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What is your confidence in these bets?

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Maddog78, May 5, 2021.

  1. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    Basically, this is what the Steelers are betting on in 2021 when they say they're serious about competing for a championship:

    - Okorafor or Moore can adequately replace Villanueva
    - Banner is actually good at football
    - Decastro returns to form
    - Dotson ready for full time role
    - Green or Finney can adequately replace Pouncey
    - Ben returns to form and can run Canada's offense
    - Najee Harris can carry the load in the run game
    - Sutton can adequately replace Nelson in base
    - Sutton can adequately replace Hilton in subpackages
    - Layne or Pierre can play alone outside in subpackages
    - Highsmith can take that next step as a starter
    - Marsh or Roche is a viable rotational pass rusher
    - Freiermuth ready for a sizeable role as a rookie
    - Haden returns to form
    - The team goes through the season relatively injury-free

    Some of these bets are safer than others, but the sheer odds of hitting on all or most are astronomical, and you begin to suspect that the front office is blowing smoke up the collective arses of the fanbase when they say they're fully committed to winning now.
     
  2. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    maybe wait and see. if any team has some things happen it will make them weaker. if any team has a newer player step up it will make them better. if any team has everything they plan on go perfectly it would be a miracle. find where that happens ever. KC was a good example of how injuries can derail a season. tampa didn't win because of draft picks. KC didn't lose because of draft picks. injuries happen. we were fielding practice squad players and guys we had just acquired at several positions by mid season. we can't compare last year to this year. we didn't know the cap would drop like a rock this season. we all knew there would be some transition coming. :cool:
     
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  3. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    When Cam Newton led the Panthers to I believe a 15-1 season at the start of the next season he said something to the effect that fans think it will happen again and it just doesn't work that way.

    All 32 teams will have pluses and minuses.

    Jeh said it best about Ben. Why would we expect a older QB who has aged another year to be any better then what we saw at end of last season.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  4. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Yes
    Don’t know
    Yes
    Yes
    No
    Not a snowballs chance in hell
    Yes
    Yes
    Yes
    No
    Yes
    Don’t know
    Yes
    Good enough
    Not a chance
     
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  5. Steel Hog

    Steel Hog Well-Known Member

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    I would expect an older QB to be better if he is healthier than he was the year before.
     
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  6. Lambert

    Lambert Well-Known Member

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    This year is a 'meh' on many of them but I see several happening down the road. If they can find a good QB, CB, and maybe OT next year, while keeping the core, we'll be in business.
     
  7. troybellringer55

    troybellringer55 Well-Known Member

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    Steelers have the hardest schedule on paper in the league.

    AFC North is going to be the toughest division in the NFL. All 6 games we be dog fights.

    Browns set up to win now, Ravens are right there too, Bengals are improved if Burrow stays healthy and doesn't die.

    I think the Steelers aren't as bad as some suggest, we still have a lot of talent on the roster to compete in games.

    You could once again see 3 playoff teams out of the AFC north again.
     
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  8. MeanJoeBlue

    MeanJoeBlue Well-Known Member

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    Ben was still doing rehab for his elbow when the season started.

    Rookies tend to hit a wall towards the end of a season, as their bodies aren't used to the longer NFL season.
    If young guys in good overall shape have that problem, why not someone who spent most of a year recovering from injury?
    (Having an actual bye week would have been nice.)

    His decline at seasons end may have been to age and irreversible.
    Or it may be due to not having several months of off-season to be ready for the demands of a season-long schedule.
    The former may be likely, but I have hope that it is the latter.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  9. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    - Okorafor or Moore can adequately replace Villanueva 50% chance
    - Banner is actually good at football 50% chance
    - Decastro returns to form 95% chance
    - Dotson ready for full time role 95% chance
    - Green or Finney can adequately replace Pouncey 25% chance
    - Ben returns to form and can run Canada's offense 50% chance
    - Najee Harris can carry the load in the run game 95% chance
    - Sutton can adequately replace Nelson in base 80% chance
    - Sutton can adequately replace Hilton in subpackages 80% chance
    - Layne or Pierre can play alone outside in subpackages 5% chance
    - Highsmith can take that next step as a starter 80% chance
    - Marsh or Roche is a viable rotational pass rusher 5% chance
    - Freiermuth ready for a sizeable role as a rookie 85% chance
    - Haden returns to form 85% chance
    - The team goes through the season relatively injury-free 50% chance
     
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  10. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    I think we will all miss the days of the Browns and Bengals being bad.
     
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  11. CK 13

    CK 13 Well-Known Member

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    I know the Steelers will field a team this upcoming season and are in a transition. Ben retirement tour, hardest schedule in the NFL, new pieces in place, new offensive coordinator and system, a true commitment to the running game.

