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View Full Version : My 4 biggest reasons the Steelers still aren't playing.



zulater
02-02-2012, 01:07 PM
At the risk of coming off like a great whiny douche like John Harbitch, in my opinion the Steelers could very easily still be playing were it not for just a few things. Four things to be specific. And if so we would most likely have won another Super Bowl imho.

How do I come off saying this? Well for one thing I don't think that greatly of either the Patriots or Giant's. Most people ( myself included) think the Giants go into this Super Bowl as a better team than the Patriots. This same Giant team is just over a month removed from being 7-7, having to rely on a Cowboy collapse to even make the playoffs.

The Patriots, well we beat them didn't we? Don't get me wrong, I know that's not the be all- end all, perhaps you can make the case that the Patriots have improved since then ( not really though) and we regressed.

But sorry I'm not buying. The 2011 Steelers on their best day would beat anyone with the possible exception of the Saints and Packers on their best day.

I'll even say this without equivocation, the 2011 Steelers were much better than the 2010 Steelers.

Before I go any further, keep in mind that I'm posting this on a Steelers message board. I'm not trying to sell this to a neutral audience. And my four reasons shouldn't be confused with excuses.

So without further ado...

Reason 4.

Arrogance and lack of urgency going into the season. Both from a players and organizational standpoint.

First from the team itself. Going into an NFL season with Jonathan Scott as your starting left tackle was beyond stupid. Here's something you might not know, the Steelers in road games that both Max Starks and Maurkice Pouncey played were 4-0! The left tackle is considered one of the most important positions on the field by most teams. But for some reason the Steelers completely devalued it. Let Ben do his Houdini act and all will be well the thinking goes I suppose?

Now to the players. The Steelers went into the season opener with no sense of urgency. The prevailing thought seemingly, we own these guys. And as a result of the beat down we took that day, we found ourselves in a hole we could never quite dig out of. Plus by losing the way that we did that day we gave the Ravens the confidence they would need to steal the game in Pittsburgh later in the season.

Reasons 3, 2, and 1 later.

86WARD
02-02-2012, 01:10 PM
So far so good...

polamalubeast
02-02-2012, 01:12 PM
1.Roethlisberger's injury killed the offense.... Before his injury, Ben had a QB rating of 95.3 and played very well since the game against the Titans.After his injury, Ben had an awful QB rating of 68.1

2.The turnovers ratio was -13 and it's complete disaster!


3.Woodley's injury killed the pass rush(as vs ravens at home)

suitanim
02-02-2012, 01:23 PM
1. Allowing a very average Joe Flacco to beat your defense like drum. With only 90 seconds left. And a whole field in front of him. IN OUR HOUSE.

Steeldude
02-02-2012, 01:51 PM
Arrogance and lack of urgency going into the season

sounds like many of the fans on this MB

Steeldude
02-02-2012, 01:57 PM
1. Allowing a very average Joe Flacco to beat your defense like drum. With only 90 seconds left. And a whole field in front of him. IN OUR HOUSE.

Yet you ignore the fact Arians' offense only managed 7 points in game 1. I guess that didn't fit into your agenda :grin:

What about last year when Arians' powerhouse offense managed 14 and 13 point games against the Ravens?

You have this crooked view that everyone is to blame, but Arians. Sorry to inform you, but the blame goes all around. Arians was a huge part of the problem. Thankfully he is gone

zulater
02-02-2012, 02:24 PM
Reason 3: Bad Luck.

Yeah I know all the cliche's. You make your own luck, luck is where hard work meets opportunity, blah blah blah! To some extent that can be true. But sometimes it's complete bullshit. For example if I'm driving on the interstate and a deer decides to run directly in my path, and I destroy my car that's bad luck. I wasn't driving poorly, I didn't plan a bad route, my car was in good repair. But the dumb ass deer decided to go Kamikaze and I'm screwed!

Well this year the Steelers were unlucky early and often. And to a large extent it ruined their season.

A. Injuries.

Start off with Willie Colon's injury. One game in and we lose one of our mainstay's on the line. Poor planning, Willie's injury prone, the Steelers should have accounted for it? Really? Colon's Achilles injury was completely healed, this seasons injury was entirely unrelated from last year's. From 2007-09 Willie started and finished every single Steeler game. Just bad luck.

