My thoughts on the Chargers loss.

[zulater]

I know there's plenty of thread's already dealing with this, but I'm going to be a selfish prick and go on my own rant here because I don't want to get lost in the minutia of everyone else's blather.

No offense intended.

1.First and foremost, we played not to lose early offensively, therefore that's exactly what we did. Just as was the case in the Browns loss we played tentatively with the ball early, as if our quarterback was incapable of throwing the ball as much as 6 yards past the line of scrimmage and in effect we created such a quagmire down low that there was absolutley no chance to establish a running game, and we made it virtually impossible for our receivers to get open and their db's and lb's could just squat on everything underneath. The ironic part of this "strategy" is that you in fact get your quarterback hit on virtually every passing attempt, because no one can get open! :frusty:

Of course once we took the handcuffs off Ben after he shook off the intial rust, he showed he actually could throw the ball! But damn it, no one could step up and make a catch when it mattered!! Mike Wallace, yeah that was a tough pass, but damn it it's one that could have been made and put us in position to establish an early lead.

Same goes for Antonio. Yeah that was interference, yeah that shouldn't have been missed by the refs! But damn it you still had a play ball on the ball! Make the catch!

2. Special teams suck! Forget the fake punt.(if only) Give the Chargers credit for a great play call. Even without that we again got slaughtered on special teams. Butler isn't an NFL punter! Period. Two early punts by him shaped field position against us for the entire first half.

And again Antonio Brown loses a good return on a penalty. Hell we hold when the return isn't any good! Does any team commit as many special team's gaffes as the Steelers?

3. The refs were nearly as awful as the Steelers.

How do you miss that interference against Antonio? His freaking shoulder was pulled down before the ball got to him! It was 3-0 at the time, call that right and the Steelers have a first down over midfield.

Also that "fumble" was in fact an incomplete pass! Should it have been overturned? Hell yeah! It was a foward pass. Close yes, but clearly a foward pass.

I'm not going to nitpick every call, I'm sure they missed a few calls against the Chargers too. But these two calls were both wrong, and had a huge influence in the flow of the game.

4. Curtis Brown stood out like a sore thumb today. I get that our defense sucked across the board. We didn't do a good job getting pressure on Brees despite the fact that they played with a makeshift line. But part of that was that they were able to get receivers wide open on rythm plays where the ball was out of Rivers hands in under 2.5 seconds.( 3 and 5 step drops) And on many of these plays they were attacking 31 of the Steelers! He's awful. At the end of the game he was rightfully benched. I hope 35 is better.

5. 4th down play call was awful! First off I thought they were going to try to hard count the Chargers into an offsides, and failing that take the delay of game and punt it from midfield. But regardless, if you do decide to go for it, hand it to a back lined up 8 yards deep with no fullback?!! :frusty: That play had no chance to work!

6. Our fate is in our own hands. As bad as we played today at least Ben showed that he's back and fully able to do what's needed. Play aggresivlely on offense, set the tempo early and we could easily run our final 3 games. Do that and we're in the playoffs with a real chance.

Yeah I get it. That's probably not going to happen. But it's possible. And if they allow Ben to play like Ben, who knows? :noidea:

[Psycho Ward 86]

to Butler's credit, he did have the longest steelers punt in 63 years late in the game. Then again, everyone played so well during garbage time today. Lol

[Count Steeler]

to Butler's credit, he did have the longest steelers punt in 63 years late in the game. Then again, everyone played so well during garbage time today. Lol

Lucky bounce with no one back there to receive it. More like 45 yards and 28 yards on the bounce.

[zulater]

The biggest thing I get from this game is still point 1. Offensively they played tentatively early and handcuffed Ben. Part of it could even been Ben. Coming off that sort of injury you need to regain your confidence.

And yes I know most of the Steelers production came at garbage time. But so what? As long as Ben and Haley go into next weeks game knowing Ben can make any throw and subsequently play with aggresion early the running game will come back into play, and we can compete with Dallas.