    It will be exciting to see how it all pans out but i'm not on the bandwagon of a Stairway to Seven. Looking forward to the future.

    They have to be thinking about a QB #1 in next years draft.
     
  12. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Two things:

    Green is going to surprise a lot of you.

    And Pouncey of last year will not be hard to replace. That number is easily at 75%
     
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  13. Ender

    Ender

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    My biggest concern from your list is Highsmith. I really didn’t see much last season to make me think he is a long term starter opposite TJ. If he’s not, then teams can chip and give help to their tackles to hinder TJ’s production too.
     
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  14. Mike T

    Mike T Well-Known Member

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    Every team is committed to winning now. And even if the outlook isn't as good as they say it is no single team in any sport on any continent is ever going to come out and say we aren't committed to winning and we don't think we have a chance. So much of team sports revolve around morale. Now throw the business side into it and you absolutely would not come out and say "hey we don't want to win right now and we just don't think we are very good". There's even more to this thinking but im not going to get into all that.

    On a side note there is alot thats going to be different this year. We wont know how much is good or bad till later. Last year was Covid in full swing. Not as much practice almost always equals more injuries. Also everyone should chill on the Run game and the Oline. We had terrible coaching on the offensive side last year. That was the front office letting Ben have his buddy and it didn't work. They got rid of Fichtner and the Oline Coach who collectively couldnt coach a teenager to take out a trash bag if their lives depended on it. If you want to blame the Front office and Tomlin for anything blame them for placating Ben and wasting almost 2 years on the dumbest experiment ever (next to placating Baker mayfield and hiring Freddie Kitchens as head coach).

    Lets see what happens at the start of the season. The first few games will tell us what we are in store for.
     
  15. Rush2seven

    Rush2seven Well-Known Member

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    As Chris Bergman used to say, “that’s why they play the games”
     
  16. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

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    I'd rather the Steelers start out shaky... lose a few games here and there and finish strong. Steelers haven't had a strong finish to the regular season since 2017. Of course the Jaguars wiped the floor with them in the playoffs.... one and done.
     
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  17. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    I think Pouncey of the last 2 years really.
     
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  18. troybellringer55

    troybellringer55 Well-Known Member

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    They all can't stink forever.

    The dang AFC is getting good, give the Dolphins and Jags a few years
     
  19. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    I'm worried if someone is not able 2 take Nelson's place . We will be seriously screwed in the secondary, and as of now I have yet 2 see who that is.
    Also even though I Liked what I seen out of Highsmith last year. I'm not fully behind whether he will be able 2 hold down that side all year.
     
    • Disagree Disagree x 1
  20. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    I live in Chicago now. Before the current hockey season the Blackhawks' GM admitted they were in rebuilding mode and looking toward the future.
     
  21. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    I remember being in denial in the early 80's that such crappy teams could be good and we could suck after 4 Super Bowls in 6 years.
     
  22. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    I hope so. Still it's a lot to ask of a player. The kid only played 5 games at the position in college. I think Green likely works his way into a starting role later.in the season.

    I think with Poumcey, veteran presence is always hard to replace. His skills are still at a higher level than Hassenaur or Finney IMO.
     
  23. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    I remember when I moved back 2 Chicago.....this is how dumb I am .... I was out drinking , and turned 2 my Cousin and said....why are there so many Washington Redskins fans in Chicago. LOL.
    He looked at me and said Dude you were just at a Blackhawks game last week ....You tell me what you see. LOL. :facepalm:
     
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  24. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Actually the fans that want a total rebuild are the ones that aren’t committed to winning now. The Steelers brought back Ben and JuJu because they are committed to winning. You may not agree with it but they feel that gives them the best chance this year while continuing to build for the future.

    Which has basically been their M.O. forever. Stay competitive where anything can happen when you get into the playoffs and continue to restock.
     
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  25. Seven4Steel

    Seven4Steel Well-Known Member

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    I just don't want to waste time for nothing. Ben being back makes this a throw-away season. We are rebuilding. But we're not rebuilding with players who will be competing for jobs next season. We're just going through the motions with the same offense, same blocking scheme, same limitations. All that will get flipped on its ear next season. Transition? No. Complete shift. Drive down the highway, slam on the brakes, and Chinese fire drill.

    And I would have to vehemently disagree when you say "stay competitive." We lucked into half of our wins during our win streak last season. So where were we competitive again, especially when it mattered? We were a flawed team with no business in the playoffs and got exposed for being posers by the Browns no less. That's a pretty sucky M.O. if you ask me.
     
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