Why? I think the bumblebees are great. The next jersey I buy (God are they expensive now that Nike has the contract) is going to be a bumblebee.
You know what really does it to make those uniforms hilarious? Those pants that make them look like they’re not wearing any pants at all on the wide shots.
It’s obviously a subjective opinion, but they’re just flat ugly; possibly the worst looking professional uniforms I’ve ever seen. My wife happened to see them and laughed at me for spending my afternoon watching bumblebees.
I hate to break your bubble, but it’s not that pretty for the Steelers… The Steelers are 4-6, and yes, that makes them one game behind the Dolphins and the Jets, both 5-5. But they are also tied with the Browns, Ravens, Chargers, Raiders and Titans.
The Steelers are behind the Titans and Raiders due to head to head losses. So they are behind 4 teams. I don’t know the tie-breakers with SD, so it could be five teams. For now, i’ll leave the AFC north opponents out of it, because the Steelers could win or lose those games, and I think they will take care of themselves. But that still leaves 4 teams they trail for sure, possibly 5.
The Raiders and Titans don’t exactly instill fear in me, but either do the Steelers, and those two teams are one up one the Steelers.
However, it doesn’t scream “Impossible”. Next week they play Cleveland, in Cleveland. That game looks more winnable now than it did earlier in the season, but I’m not writing the Browns off at home. They them play @Baltimore, always a tough game, but also winnable. Then Miami, which as you say shoukd be a winnable game, but I think it depends a lot on the outcome of the Cleveland and Baltimore games… Both must be won, and if they do win both, they could be in danger of letting up against the Dolphins. I can see Mike Wallace lighting up our secondary. However, if they go on a run, they could be 7-6 when they face the Bengals. That should be a loss. Green bay follows, and that should be a major loss. That’s 7-8. They finish with Cleveland, and if that’s a win, 8-8.
I don’t know. 8-8 has made the playoffs in the past, and there are a ton of mediocre teams this year in the AFC, so stranger things have happened.
But I don’t see it. The big problem i see is that they have to go on a 5 game winning streak just to make it to the Bengal game 7-6. While it’s possible, this Steeler team doesn’t impress me as a team that can go on a run like that. They have to get a run game going. 1.8 yds/carry doesn’t cut it. They were extremely lucky to win today, and i’ll take it, but it may just be delaying the inevitable.
As for Haley, he will be fired the day after the Steelers last game. There is just too much swirling now about Ben wanting out, and the Steelers, if they want to make Ben happy without giving him more money (which they may have to do anyway), will have to fire Haley. You have to keep Ben, he’s the only legitimate offensive weapon they have.
Stay tuned, I guess!
It’s not that bad at all. Granted it’s not a Super Bowl calibre team but the dropoffs from the championship teams are mostly at positions where younger players are being groomed (Tight End being the exception as long as Heath Miller is hobbled).
Looking at the D some of the guys who had to be replaced were Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, James Farrior, James Harrison. Cameron Heyward is improving by leaps and bounds every week and Timmons has more than adequately replaced Farrior’s spot at Mack but Vince Williams has to take on Foote’s Buck responsibilities and McLendon has to replace Casey Hampton’s very very crucial role in this defense. Having guys learning in the centre of the line affects everyone, especially the safeties who have to pay a lot more attention to the backfield now rather than helping in coverage like they used to. That’s why you see Polamalu spending so much time in the box this year. McLendon is probably not the right guy to fully replace Hampton and that’s something they have to address but the rest of the parts are improving.
On offense there is strength at a lot of positions but again the weakness in one area affects everyone. Why do they throw so many wide receiver screens? Because the left side can’t hold off pressure long enough for deep routes and they can’t open enough holes in the run game to keep play action as a viable option so they only way to draw the coverage up is to make them come to the ball. Foster isn’t very good to begin with but now his backup is manning Left Tackle and the third-string is in at guard. Big improvements need over there but again it’s not that far away. If Mike Adams can get his head together and they find a capable Left Guard the offense will be right back to the level of the teams that went to the Super Bowls (all of which had issues on the line and an OC that no one liked as well).
