Did we knowingly throw the season away?

We lost 3 starting offensive linemen (DeCastro, Pouney, and Feiler) and started the season with a semi-pro offensive line and with a 38yr old QB who can't move anymore. Did the front office and coaching staff think Ben gave us the best chance to be competitive? I just felt Ben was in there because it was his last season and not because he gave us the best chance to win. I've been a Steelers fan since 1974 and I can't remember a Steelers team that is bad as what I saw in 2021. Never seen the offense and defense so pathetic. I'm still puzzled at how we made the playoffs.

 

It is hard to say.

I don’t think Decastro’s injury, Tuitts absence, Vince Williams retirement, and JuJu’s or Alualu’s injuries we’re planned. Imagine if we had those guys all year?

But they clearly weren’t trying to be competitive, and were trying to transition. Not resigning Matt Fieler and Steven Nelson, and starting a rookie at center told me that.

If Ben had a run game and line like 2005, I think he could have still had success.

Mason had his chance against Detroit, wasn’t much better? What options did we have?

 

You forgot Villanueva

 

The big mistake was putting their faith in a patchwork offensive line with a first time coordinator. They made no effort to bring in help in free agency and didn’t select an offensive lineman until the third round of the draft. It was a reckless gamble and it backfired completely.

 

The Steelers did the best they could considering all the factors at play. For example, aging QB, an offensive line that was shuffled all season due to injuries, Dline injuries, limited cap space, ect.

The Steelers were out matched by the Chiefs. What was clear is the Chiefs' offensive speed vs the Steelers defense and the overall lack of respect they had for our offense.

The Steelers have a lot of work to do in the off season. At least they will have some money to upgrade areas of the team. Which areas they choose to up grade and player availability will be key. 1st upgrade should be on the offensive and defensive lines. QB of the now and future should be addressed if possible or draft luck falls the Steelers way.

 

The biggest issue was center. Ignoring the issue and dragging Pouncey along and Ben. I get they thought Pouncey and Ben would go together. Pouncey was terrible his last two years. I just don’t get drafting and developing a center. Maybe they value the center/QB connection over it? I don’t know seems stupid to me because of exactly what happened this year.

Then covid. I still think Ben maybe retires last year if he had a proper send off from fans.

Then paying Juju over solid corners when they got a backlog of WRs and Washington. Honestly that was the non Steeler move that told me they weren’t serious about winning. More worried about selling tickets for Bens final year.

 

I can't believe we went 4-2 in our division.

 

Hey they didn't ignore the issues. They addressed as many issues as they could. In an ideal 1970's football world before free agency and salary cap teams could stash players.

I don't think Pouncey or Ben were terrible their last two seasons. But when you tie money/cap space into players what can you do as an organization? Go with the players you paid.or go wish lesser players?

Some people need to SIMPLY understand that teams have a difficult time having better players behind current starters. Some fans remain stuck in stupid regarding the salary cap, the draft, and player availability. In short, some fans love to MMQB the Steelers decisions as if they could have done better. It's laughable.

The Chiefs were clearly the more talented and better team. Some how the Steelers coaches put in a game plan that kept the game close early with all the Steelers " warts" on offense and defense.

I never expected the Steelers to win vs the Chiefs. I was surprised that the defense kept the game with in reach until half time.

Not one coach or coordinator could had gotten more production out of this Steelers offense considering the OLINE and over all QB play.

 

It truly is amazing considering the Steelers were last or close to last in almost every statistical category. This season was an incredible achievement to make the playoffs.

 

I thought in the playoffs Ben was going to go all out yet he was still doing that 3 yard BS. We can blame Canada all day long but by week 19 Ben would have done something. I think that’s all he had left.

 

This. I don’t think they necessarily have a bad offensive line, but they have a very green offensive line. It was on job training, in front of a QB who is about as mobile as a statue. It took away longer passes because there wasn’t any time for them to develop. With a whole season gone by, there have been some answers as to who can play and who can’t. I am impressed with LeGlue and I think he will stick (nyuk nyuk).I hope they get rid of O’Chloroform and Trai Turnstile. I think Turnstile was only signed to a 1 year contract and is now done? Oline should be better next year.
They had a good oline a few years back, but the flip side of getting everyone good at once is that they all wear out at once.

