By what possible scenario could the Steelers miss the playoffs?

[polamalubeast]

But let's look at a three-way tie at 10-6 between the Steelers, Titans, and Broncos. Since they all have the same conference record, and there is not a minimum of four common games between them, the tie-breaker goes to strength of victory. And here's where everything gets very, very complicated because now the outcome is determined not by their own records but by the records of the ten teams that each team has beaten. Which wins were more impressive? Because the AFC North teams this year were matched with the NFC West and AFC South (and the Steelers did not beat the Texans), the Black and Gold are at a disadvantage here, and could lose this fight. For them to win it, they would need outcomes like the Colts beating the Texans and the Browns beating the Ravens. It is not a definite loss, but c'mon people, let's just avoid this scenario, eh?

I believe that this is the only way the Steelers could miss the playoffs this year: on account of strength of victory in a three-way tie with the Broncos and Titans. I count sixteen different outcomes that have to be in place for that to work:



•Steelers lose out (at SF, vs. STL, at CLE).
•Titans win out (at IND, vs. JAC, at HOU).
•Broncos win vs. NE and at BUF, lose vs. KC.
•Raiders win out (vs. DET, at KC, vs. SD).
•Jets win out (at PHI, vs. NYG, at MIA).
•Patriots win either vs. MIA or vs. BUF.


read more

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2011/12/13/2632290/by-what-possible-scenario-could-the-steelers-miss-the-playoffs


To thwart the scenario as early as this week, just one of the following five possible outcomes is necessary:
•Steelers win at SF, or
•Titans lose at IND, or
•Broncos lose vs. NE, or
•Raiders lose vs. DET, or
•Jets lose at PHI.

[86WARD]

A loss this week wouldn't be the worst case scenario...

[salamander]

Just win. That's all that's important right now.

[suitanim]

Even if Batch is the starter, the Steelers will finish better than 10-6. I can't envision any scenario where they fall below 12-4...at the worst, if they completely tank, lose half their starters (including Ben) and play flat, I STILL think they'll beat the Rams and Browns.

[steeldevil]

As long as the D shows up we could beat the Rams with Ward at QB....

Anyone watch MNF game last night? Their offensive play caller is just stupid..... Oh its Josh McDaniels.....

I feel sorry for Steven Jackson.

[steel9guy]

This thread scares me lol, with that said we will go 12-4 at least.

[polamalubeast]

As long as the D shows up we could beat the Rams with Ward at QB....

Anyone watch MNF game last night? Their offensive play caller is just stupid..... Oh its Josh McDaniels.....

I feel sorry for Steven Jackson.

I still can not believe that the Rams have won against the Saints this year.

This is perhaps the biggest upset in the last 5 years in the regular season.

[steelpinstripe87]

If Tebow beats Brady, that will be epic. Just sayin'

[steelerdude15]

The Steelers will be in the playoffs, end this thread now.

[XxKnightxX]

I dont even consider a Giants style collapse. All i really do see is that if the Chargers beat the Ravens this Sunday. The Steelers better go for the Jugular against San Fran and for the rest of the remaining games.

[O'Malley]

If anything this makes them play even harder.. Do it for James!!!

[venom]

Should the Ravens beat the Chargers , do you sit Ben ?

[steelreserve]

Even if Batch is the starter, the Steelers will finish better than 10-6. I can't envision any scenario where they fall below 12-4...at the worst, if they completely tank, lose half their starters (including Ben) and play flat, I STILL think they'll beat the Rams and Browns.

I don't think we would've beaten the Browns with Batch. And probably wouldn't do it a second time unless he got a HELL of a lot better. Say what you want about Cleveland, but their defense is good enough to stop shitty QBs. They'll fold against a real offense, but we'd be in trouble against them without Ben. Dixon might have better luck than Batch, actually.

[ALLD]

The "commissioner" could begin suspending our key players at his discretion.

[O'Malley]

The "commissioner" could begin suspending our key players at his discretion.

He already has!!!

[fansince'76]

Officially stopped caring today...

[suitanim]

I don't think we would've beaten the Browns with Batch. And probably wouldn't do it a second time unless he got a HELL of a lot better. Say what you want about Cleveland, but their defense is good enough to stop shitty QBs. They'll fold against a real offense, but we'd be in trouble against them without Ben. Dixon might have better luck than Batch, actually.

