Steelers Quietly Became the Team to Beat After the 2018 NFL Draft

Steelers blow out the Titans or any team in a playoff game? Yeah right.

When was the last time the Steelers totally annihilated a team in the playoffs? The answer is... January 1997, wildcard round, with none other than Mike Tomczak at QB vs. Colts.

The Steelers haven't "smoked" anybody in the playoffs since then. And don't say the Dolphins the year before... Steelers were pretty much asleep at the wheel in the 2nd half of that game.

 

I think they blew out the broncos in the 06 AFCC playoff game 34-17............

 

That game was nerve-wracking until about mid-way through the 4th quarter. Steelers played a great game, but didn't dominate like they did vs. Colts in '97. If it was 44-17... then yes I would agree.

 

We are apparently on the same page with a lot of things. Agreed again.

It's a presumption right now that the Steelers are the top team. They look good on paper, but they need to go out there and perform, which they were outplayed last year by both Jacksonville and New England.

They need to go out there and DEMONSTRATE they are the top team and not get overconfident because of how they look on paper. It really is up to Tomlin and company now to lock down and make things happen. They have a very good team to compete with.

 

Sorry until we beat the pats when it counts we are paper champs. Hell we cant even beat the current jags regime. We are third in the AFC at best and possible lower because I believe when healthy Houston is a better team than we are. Tennessee is improved and made major moves. The charges and raiders could make some noise. We are though without question the best team on our division though.

 

That was not the question or the point the question was is a loss in the beginning of the year as important........

Heinz you are so negative the Steelers were one bad call away from beating the Cheats without Shazier and with MM & Spence.

 

So you said this:

And now you are agreeing with me(see your first quote) that a loss does stand out more later in the season so what is left to talk about? Not busting your chops but your kind going back on what you first said.

 

Geeze two NYers butting stubborn heads again....I know how important it is for us to be right The reason I'm saying it stands out more is because it happened later in the season...so it fresh in the memory. Like I said 4>3 so it doesn't matter when the loss comes...all that matters is who has less at the end...

 

Lol nice, I am not trying to butt heads with you man and I really could care if I am right or wrong just like talking with ya'll and about the Steelers . All losses are the same but when you loss in week 15 with home field on the line that sticks out more than is you loss in week 5. Again you said a loss in September counts just as much as one in November. Yes a loss is a loss but the week 15 loss is gonna stick out more since that lost the #1 seed....jmo.

 

Definitely sticks out more...but it didn't lose you the number 1 seed any more than the loss in September. Hypothetical scenario...if we lose our first 4 games in September then run the table to finish 12-4 and the Pats lose their last 3 games to go 13-3 ,do the losses in December count more..... .....Yes a loss in September counts the same....

 

We have a tough schedule this year... our schedule was very easy last year, and we got smoked by the Bears and Jags.

Until we shut down multiple high powered offenses, I can't say we are the team to beat. Maybe of the AFC North division, but certainly not the NFL.

 

Agree. Steelers got lucky last year with the schedule. No Rodgers starting for Packers... no Luck starting for Colts and no Watson starting for Texans. The 13 wins were an illusion. This team was no better than a 10-win team. The Jacksonville playoff game proved Steelers were pretenders. The Steelers were never in that game... regardless of the final score. As far as I'm concerned... the Jags blew out the Steelers. They were up 2 scores for most of the game and if it weren't for some miraculous, desperate 4th down conversions... the score would not have been as close as it was in the end.

 

Just so im clear on things with you.
You think the Steelers stink, and will 100% be eliminated in the playoffs before the Jags or the Pats? Will they even make the Playoffs? Will they win the Division?

 

They were within a score and had the ball. They were in the game.

 

Yes when you go by record all losses count the same that is for sure. I think we are talking about 2 different things here which count more or which sticks out more. To me a week 15 loss to a team that is going to get the number 1 seed sticks out a ton more than a week 5 loss, but yeah they count the same........

 

I don't think anyone can really believe the Steelers are the team to beat unless there is a dramatic improvement on the defensive side of the ball this year.

 

Mitchell, Gay, Wilcox, Spence all gone Bostic, Burnett and the draft class all added and a new DB coach to mentor them. A whole off season to replace our injured star LB not just an in season band aid. I would say that is some good changes but what do I know. Oh did I add returning all 11 starters on what is maybe the best offense in the NFL? I hate to stick up for this bad D but losing Ryan and his back up in the same game was very hard.

 

Yeah, pretty much. Because of two reasons: Tom Brady and Leonard Fournette. Steelers D can not stop these guys. And the Steelers offense is not consistent enough to post the amount of points needed to overcome the point deficit.

I've covered this many times before. The D is a few years out from being championship caliber.

 

No they weren't.

 

Your definition of "in the game" is delusional. The Steelers had battled back to cut the lead to seven relatively early in the fourth quarter. Then they got a stop and had a shot to tie it. That is in the game.

Did they convert some very low-percentage plays? They absolutely did that. That's the benefit of having players like Roethlisberger, Bell and Brown. They can make spectacular plays happen when you need them most.

They also made some big mistakes to give the Jaguars that lead. Both the great plays and the bad ones were earned. You are certainly entitled to continue to stick your fingers in your ears and keep saying "No they weren't!" over and over again, but you just look foolish. If you wanted to say they were lucky to be in the game at that point, that's more than fair. But at 35-28 with 9:05 remaining in the game, they were in it by any reasonable definition of the phrase.

 

Sure, they had an entire offseason to replace Shazier, but they haven't done a very good job of it. Bostic is a middling player who has trouble staying healthy. Even if he plays every game, he isn't much of a replacement.

The real hope for the defense lies elsewhere. Tuitt and Hargrave have to stay healthy and play better up front, which is possible. Watt has to continue to develop and improve. The same is true of the younger players in the secondary. Maybe Burns and Davis won't get it together, though both are still just entering their third seasons. Sutton and Allen could still develop. I really like the addition of Burnett, but the real improvement of that defense will come from guys who were part of it in 2017.

 

Ok if you feel that way why do you watch the games? Whats the point if you know they are gonna lose. Unless your a glutton for punishment it does not make sense.

 

Sorry man but I'm going with Heinz on this one.

I've said it many times before Jacksonville dictated what they wanted us to do.

"We lost by 3 points"
We were never going to win that game.

"We scored 42 points!"
yeah scoring on ridiculous Ben to AB 4th down miraculous plays.
When it came down to tying the game, hey guess what? Jacksonville clamped down on their Defense and we could not do squat.

Why couldn't we ever tie? hmmm Not once did we lead that game.
Could not tie, could not stop critical 3rds, couldn't stop the run, outcoached.

3 points or 40 points we were not winning.

Now I'm not ALL doom and gloom like my buddy RS or Heinz lol, the future looks bright.

 

Bostic is far better than moats on the inside or a late addition Spence by far. A healthy matakevich is also better. Big difference than the team we fielded against Jacksonville in the playoff game. We also have much better coaching now then we had last year. We were beat up and out manned at that point. We have fixed so many of those holes but you guys keep reverting to us being that same team. It's just not true, on either side of the ball.