Are the Pittsburgh Steelers Finally over the Hill?

[polamalubeast]

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the best teams in the AFC for over a decade, but is their dynasty finally crumbling with age?

Last year, the Steelers fielded the NFL's best defense, but also one of the oldest defenses in league history. The offense, too, had faces that have been familiar in Pittsburgh for three, four or five plus years. Fans can call it consistency and stability, but as those players get older, critics will continue ask: "how many years do they have left?"

The big story is at the quarterback position, where Ben Roethlisberger is finally on the wrong side of 30. While quarterbacks have been known to play into their late 30s and even into their 40s, historical studies have shown that Roethlisberger is in his prime right now and could see a steep decline in the coming years.

How much help will Big Ben need in the years when he should be at his best?

Helping all this "age" talk is the public (read: "ceremonial") retirement of four Steelers at a public practice earlier this summer. Longtime Steelers greats Hines Ward and James Farrior also retired following the 2011 season.

Of course, this isn't the first time the Steelers have been called old. Last year, Warren Sapp said on Showtime's Inside the NFL that, "[On] The Pittsburgh Steelers, I have three things: old, slow and it's over. It's just that simple." (Quote via USA Today)

The Steelers would go on to (largely) prove Sapp wrong. The "old, slow and over" Steelers finished 12-4, tying with the Baltimore Ravens for the AFC North lead and getting to the Wildcard round of the playoffs before being ousted by the Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos.

However, going solely by the average age of the starters, the Steelers are not that old.



read more


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1298431-are-the-pittsburgh-steelers-finally-over-the-hill

[salamander]

Can we please just start the season already?

[Nadroj 20]

Yeah we're probably going 0-16.

[The Duke]

yes

[Count Steeler]

Dynasty? Give me a break. Seriously, get a real job. How can you label the Steelers a dynasty?

[polamalubeast]

Dynasty? Give me a break. Seriously, get a real job. How can you label the Steelers a dynasty?


dynasty....NO.....great team...Yes(4 AFC TITLE GAME,3 super bowl apparence and 2 super bowl win since 2004)

[Count Steeler]

dynasty....NO.....great team...Yes(4 AFC TITLE GAME,3 super bowl apparence and 2 super bowl win since 2004)

Agreed, great team, but it just bugs me when reporters throw around terms and belittle the meaning of them.

Steelers of the 70s were a dynasty. Steelers of the 00s, very good, but not a dynasty.

[GoSlash27]

I swear I've been reading this same tired "report" since '98. It's almost like they're hoping that we're finally over the hill.:ranger:

[SteelerFanInStl]

Yawn... :old:

[Psycho Ward 86]

i can honestly say this is the first season since ive been a steelers fan that im legitimately worried. It is not a "given" that the Pittsburgh steelers endure and succeed, its just the usual way of life. Our reactions are a lot calmer than most outside the organization because we know more than them. Its a year of turnover and we have checks and balances to ensure that our continuity of success wont soon end, but we havent put all of our problems completely in check (Wallace gone and able to play 6 weeks to get full credit for a season, Mendenhall, DJ, and now Redman injured, O-line/D-line health and the development of the young guns). We can still have a dominant season, but theres a good chance we'll really be fighting tooth and nail for much of the season too. Cant wait to see what happens

[polamalubeast]

for Wallace, it's 100% certain that he will be with the Steelers before the start of the season

http://pit.scout.com/2/1211874.html

[JayC]

i love how everyone thinks we stink now and the season hasn't even started yet.

[Psycho Ward 86]

for Wallace, it's 100% certain that he will be with the Steelers before the start of the season

http://pit.scout.com/2/1211874.html

no its not. those same guys also thought he'd be back for the start of training camp.

But glad to hear from that link that adrian robinson and chris carter are doing really well. Concerns me that worilds hasnt made any noise yet but hey we'll see

[GBMelBlount]

Younger, more athletic, no major players lost.

