Is anyone really THAT surprised?

[Lambert_Loonie]

Honestly, I thought it was going to be a down year from the get-go.

- New offensive coordinator, system and philosophy.
- Vetran players retiring and/or getting released, leaving a leadership gap.
- Injuries, and lots of 'em.
- Usual mediocre o-line play.
- Young guys going through growing pains.
- Ben getting hurt AGAIN, rushing back from injury and effecting his performance.
- The Bengals & Browns aren't the Bengals & Browns from the 90s anymore, and Baltimore is always a tough out.

From reading the forums since the end of the Bengals/Steelers game, it looks like everybody's trying to place this disappointing season on the shoulders of 2-3 guys (particularly Roethlisberger, Haley & Tomlin). But y'know what? Seasons like this just happen, and they happen to EVERYONE.

I know it's an odd time to be optimistic, but that's how I feel right now. Under Tomlin, the Steelers have never gone consecutive seasons without going to the playoffs. And when they have a down year, they bounce back with a bang (as bad as '03 was, look at how good '04 & '05 were. Same as '06 with '07 & 08, '09 with '10 and '11).

Frankly, I think the Steelers needed a year like this. Because now they'll be motivated, pissed off, will have a chip on their shoulder the size of Pacman Jones' rap sheet and will feel like they have something to prove. I don't see any veterans taking any plays off next year, just like I don't see any young guys making the mistakes that they did this year. I won't crown them Super Bowl XLVIII champions, but I don't see why the division championship and a top 2 playoff seeding is out of reach.

Go ahead, get angry and throw people under the bus. Venting can be very healthy. But I'll be saving my energy for waving my terrible towel all next season. :tt02:

[Count Steeler]

Very good post LL. Hope some others around here read it before their heads asplode.

[katmandu]

Honestly, I thought it was going to be a down year from the get-go.

- New offensive coordinator, system and philosophy.
- Vetran players retiring and/or getting released, leaving a leadership gap.
- Injuries, and lots of 'em.
- Usual mediocre o-line play.
- Young guys going through growing pains.
- Ben getting hurt AGAIN, rushing back from injury and effecting his performance.
- The Bengals & Browns aren't the Bengals & Browns from the 90s anymore, and Baltimore is always a tough out.

From reading the forums since the end of the Bengals/Steelers game, it looks like everybody's trying to place this disappointing season on the shoulders of 2-3 guys (particularly Roethlisberger, Haley & Tomlin). You're exactly right.

The folks that are blaming those (3) exclusively lack Critical Thinking skills that leads to NOT beling able to see the big picture. The big picture here is all of those things you listed above.

There were too many variables with this year's team that caused a lack of stability and consistency.

IMHO,It's simply unrealistic to expect this year's team to do much better than they did.

I too am very optimistic in the coming years! Tons of talent and potential in the young players!

[43Hitman]

Great post LL, very well said.

[86WARD]

Nice post LL.

[BnG_Hevn]

I made a post a couple of games ago about "what if this team just isn't that good" so I'm not surprised.

And for the argument of "all the talent on the team", look no further than the Eagles to see what that'll get you.

You need the chemistry, everyone knows that. Although it's difficult get chemistry with all the injuries.

[steelreserve]

If not for all the goddamn injuries that started from the very first game of preseason (or actually, from the end of last year), I'm pretty certain that we would have won 2 or 3 more games and been talking about whether or not we'd get a bye week in the playoffs. That notwithstanding, there were several guys who I'd say really underperformed even when healthy, and if our goal is to win the Super Bowl, that type of shit has got to come to an end.

[Seven]

Honestly, I thought it was going to be a down year from the get-go.

- New offensive coordinator, system and philosophy.
- Vetran players retiring and/or getting released, leaving a leadership gap.
- Injuries, and lots of 'em.
- Usual mediocre o-line play.
- Young guys going through growing pains.
- Ben getting hurt AGAIN, rushing back from injury and effecting his performance.
- The Bengals & Browns aren't the Bengals & Browns from the 90s anymore, and Baltimore is always a tough out.

From reading the forums since the end of the Bengals/Steelers game, it looks like everybody's trying to place this disappointing season on the shoulders of 2-3 guys (particularly Roethlisberger, Haley & Tomlin). But y'know what? Seasons like this just happen, and they happen to EVERYONE.

I know it's an odd time to be optimistic, but that's how I feel right now. Under Tomlin, the Steelers have never gone consecutive seasons without going to the playoffs. And when they have a down year, they bounce back with a bang (as bad as '03 was, look at how good '04 & '05 were. Same as '06 with '07 & 08, '09 with '10 and '11).

Frankly, I think the Steelers needed a year like this. Because now they'll be motivated, pissed off, will have a chip on their shoulder the size of Pacman Jones' rap sheet and will feel like they have something to prove. I don't see any veterans taking any plays off next year, just like I don't see any young guys making the mistakes that they did this year. I won't crown them Super Bowl XLVIII champions, but I don't see why the division championship and a top 2 playoff seeding is out of reach.

Go ahead, get angry and throw people under the bus. Venting can be very healthy. But I'll be saving my energy for waving my terrible towel all next season. :tt02:

I strongly agree with the majority of your post, but I'm just disappointed the bolded selection wasn't the loss to Green Bay in the Super Bowl. I thought for sure that was going to light a fire under this team. Guess I was wrong.

[crcsnail]

Nice post LL

[ALLD]

It wasn't just bad, it was ugly. Like a hairy fat chick in a bikini.

[salamander]

Well said, LL.

[steelreserve]

It wasn't just bad, it was ugly. Like a hairy fat chick in a bikini.

It's been settled. Our season was Man Faye.


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0e/ManFaye_AnimeExpo_2006.jpg

http://www.gamersbin.com/attachments/localized/97214_MANFAYE2.jpg

[Devilsdancefloor]

great post lambert loonie! now for steelreserve not so great of a post i need eye bleach!! all i can think about since this morning is we at worst go 7-9 which is a down year for the steelers, but the Brownies would kill for a season like that

[stillers4me]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/501238241_f11c426695.jpg

[The Bark]

After the loss to Tennessee, I figured we'd be an 8-8 team, so... got one game left to prove me wrong I guess!

I do recall during the preseason thinking, man, the offense looks tepid. There was some thought that they weren't going to come out and put everything on display, particularly against the Eagles considering they were to play them only a few weeks later - but, for the most part, the offense just never got on track. Even though we were winning the time of possession via throwing the ball the first few games, the fact that we were coming away with field goals more often than not, if any points at all, was problematic.

Much ballyhoo has been made in the past with regards to what the Steelers's record has been without Troy in the line-up. Surprisingly the defense held its own without him and played fairly well - until they lost, gulp, Ike, the man who earlier in the season was getting bad-mouthed. His absence these last few games has been most noticeable as Rivers and Romo had stellar games throwing the ball.

[steel9guy]

Was playing Madden today, had a chance to ice the game in the 4th quarter and Chris Rainey fumbled it, This team is even cursed in Madden.

[salamander]

Was playing Madden today, had a chance to ice the game in the 4th quarter and Chris Rainey fumbled it, This team is even cursed in Madden.

Troy being on the cover a few years ago must've carried over. :chuckle: