Expectations?

What do you expect out of the Steelers this year?

What has to happen to make you breathe a sigh of relief now that the bad apples are gone?

What has to happen to make you think that we are in for more of the same three ring circus?

For me, it has to be accountability!

No more game changing defensive penalties!

No more defense running around like chickens with their head cut off at the snap.

No more wrong routes by receivers.

Tomlin being a coach instead of a brother.

 

7-9

 

Nah, I see 10-11 wins and the division but after that it all depends on the side shows.

 

10-6 and a playoff run.

 

Good starting premise Stone, but you kind of choked on your list of grievances and pet peeves rather than projecting your actual expectations. So I'll start fresh - my honest expectations are average results at best. Anything beyond a .500 season will be icing on the cake. Every year since the last SB win I've "expected" them to finish at the top with all the talent they had, mainly on O - you know, just outscore the opposition! But last year taught me/us something very obvious - you can blow a half dozen would be wins just by screwing up minute intangibles - like inexcusable late fumbles, no-call/lame call penalties, a shanking kicker, and the list goes on and on. While it's noble to say games are not lost on one or two plays, last year defied that belief and they actually lost a half dozen games on one or two forgettable plays. But for those select unfortunate plays, they would have had a monster season, at least in the win column. Once upon a time one play defined/saved many Steeler epic victories - Immaculate Reception, #92's INT TD, BB's shoelace tackle after the Bus's fumble against the Colts.......so as Mick Jagger famously sang: "

"Take me to the station
And put me on a train
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again"

 

This is one of the first years in a long time that I don't know what to expect.
I'm stuck between they will be average and they might be better off.

11-5 or 10-6 I think would say a lot being the two of the most talented players we had, drama personas aside are gone.

But I could see 8-8 or 9-7 which I hope not.

If we stay generally healthy, James Conner stays healthy plays like he did last year. Some one else emerges as a WR threat. The defense plays better and generates turnovers. We play cleaner and Boswell bounces back.
Then we will have a better record than last season and make the playoffs.

 

Well put Troy (oh how we could use your namesake!). After an overall quite depressing forgettable season last year, I did not remember that they were 7-2 at one point and Conner was on his way to a 2000 yd season. Then Conner got injured and the proverbial wheels came off the buggy. Turning point?

 

19-0 anything less would be a disappointment

 

I expect them to finish with a better record than last year.
My hope is that getting some of the divas out the door will seize the problem with the team not being focused.
No excuses for Tomlin this year, he needs to have one of his better years as a coach.
A
finally I would like to see the offense try to run & control the clock while finishing drives. Take a little pressure off the defense. Not likely with Ben though.
Top 10 defense would be nice also.

 

10-6 or certainly 11-5 will win the division and I think that is realistic if the team can stay relatively injury free. James Conner is going to be very important on offence, Steelers were at their best when he was hitting his stride during the middle of last season, it opens everything else up when you have a dangerous runner like him. If they are relying on Samuels and the unproven Snell for extended periods I think it weakens the team a lot.

Defence simply has to be better!! They have invested heavily at ILB and CB and all the excellent guys up front are back. There is something really wrong if they do not improve in pass defence. Austin is an intriguing appointment and I hope we see the difference on the field.

One big question mark is the O-Line with Mike Munchak having left the building. Can they maintain the very high standards that they have set themselves? Time will tell.

Cautiously optimistic

 

It's not so much grievances and pet peeves as it is a strong dose of reality .... for me. My season might be defined early either way because it's all about getting beyond the circus.

In spite of being sick and tired of the three ring circus they are still the Steelers and still loaded with talent at some key positions. If you stir together the talent, the culture (not of late), the leadership potential, the ownership (not of late), the experience, etc. and bake it all up, it points toward 10-11 wins.

Shed the circus and it could be #7

Keep the circus and it could be 6 wins.

 

first 7-9 SB winner? lol

 

Make the field goals and extra points we used to count on and last year would have ended differently. We should be better on defense this year.

So we don't have the true number one receiver, we have two true number twos. We have some young players no longer being new to a starting role.

Coaching in the secondary and Austin's help with the defense in general I hope is enough to get us over the hump.

We don't have to rely on one of two players on offense, we have talent across the board.

We still have a very good o- line.

I'm going with 13-3 as always.

Team will be the winning formula this year not look at me guys.

I have faith in this team.

 

Only if Patriots automatically forfeit one of their lombardis... if Steelers pull off Super Bowl win at 7-9. 4 more playoff wins would be 11-9. Chances are better at winning the Power Ball lottery.

 

12-4

 

Yes, I think we tend to judge a whole season by the last result. Conversely, we tend to judge other teams on what they were like 4-5 seasons ago. Doing that can overlook some positives as well as negatives.

I think the sideshows were just that - small pockets of bad habits. To me, the negative light that’s put on the team should refocus both coaches and players into proving themselves, and so I definitely expect better play all around this year.

We can expect close games for most of the season. The issue is not individual divas or coaching styles, it’s getting the bloodlust back that tips the odds in your favour in those kind of games.

 

10-6 or 11-5

 

I think the Conner injury didn't help. Grimble attempting to destroy the Broncos defensive player and fumbling a for sure touch down for a touch back, cost us the Denver game. Then you had the inexcusable 2nd half at home collapse when they thought using Bostic to cover Kennan Allen would be good and then Sean Davis blows up Joe Haden trying to intercept the ball then it goes right to Keenan Allen for a TD. Crazy stuff. Then you have the Steelers can't win in Oakland issue, it doesn't matter who it is, your Grandma could be the QB for the Raiders and if the Steelers play in Oakland, your grandma will beat the Steelers. Then Boswell fell on his butt at the end of the game. Probably cause your grandma put the shiny couch cover underneath his feet.
The whole mojo turned, that 3 game slide was killer. Win just one Steelers would of been in the playoffs.
Then to beat the eventual Super Bowl champs at home.
Then should of beat a Saints team that should of went to the Super Bowl (if not for a terrible call) in one of the hardest venues in the NFL. Then Joe Haden getting called for the worst PI flag I've seen in 34 years of being on planet earth. Just Terrible. Couldn't get out of our way or catch a break the whole 2nd half of the season, outside of that New England game. Then AB no shows the final week and the D-I-V-O-R-C-E was on. Then we hardly beat the Bengals with your great grandma at QB.
It was just stab wounds the whole 2nd half of the season and I want to forget it but can't.

 

Boswell better be over his yips , he probably cost the team 3 wins last season.

 

As I have said before this season, 12-4 overall for me. 13-3 is the ceiling and 10-6 is the floor. A lot depends on Devin Bush.



Should he not prove to be a quick study.... well....

 

23-0 including a;; preseason game wins, or Tomlin is toast.

 

7-9 wins is realistic on paper. At this point in time, 10-12 wins would be huge. It all depends on health of football teams. No for sure games.