And to think people thought this thread was dead. Reports of its demise have been greatly exaggerated.
The suddenly-relevant Steelers, once 0-4 and now a single game out of the wild card (blahblahtiebreakers, there’s still 6 games to go), will beat the once-again hapless Browns in the Factory of Sadness today. By the end of the day, following losses by the Jets, Dolphins, and Raiders, the Steelers will be but a whisker away from the 6th seed, behind only the Titans. Crazy season, isn’t it?
The Browns are signing Tebow for one game. He just wins… 
Can you honestly tell me in your heart of hearts that your team even has an outside chance of making it to the Super Bowl?
I can. If they make the playoffs anything can happen. And has.
Of course they have a chance, but do you think it’s likely they reach the Super Bowl? I think that’s what RNATB meant. Or, fundamentally, can you admit the Steelers aren’t that good?
Your posts in here are repetitive. I answered your question weeks ago. See last page.
Even getting excited about playoff chances is premature considering they have to pretty much win all their conference games from here out but if that does happen they would be the hot team in a weak group.
In more important news. I love the way Cameron Heyward is playing. Finally a legitimate heir to Aaron Smith (well, almost). And Worilds is looking so comfortable on the left side that I’m warming up to the idea of having Woodley switch to the right side. He’s probably better built for that side anyway.
Downright shocked that Brown is having such success against Haden today. I hope they don’t get TOO comfortable throwing around him. He can still bite back.
So now, with the Steelers win, they are tied by record for the 6th seed, though (grumblegrumbletiebreakerwithfivegamesleft) they still trail the Raiders-Titans winner.
So, what went right? They got the Browns at exactly the right time. They needed a solid, easy win. No sacks, no turnovers from Ben. Lots of pressure, sacks, big plays from Troy and the defense… everything went right. Wait, not everything. Goddamn Ike Taylor got torched repeatedly. Big play from the Browns? There’s Ike with his dick in his hand. Gordon went for over 200 yards today. Ike was lucky the rest of the defense bailed him out. Otherwise everything came up Steelers today, including Miami and the Jets losing.
Otherwise, phenomenal game. Next up: the Ratbirds on Thanksgiving. Another big rivalry game to be decided by a field goal like the last six. The Bengals are but two games up and have to play the Steelers again, this time in Pittsburgh, prime-time, perhaps for the division.
Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?
Says the fan of a team who finished with a tie game.
If the Steelers win I’ll take Ike being burned all day long. Good luck with Tolzien and Flynn.
Count me in as one of those doubters who are amazed that the Steelers are still relevant. Of course, a lot of things still have to go their way (and they have a MUST win against the Ravens in Baltimore in Turkey Day night), but i didn’t see this happening after they lost to the Vikings and especially after they lost to the Raiders. I’m tempering my excitement because they are still not a very good team IMO, and beating up the Browns without their QB doesn’t tell me much. However, I like that they picked up Allen this week to strengthen a very weak secondary, so who knows? Maybe this frees up some of Lebeau’s defensive playbook.
I know this wasn’t asked to me, but I’ll answer it. If the Steelers make the playoffs, anything is possible. The Steelers have already won a SB from the 6 seed, and so have the Giants. It can be and has been done. It all depends on who is hot going into the playoffs.
In looking at the entire AFC, there are only two teams I would worry about in the playoffs, and only one that i don’t think the Steelers could win. Not because the Steelers are good, but because the AFC is so weak. The team I fear is the Patriots, because the Steelers winning in NE is almost impossible to imagine, and Belichick has proven that he has Tomlin’s (and Ben’s) number. And even if the Steelers put up 35 points, Brady will put up 40+ against the Steeler secondary.
As for the rest of the AFC that will most likely be in the playoffs, no one else scares me as much as the Patriots.
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Denver - best tam in the AFC, but they have their achilles heal in Payton Manning, who always finds a way to lose in the playoffs. I don’t think they will make the SB this year.
