OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Super Bowl? Thats like a giant pot of chips or popcorn right?

[Double-Shift Lasse]

The one component that you didn't consider was that this was just an elaborate ploy to lure JJ out of retirement.

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JJ just announced an investment in the English football club I follow. The potential for bandwagoners is a mixed bag. Don’t really have anything constructive to add re:Steelers.

I don’t suspect you were serious but JJ is doing retirement things.

 

[Captain Hook]

Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl

"We want to be big, we want to be physical, we want to be tough. We want to be able to impose our will on other teams. That's the Pittsburgh Steelers, right? You go break the other teams sword in the second half of the game."

^ Love hearing that and you can definitely see the emphasis on that with the moves they've made.

Full interview is below (You'll have to click the link and watch it on Youtube). That quote starts around the 17 minute mark if you want to skip just to that part.

 

[JTG]

I have been saying this for 2 years, but we have had no identity whatsoever. We desperately needed one, and Weidl I think is bringing that to the forefront. What a hire. Now they have to shackle him to his desk and make sure he doesn't bolt for a GM gig.

 

[OnMyOwn]

I have been saying this for 2 years, but we have had no identity whatsoever. We desperately needed one, and Weidl I think is bringing that to the forefront. What a hire. Now they have to shackle him to his desk and make sure he doesn't bolt for a GM gig.

He’s from the area, so I’m hopeful he’s getting paid enough to stick around for a while, for family reasons.

 

[Captain Hook]

I have been saying this for 2 years, but we have had no identity whatsoever. We desperately needed one, and Weidl I think is bringing that to the forefront. What a hire. Now they have to shackle him to his desk and make sure he doesn't bolt for a GM gig.

He’s from the area, so I’m hopeful he’s getting paid enough to stick around for a while, for family reasons.

Yeah, Weidl seems like a guy that some team will try to poach for their GM opening sooner rather than later. You just have to hope that he's someone that sees working for his hometown Steelers as a dream job and that he's motivated by trying to bring home another Lombardi trophy. Maybe he sticks around longer if that's the case.

Weidl also said in that interview that we (him, other scouts etc.) believe Herbig can play both inside or outside LB. People have speculated that may be the case but I think he's the first from within the organization to acknowledge that possibility.

 

[Power Surge]

Lol

Morehouse was brought on to help the Steelers with a new Stadium/Stadium Improvements.

People acting like he will have any affect on the team are idiots.

Get this man a head set and a red challenge flag.

 

[JTG]

Pretty awesome Ben video. Dude could just drop dimes, and I think a lot of those passes in this video WRs just didn't think he would be able to get it to them.

 

[JTG]

I was watching some Darnell Washington highlights, and it's funny because there is a common theme amongst our skilled offensive guys - they fall forward. Very rarely do you see them lose yardage after contact. With Washington, if you throw a 5 yard hitch to him, with one turn and a lean, he's got 10. I really hope he can stay healthy.

I also really like this team. They may not be completely ready for primetime yet, but I think we are going to at least have an identity this year, we are going to be a tough out, and we won't have these games where we are getting completely bulldozed and we roll over.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Pretty awesome Ben video. Dude could just drop dimes, and I think a lot of those passes in this video WRs just didn't think he would be able to get it to them.

We can sometimes forget his live arm.

But what really turns my stomach with these is how the Super Bowl pass to Santonio could have been one.

 

[JTG]

We can sometimes forget his live arm.

But what really turns my stomach with these is how the Super Bowl pass to Santonio could have been one.

For sure. But you start watching these and they were almost all huge chunk plays. It happens to all QBs, but I feel as though Ben's receivers let him down quite a bit in his time here. AB dropped a few, but he more than made up for those drops. Everyone else...not so much.

And watching that, it's kind of crazy how much pop his arm lost after the elbow injury. Some of those he just flicked his wrist and it was 60 yards down field.

 

[JTG]

Where are we putting the Steelers at wins wise this year? I say 9 +/- 1. Those MLBs still give me some pause. The corner opposite Peterson is going to be weak. How will these safeties work out opposite Minkah? I think it really depends on the run game though. If they can get Najee rolling, the team has a chance.

 

[Pens1566]

Where are we putting the Steelers at wins wise this year? I say 9 +/- 1. Those MLBs still give me some pause. The corner opposite Peterson is going to be weak. How will these safeties work out opposite Minkah? I think it really depends on the run game though. If they can get Najee rolling, the team has a chance.

Going with 8, expecting a regression.

 

[JTG]

Going with 8, expecting a regression.

I think they miss the playoffs by the skin of their teeth again. Not that it really matters.

What I really want to see this year is Kenny make some progression - I'd like his INTs to be under 10 and his TDs to be around 20. That will be a success to me.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

I think they miss the playoffs by the skin of their teeth again. Not that it really matters.

What I really want to see this year is Kenny make some progression - I'd like his INTs to be under 10 and his TDs to be around 20. That will be a success to me.

Agreed. Specifically, I want to see 20+ passing TDs and 8- INTs. Then I figure an additional 5-6 rushing TDs, mostly from QB sneaks or naked bootlegs.

