. A rookie QB and TJ out for half the year as much as I can’t stand MT and his playoff failures you have to give him credit for an 8/9 win season.

 

Good point. For obvious reasons I hate the Patriots and I'd argue with their fans that that division they were in was an easy road to the Playoffs. They always pointed out that it's not the Pats fault the other teams can't keep up. I use to get it thrown in my face that the Steelers only had to worry about the Ravens. Why I cringed when Burrow became a Bengal. They best do it before Joey takes a ton of that salary cap money.

 

I agree, which is why I said...... Yet!

 

It is what happens when You are a one read,and run Qb...., or have You already forgotten the 4 should have been ints He threw at the Steelers that they decided not to catch.

 

or - THE football God -as in God-Ell, it is all fixed, yadda yadda yadda.

We are a .500 team, +/- a game or tow. 70% of the teams are right where we are. there are 5-7 really good teams, the rest are in the 70% category, with some 5 - 7 bottom feeders.

a nice bell shaped distribution curve, if you will.

 

I heard on 93.7 The Fan about an hour ago that Tua is now in concussion protocol and is probably not playing at the Patriots this week. Late in the second quarter he was knocked down and hit the back of his head on the ground. He didn't get checked out and played the rest of the game. After hitting his head on the back of the ground he went 7-13 for 82 yards and 3 interceptions. Today he was showing symptoms and went into protocol.

 

The team that we had, as a six seed in the playoffs, was special. This team now, doesn't belong anywhere near the playoffs. The nfl have a few elite teams left in each of the conferences and the rest ... waiting for trash day. Down season for competitive games

 

If Tua is out the last two games with the Patriots and the Jets it most definitely improves the Steelers chances of making the playoffs. They will have a hard time winning in New England and even beating the Jets with Teddy Bridgewater at QB.

 

Yea it’s frustrating to go back and look at those plays you just brought up. The 3 losses in a row after beating the Bengals to start the year to the Patriots, Browns and Jets in late September were just killers and it was at that time Tomlin was still playing games with Trubisky at QB and didn’t wanna go to Kenny Pickett. Those 3 losses I knew would haunt them at seasons end when it came to tiebreakers and getting in and it is really showing up right now.

 

It's that way league wide. I can't remember the exact number but the most recent year they went 13-3 they won a lot of those close games, the next year they lost just as many. I think the difference here is we just have no confidence the D can hold a lead, or the O can run out the clock..or move and get that last minute win. Yes it's happened against lower level teams a few times, but like you said it just would be nice to see some blowout wins now and then lol

 

Yeah, there's always those team that can do damage if they get in. We are not one of them. But hey, I'll take one more Steelers game in January

 

The Steelers making the playoffs doesn't seem as far fetched as it did a few hours ago. With Tua most likely out the next 2 weeks that really hurts the Dolphins. The Jets play at Seattle this week and will be an underdog there. The Patriots should beat the Jets at home this week but then have to go to Buffalo who will be playing for the #1 seed. If the Steelers win these final 2 games then they stand a decent chance at getting the #7 seed.

 

Patriots play the Dolphins this week.. not the jets

 

Patriots and Jets losses were avoidable. Those were the games that should have been won.

 

Yeah I see that I put the Jets instead of the Dolphins after I already mentioned that the Jets play Seattle this week. The bottom line is that the Dolphins could lose both games they have left if Tua is out and the Pats and Jets should lose at least one more. Of course none of that means anything if the Steelers can't beat the Ravens Sunday night.

 

So, I guess we want the Patriots to beat Miami to keep the slim hopes alive. It’s REALLY hard to root for the Patriots, especially given the low probability of the Steelers making the playoffs. Each year, I hope for the Steelers to win the SB. If that doesn’t happen, then I root for Patriots/Brady to lose and that can help to reduce the disappointment. There will be some consolation of better draft picks if (when?) Steelers don’t make the playoffs.

This year it seems unlikely the Patriots will go on a run given their QB/Offense. I am a bit worried and bout Tampa Bay making a run. They will likely make the playoffs (hope not) due to their horrible division. Their playmakers are starting to get healthy (Evans, Godwin, Julio Jones at WR and Founette, White at RB). This offense would be nearly unstoppable if they didn’t have an aging, Overrated QB who can’t throw more than 15 yards consistently. The Tampa Bay defense is very, very good. I am hoping Brady’s career will finish with an interception to knock them out if the playoffs.

of course I will end up hoping for a Steelers miracle no matter the odds…

 

I think its pretty moot... Steelers can blame themselves for going 0-4 against AFC East.
Heck just beat Patriots and Jets and go 2-2. They would control their fate. Two home losses one by 4 points one by 3 points.

But if you want to see a Miracle.

Have to see the Patriots take down the Dolphins...
Need Seahawks Beat the Jets.... but the Jets to not give up hope and beat the Dolphins in the final week.

But also need to not have the Bills wrap up homefield advantage. So kind of need the Bengals to take them down to have the Bills play hard the final week to take down the Pats.

Then of course Steelers have to win out.

But that is the bunch of craziness you need.

Who knows..

Which would put you in the final spot to either be destroyed by Buffalo, KC or Cincy in 1st round of playoffs. All teams you have to go north of 30 points to beat usually... which we have no ability to do currently..

But I do remember back in 2013 Steelers started 0-4 and got to 8-8 to end the season.
The last two weeks they needed like an 8 game parlay of games to go their way.

Then all did just needed one final game.. KC to beat the Chargers, and the KC kicker missed a 41 yard FG to win it (it should of been a flag on chargers too on the attempt that was missed), and then the Chargers won in OT and we got left out..