The Browns will always find a way to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. We would have beaten them in Heinz, and we would beat them in Cleveland with Batch.

[O'Malley]

Officially stopped caring today...

Don't give in, Goodell wins that way Fan!

[zulater]

Hard to imagine the Raiders winning out or Timmy and the Miracles beating the Patriots. 10-6 would get the Steelers in. But regardless they should have at least one more win in them anyhow.

[Steeltreal]

Not a snowballs chance in hell

[fansince'76]

Der Kommissar suspends the entire starting defense indefinitely because they're an affront to the 100-yard Arena League he envisions and all the fans want!

[SteelGhost]

Batch plays the remaining 3 games, Woodley AND Deebo out AND stupid Godell suspends Troy and Antonio ....:sarcasm:

I don't think the Steelers miss the playoffs, no chance in hell.

[polamalubeast]

Der Kommissar suspends the entire starting defense indefinitely because they're an affront to the 100-yard Arena League he envisions and all the fans want!

I wish you not speak on the situation of Goodell / Harrison when it's not the subject of the topic!

[steelreserve]

The Browns will always find a way to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. We would have beaten them in Heinz, and we would beat them in Cleveland with Batch.

Heh, actually you may be right. They'd probably blow the game by knocking Batch out early, and then we beat them 10-7 behind Dennis Dixon's 11-of-27 for 125 yards and 2 INTs, plus a long punt return and a McCoy sack-fumble inside the 10.

[X-Terminator]

Don't give in, Goodell wins that way Fan!

Personally, I'm with him. Let Goodell have his pussified league, I refuse to watch it. And I'm sure there will be many other fans who will do the same thing, and then he'll be left with the fly-by casual pussy fans that he is catering to. Let's see how well the league does then.

[O'Malley]

Personally, I'm with him. Let Goodell have his pussified league, I refuse to watch it. And I'm sure there will be many other fans who will do the same thing, and then he'll be left with the fly-by casual pussy fans that he is catering to. Let's see how well the league does then.

I agree they are pussifing the league to unbelievable lengths... They think fans want to see the greatest show on turf every game.. As for the purists who just want to see football we're screwed.. It will not ever go back to the way it was.. But I still got love for the Steelers...

[fansince'76]

I wish you not speak on the situation of Goodell / Harrison when it's not the subject of the topic!

Well, you wanted to know under what scenario the Steelers miss the playoffs. The odds of that happening are almost as slim as the scenario I made up. If they lose to the Rams in Heinz Field they don't deserve a playoff spot anyway.

[BlacknGoldBabe]

I agree they are pussifing the league to unbelievable lengths... They think fans want to see the greatest show on turf every game.. As for the purists who just want to see football we're screwed.. It will not ever go back to the way it was.. But I still got love for the Steelers...

No, it will never go back to the way it was. Godell can't last forever, and we fans can't give up and just let him have his way.

[steelreserve]

Personally, I'm with him. Let Goodell have his pussified league, I refuse to watch it. And I'm sure there will be many other fans who will do the same thing, and then he'll be left with the fly-by casual pussy fans that he is catering to. Let's see how well the league does then.

Well, you could always watch it illegally, and still feel like you're doing your part.

[ALLD]

Baseball lost me back in the 1990s with the strike. I got through the 1970s "Mel Blount Rule" because the team adapted.

Since the rest of the league cannot comptete, they change the rules again (Ward Rule, Harrison Rule, & Brady rule).

[IUSteel]

Der Kommissar suspends the entire starting defense indefinitely because they're an affront to the 100-yard Arena League he envisions and all the fans want!

The sad thing is you're clearly speaking in hyperbole, but these things happen crazy fast and without people realizing it. Baseball in the 90s destroyed their fan base. The homerun chase was like the only positive, and when it started getting popular again around the Red Sox World Series (love 'em or hate 'em) the steroid scandal came in and wrecked it for another half decade. NBA is headed that way with fouls being called on everything and making teams have a top rated PG or be unable to compete. Sports Illustrated did a big article last year and it was startling when all these old NBA greats talked about how the game was being ruined, and when you looked at it they were right.