 

[Peat]

They got 9 last year with a harder schedule and big question marks/asterisks at the two most important positions of QB and OLB. I know they probably overachieved a little but there should be a bump up this year that covers any regression and then some. If there isn't there should be major questions.

If Pickett takes a step and injury luck is kind, then I see 10. They're playing 6 teams that finished in the bottom 11 last season and a Green Bay team that's probably sliding towards it. Seattle or 49ers - depending on when you play the 49ers and how their QB room shakes out - are the scariest non-division team they face. I'm feeling bullish.

I won't be surprised if they don't get there I guess, but that should result in major questions about how guys are getting developed.

 

[xlm34]

Yeah 10 or 11 wins seems about right to me. Looking at their schedule, it looks like they kind of got lucky with which QBs they’re facing.

And on paper, outside of slot corner, I’m not seeing a position that’s worse than it was last year. The offense looks significantly better with the OL upgrades. The defense had a lot of turnover, but outside of Sutton they didn’t really lose anyone impactful. And they added a couple of really interesting pieces.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

If Watt stays healthy and KP takes a big step fwd, I think they can contend for the division.

Tomlin owns LJ. Browns who knows, but I can’t ever see them owning the Steelers.

Burrow is good, but he doesn’t scare me like Brady.

Roth was the clear cut best QB in the North for 15 yrs or so, (ruled out 04 and 05 with Palmer) and the Steelers only won the division 7 times during that span.

So having the best QB doesn’t gift you the division.

 

[JTG]

I think this team is going to live and die by the run game. If they are going to seriously contend (serious meaning a playoff win or more), Harris/Warren are going to have to rush for 2500+ yards. We don't have a quick strike offense. We need to keep quick strike offenses off the field.

 

[JTG]

Bully ball

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I think this team is going to live and die by the run game. If they are going to seriously contend (serious meaning a playoff win or more), Harris/Warren are going to have to rush for 2500+ yards. We don't have a quick strike offense. We need to keep quick strike offenses off the field.

Being a pure ball control team is a catch 22 I feel. It may help them win the division, but then come playoff time they will be in trouble against the arms race in the AFC.

They can have a quick strike offense if they allow guys like Pickens and CA3 to do their thing. I don't expect the Chiefs or '99 Rams, but I also think Cowher, Fisher, Marty ball will hold them back.

They need to find a balance between being a good running team and being a quick strike offense.

Canada... I know.

 

[OnMyOwn]

If KP takes a step forward this year, I’m betting we make the playoffs. The schedule isn’t as tough as last year and the team is better on paper at least.

 

[Peat]

Any hope of victory through ball control rests on having a better rushing offence than the Titans or Ravens, which seems like a stupidly high order.

Developing enough explosive capacity that teams can't just defend the run seems far easier. Go hybrid like the Eagles.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Any hope of victory through ball control rests on having a better rushing offence than the Titans or Ravens, which seems like a stupidly high order.

Developing enough explosive capacity that teams can't just defend the run seems far easier. Go hybrid like the Eagles.

Ravens had the best rushing offense in league history and it amounted to a one and done playoff season.

I think something like the 20 top rushing teams in NFL history have a whopping 1 SB between them, and the that was the 72 Dolphins over 50 yrs ago.

Gotta have that balance and be able to play it any way your offense needs to.

It’s inevitable those teams that rely on the rush will eventually get down in a playoff game and then they are f***ed.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

They got 9 last year with a harder schedule and big question marks/asterisks at the two most important positions of QB and OLB. I know they probably overachieved a little but there should be a bump up this year that covers any regression and then some. If there isn't there should be major questions.

If Pickett takes a step and injury luck is kind, then I see 10. They're playing 6 teams that finished in the bottom 11 last season and a Green Bay team that's probably sliding towards it. Seattle or 49ers - depending on when you play the 49ers and how their QB room shakes out - are the scariest non-division team they face. I'm feeling bullish.

I won't be surprised if they don't get there I guess, but that should result in major questions about how guys are getting developed.

I'm not sure you can say last year's schedule was "hard". They played the worst division in football and won all 4 of those games. Their first half was difficult, but the 2nd half was easy.

I look at this from a divisional standpoint and I expect them to be battling for 2nd place. That's a fair and realistic goal. So I got them down for 1 more win.

Kenny's development and their ability to run the ball better should produce better offensive numbers. I worry about another year of wear and tear on Watt & Heyward. If either of those two go down, the defense takes a significant blow and that might be 2 losses there.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I think this team is going to live and die by the run game. If they are going to seriously contend (serious meaning a playoff win or more), Harris/Warren are going to have to rush for 2500+ yards. We don't have a quick strike offense. We need to keep quick strike offenses off the field.

Someone mentioned "identity" and while I don't agree with the "pound the rock" mantra, at least we can now say what we are. The past 3+ seasons, does anyone know what this team's offensive or defensive identity was? I sure don't.

So I'm glad we're good at something and that should be running the ball and stopping the run. Throwing it and stopping the pass remain to be seen. But baby steps in this rebuild are to be expected...