some odd statistical notes from this season

apropos of nothing, thought I'd post these notes from an odd and difficult season:

1- the team set a single season record for yards from the tight end position with 1,119.
2- this was the first season since 1990 that the Steelers had less than 100 points from their kickers
3- this was the first season since Rashard Mendenhall in 2010 where a position player (Antonio Brown) led the team in scoring
4- this was the fourth time the team went into the final game with a RB who had over 900 yards rushing (James Conner), but failed to reach 1,000 yards. The others- Franco Harris in 1981, Frank Pollard in 1985, and Jerome Bettis in 2004 (who was a healthy scratch that day).

 

You see this Boz? not good

 

9-6-1...missed playoffs...only stat that matters.

 

Next year 8-8 or 7-9 finishing 3rd or 4th in the division.

 

Next year:
Division 4-2
Afc east 2-2
Nfc west 2-2
Split the other 2
9-7

 

Sorry but we are a legit safety and a decent corner away from 13-3. That's not optimistic. That's a fact. First rd pick 20 or whatever it is has to be best safety available. MLB is a must 2.

 

ILB and a left guard would be good

 

They will not win more than 3 divisional games and two of the loses will be to the Cleveland Browns.

 

5. Mike Tomlin beat his own franchise record with an average of 7.9 inconsequential cliches per post game press conference. When asked about his record-setting performance this season, Mike chest bumped reporters and responded, "hambone!"

 

Nope. The fact is that the Steelers don't have the coaching skills to coach whoever they draft on defense.

 

and that is worth noting too- because 9-6-1 is the best record by a Steelers team that missed the playoffs.

 

Didn't we aquire a stable of safeties already? Edmunds could surprise us IF we get some better defense philosophy. Burnett could have a Haden like comeback. I would like a 1st round DB or Shazier 2.0.

 

How about 4 losses to all four teams in a single division?

 

I believe, without looking, that has happened before but I can't recall exactly when.

I do believe, without looking, that their 4-1-1 record in the AFC North is their best divisional record in a season where they didn't win the division.

I recall, after I posted in week 1 that the tie made all normal tiebreakers go out the window- another poster saying that we knew that tie would come back to screw us. And, that poster was 100% correct.

 

Nah...Finney won't miss a beat

 

At 19 or 20...We might be able to get the BEST ILB available! QB's, OLB's, CB's, S, OL's...could/ usually are...all taken before 1 ILB is taken...Usually

 

Pick up a solid DE and convert to 4-3

 

Agree!Every team loses to a team they had no business losing to once in a while, even the better teams in league but losing to the Raiders, Broncos, and having a 23-7 halftime lead against the Chargers and blowing that game is just unacceptable!

 

Was referring more about Davis. I had hope for Allen but didnt get to see. Edmonds will be good imo but we need a guy who can play the Ryan Clark role

 

Well I didnt mean this year. I mean if we get that fixed this is a scary team. Next yr can be 13-3 or better. No bell drama.

 

Thank you for this.

I’m thinking more thoughtful responses would have followed if time had passed rather than now when so many people were more interested in venting rather than thinking.

 

Well said

 

Was thinking about winning with offense vs defense so pulled some numbers figured I'd share.

YEAR Offense / Defense Diff Record (Playoffs)
2007 24.6 (#9) / 16.8 (#2) +7.8 10-6 (0-1)
2008 21.7 (#20) / 13.9 (#1) +7.8 12-4 (3-0) Won SB
2009 23 (#12) / 20.2 (#12) +2.8 9-7 (n/a)
2010 23.4 (#12) / 14.5 (#1) +8.9 12-4 (2-1) Lost SB
2011 20.3 (#21) / 14.2 (#1) +6.1 12-4 (0-1)
2012 21 (#22) / 19.6 (#6) +1.4 8-8 (n/a)
2013 23.7 (#16) / 23.1 (#14) +0.6 8-8 (n/a)
2014 27.2 (#7) / 23 (#18) +4.2 11-5 / (0-1)
2015 26.4 (#4) / 19.9 (#11) +6.5 10-6 / (1-1)
2016 24.9 (#10) / 20.4 (#10) +4.5 11-5 / (2-1) Lost AFCCG
2017 25.4 (#8) / 19.2 (#7) +6.2 13-3 / (0-1)
2018 26.8 (#4) / 23.1 (#16) +3.7 9-6-1 / (n/a)

Looking at their 4 best defensive years they made playoffs every time. Twice they made SB, twice, they lost in first round.
Looking at their 4 best offensive years they made playoffs 3 out of 4 times and only won a single playoff game.
All that said, what's probably more important is to see what the SB winning teams actually did so I pulled that too.

2017 Eagles 28.6 (#3) / 18.4 (#4) +10.2
2016 Pats 27.5 (#3) / 15.6 (#1) +11.9
2015 Broncos 22.2 (#19) / 18.5 (#4) +3.7
2014 Pats 29.2 (#4) / 19.6 (#8) +9.6
2013 Seahawks 26.1 (#8) / 14.4 (#1) +11.7

So, as much as this is a passing and offensive league, teams with good defense still win SBs. What was interesting to me was how dominant (other than Denver) this teams were with large point differentials. That's something the Steelers rarely do.

Sorry for all the #s.

 

Which is why they should’ve drafted defense instead of Washington and Rudolf