Now let's go to the playoff game. We lose Brett Keisel, who's been our best defensive lineman all year, and Casey Hampton, both in the first quarter! Yeah I know injuries happen to all teams. But two D-lineman in the first quarter! Bad Luck. and in my opinion it was Harrison and Mundy trying to comensate for the loss of these two that led to several Bronco big plays later in the game.

Also everyone's making a huge issue of Gronk (Pats TE) being hobbled by a high ankle sprain. Well how 'bout us losing Pouncey for the playoffs!

Bad luck.

Now for the ultimate bad luck not of your own doing, how about the fact that as a result of Denver backing into the playoffs we were forced to play without Ryan Clark?

B.Turnovers.

Every single year you see a team that has a fantastic turnaround in win totals. As often as not that team is among the league leaders in turnover
differential. And just as often as that the following season that team has a more normal season with turnovers, and they end up reverting to their normal win total. I understand that hard hitting and good pressure can influence this number, but there's also luck involved. And this year like no year in recent memory the ball just didn't bounce our way. Here's 3 great examples. In the second game against the Ravens, twice the Ravens fumbled, once on a kickoff, the other time I believe it was by a back on a run. Had the Steelers recovered either fumble they would have got the ball in excellent field position, and if I'm not mistaken also thwarted a Ravens scoring drive. But regardless, those fumbles bouncing the way they did, squirting right under several Steelers players noses was just bad luck. It's not as if the Ravens know how to fumble safely. They got the lucky bounces that day. Same thing happened in the first half of the playoff game against the Broncos. They fumble, normal luck the Steelers recover, take possession around the Broncos 20 and take a fairly commanding lead. Not this year though.

Now as to interceptions. Troy Polamalu is usually about as sure handed as any defensive back in the league. In fact you could even say in years past that other than Ed Reed he might have the best hands among the defensive back set. Not this year though, particularly early. Troy must have dropped at least 4 easy interceptions this year. Balls that he normally would catch in his sleep inexplicably fell through his hands this year. We expect this from Ike, but not Troy!

We went 12-5 despite being -14 on turnover ledger! Who else could do that? Next season things will likely level out and we'll be slightly on the plus side I'm guessing.

As the saying goes, it is what it is. I'm not necessarily complaining. I'm just commenting on things that happened. And to some extent the reason we're not still playing is that luck for the most part wasn't on our side. There's been many years in the past when it was. So I suppose you could say this was just one of those even out things? But regardless, bad luck is reason number 3 on my list why we're not playing.

zulater
02-02-2012, 02:25 PM
sounds like many of the fans on this MB

Steeler fans don't influence road games.

polamalubeast
02-02-2012, 02:29 PM
We must not forget the injury of the two highest paid players on the team that killed the team(woodley and Ben)

zulater
02-02-2012, 02:30 PM
We must not forget the injury of the two highest paid players on the team that killed the team(woodley and Ben)

2 reasons to go, be patient. :wink02:

GBMelBlount
02-02-2012, 02:30 PM
Revs & steeldude - It seems you are at an impasse - I like you both and agree with both of your points but it is getting to be a bit TOO heated imo.

Pristas
02-02-2012, 02:32 PM
Reason number 2: the Bubble Screen

<---Ducks and runs for cover!!!

GBMelBlount
02-02-2012, 02:36 PM
Reason 4.

Arrogance and lack of urgency going into the season. Both from a players and organizational standpoint.



1000% Agree on the lack of urgency! :applaudit:

Though I think "apathy" might better describe them than flat out "arrogance" imo.

zulater
02-02-2012, 02:47 PM
2. Lamarr Woodley pops a hammy against the Patriots.

I know I've already spoken of some injuries. But there's injuries, and then there's injuries!! At the time Woodley got hurt he was playing at a DPOY level.And yes Steeldude I know it's not just about sacks. It's also about pressure's and disrupting the quarterback timing and comfort level. And Woodley was getting in early and often nearly every game. I had to laugh earlier in the year when several people claimed Woodley had a poor game against the Texans because he didn't have a sack. But what he did have was about 4 crucial pressures that led to 3rd down incompletions. One of the primary reasons that game was even close was because of the havoc that Woodley created on key plays that game.

Last night I rewatched our divisional playoff win from last season over the Ravens. Woodley gave Flacco fits that evening. In my opinion there's no way the Ravens drive 92 yards in Pittsburgh with a healthy 56 this year.