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KC - a very good team, but a team that has Andy Reid as Coach, another guy I have no faith in to win a couple of playoff games. They will most likely be the #5 seed, so they will be on the road in week 1, making it even more unlikely they will advance.
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Patriots (see above)
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Colts - an up and down team who can be beaten by anyone… They can also BEAT anyone, so they will be interesting to watch in the playoffs.
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Bengals - i don’t see them winning the AFC, but unless they collapse, they will definitely win the North, and that gives them at least one game at home. If the Steelers play the Bengals, i give them a chance because teams that are divisional rivalries always play each other tough. I think the Bengals are better, but that doesn’t mean they will beat the Steelers.
So, assuming the Steelers are the 6 seed, i don’t see a huge mountain to climb. That doesn’t mean i think they are the favorites in the AFC. Clearly, whoever finishes as the 6th seed will have challenges. But the Steelers only major problem will be the Patriots, IMO. This doesn’t mean the Steelers wouldn’t lose to the Broncos if they played in Denver… I just think the Broncos will be upset in the first round and the Steelers won’t have to face them.
I think the Steelers are a less-than-average football team in a terrible conference. And they are playing much better offensively, which is seemingly a direct result of Todd Haley giving Ben the freedom to do what he wants. I know there are a lot of Ben haters on this board, but he is one of the top 5 QB’s in the NFL, and if you have a franchise QB, anything is possible. He is that good, and he is a guy that could carry any team on his right arm for a few games if necessary.
Agree about not getting excited just yet on a playoff run. However, if they beat the Ravens this week (which I believe is possible, since the Ravens are not a very good team either), they will be 6-6 and in control of their own destiny. I didn’t think the Steelers had a prayer of beating the Lions, so they surprised me there.
But if they beat the Ravens, they have the Dolphins (who are unraveled and are beatable now), the Bengals and Browns at home. They hardest game left is GB in GB, but Rodgers is hurt and he may not be back for that game. If he isn’t, the Steelers have a chance to win. If Rodgers is back and is healthy, they will almost certainly lose.
A ton of football left to play, but a month ago, I wrote the team off. I still think they are a long shot to get into the playoffs, but if they do make it, all bets are off as they enter the playoffs.
The real shame of it all is the Steelers had a very winnable schedule going into the season, but losing to the Titans at home, the Vikings in London, and the Raiders in Oakland put them into the hole they now are trying to crawl out of. To their credit, they haven’t rolled over and quit. I am as surprised as anyone that they still have not only a pulse, but a real shot at the 6th playoff seed.
One comment on your player evaluation. Jason Worilds is terrible, and even if he had a good game today, I have no faith in him at this point of his career. I don’t think he would have made the team this year except for the fact that he was 1) a high draft pick and 2) he was a warm body. But the truth is, he has been extremely slow to develop, and just a couple of weeks ago was one of the worst rated linebackers in the NFL (rated by one of those pay services, the name of which escapes me now). Hey, if Worilds is finally figuring out the defense, that’s great. Call me skeptical, however, that today’s game is anything but an aberration.
I hope i’m wrong.
Sounds like Keisel should be ready to play Thursday but not at full strength. He hasn’t really been that good this season but with McLendon out it will be a huge plus having him back in. On the rare occasions they need a NT against the Ravens they can use Hood or Heyward. I suspect we’ll see a lot of the heavy nickel with three safeties in. So far it sounds like Woodley will miss the game; if Worilds can put in a third solid start in a row that won’t be such a loss and they can rest Woodley for the Dolphins. You always want your best pass rusher in there but not at the expense of the rest of the season (and hopefully playoffs).
Tough outcome for the Steelers yesterday. It really looked as if they might be able to pull it out - they were the better team at the end of the game.
But Mike Tomlin pretty clearly tried to influence the outcome of this play - and may have succeeded. I’d expect this to receive attention from the NFL.
Yeah, that was a dick move. His little smile afterwards shows me he knew what he was doing. ymmv
yesterday’s games were chock full of dick moves, all six teams. Kind of took me out of rooting for or against anyone. ( I can’t remember each one, I just remember that it did happen)