Fade out....fade in. Where will we finish?

This scenario got me thinking earlier this week. yes, we want the team to win, but the reality is even if they make the playoffs without some miracle they are getting blasted in the first round. To me finishing 7-9, not tanking and showing improvement and growth by various players is better than finishing 9-7 just for the records sake.

Why? This may seem insignificant but its all about the draft. Last year at 8-6-1 we held the 20 spot, in 2018 a 7-9 team has the 14 spot. Sure it changes every year and seeding is based on more than record. The Steelers 2020 pick is already on the team. They have little room to maneuver and few draft picks next year. Is moving up 6 spots in the 2nd round worth 2 insignificant wins (pride and anger not withstanding). If they fight and win I am fine with it, but if they fight hard and lose to me it still has at least a small benefit next year.

 

Earlier when roethlisberger went down I predicted a four win season. Now that they've exceeded my expectations through the means of good defense and put in a capable QB finally I think they win 10 games and get in. I'm all in on Hodges and will probably get laughed at but I don't care. I think Hodges is a huge difference maker for this team the rest of the year.

 

We'll see. One thing about Hodges, he doesn't panic like Rudolph in the pocket and he's not afraid to sling it. Rudolph is too hesitant... he need to trust in the WRs to run the routes. Duck won't hesitate... for better or for worse.

 

Despite my post above I hope you are right about Duck, love the story. That said I have lived through this sort of thing many times in the past, unless they get a running game going and start incorporating the TE's into the passing game, we are going to continue to see a very vanilla inept offense.

 

Yep! And there is something odd about how MR just stands in the midst of chaos and throws the same wobbling duck off his back foot every time! It's as if his brain doesn't have a "protect" mode to tell him to move in the pocket or when to vacate the pocket.

 

I won't laugh at you because I feel a spark with The Duck too. But I must say you sound an awful lot like a Browns fan

Lose one = we suck, fire everybody!

Win one = we are going to the Super Bowl!

 

It used to until the KO he received from Thomas. That play he was moving around in the pocket to buy time. That’s where you can pinpoint his struggles starting, after that game. I know it was PS but he was routinely doing the same thing, moving around and stepping up in the pocket. People are acting like he’s always been the stationary target that he has become. We kinda knew it was going’s to be a tough adjustment having to play from under center coming out of college ,being strictly in shotgun. IMO that KO changed everything and it’s gonna take a little while for him to get comfortable again. Chances are it probably doesn’t happen this year.
I think if people really sit back and look at everything he’s had to go through this season a lot of it out of his control and the whole MG situation that you couldn’t even dream of happening, you would probably be a little more understanding of why he’s having a rough go of it.

I know there’s been some talk of his emotional state and his actions after being benched but both MT and Hodges have come out and praised him for staying engaged and trying to be helpful even after probably being devastated from being benched. That’s being a good teammate and that shouldn’t be overlooked with all the drams this teams been through the last few years. He has all the intangibles you want from a young player. He was doing just about as good as you could expect from a young QB until the Thomas hit. Things have just snowballed for him since then. There’s been a lot to overcome. He’s got the right attitude to bounce back. Time will tell if he can.....

 

Paul Zeise on 93.7 said last night that Rudolph is thinking too much when he goes to pass. He has all these thoughts in his head about what routes the receivers are running and what he studied on film the previous week and he doesn't pull the trigger until everything collapses around him.
Hodges on the other hand is more of a back yard type of QB. He drops back and the first guy he sees open he just lets it rip.

 

That’s out right un-American.

 

I like hotdogs, cheeseburgers and subs.... with mustard. It don't get any more American than that.

I like "northern" hotdogs with sauerkraut better than the "southern" hotdogs with chili.... but both are good.

 

Defense wins championships...but only if your offense can get you there. We will find a way to squander another opportunity and miss the playoffs, we always do.

 

That's some @Formerscribe logic right there. That's why I don't understand it. But be careful, you've set yourself up for being told that you're factually inaccurate and that you haven't properly tasted the mustard to see if it is yellow or not. Tell me I'm wrong.

 

So is cyanide, but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

Way southern hot dogs are the way to go! From the Hot dog carts in MX! Bacon wrapped, grilled on a sweet bun, with onions, salsa picante, tomatoes, jalapenos and, of course, mayo!

 

You had me until the last ingredient. Mayo on hot dogs is unnatural and disgusting. That's like saying mayo is good on Tacos.

 

Gotta have it on fish tacos! Of course, Mexican mayo has lime in it.

 

I was about to make the same comment. I don't expect him to be a running qb, but he's too young to not be able to scramble out of a collapsed pocket. He's a freaking statue back there. I just don't understand how we can have been so wrong about him. I didn't expect Brady, but I thought he would bring more to the table.

 

The starting QB is out for the year, the regular RB's have rarely been healthy, WR's as well. OL playing like trash, now we have a rookie QB who was driving Uber last spring. That really is not much of an opportunity to squander. Glad they are playing hard and seeing improvement, but time for a reality check. This team has issues ahead, D is still young and can be tweaked and improved, the O needs some major upgrades.

 

We're in 6th place right now. We have an opportunity ahead of us with a schedule that we COULD convert to all wins or all losses. We'll end up somewhere in the middle of that as we won't win out or lose out. The opportunity is the playoffs. We are in control of our own destiny at this point. The goal is to win out. But even with Ben, AB, JuJu, JC, and a top 5 OL, we squandered the opportunity. We squandered opportunities with the killer B's in full effect. The reality check is that you play the hand you're given. No one will feel sorry for you or cut you a break because of your adversity.

There IS an opportunity ahead of us. But if past experience is any indicator, Tomlin won't have this team ready to take advantage of it, regardless of who we have on the field.

 

Ok, I call back to the FBI and apologize.

 

You better talk to your Alter Ego..................someone begs to differ.

 

Then be sure not to order corn on the cob south of the border..........