If the NFL keeps pushing for rule changes to favor the offense, they're going to start losing die hard fans. I can remember even ten years ago, hell even five, not ever missing a game because you literally never knew what was going to happen. Who this year missed a game and thought "I'll just catch the second half?" or just opted to check box scores? I feel like I missed a shit ton when you see a game that went 13-10 or 21-17. That pants shitting moment when a team scores a TD with four minutes left and brings the game to 10-7 and you think "well, they haven't done crap all game, it's over, can't believe it" and then you see an epic, four minute drive, 60 yard drive and a go ahead touchdown with time running out.

That used to be like every other game. This season? Not so much. Even if a team is down three scores with six minutes left, it's probably going to come down to one score because either a) PI call, or b) defenders playing so lose on receivers that it takes fifty seconds to drive 98 yards. This kind of crap will drive diehard fans away.

And then when fantasy football starts becoming less popular (and it will), the NFL will be left to find an audience. Don't think it has a chance in hell? Look at baseball.

[fansince'76]

The sad thing is you're clearly speaking in hyperbole, but these things happen crazy fast and without people realizing it. Baseball in the 90s destroyed their fan base. The homerun chase was like the only positive, and when it started getting popular again around the Red Sox World Series (love 'em or hate 'em) the steroid scandal came in and wrecked it for another half decade. NBA is headed that way with fouls being called on everything and making teams have a top rated PG or be unable to compete. Sports Illustrated did a big article last year and it was startling when all these old NBA greats talked about how the game was being ruined, and when you looked at it they were right.

If the NFL keeps pushing for rule changes to favor the offense, they're going to start losing die hard fans. I can remember even ten years ago, hell even five, not ever missing a game because you literally never knew what was going to happen. Who this year missed a game and thought "I'll just catch the second half?" or just opted to check box scores? I feel like I missed a shit ton when you see a game that went 13-10 or 21-17. That pants shitting moment when a team scores a TD with four minutes left and brings the game to 10-7 and you think "well, they haven't done crap all game, it's over, can't believe it" and then you see an epic, four minute drive, 60 yard drive and a go ahead touchdown with time running out.

That used to be like every other game. This season? Not so much. Even if a team is down three scores with six minutes left, it's probably going to come down to one score because either a) PI call, or b) defenders playing so lose on receivers that it takes fifty seconds to drive 98 yards. This kind of crap will drive diehard fans away.

And then when fantasy football starts becoming less popular (and it will), the NFL will be left to find an audience. Don't think it has a chance in hell? Look at baseball.

Preaching to the choir here. I also used to be one who never missed a game. Not anymore. Over the last couple of years, I have gone to watching the Steelers and that's it. And I'm this close to tuning out permanently. In anger, I said in another thread yesterday that I was going to stop watching entirely, but I still love the Steelers too much to do that.

And as far as the fantasy stats go, just look at it this way - it took 65 years of NFL history for a QB to surpass 5,000 yards in a season (Marino in '84). Marino's record has stood for another 27 years. Yet there are THREE QBs just this season ALONE who will all probably surpass it. Ridiculous.

[polamalubeast]

Preaching to the choir here. I also used to be one who never missed a game. Not anymore. Over the last couple of years, I have gone to watching the Steelers and that's it. And I'm this close to tuning out permanently. In anger, I said in another thread yesterday that I was going to stop watching entirely, but I still love the Steelers too much to do that.

And as far as the fantasy stats go, just look at it this way - it took 65 years of NFL history for a QB to surpass 5,000 yards in a season (Marino in '84). Marino's record has stood for another 27 years. Yet there are THREE QBs just this season ALONE who will all probably surpass it. Ridiculous.

true

In 20 years, many will think that Marino was an ordinary QB.


The 1984 season of Marino will always for me the best in history.48 TD in one season before the flag football is very impressive.And it is impressive that his record lasted for 27 years.

[fansince'76]

The 1984 season of Marino will always for me the best in history.48 TD in one season before the flag football is very impressive.And it is impressive that his record lasted for 27 years.

I still remember watching him absolutely torch the '85 Bears on MNF. The only game the Bears lost that season. God, I wish the Steelers would've drafted him.