Anyway one of the things I noticed this season was not only did we have an appallingly low number of sacks. But we also had very few quality pressures after Woodley got hurt. Anytime you can get in on the quarterback in under 3 seconds you negatively influence opposing quarterback play. Woodley was doing that 3 -6 times every game. No one, including James Harrison even approached that level after Woodley popped his hamstring. Woodley was the best defensive player in the league when he got hurt. That sort of injury is hard to overcome

polamalubeast
02-02-2012, 02:52 PM
Woodley is not Overpaid steeldude:wink02:

No Woodley=No pass rush

ALLD
02-02-2012, 02:55 PM
Lack of a game plan across the season to help protect the QB because of a questionable OL.

zulater
02-02-2012, 03:15 PM
1. Big Ben's lack of discipline!

I love Ben as a quarterback. I wouldn't trade him for anyone. But the single biggest reason our season went down the drain and we're not going to play in the Super Bowl is because of Ben's lack of discipline! The sack that destroyed our season never should have happened, it was 100% on Ben! Yeah I know, you've got to take the good with the bad, Ben's improvisational skills are what makes him as dangerous as he is... etc.,.

Wrong! Ben is as effective a pocket passer as just about anyone in the league! I watch these games again and again, and what's clear to me is that when Ben gets a clean pocket he can complete any pass anywhere on the field, in any situation!

Now obviously poor line play doesn't fall on Ben. And often because of our piss poor line Ben is forced to do his improv act, which of course puts him in jeopardy. But it's not always on the line. Sometimes Ben doesn't seem to understand the situation and he tries to make things happen when there's really no need to force the issue. Case in point the play that wrecked his and in effect the Steelers season.


. As much as anything I think it's Ben's glaring lack of patience and discipline that got his pal Arians fired! ( oh no you didn't! Oh yes I did! :chuckle:)

Ben needs to become more situationally aware! Know when to fight your fights! Ben just can't keep taking all these hits. A broken thumb, a broken foot, and a wrecked ankle, all in the same year! Yes improve the line, but also improve Ben's in game discipline. I honestly think it can be done without taking away the important parts of his game. To say Ben can't thrive as a pocket passer, is selling him short in my opinion.

suitanim
02-02-2012, 03:26 PM
Revs & steeldude - It seems you are at an impasse - I like you both and agree with both of your points but it is getting to be a bit TOO heated imo.

WTF!

I have that guy on ignore and have for months! How can my rhetoric be too "heated" when I can't see what he posts and don't respond to it? Since I can't see it, and I don't give a fuck what he says, and am incapable of being offended by it anyway, he can say whatever he wants. But don't call ME out for his garbage.

My number 1 reason has nothing to do with him or anything he ever said. A) No Kordell reference B) No Arians reference C) No Woodely reference so why an I being singled out here?

I'm going to re-post this, because if THIS doesn't happen, we are 13-3 with home field advantage, and we're probably playing Sunday.

Allowing a very average Joe Flacco to beat your defense like drum. With only 90 seconds left. And a whole field in front of him. IN OUR HOUSE.

GBMelBlount
02-02-2012, 03:36 PM
WTF!

I have that guy on ignore and have for months! How can my rhetoric be too "heated" when I can't see what he posts and don't respond to it? Since I can't see it, and I don't give a fuck what he says, and am incapable of being offended by it anyway, he can say whatever he wants. But don't call ME out for his garbage.

My number 1 reason has nothing to do with him or anything he ever said. A) No Kordell reference B) No Arians reference C) No Woodely reference so why an I being singled out here?

I'm going to re-post this, because if THIS doesn't happen, we are 13-3 with home field advantage, and we're probably playing Sunday.

Allowing a very average Joe Flacco to beat your defense like drum. With only 90 seconds left. And a whole field in front of him. IN OUR HOUSE.

Sorry. My bad. :grin:

steelerdude15
02-02-2012, 05:28 PM
Pretty good reasons, but it is what it is. We can only hope that things will get better next year and I feel they will.

Steeldude
02-02-2012, 06:38 PM
Steeler fans don't influence road games.

Referring to attitudes, not influencing road games.

Steeldude
02-02-2012, 06:41 PM
Revs & steeldude - It seems you are at an impasse - I like you both and agree with both of your points but it is getting to be a bit TOO heated imo.

