Season's not over

[GodfatherofSoul]

The team is pretty dinged up.


We've got Harrison essentially in preseason form.
DeCastro due back in a month or 2.
Troy probably due back in a month.
Woodley maybe the same depending on severity of his injury.



So long as Ike isn't an Achilles heel (sorry Mendy) and is just having a bad stretch (going back to Denver 2011 season), I think the foundation is in place.

[fansince'76]

They still gotta play the games, so I hope they can pull out as many as possible going forward. Not expecting much at this point.

[suitanim]

While I like the optimism, there is one flaw with the logic. Healthy or not, we play like shit in white. So even if something is salvaged, we will eventually fall prey to the same thing that happened last year: Unless we secure homefield throughout, we will be one-and-done on the road in the playoffs.

Remember, Denver was on like a 3 game losing streak last year and totally backed into the playoffs, and was one of the shittiest playoff teams in a couple decades. They had a FB playing QB and they still beat us. If we can't beat bottom-feeding garbage like the Raiders and Titans, how are we going to beat a decent team like New England, or a stacked team like Houston?

Until we start playing better on the road, the fact that the season is a long one will probably end up casing many of us a LOT of headaches before this thing is over.

[steel9guy]

I have tried to be optimistic in 09' but this year I have no hope. Troy will get hurt again and Harrison will play more pass coverage. Don't see many away wins at Baltimore, Dallas, Cincy, Cleveland, and New York. Maybe cleveland but I doubt that at the moment now.

[SteelerFanInStl]

The season isn't over but there's no chance of making the playoffs. The injuries aren't the only thing holding this team back. There are much bigger problems.

It's time to start building for the future.

[st33lersguy]

We lose to the suck ass Raiders and Titans, we seem completely incapable of winning on the road, and we still have to play the Ravens twice and the Giants, not to mention the Chargers in their best month, December (all guaranteed losses). If Troy doesn't play next week, that is another automatic loss. This season is over. Time to just watch and see where the Steelers will be picking next April.

[steelreserve]

Yes, for all we know, the offense could start scoring 35 points a game and they could win the next 8 in a row. Barring that, this season does not have a real promising look to it. Too many problems that have finally caught up with this team. Add the injuries, and it really looks like one of those years where they struggle through the whole season and finish 8-8, maybe showing just enough flashes of brilliance to piss us off.

[Carolina Steelers]

I've always been optimistic but this yr it just seem tough for me, usually we would get the lead in the 4th qtr and that would be it but the Raiders now the Titans 2 of the worse teams come back on us its hard for to believe right now.

[Edman]

No this season isn't over, but you kinda wish it was. I don't really like this team going forward this year. Especially on the road. If the Steelers can't beat shitty teams like the Raiders and Titans, what makes you think this team is going to go into New York, Cincinnati, Dallas, or Baltimore and win? At this point, they aren't. Hell, even Cleveland looks like a loss.

Going back to last year, this team has been notoriously awful on the road. Kinda odd, because in 2010 this team was pretty solid on the road.

If there's any, ANY silver lining I take from this crap, after Cincinnati, the next 10 games have majority of home games. Right now, players on this team are playing out their jobs for 2013 and beyond. It's looking like a lost season unless this team can resurrect the ghosts of 1995 all over again.

[GodfatherofSoul]

We've got the Bengals and Giants away and the Redskins and Chiefs at home. So, we lose the away games and come out 4-5. That's when it gets dicey. They go 3-1 and assuming they get better in a month with the key injuries back in the lineup at near 100%, you've got a decent shot at going 6-1 or 5-2 to close out the season and get into the playoffs.

Ravens 2x (give one loss to Ravens)
Browns 2x
Chargers home (call this a loss)
Cowboys away
Bengals home

So, next week is critical since I think we'll lose to the Giants on the road.

[Hindes204]

So much negativity...I'm still optimistic and I'm going with my original prediction of 11-5

[ALLD]

The team is pretty dinged up.


We've got Harrison essentially in preseason form.
DeCastro due back in a month or 2.
Troy probably due back in a month.
Woodley maybe the same depending on severity of his injury.


de
So long as Ike isn't an Achilles heel (sorry Mendy) and is just having a bad stretch (going back to Denver 2011 season), I think the foundation is in place.


I would not count on any of them playing at a Pro Bowl level which is what it would take for the Steelers to succeed this season. Polamalu might be done as well as Woodley. DeCastro is still an unknown quantity at this point.

[Moose]

I definitely like some of the positive attitudes in this thread, it's really needed now. Is it just me or does the team look like the fire is out ? Just looking at the side lines they all look like they are just going thru the motions. No motivation. In Tenn. game it looked like Heath, Ben, Redman were the only ones really playing hard, the rest just seemed to go thru the motions....and some just barely. It's already established that Harrison has backed off, he said so himself, so therefore he ISN'T the player he used to be or being paid for. The CB's are all worthless and the defense seemed to be a bunch of rookies just running around on the field not knowing their positions. No one blocks, covers, or tackles. Sideline sits idle. No FIRE !! No feel of urgency !! It's hard to believe that 1 man ( Haley) can disrupt the chemistry of this team this bad. Even Troy, though injured, just didn't seem into the game from the sideline. Tomlin in no ones ass, and believe me after the way they played Thursday night, you better believe plenty coaches would have been either in players asses, coaches asses or both !! Just my opinion, but I think this team just isn't into football for some reason.

[steel striker]

To me the best case would be maybe grab one of the wild card spots but, that might be a reach. Considering they way the defense is playing and, not to mention we are a MASH unit. I hate to say but, this year is all going to be on the offense. If Ben & the boys don't score over 30 points a game it's going to be a rough season.

[steelreserve]

Tomlin in no ones ass, and believe me after the way they played Thursday night, you better believe plenty coaches would have been either in players asses, coaches asses or both !! Just my opinion, but I think this team just isn't into football for some reason.

I think I understand what you mean, but man, that's a dirty way of phrasing it. We aren't the Patriots.

[tube517]

I definitely like some of the positive attitudes in this thread, it's really needed now. Is it just me or does the team look like the fire is out ? Just looking at the side lines they all look like they are just going thru the motions. No motivation. In Tenn. game it looked like Heath, Ben, Redman were the only ones really playing hard, the rest just seemed to go thru the motions....and some just barely. It's already established that Harrison has backed off, he said so himself, so therefore he ISN'T the player he used to be or being paid for. The CB's are all worthless and the defense seemed to be a bunch of rookies just running around on the field not knowing their positions. No one blocks, covers, or tackles. Sideline sits idle. No FIRE !! No feel of urgency !! It's hard to believe that 1 man ( Haley) can disrupt the chemistry of this team this bad. Even Troy, though injured, just didn't seem into the game from the sideline. Tomlin in no ones ass, and believe me after the way they played Thursday night, you better believe plenty coaches would have been either in players asses, coaches asses or both !! Just my opinion, but I think this team just isn't into football for some reason.

There's no "Fiery" leader on defense. Potsie's leadership is sorely missed. I don't see anyone "leading" the defense on the field.