So in the end what I take from this game is that Ben had to shake of the rust, get the belief back, now it's there, we wont dig an early hole, and the other elements of the team will play better.

Today we saw the snow ball effect in play. And it all started with an early lack of confidence in where Ben is at. Now those concerns are dispelled things should fall into place.

I'm calling it, we will run the final 3 games of the regular season.

[BlastFurnace]

What I became more convinced of today is that every RB on our roster would be 2nd and/or 3rd string on any other team. Other than Mendenhall, Dwyer and Redman move with the speed of a glacier with absolutely no elusiveness. Rainey isn't an NFL caliber RB.

[Edman]

Watch the Steelers suddenly look like World-beaters next week, and San Diego look like shit. It's just how this team is and how this season has gone.

[Count Steeler]

Yeah, and then we will lay an egg when Cleveland is here.

[zulater]

What I became more convinced of today is that every RB on our roster would be 2nd and/or 3rd string on any other team. Other than Mendenhall, Dwyer and Redman move with the speed of a glacier with absolutely no elusiveness. Rainey isn't an NFL caliber RB.

There wasn't much blocking there today. Imo it all relates to an early lack of confidence in the downfield passing attack. Same as we saw against the Browns and early against the Ravens. If your opponent doesn't have to defend the whole field chances are they'll be able to stop the running game in it's tracks.

[BlastFurnace]

Yeah, and then we will lay an egg when Cleveland is here.

Honestly, Cleveland is playing better than the Steelers are right now. Wouldn't surprise me one bit for the Steelers to have the same record as the Bengals going into week 17 and lose to Cleveland. They destroyed Kansas City. The Steelers came within an inch of losing to them.

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There wasn't much blocking there today. Imo it all relates to an early lack of confidence in the downfield passing attack. Same as we saw against the Browns and early against the Ravens. If your opponent doesn't have to defend the whole field chances are they'll be able to stop the running game in it's tracks.

I think it's time to let Mendenhall dig his way out of the doghouse next week. This has gone on too far. If anyone should be inactivated, it should be Rainey.

[zulater]

Honestly, Cleveland is playing better than the Steelers are right now. Wouldn't surprise me one bit for the Steelers to have the same record as the Bengals going into week 17 and lose to Cleveland. They destroyed Kansas City. The Steelers came within an inch of losing to them.

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I think it's time to let Mendenhall dig his way out of the doghouse next week. This has gone on too far. If anyone should be inactivated, it should be Rainey.


We turned the ball over to them 8 times in Cleveland, without Ben and it was a one score game!

I'll take my chances if we can get to that game at 9-6.

[steeldawg]

I dont think it was garbage time, we picked it up starting the end of the second quarter on the last drive, why? We went up tempo no huddle offense. The first drive in the third quarter for the chargers was a killer over 9 minutes and then they punched it in. After they ticked off so much time and then the lateral debacle we went no huddle again and the offense was moving again. We play better in the no huddle and we hardly use it.

[Edman]

Honestly, Cleveland is playing better than the Steelers are right now. Wouldn't surprise me one bit for the Steelers to have the same record as the Bengals going into week 17 and lose to Cleveland. They destroyed Kansas City. The Steelers came within an inch of losing to them.

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I think it's time to let Mendenhall dig his way out of the doghouse next week. This has gone on too far. If anyone should be inactivated, it should be Rainey.

Fumbly Stumblefall got his opportunity to be "The Man" this year and he stunk like shit and let the backups outperform him. He's more talented than Redman and Dwyer but lacks the mentality to be a special player. He can stay on the bench.

[BlastFurnace]

Fumbly Stumblefall got his opportunity to be "The Man" this year and he stunk like shit and let the backups outperform him. He's more talented than Redman and Dwyer but lacks the mentality to be a special player. He can stay on the bench.