Huh?

crcsnail
02-03-2012, 02:18 AM
nice post zulater . i agree with most of it . for me it was just to many injuries in the end . the standard is the standard but in the end it caught up with us :(

zulater
02-03-2012, 06:43 PM
https://p.twimg.com/Akrn4YpCEAADIbE.jpg:large

twitter.com/#!/search/%23DaBeard/slideshow/photos?url=https%3A%2F%2Fp.twimg.com%2FAkrn4YpCEAA DIbE.jpg

Saw this on Brett Keisel's twitter page. Didn't think it was thread worthy, but I thought it was too cool not to post. :lol:

Dino 6 Rings
02-05-2012, 09:26 AM
WTF!

Allowing a very average Joe Flacco to beat your defense like drum. With only 90 seconds left. And a whole field in front of him. IN OUR HOUSE.

Not to be miopic, but maybe if the Offense gets more than 1 1st down on that drive with 4+ mins left in the game, Flacco never sees the ball again.

6 plays, 19 yards, 2 mins off the clock. We punted from the Ravens 34 yards line. Maybe if we get one more 1st down we win that game. Flacco did go 7 of 13 and 92 yards, but maybe he shouldn't have even of had the chance? Just saying...if the Offense does its job first...and gets just 2 first downs...we win that game.

O'Malley
02-05-2012, 11:44 AM
Not to be miopic, but maybe if the Offense gets more than 1 1st down on that drive with 4+ mins left in the game, Flacco never sees the ball again.

6 plays, 19 yards, 2 mins off the clock. We punted from the Ravens 34 yards line. Maybe if we get one more 1st down we win that game. Flacco did go 7 of 13 and 92 yards, but maybe he shouldn't have even of had the chance? Just saying...if the Offense does its job first...and gets just 2 first downs...we win that game.

This^

polamalubeast
02-05-2012, 12:06 PM
The Steelers had scored 2 TD in 4th quarter against the best defense in the AFC(ravens).

The defense against the 3rd down (14/21) were a disgrace.

salamander
02-05-2012, 12:43 PM
It is what it is. I don't like to dwell on the past. We'll be back.

suitanim
02-06-2012, 05:35 AM
I noticed the Giants didn't allow much down by 4 with a minute left yesterday.

Dino 6 Rings
02-06-2012, 09:40 AM
I noticed the Giants didn't allow much down by 4 with a minute left yesterday.

yeah but if Tom Brady has over 2 minutes and time outs in his pocket, I bet he drives them for the score...

suitanim
02-06-2012, 10:27 AM
yeah but if Tom Brady has over 2 minutes and time outs in his pocket, I bet he drives them for the score...

If the Giants would have run more on their previous possession, the Pats would not have had any time.

See how that works?

Dino 6 Rings
02-06-2012, 11:17 AM
If the Giants would have run more on their previous possession, the Pats would not have had any time.

See how that works?

I see at team that passed 16 times out of a run formaton beat a team that threw twice out of a run formation...see how that works?

suitanim
02-06-2012, 12:17 PM
I see at team that passed 16 times out of a run formaton beat a team that threw twice out of a run formation...see how that works?

Really? That's it? Now you're reaching THAT far? As if every pass BA threw was out of a passing formation, and every run from a running one?

By the way, where did you get that "stat" from? Bear in mind that towards the end of the game, the Giants were without a TE, so what you might be attributing to innovation (assuming your assertion is even accurate) might really simply be necessity.

Dino 6 Rings
02-06-2012, 12:36 PM
Really? That's it? Now you're reaching THAT far? As if every pass BA threw was out of a passing formation, and every run from a running one?

By the way, where did you get that "stat" from? Bear in mind that towards the end of the game, the Giants were without a TE, so what you might be attributing to innovation (assuming your assertion is even accurate) might really simply be necessity.

I already posted the entire Giants offensive play calling for the game in the other thread.

I get you, you consider the Giants a Passing First team. Its obvious you and I will never come to any agreement on the Offensive Philosophy discussion. You liked Bruce Arians and your biggest concern is a step back in the wrong direction toward Cowher ball and 3 yards and a cloud of dust. It is what it is, we differ.

pepsyman1
02-06-2012, 02:32 PM
Time to let it go guys. 2011 is over. All we can do is look forward. We have a good team that has plenty of talent. I will leave it to the minds in charge and hope they improve our deficiencies.

SteelGhost
02-06-2012, 03:15 PM
Nice and pretty accurate reasons Zu, now it's time to move on and hope for a great 2012 season :tt02:

suitanim
02-06-2012, 03:34 PM
I consider a team that RANKS LAST in average yards per rush, and passes 60% of the time, a pass first team.

Yes, I do.