Just When I thought We Were Close

Hey Everyone.

You know this is eating away at me as to how close I think we were/are to maybe having to finally put this whole “Team” thing altogether. Each year for the past 5 - 8 (whatever the amount is/was) it was always about "we are young", "it is going to take time" for the defense to be “rebuilt”. This in reference to us losing key players like Harrison, Polamalu, Farrior, Ike, etc.

Now, it seems like we may be on the “Cusp” of finally putting a much improved Defensive Product on the field and the offense (which has carried us for so long) goes down for the count. It just seemed like yesterday we were stacked on “O”: Ben, Brown, Bell, Sanders, Heath, etc. I had not worried about the “O” for so long and now it seems that the total table of worries has been flipped.

To do what Ben did his rookie year was rare. I do not know if our current QB’s can even come close to that. I am trying to stay optimistic. I think Mason can be good But We Need Him To Be Good NOW if we are going to salvage this season. The same for Hodges.

I still think we can turn this thing around but the error of margin exists no more. That margin is over now in my opinion. In fairness to our QB's, no more "O" blunders, of any type, can be afforded either. These bone-headed catastrophes (take your pick) week in and week out (from veteran players at that) have proven to be oh so costly. We probably should be sitting in first place right now with one legitimate loss. Go Steelers! STEELWINDS

 

Steelers have improved in the secondary and ILB, IMO... while slightly declining at RB and WR. It's gonna take 1 or 2 more drafts and some FA acquisitions to compete with the AFC elite... Chiefs, Patriots, etc. I fear we'll get the LBs, secondary and D-line fixed, but our aging O-line will decline and it will take a few seasons to get the O-line back up to par. DeCastro is really the only sure shot, proven lineman that will be here 4-5 years from now. Pouncey and Foster are long in the tooth... and AV looks like he's taken a step back.

 

Yeah, there's going to be a full turnover on the OL in 2-4 years. Thankfully, all those big OL contracts will be gone, and Ben's contract, and AB's cap hit, and they didn't overpay Bell.

They'll have to pay Watt and Juju in a couple years but there should still be some money for a couple FA's to help out filling in spots.

 

The Fitzpatrick move I think is invaluable and has been paying immediate dividends. What a difference one new component is making in the “D”. It was necessary as this administration, for whatever reason, seems incapable of drafting and developing secondary personnel. It is more frustrating as our fearless leader is supposedly a “Secondary Guru”. This is why I have no problem in giving up that #1 for Fitzpatrick. Chances are, if we were to have used that #1 on the same position next season this administration would have fudged that one up too.

We are delivering on pressure, sacks, and turnovers. However, we are not capitalizing on “O” because of the obvious I stated about losing our key “O” members and having young QBs; which seems to have happened overnight. Field goals are not going to cut it. Also, the “D” seems to only be able to hang on for three quarters right now. So, even that is not a complete body of work yet.

The Steelers are going to have to modify their “Build through the Draft” mentality. I am not talking about abandoning it but rather amending it to some degree. They seem okay with drafting WRs but even that has seemed to have slipped with the last few drafts. In all fairness the jury is still out on James Washington and Diontae Johnson. Nevertheless, we need them NOW! STEELWINDS

 

Seems we're always in the "day late dollar short situation" as one group gets fixed but then another regresses. Good coaching finds ways to capitalize on our strengths and minimize the impact of our weaknesses. We are what we are an we will live or die by who we have on the team right now. Coaches need to figure this out and earn their pay as each loss now puts us 50% less likely to make the playoffs than we were before. I made the % up but it seems logical so I'm sticking with it. Beat Fins!

 

Hey Steel Hog.

Yes, I agree. Every team has deficiencies. Like you stated, good coaching finds ways to compensate. Our coaching staff does not seem to not be capable though. As I taught over the years, funding was always an issue for school districts which would trickle down to the classroom. The mantra from one of our bosses was "Get use to doing more with less". This is no different in any other business; including the NFL. We do not have enough fingers for every hole in the dike. This administration just does not seem to not be great at handling adverse multiple issues simultaneously. STEELWINDS

 

Just when I thought we were close, they suck me back in. OK not exactly the line from Godfather 3 but that line came to mind when I saw the title of thread.

 

It's simple.. The refusal to trade draft picks for position of need on defense while we had the 3 B's. Jones, Dupree, Burns, and maybe Edmunds. A lot of us were screaming it but Steelers way blah blah, stuck in the 60s or something to that effect. I'm sorry but if you HIT and get the best wr in 6th round and rb in 2nd. Go all in and trade picks for established defensive talent. Especially when we kept drafting bust after bust. It's not rocket science. But whatever, their strategy didn't work. Jones is long gone and Dupree/Burns on their way out. Lost somebody to a freak accident. That's 4 out of the last 7 1st round picks. Edmunds is questionable so it could be 5 out of 7. You guys can start the petition for me to be the Steelers GM next year at any point.

 

You got this right SDOT.

Yes, we were very fortunate to have gotten Brown and Bell. especially, Brown who was an unproven commodity. I felt good about him though as well as E. Sanders as I looked at their college stats. Yes, the good old "Steeler Way" (i.e., The Draft.) Yes, we should of went all in to shore-up the "D". As I stated in another post, the tables have turned from our "O" to being a strength compared to the "D" and now vice-versa given where we stand today.

The days of us completely drafting and developing our roster completely through the draft is gone with the dinosaurs. We may now be at the end of the road with our "O" given Ben's injury. In addition, we do not have the supporting "O" cast anymore. It seemed to have disappeared overnight as I mentioned in another post. No B, B, and B. Those are three major losses .... all in one season. All potential Hall of Famers.

In addition, the newbies have not proven themselves and are not even up to the same talent levels anyway. They may get there maybe not. One thing we do not have is time on our side. Let's face it the QB is the Hub of our team. Ben may be done. I really do not think so though. Personally, I really do think he will be back. Even with that though, he needs a supporting cast. Juju needs help. Washington, Connor and others need to grow-up fast and get their acts together. Soon enough, the O-Line is going to age away. Bell and Brown suck! They had it made here. Any problems they claim to have were self-fabricated. Two of the biggest idiots to have come through the organization. Love/Hate fest for me when it comes to those two. STEELWINDS

 

Steelers should have started drafting 4-3 D lineman and LBs after the loss to the Packers in SBXLV. 4-3 D can better contain Brady and Rodgers.... unless you have a Von Miller-caliber player at OLB in 3-4. Steelers haven't had that since Harrison was in his prime.

 

that SB loss i was ok since Steelers won 2 the past 5 years. I felt we would be back and win another one within a year or 2. Boy we fell off a cliff lol

 

Yep. Cowher's draft picks and free agents started to fade away starting in 2011. In hindsight, the team was never the same after that Super Bowl loss. I too expected them to return to the Super Bowl, but it never happened.

Many overlook the exit/retirement of Jason Worilds... this was huge. Steelers had to draft OLB. Worilds was a legit OLB and when he quit... Steelers started drafting to compensate for lack of talent on D and the downward spiral started. For the most part... early draft picks been a major disappointment along with some bad luck with Shazier.

 

yeah tell me about it. Team just could not get the pieces together

 

Not to mention DE are easier to draft than 3-4 LBs.

 

One dominate dline man can wreck havoc in a 4-3 with competent fellow linemen.

It usually takes two dominate linebackers to excel in the 3-4.

 

There you go again BBH, ragging on Cliff Stout again!