I think he's better than any of them as a 3rd down back. Dwyer and Redman can be covered by a LB'er. Mendenhall cannot.

[Edman]

I think he's better than any of them as a 3rd down back. Dwyer and Redman can be covered by a LB'er. Mendenhall cannot.

Nobody needs to cover Mendenhall. He doesn't do anything anyway.

[BlastFurnace]

Nobody needs to cover Mendenhall. He doesn't do anything anyway.

Tomlin pulled every RB against Cleveland and gave them all a 2nd chance to play the following week except for Mendenhall. I think there is an issue between Mendenhall and Tomlin. The other RB's on this roster aren't as good as Mendenhall.

[steeldawg]

Fumbly Stumblefall got his opportunity to be "The Man" this year and he stunk like shit and let the backups outperform him. He's more talented than Redman and Dwyer but lacks the mentality to be a special player. He can stay on the bench.

he got his opportunity this year??? a few carries coming off a major injury is hardly working him into the starting role. Mendy has won a superbowl he played very well in the post season and he worked very hard to battle back from a major achillies injury the guy is mentally tough for sure.

[Psycho Ward 86]

I dont think it was garbage time, we picked it up starting the end of the second quarter on the last drive, why? We went up tempo no huddle offense. The first drive in the third quarter for the chargers was a killer over 9 minutes and then they punched it in. After they ticked off so much time and then the lateral debacle we went no huddle again and the offense was moving again. We play better in the no huddle and we hardly use it.

yeah we really showed those chargers who's the boss with a field goal :lol:

[steeldawg]

yeah we really showed those chargers who's the boss with a field goal :lol:

we had to settle for a field goal we got the ball with like a minute on the clock, im referring to the way we moved the ball.

[zulater]

yeah we really showed those chargers who's the boss with a field goal :lol:

I think the offense could potentially use this game as a stepping stone for their remaining games. If so it wont be a waste.

[Psycho Ward 86]

And yes I know most of the Steelers production came at garbage time. But so what? As long as Ben and Haley go into next weeks game knowing Ben can make any throw and subsequently play with aggresion early the running game will come back into play, and we can compete with Dallas.



but they dont know because thats the exact opposite of what we did today...

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The new england game from 2010 is an EXACT clone of this game. Next thing you'll be telling me Ben actually played well in this game too :lol:

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010111411/2010/REG10/patriots@steelers#menu=highlights&tab=recap

[BlastFurnace]

but they dont know because thats the exact opposite of what we did today...

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The new england game from 2010 is an EXACT clone of this game. Next thing you'll be telling me Ben actually played well in this game too :lol:

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010111411/2010/REG10/patriots@steelers#menu=highlights&tab=recap

Good comparison with the 2010 NE game.

[zulater]

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=321209023&period=0

Look at the early play selection. Short pass after short pass. 9 out of the first ten passes were within 8 yards of the line of scrimmage. It wasn't until over 6 minutes into the 2nd quarter that Ben attempted his second downfield pass.

Any wonder we couldn't run the ball? And finally when we do go vertical Wallace and Brown don't get the job done and we end up with another failed possession.

Anyway I think Ben clearly got his mojo back as the game went on, but due to circumstances mostly beyone his control the hole was too deep to dig out of.

But going foward I see no reason to believe Ben wont be operating at elite level right from the get go against the Cowboys. And as Ben goes so will the rest of the offense.

That's not to say I foresee an easy win. Obviously the defense has to step up their game as well.

But to me it's obvious Ben shook off the rust and the offense should be much more effecient going foward.

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but they dont know because thats the exact opposite of what we did today...

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The new england game from 2010 is an EXACT clone of this game. Next thing you'll be telling me Ben actually played well in this game too :lol:

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010111411/2010/REG10/patriots@steelers#menu=highlights&tab=recap

Where did we end up that season again? :coffee:

I'm not saying Ben played great today. But I am saying as the game progressed you could see him starting to throw the ball with more conviction, and by the end it's fairly obvious that he can make all the throws a great quarterback needs to.

