to sum up this season

we won 13 games and the afc north. are we spoiled and want more? sure. this team, imo, finished about were I thought they would to start the season if I am honest. could they have won it all, yep. is this defense good enough for them to do that, no.

I don't know the average age for starters on defense but I can think of maybe 1 starter over 30? and that is Mitchell and he has to go. I am a homer and always will be. I think we have 2 more years to get at least 2 super bowls. this defense has to improve. I know they had a sack record but they cant get off the field on 3rd down in big spots. I think the scheme has to change but then you start closing what window you have with these young players.

find a safety and shaziers replacement. get some size on the dline. find a way to keep bell. if not you have to move on. that is a list that can be accomplished this off season.

maybe that is why this loss isn't as devastating to me as some in the past. I didn't see us beating the pats without ryan anyway.

I will say that I love me some steelers football. I love the rooneys and trust them. I love tomlin and I think he will look at his staff and after this, I think he stops adjusting to what lebeau and butler have had and says dammit. we are gonna run what I know and what I think he truly wants. so be prepared for more cover 2 and at this point. I say go for it.

great season! came up short but we still rule the north and still are a top franchise

 

Sum the season: we weren't as good as our record indicated.

Our defense struggled a lot during the entire year despite getting the team sack record.

 

Sum up the season: doesn't matter who they put on the field. The coaching will always be subpar unless changes are made. The standard will always be the standard until some changes are made.

 

this sums it up for me...

 

Defense:
Mitchell (30)

Offense:
Rothliesberger (35)
Foster (31)

 

Ramon needs to go... and I wouldn't mind dropping no show Gilbert either. Hubbard and Feiler have proven their worth.

 

The defense just isn't good enough. It's not even close. I'm not even sure you can put all that on losing Shazier, though that was certainly a big part of the problem. Did the one snap Bortles dropped count as a sack? If so, that was their only sack of the day and that just can't happen if the Steelers are going to win.

Thing is, that's not going to change. I don't think he is ever going to play again. That leaves a huge hole at inside linebacker for a team that also has problems at nose tackle and safety. And yes, I am including nose tackle as an area that needs to be addressed. Hargrave looked like he might be something last year, but he got pushed around far too often this season. They need help up front again.

 

I don't know what you are looking at. Foster is signed for another season and he isn't going anywhere. Feiler really hasn't proven anything yet, though maybe you meant Finney?

Gilbert isn't going anywhere, either. If anything, it will be Hubbard who leaves because Gilbert is locked up long term.

 

What kills me is that, in all likelihood, the freaking Patsies are going to tie us for most Super Bowl wins this year. I don't see anybody stopping them.

 

I agree. I don't think the Eagles can beat the Patriots, but the Vikings might. Their defense is good enough to at least slow the Patriots down. The tough part is they would need a strong game from Keenum and that's far from a given.

 

No, the Pats are winning the SB.

Look at the QBs left - Brady, Bortles, Foles and Keenum. Brady isn't losing to any of them, even Keenum at home. While it's the Vikings home, the ticket sales will be 50/50.

 

Unfortunately, I think you're right. Pats are in the drivers seat for their 6th Lombardi, tying the Steelers.

 

You aren't beating NE when it counts without an entire team and none of the teams left have that.

 

If jax can run the ball and play lights out on d, they can. Hope for nasty weather. Sounds funny but jags game is better suited for bad weather

 

In reality our season ended with Ryan’s injury on Monday night in Cincinnati.

 

Vikings D is really good. They have a NT and great edge rushers.

 

And they have two excellent cornerbacks and one of the best safeties in the game, but I don't know if they have enough firepower. A good defense can slow the Patriots down, but it's not going to shut them down completely. I think any team that beats New England is going to have to score at least 28 points, maybe more.

 

And the Steelers have nobody to blame but themselves for allowing that to happen throughout the years.

 

Soon to be the Pats trophy case sadly.

 

That’s what we need, edge rushers.