 

The biggest problem was the Steelers where in cap trouble, they had to start so many rookies out of necessity. Throw in DeCastro knee being a problem, Vince Williams retired, Tuitt never played. Allauh went down early. Lost Juju for the season.

They are going to be in better shape going forward. Fitzpatrick will need locked up. They got to figure what is going on with Tuitt he takes up a lot of cap space, but still has 2 years on his deal.

I thought they should give a 2nd contract to Johnson but now witnessing his drops increase over the last 3-4 games it has me worried. Guy has all the tools to be really good, but can't drop balls.

 

I'm sorry I know everyone likes to go Muuuuuuuuth and all but drafting a TE the second round instead of better oline help was a mistake. At some point your more pressing issues have to take priority.

 

It was a down year for us

 

Re cap room, they could have cut Ebron, they could have let Juju go etc. As it is they had nearly $10m in cap room left over as well.

I think they could have made a better effort at addressing the OLine but they chose to prioritise other areas with the resources they had. Hopefully Green and Moore kick on and become long term starters.

I like Muth too, and I acknowledge they had a lot of needs

 

I think fans tend to forget that the NFL has a hard cap. There is only so much you can do getting talent. Especially the right talent.

Remember, there has never been a team who's paid their QB 30 mil per that's won a super bowl. I think that record will be gone this year but it's a telling statistic.

That statistic means teams need luck to win it all and a very good QB to great QB.

A Belichick team got waxed this weekend like the Tomlin Team did. In the end, the NFL week is as fickle as 4 year old.

Oh, and injuries. Yes, that plays a part. And the NFL just stuck another 2 games(1 reg, 1 playoff) into everyone arse to make things even harder.

So, my advice to you all, get used to this kind of life in the NFL. Unless you have all world QB and a decent coach, you don't really know who's what where and why. Just have to hope all the scenarios fall perfectly in line otherwise it's over.

 

Please remember this was what our O-Line should have looked like after the Draft.

LT= Chuk/Moore
LG= Decastro
C= Green
RG= Dotson
RT= Banner

Losing Decastro was a huge blow, but he was replaced by Turner.

Green probably would have been better if he could have played with Decastro and Dotson all year.


The Detroit game told me the Steelers were right and I was wrong in bringing Ben back for another year. I learned what everyone else already knew; Mason and Canada will never be ready for the NFL.

 

No. As great as Watt and Heyward are, the rest of the talent is very underwhelming. Part of that is mediocre drafting and part of it is a result of cap decisions made in previous years.

This roster was designed to be essentially blown up last offseason and it was. The Steelers lost a lot of vets because they didn’t have the cap space to re-sign them.

The fact they managed to make the playoffs with the roster they have is a bit of a miracle. Unfortunately I think it’s going to take a few years to fix the team, but that’s the reality most NFL franchises face. I know there are those that expect the Steelers to compete every single year, but that’s not the way the league is designed to work.

 

They could have kept Hilton or Nelson even with Smith-Schuster. People need to stop trying to sell the false narrative that claims otherwise. It simply isn't true.

 

I was not a fan of bringing Ben back this season. I think it set us back QB wise, plus the cap could have been used for needs.

 

Everyone knew the O-line was going to be bad. I'm guessing they didn't think it would be this bad.

They had high expectations from our WR's. They totally failed. We had high expectations from Bush and Schubert. They totally failed. The O-line and WR issues led to Ben struggling to do anything well. No running game destroyed our passing attack ....and the WR play just put the nail in our coffin.

The sad truth is the front office and MT actually thought we had a good team this year. Last time we were this bad we knew it was a rebuilding season. This season was a just a failure all around. top to bottom. Next season is actually our re building season. We will have a new defensive staff. We better have a new OC as well. If we don't then I just don't know what to say.