I think he'll play great against the cowboys.

[Psycho Ward 86]

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=321209023&period=0

Look at the early play selection. Short pass after short pass. 9 out of the first ten passes were within 8 yards of the line of scrimmage. It wasn't until over 6 minutes into the 2nd quarter that Ben attempted his second downfield pass.

Any wonder we couldn't run the ball? And finally when we do go vertical Wallace and Brown don't get the job done and we end up with another failed possession.

Anyway I think Ben clearly got his mojo back as the game went on, but due to circumstances mostly beyone his control the hole was too deep to dig out of.

But going foward I see no reason to believe Ben wont be operating at elite level right from the get go against the Cowboys. And as Ben goes so will the rest of the offense.

That's not to say I foresee an easy win. Obviously the defense has to step up their game as well.

But to me it's obvious Ben shook off the rust and the offense should be much more effecient going foward.

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Where did we end up that season again? :coffee:

I'm not saying Ben played great today. But I am saying as the game progressed you could see him starting to throw the ball with more conviction, and by the end it's fairly obvious that he can make all the throws a great quarterback needs to.

I think he'll play great against the cowboys.

the superbowl, where we played in the exact same fashion: playing like bums for 3 quarters and then scoring late garbage points to make the game seem more respectable than it really was.

And anyone can make all the throws against a prevent defense that doesnt give a damn because they have the game locked up. Honestly im not even pissed at the offense, and especially not Ben. The O-line and 2ndary lost this game. Just like that patriots game

[zulater]

the superbowl, where we played in the exact same fashion: playing like bums for 3 quarters and then scoring late garbage points to make the game seem more respectable than it really was.

And anyone can make all the throws against a prevent defense that doesnt give a damn because they have the game locked up. Honestly im not even pissed at the offense, and especially not Ben. The O-line and 2ndary lost this game. Just like that patriots game

Give it up already then. Become a Patriot fan.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Give it up already then. Become a Patriot fan.

why would i do that? because you dont like me being frustrated with a team i love?

[zulater]

why would i do that? because you dont like me being frustrated with a team i love?

The Giants were 7-7 after 14 games last year.

If you want to bail do so at your own risk.

[DarthSpartans20]

The Giants were 7-7 after 14 games last year.

If you want to bail do so at your own risk.

And the Steelers were 7-5 and coming off a three game losing streak in 2005....

[zulater]

On second thought; as bad as the defense looked today they were actually worse. The chargers had at least a couple easy passes dropped and rivers missed wide open receivers at least 5 times.

[Edman]

the superbowl, where we played in the exact same fashion: playing like bums for 3 quarters and then scoring late garbage points to make the game seem more respectable than it really was.

Really now? The Steelers completely took over XLV after the Mendenhall TD and the game fizzled out once he fumbled.

[Edman]

Until I'm reading that the Steelers are mathematically eliminated, I'm not calling it quits on the season and I'm not calling it quits on this team. Today was a tad disappointing, but oh well.

The Steelers lost a bad game in 2005 to the Bengals and 2010 to the Patriots in which the Defense was heavily victimized. Those teams wound up in the Super Bowl.

[st33lersguy]

Expanding on your 3rd point, I would like to see the lame stream sports media actually criticize the "real" refs. They criticized the replacements relentlessly and saying they are "ruining the game" yet the real refs have been every bit as bad as the replacements and not a peep out of them

[86WARD]

It's funny you say in your opening...no offense intended. So before unread any further, I just want to make sure I understand that you are going with the same type of game plan the Steelers did today against the Chargers?

[86WARD]

To your first point, you are dead on. It really seems like they script the first 10-15 plays and then once the get past that, for the most part is when the production from the offense begins.

As far as the Mendenhall discussion. A LB can and has covered him...talent-wise he's better than the other two, but he doesn't have it mentally right now.

