[QUOTE=Airman Doors, USAF]
It looks like the Steelers are going the Wild Card route, assuming (and it’s a big assumption) that they can get past Cincinnati. We’ll find out next week. Because of tonight’s loss next week is by far the most important game of the season. It’s hard to believe that Pittsburgh went from a possible stranglehold on the playoffs to having to eke into them, but that’s life in the NFL these days.
Damn.
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Most other seasons I’d agree with your pessimistic assessment. But last week Pittsburgh beat the best team of recent years (New England) and they’re only a half game out of the conference lead, even after a loss. Cincinnati amazingly holds the lead right now, but I don’t think anyone (including themselves) expects that to last. Come at me with this after a loss next week and maybe I’ll buy it. There’s too much football left.
They’re 2 games back of the Ravens with 7 to play. That’s a lot of ground to make up. Look at it this way: if the Steelers sweep the Bengals and Browns and the Ravens lose once each to them, the Steelers still lose on the tiebreaker. Pittsburgh really can only afford to lose one more game this year if they hope to make the playoffs on record or they have to hope for a Ravens choke. They did lose to Jacksonville so you never know, but basing your potential playoff future on a fluke like that is tenuous at best.
I’d like to see Cincinnati beat somebody good before I expect them to make a playoff spot. I guess they beat Buffalo (by three at home)…
I don’t know. The Steelers are one of those teams where it feels like they always do enough to make the playoffs. They’ve only missed the postseason three times in the last ten years.
One interesting note (to me): In the last ten years, the Steelers have only made the playoffs one time in which their point differential was under 100 at season’s end. This year? +37. :dubious:
This was the make-or break game. The Steelers broke. Sadly.
I thought it would be easy to win from here on out, but we got a lot of “at” games that might be more difficult than I had previously thought. We are at KC and at SF.
We end the season At Cleveland. At that point that game will only mean kudos for them. I suspect it will be a little more rough than I had anticipated.
It’s not like the Steelers cant handle duress, though.
Funny thing is, if Ravens receivers hadn’t dropped several good Flacco throws late, they might’ve scored earlier and the Steelers would’ve had time to come back.
I’m thinking the Bengals are going to get this taken out on them Sunday.
I agree, if they had to score, I wish it had been faster to get more time…
It’s crazy how one game can make so much of a difference but it does. Remember a few seasons back when, I think it was New England had a better record that 90% of the AFC and still sat out the postseason? I worry this year may be the Steelers turn for that. The AFC North is just too tight.
Exactly. I’ve pretty much given up on the division. Looking at the schedules, I don’t see 2 more losses for the Ravens (unless the Bengals really are that good). But if we can just make the playoffs, I like our chances against anyone.
I’m not worried. There’s still a lot of football left and guys like Woodley and Sander will be back next time. Max Starks played great, Cothchery has been outstanding in his role, there are too many positives to overlook. The only area I’ve really lost hope is with the running game which they could fix with one phone call if they really wanted to.
I have to say that’s pretty astounding coming from you…wow-worthy even. Sounds like praise! I am super intrigued by the way the AFCN is shaping up. It should be nothing if interesting the rest of the way. The Bengals get 5 of their last 8 at home now, so that’s even more interesting, and aside from the Ravens and Steelers four times we still have the Browns, Rams and Cardinals as the “easier” games left. I guess we’ll see. The Bengals, Andy Dalton and their defense have exceeded expectations, and I think the offense is going to continue to improve. Gruden the younger is still installing lots of plays. The Bengals are playing like a team for a change.
I am certain that the Bengals do not expect this run to end. They are playing with too much confidence. They have the best road record in the AFC right now and only have 3 road games left!
Its the NFL. The Ravens lost to Jacksonville…The Steelers barely beat the Colts and the Jags…The Bengals lost to Denver and had San Fran beat until late in the 4th quarter (final score 13-8 in a defensive struggle), Bengals have beaten Buffalo and Tennessee, both teams with winning records…its pretty up and down but 5 in a row is 5 in a row, I don’t care who you’re playing. Especially with the amount of road wins the Bengals have. They are as legit as the Steelers and Ravens are this season…its just nobody wants to admit it because they were predicted by so many to be the worst team in football this season.
I admit to being pleasantly surprised by the play of the Ginger, but I also admit that I think the Bengals aren’t as good as their record. Beating teams like Cleveland, Jacksonville, Indy, Seattle, and Tennessee does nothing for me. The only convincing game I see is the win against Buffalo, which was at home and only by 3 points. I’d like to think that the Bengals will win the AFC North and make a nice run into the playoffs, but I’m not seeing it. The next two games will tell us whether they are for real or not, but my feeling is not. We will see.
[QUOTE=FoieGrasIsEvil]
They are playing with too much confidence. They have the best road record in the AFC right now and only have 3 road games left!
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In the next 5 weeks, the Bengals play Pittsburgh twice, Baltimore on the road, and Houston. If they are in the same position then, I’ll believe. Their 6 wins have come against opponents with a collective 16-33 (.327) record (last 3 opponents are 4-21 [.160]). That doesn’t mean they’re not good, but untested.
That’s only because the Steelers are so amazing that their victories actually create a rip in space/time and cause the team they just beat to suffer loses in games THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN WINS! That’s how good the Steelers are.
I thought that it was the holding on James Harrison that caused the tear in the fabric of spacetime? Perhaps that’s the supernova explosions I am thinking of?
I think the Bengals are the real deal but I also think it will be a rough day for Mr. Dalton.
Steelers are keeping Woodley out again but James Farrior might be back. That would move Timmons back outside again and give them some depth that was missing against the Ravens.
It could be…although the Bengals offensive line, anchored by the tackles Whitworth and Smith are doing a really good job keeping him clean this season so far…he’s only been sacked 12 times in eight games…
What I expect the Bengals to do is to get the ball to Jermaine Gresham, the TE, early and often when the Steelers blitz, and also to set up any number of screen plays to Brian Leonard and Bernard Scott. I also don’t think Ike Taylor can hang with Adriel Jeremiah Green.
I am more interested to see how the Bengals defensive line plays against the Steelers offense. This is the best defensive line I have ever seen them have in terms of depth and playmakers (Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins, Michael Johnson, Peko, et al) and in the recent past the Bengals have had to sell out on the blitz to get any type of Qb pressure and now they can get it with their front four. We are one of if not the best defenses in the NFL against the run, so that will be interesting too.
I expect a really good game and will be disappointed in a blowout or poor play by either squad.
I am super intrigued by the way the AFCN is shaping up. It should be nothing if interesting the rest of the way. The Bengals get 5 of their last 8 at home now, so that’s even more interesting, and aside from the Ravens and Steelers four times we still have the Browns, Rams and Cardinals as the “easier” games left. I guess we’ll see. The Bengals, Andy Dalton and their defense have exceeded expectations, and I think the offense is going to continue to improve. Gruden the younger is still installing lots of plays. The Bengals are playing like a team for a change.
