538 says Steelers are lucky to be 8-0

Of course Fivethirtyeight also failed miserably to predict the 2016 election. As did most of its quant peers. From experience quant guys tend to just rely on their numbers instread of using them as a guide to learn what is actually causing certain results. I think 538 is failing to apply qualitative information to temper their quantitative results. Yeah, there has been some luck. But I firmly believe luck happens to those prepared and skilled enough to take advantage of opportunities. The Steelers' comebacks have been excellent examples. In any case have a read below if you like.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/feature...torically-lucky-so-far-the-chargers-have-not/

 

Have to agree with 538 on Steelers... they are lucky. And yeah, 538 laid a serious egg in 2016 and totally dropped the ball on the House and Senate races in 2020.

538 has some interesting articles, but most of what they say... I take with a grain of salt. Most polls are a joke.... especially the ones in the rust belt states.

 

In before this is misconstrued and shut down as a political post....

 

You can nitpick wins across all teams in all sports and chalk it up to “what if’s” and “luck”. Bottom line is nobody has been good enough to beat us yet. That simple.

 

I think both sides of the aisle can bash 538. This shouldn't be political at all. 538 is not as accurate as they claim to be... and that's the truth.

 

To me, it`s all about the schedule and WHEN you play a particular team. In other words, I believe any good NFL team could substantially have their record improved if their very same schedule was rearranged to ideally fit their level of play for any given week.

I think we hit the lottery this year. We started off with weak opposition like we needed and gradually the quality of opposition increased as our level of play increased. If we started the year against the Titans and Ratbirds, we would have started 0-2. So yeah, we have been very lucky.

 

I rather be lucky than good lol

 

What garbage. Can't use math equations to predict or explain anything that has to do with so many variables engaged in sports. Each player is a variable, as well as the schedule, weather, injuries, viruses, venue playing in, etc. My equation of this is these are a bunch of journalists who can't do anything else in life trying to create something that they think is something out of nothing to get a paycheck.

 

I have watch hundreds of games in my life that could have went either way.

Do I think the Steelers have got lucky, hell yes but every top team this season has had luck at some point.

 

Who the heck is 538?
I listened to some yahoo on the radio yesterday telling the world how bad a 5-3 Colts team was and that the Titans were going to win big. This guy is supposedly some professional gambler. Well, that didn't turn out to be anything but hogwash. The same guy also predicted whether Ben plays or Mason starts it doesn't matter, the Steelers are going to lose to the Bungles this week. We shall see but right now the Steelers are 8-0 and it really doesn't matter how they got there at this point. The Steelers may be the worst and most lucky 8-0 team the NFL has ever seen but it doesn't take away from the fact that they are still UNDEFEATED.

 

What's the definition of lucky in relation to a game of football? Is it a fumble? A missed field goal? An injury? Could 'luck' be those? Couldn't it also be lucky to completely dominate a team? Pass for five touchdowns? Run on a team for over two-hundred yards?

What is luck? It's the worst definer for a sporting event as it has zero boundaries.

One thing is without argument and that is every team, by their definition, has been lucky. Then you have realists that look at statistics and win/loss records. So does it really matter if you were lucky?

 

Chiefs jumped power rankings after saying Steelers barely beat a bad team.


I guess beating Carolina by 2 and allowing 30 points to a Carolina team 23rd in scoring means you’re unstoppable lol

 

Steelers don't do well vs. 3rd and 4th string QBs. It's been that way for a while now. Even with an improved defense.

 

Same type of rankings that had Chase Claypool ranked the 17th rookie of this year (was on nfl.com tuesday -- "Top 25 rookies")

 

It's easier for those that hate the Steelers to say they are luckier than good. I've watched all eight games and from what I've seen they are good enough to take advantage of the luck they've had, just like all good football teams do.

 

jeh1856 says the Steelers are lucky to be 8-0

But they are 8-0

 

Good teams find a way to win close games which is what the Steelers have done all season so far. “Almost losing” to “this team” or “that team” Isn’t the same as actually losing. These hacks pretty much need to get use to it too because this Steelers team isn’t losing more then 1 game more then likely the rest of this season.

 

Who is 538 and why does anyone care what they think/ say

 

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Ok I thought maybe I was the only one who didnt know who/what 538 is....

 

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

 

I like to point to the 17 and 18 seasons. In 17 Boz was good and many games came down to those points, we had a good (but unfulfilling year), the next year we did not get those 'bounces' in nearly the same amount of close games...and Boz sucked, we did not make the play off's.

Look back to 1994 AFC: "The Chargers scored 14 unanswered points in the second half to upset the heavily favored Steelers. In one of the greatest games in his career, Junior Seau recorded 16 tackles while playing with a pinched nerve in his neck.[12] Although Pittsburgh held advantages in total plays (80–47), total offensive yards (415–226), and time of possession (37:13–22:47), it was San Diego who made the big plays." We had a chance in the last minute but they held.

1995 AFC Championship game:
" On the game's final play, Harbaugh attempted a hail mary pass which he lofted high and came down into a crowd of players in the end zone; the ball momentarily was against the Colts' WR Aaron Bailey's chest but it hit the turf before he could haul it in.

The Colts were the first No. 5 seed to advance to a conference championship game since the 1990 playoff expansion. Harbaugh completed 21 of 33 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown.

The game was featured as one of the NFL's Greatest Games as 60 Minutes. It marked the end of a thrilling and hard-fought season for the Colts, in which 15 of their 19 games were decided by one score, including three that went into overtime"

It truly is a game of inches.

 

Exactly why the power rankings are just nonsense. Just like my above post, the Colts in 15-19 one score games, get hot and are one completion away from the SB, or our 2005 run. We would not have been at the top of the power rankings, yet I distinctly remember a lot of commentators saying we were probably the most feared team going into the playoffs. Needed 3 road wins, yet really had nothing to lose.

 

It’s all about Personal and match ups in today’s NFL. I think we can play with KC. The only part is that Patrick can make plays with his feet...and that worries me, if we face them.