Remaining schedule

I think they will be alright on defense, even after losing Bush they will use a combination of different players and packages.

 

There was some talk about bush not getting a great start this year. Undoubtedly, when everyone around you is making plays, your opportunities are limited. Having said that, he played a key role stopping Saquon. Really need him against Lamar. But, long term, maybe sometime watching will help increase his presence on the field. Looking for a bright side here.

 

Took a look at the standings, there are 8 teams in the AFC with less than 3 losses. Steelers play of the remaining 11 games, 6 are against teams with less than 3 losses at this point.

Say the Steelers split those games, this could be a 13-3 season. Win the next 2 weeks, and 14+ wins definitely looks possible.

 

Good point. So far, Steelers are not sand bagging wins like they did in 2017 vs. backup QBs. Steelers were definitely the worst 13-3 team I've ever witnessed in 2017. As long as they are beating teams with their starters.... Tannehill, Jackson, Allen, etc.. then the sky is the limit.

 

That’s very optimistic and almost full-throated support of the B&G coming from you. Welcome to Steelers Nation

 

I've said for a long time that you win the games you're supposed to win and split the rest. That actually gets us to 14-2. Unless we collapse, we should be no worse than 12-4 and, barring further injury, in poised to make some noise in the playoffs.

It's hard to think this way, but I really think the Chiefs and Ravens have another loss in them, or 2. I'm not sold on the Bills yet and the Titans have to get through us. We could be sitting at the top of the AFC with a record of 14-2.

The only reason I'm putting this cart before the horse (and I rarely do that) is because of the secondary scheme I saw Sunday. We are doing something that I haven't seen before. We're rotating our 2 high safeties out after showing cover 2. We've played a fairly standard Tampa-2 up to this point, but on Sunday, Minkah had the training wheels taken off. He and the corners were able to disguise coverage, read the qb, and play the ball instead of the route/route runner. This is a great way to approach a mobile qb and we'll have to get comfortable with that quick. That leaves us vulnerable to biting on a pump fake or jumping a route. We might get burned a time or two. But to stop LJ, it's worth the risk. And it's also going to be beneficial against an elite back like Henry who can get to the second level quickly. We can't have our db's with their backs to the line of scrimmage or 10 yard runs will turn into 20+.

 

That road game at Dallas is starting to look like an easy win , they have a bad OL and a trash defense.

 

I agree with what you said with the schedule. As much as everybody on here throws a fit when people like myself tend to look ahead you have to start focusing on the Chiefs and finding a way to get that number 1 seed and homefield advantage over them. If you happen to win the next 2 games against Tenn and Balt and get to 7-0 you can really begin to look at it. Even a loss to the Ravens isn’t gonna be a killer because the Steelers still will get them at home on Thanksgiving and if they don’t beat them in Baltimore on Nov 1st they will beat them here on Thanksgiving. The Ravens I highly doubt sweep the Steelers this season I just don’t see it happening. The Chiefs and Mahomes at the end of the day are the ones the Steelers are gonna have to most likely get through if they wanna get to Tampa.

Playing Mahomes and beating him is going to be difficult no matter where you play him whether it’s at Heinz Field, Arrowhead, or on the Moon. But I like the Steelers chances a lot better if that game is in Pittsburgh which is why it’s so critical to get that top seed over them and something to continue to monitor each and every week from now until the end of December.

 

I understand what you're saying, and from a fan's perspective, it makes perfect sense. Those of us who throw a fit about fans looking forward are looking at it more from the team perspective.

You don't get to 7-0 from 5-0 by worrying about the Chiefs. You only get there by laser focusing on the Titans this week and the Ravens the next. And you don't get the top seed by preparing for Mahomes in weeks 6 through 17.

 

Remaining schedule?

Here's how I guess at a teams record.

I list the teams which are clearly better as a loss and the teams that are clearly worse as a win, split with teams of equal caliber, and assume one loss to an inferior team and one win with a better team. No assumption of who is going to improve, or injuries, or guessing who might match up better or worse. Just who is the better team.

Based on that the Steelers should split the 3 evens (1.5 losses) and lose one game they should win (1 loss) putting them at 13.5 wins so......14-2 or 13-3.

7 25-Oct-20 @
Tennessee E

8 1-Nov-20 @
Baltimore E

9 8-Nov-20 @
Dallas W

10 15-Nov-20 vs
Cincinnati W

11 22-Nov-20 @
Jacksonville W

12 26-Nov-20 vs
Baltimore E

13 6-Dec-20 vs
Washington W

14 13-Dec-20 @
Buffalo E

15 21-Dec-20 @
Cincinnati W

16 27-Dec-20 vs
Indianapolis W

17 3-Jan-21 @
Cleveland W

 

I wouldn't overlook the Colts or the Cowboys. Cowboys could get their act together by November 9th... and Rivers has had some recent success against the Steelers. Last year's game vs. Chargers, for example.

 

I agree with you and these next 2 games at Tenn and at Baltimore will go a very long way in determining the Steelers chances of being the top seed over the Chiefs.

 

Dallas I don’t think will be a complete pushover but as bad as they have been on defense and the success the Steelers seem to have against Dalton that is a game the Steelers should win and a game they better win. The Colts are okay as well but I’ll take my chances with this Steelers defense playing a QB like Rivers with no mobility at all in late December at Heinz Field. And Rivers didn’t have success against the Steelers last year he lost to Duck and the Steelers in LA and the Steelers sacked him a bunch. So not sure what success you are referring too from last season.

 

I was thinking about the 2018 game vs. Chargers. We had Ben and Brown for that game.

 

Here are the Chiefs, Ravens and Titans remaining tough games I feel these are the 3 teams the Steelers will be in a fight with 4 home field. Below are the potential games I feel each team “could” lose.

Chiefs

At Tampa
At New Orleans
At Las Vegas
At Miami
Carolina at home (Maybe but prob not)


Ravens

Steelers at home
At Indy
At New England
Titans at home
At Cleveland (Maybe but prob not)
Dallas at home (Maybe but prob not)


Titans

Steelers at home
Bears at home
Colts home and away
At Baltimore
At Green Bay
At Houston (Maybe but prob not)


So there you have it there are the 3 teams they are gonna have to fight off and the games remaining they could potentially lose. Compare that to the Steelers remaining schedule and I like the Steelers chances of being right there with all 3 of these teams for that top seed in the AFC.

 

Yea you’re right about that game. However, the defense on that Steelers team he had success throwing the ball against was definitely not as good as it is now and Rivers is 2 years older then he was then. Both of those are big factors you have to take into account when facing Rivers this season compared to a few years ago.

 

It won’t be a 38-10 blowout but we should win comfortably. 28-14 or something

 

He lost to a Duck Hodges led team. Yeah, he had 320 yds passing, but threw 44 passes and had 2 interceptions. Not success.

 

Sweeping the Ravens would be huge in bringing the AFCCG to Pittsburgh. Enough of them fools, take back the North.

 

Potential Steeler losses imo:

One Raven game
Titans
Jaguars
Bills

The last 4 games will be another test. 3 on the road (2 division rivals) & a good Colts team (so far) at home. Don't need another crash to finish the year that we have been experiencing.

 

The Cowboys

 

The Jaguars are trash, that's a win.

 

Only on paper. We struggle against that franchise whether they suck or not.

I had to throw out the Dallas game, they couldn't back into a win with the way they are playing.

 

As long as Ben doesn't throw 5 ints, like he did in 2017, we will win.

 

Steelers haven't beat them since 2008.