[zulater]

To your first point, you are dead on. It really seems like they script the first 10-15 plays and then once the get past that, for the most part is when the production from the offense begins.

As far as the Mendenhall discussion. A LB can and has covered him...talent-wise he's better than the other two, but he doesn't have it mentally right now.

You know I didn't even think about the script. But now that you mention it that makes perfect sense. In the last 3 games they scripted an overly conservative game plan weighed heavily to the shortest of passes and running the ball. Perhaps in a normal situation that works? But if your opponent doesn't respect your ability to go downfield with the ball or thinks you lack the desire to do so and thus doesn't apply themselves towards defending those plays you wont have much chance to make it work.

Of course field position plays some part in it too. But really in the end what it comes down to is that Ben is going to have to establsih the intermediate and downfield passing game early, particularly on favorable down and distance situations (1st downs, and managable 2nd and 3rd downs) and then the rest ( running game, short passing game) will fall into place.

[Carl1970]

Geez. With a rag-tag O-line like that going against the Steelers #1 rated defense, WHAT HAPPENED?
Is our D-line THAT BAD that they couldn't manage more than one sack (even though the one Ziggy got was a bogus one)?

ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC PERFORMANCE all the way around from the top on down.
Could Uncle Dick manage a more inept coverage scheme against the short crossing routes? The Chargers got the 2nd half opening kickoff and took off nearly 10 minutes of clock with the little dink-and-dunk offense, with multiple 3rd down conversions. And Haley? He wasn't excused from the debacle either. Is it me or does EVERYONE in football land know who is getting the ball when they bring in Redman on 4th and inches? It's not like the Steelers O-line was blowing the Chargers off and racking up tons of yards against them. Why, in God's name would you call a play like that....and then RUN IT RIGHT INTO THE TEETH OF THE DEFENSE? And, perhaps that "lateral" will finally put a death blow to EVER CALLING THAT PLAY AGAIN WHEN YOU ARE BACKED INTO YOUR END ZONE! I mean, seriously, folks, does anyone on the coaching staff realize the negative potential of that play when you are backed up like that? Surely, the risks outweigh the benefits.

[zulater]

Just a thought I heard on radio. Did the whole specter of Big Ben's comeback take away from the team's preperation going into last weeks game?
Instead of the focus being on the opponent ahead they became absorbed in the saga of Ben's return from injury. Combine that with the hangover effect from an unexpected and huge win in Baltimore and you had a team mentally unprepared to answer the bell.

[Count Steeler]

Just a thought I heard on radio. Did the whole specter of Big Ben's comeback take away from the team's preperation going into last weeks game?
Instead of the focus being on the opponent ahead they became absorbed in the saga of Ben's return from injury. Combine that with the hangover effect from an unexpected and huge win in Baltimore and you had a team mentally unprepared to answer the bell.

I did think about that yesterday, however, no excuse. What would they do if this was SB week? Sorry, this team has been through enough that they should know how to get down to business.

[zulater]

I did think about that yesterday, however, no excuse. What would they do if this was SB week? Sorry, this team has been through enough that they should know how to get down to business.

I'm not using it as an excuse, I'm offering it as a possible rationale explanation for the flat line performance displayed yesterday.

I hope no one really believes yesterday's outcome was reflective of the two teams relative worth?

[Count Steeler]

I'm not using it as an excuse, I'm offering it as a possible rationale explanation for the flat line performance displayed yesterday.

I hope no one really believes yesterday's outcome was reflective of the two teams relative worth?

Not saying you were using it as an excuse. This was an idea that you heard on the radio. However, this speaks again to the coaching staff's ability to keep the team focused and achieve success week in and week out. What is more disturbing is that no unit stood out yesterday. So while Tomlin is the ring leader, all the coaches have some 'splainin' to do.

Not sure what you are trying to address with your question.

[O'Malley]

Just a wake up call IMO... Ravens and Bengals lost... No harm no foul... Ben shakes off some rust and now it's time to go on a run....

