# The Sixburgh Steelers March to the Super Bowl Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 13, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339 "2009-08-13T21:22:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/441 "2009-12-06T20:45:05Z")
Stop posting man, they scored again. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/442 "2009-12-06T20:56:54Z")
Ok we scored again…everybody be vweeewy qwiiiiet… ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/443 "2009-12-06T21:06:56Z")
Gave up 21 points in the 4th quarter. “The only thing prevent prevents is winning.” ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/444 "2009-12-06T21:07:54Z")
That’s the end of our defense of the title. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/445 "2009-12-06T21:08:31Z")
FUCK. I don’t see any way they can make the playoffs now. And even if they did, they’d simply choke it away in the last 5 minutes anyway. They’ve blown so many leads that they deserve to watch the playoffs from home. They have had the lead in every single game, with the lead in the 4th in 5 of 6 losses. It’s simply depressing. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/446 "2009-12-06T21:13:52Z")
This team doesn’t deserve the playoffs even if it could happen. Fire Bruce Arians and start planning for next season. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/447 "2009-12-06T21:16:30Z")
Sad. Amazing what losing Polamalu has done to our defense. 5-0 with Polamalu. 1-6 without him. Pretty much sums it up right there. A total shame, too, considering the offense really is quite good this year, if not the best it’s been since the 70s. Why the call to fire Arians? The offense has been clicking this year. We’re rushing the ball well, Ben is playing out of his mind good…we just give up leads in the 4th quarter…that’s not the offense’s fault. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/448 "2009-12-06T21:25:55Z")
☹ I fear that is EOS - end of season. We just were not able to finish our games this year. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/449 "2009-12-06T22:33:35Z")
I put the blame on LeBeau. Obviously, they built the D around Polamalu, and their current plan just doesn’t work without him. 19 yard, 4th down conversion, pass completion by Gradowski? That just isn’t supposed to happen. Also, it’s obvious that it works perfectly for 3 quarters, why change it for the 4th? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/450 "2009-12-06T22:54:16Z")
Your bunch of losers just lost me $50. I bet the Raiders wouldn’t win more than 4 games. I need them to lose out just to get a push. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/451 "2009-12-06T23:11:47Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Your bunch of losers just lost me $50. I bet the Raiders wouldn’t win more than 4 games. I need them to lose out just to get a push. You bet _money_ on the _Raiders_ doing _anything_? Do you wipe your butt with $1 bills too?!? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/452 "2009-12-06T23:31:39Z")
We still got a chance though. Losing to Cinci, Washington, and Oakland may have helped us, as none of them will be in the wildcard. If we end up in a tiebreaker for the wildcard with Denver, we get it. With any luck, 9-7 will make the wildcard, but we need a ton of help. I’m not expecting much this year though. The boys won the SB last year with a ton of luck. Maybe 2 more losses though and it’s over. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/453 "2009-12-07T01:04:04Z")
This team isn’t mathematically eliminated but might as well be. Who thinks we can beat Indy, NE, or New Orleans at this point? I don’t think the defensive problems are on Lebeau specifically but on the guys in the secondary. Both corners have looked heroic in some games and horrific in too many others. Teams can throw balls up for grabs because, without Troy, there’s no one back there to make them pay for their mistakes. As to the question of why blame Bruce Arians. It’s because this offense would have put up the same numbers with any Steelers fan calling the plays. We pass well out of the bunch formation designed by Ken Whisenhunt, we pass well out of the no-huddle where Ben calls the plays, we gain yards on the TE screen to the middle which Steelers fans from the '70s will recognize. Running? Pull the right guard, blast middle behind a zone block, these are the running plays every Steeler running back in the last fifteen years has been running. All Arians has brought with him is the empty backfield, for when we need to dial up a pick or sack for the opposing team, and the 3-TE set which didn’t amaze anyone much. We have an average offensive line but are above average at all the skill positions on offense; the offense has put up good numbers but hasn’t played winning football. It’s a high turnover offense and the added pressure on the defense certainly has showed in the 4th quarter. By the way, if anyone cares, the last time we experimented with the no-huddle we had to scrap it because our defense was just as wiped as the other teams by the end of the game. Call the same game as we did against the Ravens but with Ben throwing the ball and we win all these games we’ve lost in the fourth quarter. I’m sure of it. We don’t need an overhaul but we need changes. This is NOT a Super Bowl calibre team, not in any phase of the game. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/454 "2009-12-07T01:18:51Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > This team isn’t mathematically eliminated but might as well be. Who thinks we can beat Indy, NE, or New Orleans at this point? With troy, I would bet on us. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/455 "2009-12-07T01:23:48Z")
He certainly changes the complexion of the defense. He was one of the biggest critics of the no-huddle last time and he rarely complains about anything. That was when I lost faith in it for this team. Explosive defenses need time in between series to rest, there’s no way around it. On a more positive note, even though the loss of Aaron Smith has hurt them I noticed Ziggy Hood has done pretty well against double teams and opposing teams still prefer to run at Brett Keisel. He may not quite be ready to start yet but Hood will add some youth to the line which we sorely need. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/456 "2009-12-07T02:01:25Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > He certainly changes the complexion of the defense. He was one of the biggest critics of the no-huddle last time and he rarely complains about anything. That was when I lost faith in it for this team. Explosive defenses need time in between series to rest, there’s no way around it. On a more positive note, even though the loss of Aaron Smith has hurt them I noticed Ziggy Hood has done pretty well against double teams and opposing teams still prefer to run at Brett Keisel. He may not quite be ready to start yet but Hood will add some youth to the line which we sorely need. The run defense is fine, it’s the 5 yard, 100% successful pass plays in the 4th quarter that are f-d up. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/457 "2009-12-07T02:44:44Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > The run defense is fine, it’s the 5 yard, 100% successful pass plays in the 4th quarter that are f-d up. No disagreement here. I just don’t think it’s a scheme issue; I think it’s a player issue. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/458 "2009-12-07T03:31:55Z")
Wow, the Steelers had Holmes go for 150 yards and a TD, Mendenhall over 100 yards rushing and a TD, Ben threw for almost 300 yards and 2 TD’s…and they _lost_? Wow. The Raiders do have some playmakers, especially on defense, and Gradkowski has played much better football than Jamarcus did all season, as the Bengals and now the Steelers are painfully aware. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/459 "2009-12-07T03:42:23Z")
I secretly kinda hope that one day the Raiders will be good again. It’d be nice to see those fans have something to cheer about rather than just cheering for these crazy flukes of a victory. Sorry, Steelers fans. This loss hurts me too as I had picked the Black and Yellow to take an eassy W on this one… ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339/460 "2009-12-07T04:14:38Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Wow, the Steelers had Holmes go for 150 yards and a TD, Mendenhall over 100 yards rushing and a TD, Ben threw for almost 300 yards and 2 TD’s…and they _lost_? > > Wow. > > The Raiders do have some playmakers, especially on defense, and Gradkowski has played much better football than Jamarcus did all season, as the Bengals and now the Steelers are painfully aware. Lost the turnover battle again. it’s killing this team. The lack of turnovers forced by the defense especially. This is the first game I’ve missed in a long time but I’ve watched the Raiders a few times this season and their defense impressed me too. They’re playing a real simple scheme but it suits them. The Steelers need to go the other way, They have the horses up front to execute complex blitz schemes to try and protect the secondary. When Polamalu is playing they don’t need that element so much; obviously the simpler scheme isn’t working when he’s out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339.md?page=22) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-sixburgh-steelers-march-to-the-super-bowl-thread/506339.md?page=24)