We are screwed.

[60_MINUTES]

what a complete idiot... he said Gay our best CB left for Arizona.... wow!!! that may be the dumbest thing ever written in history.... I cant believe anyone would call us old... its almost like the whole league is pissed beyond belief... I guess I would be to If I wasnt a steeler fan... I mean look at what the Rooneys and company has done the past few years... Its almost unfair to the rest of the league lol... We were already great.. 4 AFC champ games since 2004... 2 SB wins 3 SB apperances...Un Real for most teams that would be good enough for a life time... so one would figure we would start to decline... people around the league thought thank GOD... Ward Farrior Smith ETC... they finally getting old... Thank GOD... YAY!!!!!... but then over the past 4 years we have quietly brought in guys Like Timmons 26... Wallace 26 Woodley 26.. Antiono Brown 26.. Hood... Heyward... Cortez Allen... pouncey... Decastro... Gilbert..... sanders.... now Rainy...etc....lol we are now one of the youngest teams in the league but still on top... The past 4 years of drafts are un real... BEN is 30 years old... He will play at a high level at least 7 more years... hell every QB plays at a high level that long now.... 7 years with BEN and the guys listed above...Good Lord unreal how great the rooneys and support cast is... so if I were the league and other teams and fans and reporters like this one... I to would be pissed beyond belief at the Steelers.... Another 7 to 10 years of greatness... It really isnt fair... lol

[Nadroj 20]

no its not. those same guys also thought he'd be back for the start of training camp.

But glad to hear from that link that adrian robinson and chris carter are doing really well. Concerns me that worilds hasnt made any noise yet but hey we'll see
Jason is hurt.

[fansince'76]

Agreed, great team, but it just bugs me when reporters throw around terms and belittle the meaning of them.

Steelers of the 70s were a dynasty. Steelers of the 00s, very good, but not a dynasty.

A "dynasty" to me is a team that is head and tails better than the rest of the league. There hasn't been a team like that since the Cowboys of the early '90s. It's another overused, and in many cases, inappropriately used term like "elite" is.

[Craic]

A "dynasty" to me is a team that is head and tails better than the rest of the league. There hasn't been a team like that since the Cowboys of the early '90s. It's another overused, and in many cases, inappropriately used term like "elite" is.

I'd define a dynasty as a team that's won four SB's or more with the core of their players intact for most of those wins, and under one head coach. So for me, there's only been 2 dynasties since the merger. The Steelers, and the 49ers.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Jason is hurt.


totally forgot, thanks!

[steelers_switzerland]

Bleacher Report? I don't read articles from that site. Not even worth to discuss it.

[Pristas]

Bleacher Report? I don't read articles from that site. Not even worth to discuss it.

I hear people say this a lot on this site. I don't agree. I've found some good news on Bleacher from several different writers. I get just as much crap writing from the Post-Gazette. Sometimes Bleacher Report provides really insightful details about a player that you may not have otherwise. Personally I'd rather have this info than not. No offense Switz, just saying all the hate has bothered me a bit and may be somewhat undeserved.

[polamalubeast]

Bleacher Report is not a bad site as many think

Of course, Bleacher Report is far from perfect, but at the same time, they make also sometimes of nice article

[X-Terminator]

Yeah, Bleacher Report has gotten better. PFT, on the other hand...

[Edman]

They'll just keep saying this about the Steelers until proven otherwise. It's not like last years' team went out with a bang.

[Lou Donny]

I swear I've been reading this same tired "report" since '98. It's almost like they're hoping that we're finally over the hill.:ranger:

You are so correct.

I came across a Lindy's Football Preview Magazine from 06 or 07 the other day....thumbed thru it quckly and glanced at the steelers section...its like mad libs....just change the names.

Same question marks and concerns...age on D, FA losses, retirements.
Blah blah blah...this could be the year we see them fall off a bit....Blah blah blah...Cincy will be nipping at their heels....Blah blah blah.