[zulater]

Not saying you were using it as an excuse. This was an idea that you heard on the radio. However, this speaks again to the coaching staff's ability to keep the team focused and achieve success week in and week out. What is more disturbing is that no unit stood out yesterday. So while Tomlin is the ring leader, all the coaches have some 'splainin' to do.

Not sure what you are trying to address with your question.

I'm just saying if you can't apply reasoned logic to yesterday's game ( which often will be viewed as excuse making) then the only alternative is to believe that the Chargers are in fact a much better team than the Steelers.

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Just a wake up call IMO... Ravens and Bengals lost... No harm no foul... Ben shakes off some rust and now it's time to go on a run....

I think there's a fair chance you're right. I least I hope you are! :pray:

[Count Steeler]

I'm just saying if you can't apply reasoned logic to yesterday's game ( which often will be viewed as excuse making) then the only alternative is to believe that the Chargers are in fact a much better team than the Steelers.



Well, the elephant in the forum has to be stated. Norv Turner out coached Mike Tomlin yesterday. Turner overcame his adversities quite well, including a patch work O Line. We shit the bed from start to finish.

[O'Malley]

I'm just saying if you can't apply reasoned logic to yesterday's game ( which often will be viewed as excuse making) then the only alternative is to believe that the Chargers are in fact a much better team than the Steelers.

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I think there's a fair chance you're right. I least I hope you are! :pray:

Me too!!!

[Dwinsgames]

Well, the elephant in the forum has to be stated. Norv Turner out coached Mike Tomlin yesterday. Turner overcame his adversities quite well, including a patch work O Line. We shit the bed from start to finish.


said that same thing ( in so many words in another thread )

[fansince'76]

Just a wake up call IMO... Ravens and Bengals lost... No harm no foul... Ben shakes off some rust and now it's time to go on a run....

This is where I'm at as well. Yeah, the loss sucked, but IMO, the game would have been much different had Ben not missed 3 weeks and played to the level he was playing pre-injury.

[Steeldude]

Wow, Curtis Brown is awful. I was watching him last week too. He is rather slow to react and his overall speed is sub-standard, IMO.

[ALLD]

I could put up 100 yards on Curtis Brown running in tennis shoes. This is not the time for on-the-job training in the secondary.

[86WARD]

Before everyone shits all over Curtis Brown and casts a final judgment too early, lets not forget how Keenan Lewis started his career and how his first few seasons went...

[zulater]

Throwing conventional thinking out the window, Norv Turner didn't coach scared

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/12/11/3752380/steelers-coaching-decisions-chargers-week-14-nfl-review-recap-analysis

The Chargers took a risk on Sunday. They thought the Steelers were not good, or consistent enough, on low percentage throws to prevent them from loading the box and blitzing like crazy. On the Steelers first run play in the first quarter, the Chargers blitzed both linebackers and had each safety fly to the ball. If the Steelers were throwing play action there, it could of been a big play. But, that was the risk the Chargers took. They were going to defend the deep ball with pressure. Also, they were going to pressure on early downs to keep the Steelers in third and long so they could prevent an easy throw on third down. So, when Ben says things like plays were left on the field, he validates the entire Charger game plan. The Chargers were not afraid of the big play, and they played with reckless abandon. The Chargers game plan forced a lot of missed opportunities and forced a lot of plays to be left on the field. When Emmanual Sanders dropped that ball in the wide open field against the Ravens, that was a missed opportunity. That was a play left on the field.

Supposedly the NFL is a copycat league. Should we expect the rest of the defenses we face this year to sell out with pressure. Probably not, and here is why: They're scared.

Ben scares them. Mike Wallace scares them. Heath Miller running wide open on a hot route scares them. Why didn't the Chargers play scared? Because they are all getting fired, that's why. They don't have anything to be scared off. Their collective fates as coaches is already sealed.

