Beat Cincy and then rest Veterans/injured ?

Sitting them for two games is too much, especially the offense, which needs to work out some of its issues.

That said, if the Steelers beat the Bengals, Roethlisberger needs to sit Week 17. One week of completely resting that knee could help and shouldn't create too much rust.

I would turn Week 17 into a bye. Sit Pouncey, Villanueva, DeCastro, Heyward, and Haden. Maybe you let Tuitt and Watt start, but they come out quickly as well. Basically, treat it like the final game of the preseason.

 

I can see both sides of the equation here. It reminds me of a strong Raider team with Carr having great year. I think they were 13-3 and a SB contender. Carr got hurt for season in the second half of the last game which I think was meaningless and there went the Raiders SB chances.

Some people have told me a player doesn't want to sit out because it messes with his numbers which are needed come contract time.

 

Why not rest the veterans. We will be entering the the playoffs with a 12-4 record and probably lose to Cleveland or Baltimore in the first round of playoffs.

 

Don’t think resting anyone who is not injured is a good idea they are not computers programmed they have new players now player that need to gel with the team and you have an offense that needs works

 

It won't happen, you can't have these guys sitting for over 3 weeks waiting for that first playoff game. Also you can't just assume the Chiefs will win their last 2 games, they probably will, but the Steelers need to keep trying to win.

 

Ben said the report about his knee is phony.

 

Watch the last few games. It's not.

 

I guess it depends on if they feel the 2 seed is more valuable than the 3. Wouldn’t like our odds of going to Buffalo again. Also with the offense looking so horrible you can’t give them 2 full weeks off heading into a playoff game.

 

I think the starters will play against the Colts. The problem is the guy who really needs rest is Roethlisberger, but it is going to be hard to fix the offensive issues without him on the field. If they have at least the No. 3 seed, I think you have to sit him Week 17, even if it means going to Buffalo in the Divisional Round.

 

If Ben knee was that bad, he would be on the injury report with it.

 

These are good points. I typically don't advocate resting but we will have played a lot of games without a break.

The other side of it is that I think the league is on to the fact that we don't have a legit OC and we are pretty easy to defend as a result.

 

I haven't seen anything indicating he has a bad wheel?

 

I have never been a fan of resting starters. This is a team that needs to recapture its mojo in a big way. You can't do that while you are resting starters.

As long as there is still something to play for then you have to play all healthy starters. If by week 17 the Steelers are locked into the #2 seed, then maybe rest some guys vs Cleveland.

Keep in mind the Chargers are coming on. Chiefs will have a handful with them. Brees is back tonight. #1 seed isn't out of the question yet.

 

If he isn't missing practice time due to the injury, they don't have to list it. They did list it before the Washington game.

 

He isn't stepping into his throws. His mechanics are off, which is accounting for the inconsistency in terms of accuracy and the strength of his throws.

I'm not 100 percent sure on this one, but it seems like the offense is even more shotgun happy than usual. That could also be a way to protect his knees, sparing him the need to crouch and drop back quickly. The sore knee isn't just limiting his mobility. It is limiting the running game and leading to throws that are either inaccurate or lacking in his usual velocity. Check out the pick-six before the half against the Bills. That ball wasn't just a little behind Smith-Schuster. He just didn't get enough on it. That is something in his mechanics.

It is possible the elbow is bothering him, too, but I think the more likely option is the knee. I say that because he did briefly leave the Dallas game to check out his knees, and he missed almost all of the team's practices ahead of the Washington game due to knee soreness.

 

Realistically, it is.

The only way I would play the starters Week 17 is if the Steelers won the next two and the Chiefs lost the next two. Then the Steelers would just need to beat the Browns for the top seed. Otherwise, they simply need the rest too much at this point. We've seen the effect of having their bye week stolen from them and having to play the last three games in such as short span. Pittsburgh looks like a tired football team. They can turn Week 17 into a bye for their top players. That is more valuable than holding on to the No. 2 seed.

 

Ben is always a reliable source of useful and accurate information.

 

I'd pull Ben the 2nd half vs Cincy but otherwise I'm playing him all the way through. He just doesn't seem to play as well coming off a bye or rest week. I have no stats to back this up but the team always seems flat after a week off imo.

If I'm resting anyone, its Cam and Tuitt when the situation calls for it.

 

Technically, the Steelers don’t have to disclose the knee issue if Roethlisberger fully participates in practice and if he doesn’t receive treatment for it.

Whack

 

The limping?

 

For what it’s worth:

There’s serious concern in the Steelers organization about Roethlisberger’s knee,” Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported on Sunday. “It’s been bothering him for weeks and sources say it’s not getting any better, an issue in practices and in games.”

But as Abraham Lincoln said, don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

 

If he was healthy, I would agree with you, but Roethlisberger isn't healthy.

 

we've already lost the #1 seed to the chiefs...…. we currently hold a single game on the bills and only 2 games on the titans and colts...….
no way we rest anyone while those teams are biting at our heels

 

I had posted previously we should do this, but play the last 2 like a preseason game. Starters on offense need to play a while, show something good for at least a couple series, then pull them.

 

Boy SCNB, I am usually on board with your comments, this one I am not, Possibly the last game I may
depending on what KC does. I think MT will actively rotate players these next three games but to sit someone
probably not.