Anybody else dumbfounded on the amount of holes we have?

Exactly. A good Scheme, Good Coaching and Good QB are really the Antedotes to success in this league. Everything else is just making up for not having one of those other three key elements.

 

Same applies to ILB that does at OL. Some players pan out, some don't. Big IF, but IF Holcomb does come back 90-100%, Holcomb, Roberts, Queen is a pretty good 3-some to have. 2nd big IF is Alexander. That would be a fearsome foursome at ILB. Robinson has played well at times but his skill set is more useful on ST. My opinion.

 

I hope they bring back Alexander. Wouldn’t mind seeing them bring in Dupree and Sutton at Slot CB. Then draft your Perimeter CB in rd 3 or 4. I like that kid from Boston College Elijah Jones CB. He is a baller.

 

they change many of these guys. You have to have enough to get through the preseason for sure but there are a few that they keep bringing back. Dez Fitzpatrick is one example. Mccullom. These are guys that are like the emergency qb. If it came down to it they would be familiar enough to get a spot if they had too. Dez got some time a few years back.

 

I wonder if Mason Cole and Steelers have a handshake agreement that he waits to see how the draft shakes out before signing anywhere?

I'm surprised he hasn't signed on anywhere, and I'm surprised we are going into the draft with a glaring hole there.

 

It's simple. This is what happens when you don't draft effectively. Colbert started well, but the last several drafts of his tenure were really horrible. Yes, we have a few players that were his, but ask in all the results are not great. Far too many times we drafts for need, not by the quality of the players available. These are the players that should be able to rise up and take over positions, even if they are not superstars. In the end, it was really poor use of draft capital (Bush trade for example) and not looking ahead to replace future holes (not prioritizing a real successor to Ben).

 

we got away with 10-7 because we had an easy schedule. We have to improve on a few positions, like C, ILB, and DB’s, not to mention Qb, just to tread water this year.

 

Overall I think they've done pretty good considering the circumstances. Dionte being traded is still the biggest mystery to me which probably has more to do with behind the scenes stuff, possibly contract, and need for corner obviously.

I was also surprised they weren't apparently more aggressive in FA to get a veteran center. I guess they feel very confident they will get one of the top ones. Please please please don't so Kendrick Greene 2.0. Not to be offensive but think Pouncey. Center is not a position any lineman can play.

Overall I like Khan and what he's doing. People are going to complain irregardless.
I will say Dotson's development post Steelers stings a bit.

Go Steelers!

 

His whole last 5 years stunted the Steelers. Should have started QB transition in his 13th year, he was a shell of his old self. He took a beating
and was physically unable to play championship football.

 

I believe this is saved for draft picks.

 

all teams go thru messes. all of them.

we are an excuse factory in Pittsburgh, and most of us as fans are myopic, jaded. Great coaches help their teams overcome.

our organization, not so much.

We have underachieved for ~15 years.

We are certainly not bottom feeders, we just underachieved when we should have been pressing for #7, and we are now behind the 8 ball in large part b/c Colbert had NO PLAN for transition and b/c Rooney thought Tomlin was the guy to lead us into the Ben-less era.

mistakes in my opinion.

Tomlin should have been held more accountable for the Canada and Pickett disgrace

PS - yes, the Tuitt situation sucked. what he did (and I get all that he went thru) it sucked. He set us back with very poor communications. We relied too heavily on a young kid that went thru tragedy. another management poor move.

 

I know I’m late with the pedantry

But if we were dumbfounded we’d have nothing to say

So the existence of the thread is a paradox

 

hmmmmmmm



very existential thought there

 

packers, ravens twice, cinci twice, rams, cleveland twice, 49'ers, buffalo, jacksonville not really an easy schedule. those were playoff teams, except for cinci, but they were not far removed from a deep playoff defending team. seattle as well.

 

This is why your going to see Houston as the new Darling of the NFL. Jackonsville and Buffalo may be falling back. The Ravens just can not get over the hump. They remind me of the 90’s Steelers under Cowher... alot of talent but just can’t win the big games. Lamar either craters or the team around him craters when he is playing well in the big games.

 

that....and a HC that has his limitations and gets out-coached......like Cowher did.

 

WHO KNOWS!

tons of holes, still

he and Khan have their work cut out, that is for sure.

we can't compete.......YET - but I think we will be in good shape come June 1!

 

We can only play the schedule that is given to us.

 

When for over a decade the most pressing need has been a good head coach our current needs are not surprising . Colbert started good ,was his decline connected to tomlin having more power? The lack of discipline because the H.C is you buddy? I.M.H.O. until we get a no nonsense H.C .we will be the swiss cheese team of the N.F.L

 

Cowher got too conservative sometimes when we had a lead. It was a recipe for success however with the lone exception being against high powered offenses. He as Tomlin struggled against Belicheck and Brady. They really had Lebeau’s number as well. We always played zone against Brady and it made no sense he would carve us up. I can understand wanting to play zone against a running QB like Lamar because you don’t want to turn your back on them in case they run but I never understood why we played Zone against Brady.

 

Well they are much higher on Dan Moore than we the fans are. Maybe they are high on some of the OT Depth and developmental pieces as well who knows. I think Tomlin really likes Donte Jackson as well so in their mind perimeter CB is set. But in reality I just think it is all a smoke screen because they don’t want to play their hand. It is pretty obvious they are most nervous about WR based on their desire to do a trade for one. I think they realize that they need more veteran leaders on that side of the ball so perhaps that is also what is attracting them to veteran WR’s. Regardless it is going to be hard to fill all of those needs with starters in just the draft alone.

 

Cowher had an extraordinary record when he was ahead by 11 points or more in a game...Like 110-1-1!

 

Not even a little.