You might be thinking that the Chargers were able to blitz with bravado because of the current state of the Steelers offensive line. You'd be wrong. The Chargers were not bringing five because they were confident they could win the one on one battles. They were bringing six or seven guys. Defensively, you can always outnumber the amount of blockers. Unless you are spying the quarteback, the defense is always playing 11 on 10. But, in order to bring seven guys on a blitz, you are truly putting your corners on an island. You got to have guts. When Ben overthrows Wallace, you can't say that he's too fast and we have to keep both safeties deep. Instead, you have to say that they will not consistently beat us with that pass. And the Steelers didn't.
So, Norv Turner is going to get fired. While that is bad for ole Norv for myriad reasons, it sure helped his coaching. It's unconventional to run a double move on 3rd and 1. It's unconventional to run a counter run on 3rd and 13. But, Norv did those things because he now doesn't care. Once again, no coach ever got fired for NOT running a double move on 3rd and 1. Also, coaches don't get fired for NOT running a fake punt in their own territory. Yes, I know, Harbaugh loves to run fake field goals when up by big margins. But, what Norv did on Sunday really took guts. No, let me correct myself, it really didn't. He's getting fired anyways. If he would have done it four weeks ago, that would've been gutsy.

Well, then again, it probably wouldn't have been that gutsy then either. With the element of surprise, there no way Stevenson Sylvester (who had contain) doesn't get blocked on that fake punt. Coaches love to hide behind percentages and numbers when it favors them. But, it's been shown that the numbers and the percentages favor them going for it more often on 4th down. But, they don't because coaches don't get fired for NOT going for it more often on 4th down. Coaches don't get fired for not faking plays on special teams like Les Miles at LSU does, or this crazy high school coach who never kicks off or punts.

Norv Turner was successful on Sunday because he felt the freedom to do the things he felt were necessary to win the game. He was not constrained by convention, and he was not concerned about the backlash he would receive from not converting things like a fake punt. The sad truth is that the Steelers coached scared, but so does every other coach in the NFL.

Herm Edwards famously said that you play to win the game. He was wrong. Most coaches play not to get fired. Kudos to Turner for finally playing to win, but shame on him for waiting this long to do it.

[Dwinsgames]

Just a wake up call IMO... Ravens and Bengals lost... No harm no foul... Ben shakes off some rust and now it's time to go on a run....

don't look now but those horrid Jets are just a game back in the wild card race now too ...

they suck I know .... but so do we , and if I am honest I believe we lose to Dallas on Sunday and forcing us to win out from there ( and that won't be an easy task either )

[Count Steeler]

don't look now but those horrid Jets are just a game back in the wild card race now too ...

they suck I know .... but so do we , and if I am honest I believe we lose to Dallas on Sunday and forcing us to win out from there ( and that won't be an easy task either )

And the Jets games are pretty easy. Tennessee (4-9), San Diego (5-8) and Buffalo (5-8). What a joke that would be. 2 teams that beat us, that should not have even been in the game. Fortunately, if we tank, I think the Bengals will get the 6th seed.

[X-Terminator]

Throwing conventional thinking out the window, Norv Turner didn't coach scared

The Chargers took a risk on Sunday. They thought the Steelers were not good, or consistent enough, on low percentage throws to prevent them from loading the box and blitzing like crazy.

No, I'm thinking they played that way not just because Norv is going to be shit-canned, but also because they know Todd Haley's offense after playing against him twice a year for 3 seasons. Haley did a poor job of scheming for that possibility, and you all saw the results.

[Edman]

The Whole AFC West is familiar with Haley. Especially the Chiefs.

[zulater]

The Whole AFC West is familiar with Haley. Especially the Chiefs.

The entire AFC East is familiar with Tom Brady and the Patriots offense. doesn't stop them though.

If you've got the right system with the right players to match it and everyone understands the concept and their role within it shoudn't make any difference how familiar they are with you.