Dare I say it...

...the Steelers could have the inside track to winning the AFC and heading to the Bay Area for SB50.

I don't usually make bold predictions like this, certainly not this early, and it's not something I'd have said a few weeks ago. But the other AFC contenders are taking huge personnel hits.

The Steelers aren't.

The Pats are saying buh-bye to Wilfork and Revis. Those are significant hits on D. Vereen is gone, too.
The Ravens have lost Ngata, the stalwart on their defense, and WR Torrey Smith.
The Broncos have a new HC, an aging Manning, and will try to replace Thomas with Daniels. Good luck with that.
The Colts are...well, the Colts.
Same with the Bungles.

In other words, the AFC is looking really weak this year.

The Steelers, meanwhile, are seeing the offense return, and could have a rejuvinated D under Butler.

 

Love the post, but the same has been said for Peyton and the Broncs for a minute. The Ravens getting weaker supposedly already happened and it mattered not... The rest of theAFC is what it is. Like usual, it matters none if we can't handle our end.

 

Oh boy, maybe even a few more teams under .500 to play.


scruffy

 

We have no defense. Our run defense sucks. We have no pass rush. Our CBs are bad. We have no safeties. How many points are you planning on scoring on offense?

 

Yea, Our history of playing against weaker teams during the MT era doesn't bode well.

 

Well, I don't have a snappy response to that one. But...

Remember, the D fared better when Troy was out.
There are solid pieces pieces to build on, so maybe a glass half full approach can also be taken?
I am thinking (hoping???) that Butler is going to find better ways to utilize the talent the Steelers have.
Weren't each of your criticisms also common criticisms about the team that went to SB XLV?
Only NE's offense concerns me in the AFC.

 

I'm incapable of optimism. My cup leaketh.

 

Pats are still the overwhelming favorite going into next year. Wilfork will probably be back w/NE. Revis is great, but I still do not think he is great as he is made out to be. The Pats have some very good young players on defense that are starting to come into their own like Hightower, McCourty, and Collins.

Ravens already have Jernigan and Williams groomed to take over for Ngata. Trading him was brilliant and once again shows how well prepared the Ravens were to move on from him. The offense will be the bigger question mark for the Ravens, the loss of Smith hurts, as does Daniels - can Pitta come back healthy, is Forsett coming back? Is Flacco ready to truly step into a role where he can carry the offense (I still say no). Anyway - if they get their offensive questions mostly answered, I think they are the front runner for the AFC North as they have an easier schedule than Pittsburgh.

Broncos - Definitely look weaker, but people were writing off Brady after the Chiefs game this year and they they fortified the line and doubled down on the short/precise passing game that Brady likes better anyway. Writing off Manning seems a bit pre-mature, but we shall see.

Colts - like what they have done in FA

Bengals - still have Dalton as their starting QB and that seems to only get you so far

Steelers - hope and pray that Keith Butler can figure some things out, but man with McCain likely leaving and Worilds retiring they have massive holes on defense. Not that McCain and Worilds are great, but they are just so bare at those positions. Also the schedule alone puts them at a disadvantage.

 

I'm all about being hopeful & I'd give my left hand for Ben to get 1 or 2 more. I just don't see it happening this season.
Have you seen our schedule?
Maybe we could beat the Pats & Broncos & maybe Ravens & Bengals once. But you cannot count out the Rams, Cardinals, Chiefs, Chargers, Seahawks, & even the Colts. With the addition of Andre Johnson & Frank Gore, I think the Colts will be better than last season. Not to mention, we have our own problems & changes to deal with. I'd LOVE to be wrong though.

 

Where is the barf emoticon?

 

My buddy asked me last night who I thought had the best shot to win it all next year and I said Seattle overall but I think the AFC is wide open. I think we absolutely have the offense to do it IF the right guys stay healthy but our defense is still enough of a question mark for me to be hesitant on thinking we can win it all. I do know that one of my other buddies was telling me that he saw the odds in Vegas for next year and he said we had pretty good odds of it according to them.