Successful Season

Let’s say the Steelers go 11-6 and lose on the road in Rd 1 would you consider this a successful season? I feel most of us predicted anywhere from 8-10 wins but many also had the caveat of winning a playoff game as an important indicator for this year. We started 10-3 greatly overachieving initial predictions but if we stumble into the playoffs and lose Rd 1 will it be considered a good year?

 

I would say no. I think most would say that winning a playoff game would make this a successful season. Personally, I feel like this team has the roster to be legit Super Bowl contenders. I would say anything less than an AFCC appearance would be a disappointment. My expectations are higher now than they were in the offseason.

 

no. you play for one thing and that's #7.

 

I don’t care about winning a playoff game.

 

When you have had as little success as we have had recently in the postseason wouldn’t you view that as a stepping stone or building block moving forward?

To be fair just like I rag on the regular season 500 streak and a parade I understand winning one playoff game is not the goal either.

 

To me it’s successful in that the team has taken a step or two forward. There are still a couple steps to go before they’re true contenders. It should have been abundantly clear before the game against Philly that this team still has work to be done. After that game nobody should have any doubt. To me winning a playoff game is nothing more than a participation trophy.

 

Winning one playoff game would be a major stepping stone and definitely be a successful season. Talks about winning #7 isn't going to happen for a while with the AFC loaded with top tier QB's. Allen, Mahomes and Jackson are going to be battling for a Superbowl spot for years to come. The only way teams like the Steelers, Chargers or Texans have a chance is if they win a couple of playoff games and then face one of the top 3 teams in the AFC championship game and their QB gets hurt early in the game. If the Bengals ever improve their wretched defense then they always have a chance with Burrow.

 

That doesn’t sound very promising if we are hoping for a QB injury.

 

Agreed, but realistically we don’t have the talent to win a SB, so I’ll take a playoff win.

 

With Buffalo and Kansas City lurking out there, and if we draw either... the chances are slim.
While Pittsburgh has played much better than expected, I don't know if they are capable yet of 'pulling off the major upset.'

This stretch of 4 games is a character builder. They already dropped the first one.
Run the board and go into the playoffs hot would be the ideal scenario - win the division, get the #3 seed.

 

It's not promising. The Steelers have no window for the next few years as long as Mahomes, Jackson and Allen are healthy. Look at the talented and very good Chargers team a decade ago with Philip Rivers, Tomlinson, Gates etc. They were a playoff team every year but they had to go through the gauntlet of Brady, Manning and Roethlisberger and couldn't get past that trio. That's where the Steelers are now for the next several seasons.

 

Thanks Karl for starting this post. Success means different things to different people. I am a little long in the tooth at this point in my fandom. I love the Steelers and will bleed black and gold as long as I live. I remember the bad times of the 60's and glory days of the 70's. Since those times it has really been a roller coaster ride. As for me, the saddest time as a fan is when the team is in decline. I hated seeing the seventy Steelers gradually decline. On the flip side, I become the most excited when I see the team building something special. Many may disagree, but I see something in this year's version of the Steelers that gives some optimism. The offensive play calling and execution seem better than recent years. The last two drafts seem pretty good to me (i.e. Mike Webster 2.0). I like the way this team responds to adversity because that is a trait of championship teams. Don't flame me, but I believe this to be Tomlins best year of coaching even though he sucks at challenges and time out management. So yeah, it's not the streak of no losing seasons, or immediate playoff success; but in my estimation I believe the Steelers are in the process of becoming relevant again in the not-too-distant future.

 

I think the 8 win people were "doomers" to begin with. We have a massively talented roster. We may not have a healthy OL or a WR2 this season, but we still have plenty enough talent to win 11-12 games. We're also too talented to accept just a playoff appearance as a successful season. Its a good start, but winning at least one playoff game is what I would consider a "win". Obviously I'd like to see us win all the playoff games, but that is more about playing your best at the right time and a bit of luck. The best team doesn't always win it all. We are more than good enough to do so though.

 

NOPE

no playoff wins and no success

much of what we have all come to expect.

 

I don't think Kansas City's team this year is better than ours. They're actually constructed very similarly to ours. Good defense and hope to get enough from the offense. Their OL is just ok, their weapons are meh with Rashee Rice injured (Pacheco is better than Najee, but Pickens is a lot better than Hopkins at this stage and the rest of their WR room is similar to ours. Kelce isn't what he used to be either). Their defense is better at not allowing yards than ours, but ppg is pretty similar... we have nearly double their takeaways though. I think we would fare well against them with a healthy Pickens and Watt (and I expect us to beat them on Christmas). We do need Pickens though. Going to be hard to beat any team worth a damn without him.

Buffalo is the team to beat in the AFC, and tbh is probably the team to beat in the whole league with all of Detroit's injuries.

Tier 1
Buffalo,

Tier 2
KC, Pit, Balt,

Tier 3
Hou, Den, LAC

 

the name of the game is WINNING, when it COUNTS. Mike does not do that, so another year of a first round playoff loss is a failure.

Highest paid defense in the LEAGUE SHOULD get you into the playoffs when 43% of the teams get in....

some just love AVERAGE.

 

I don't know how we can see this season as taking a step forward if they don't win a playoff game. It would seem like more of the same. Sure, they made progress in some areas, but what really looks better? They got more from their quarterback, and he is not signed for next season and he is not a long-term solution.

 

The Chiefs had a more complete roster, but they lost their top two receivers. Rice is out for the season and Brown is just now coming back.

 

dead last by some, but not all.

DEAD LAST in a division that was SUPPOSED to be dominant, but it is not.

CLE is being......CLE. Watson SUCKS, most of us here know that.

a successful season under TOMLIN cannot be defined with ONE AND DONE. that is not success.

 

Normally, those franchises like Kansas and Buffalo for example...
They build solid then go and get that QB.
Once they have them, they have a window and within that window they keep adding pieces, because of attrition or just needing that extra piece that gives them that shot.
I like how the Bills readjusted that roster after last season.
KC has made some decent adjustments; they just haven't really played well which could be simply for the fact that they are the big dog in the yard and everyone plays them harder.

But those 2 QB's are playing lights out.
We've got to solve that problem, and for Christ's sake, if you need a WR to up your chances a little - GO GET ONE.
I feel like that as the deadline was approaching, they should have been figuring "Hey, we might have something here."