Safe to say we're a bottom five team.

[zulater]

I know the record coming into tonight says we're mediocre. Mediocre called and said "no fucking way." Right now I'm not sure there's a team in the league we would beat on a consistent basis? Ben? He's shot. Playing with no confidence. Like he's in a mental fog. If you could trade him tomorrow for a 2nd round pick I would say do it. If he keeps playing at this level you wont get anything for him by seasons end. And even if he reverts to something close to what he should be, what difference would it make? This team needs a top to bottom rebuilding, you really want to rebuild the team around a 12 year vet on the verge of being sacked more than any qb in NFL history?

And yeah I know we don't want the current cast of idiots in charge of rebuilding it. But you're not going to get Tomlin fired no matter what. Noll had multiple losing seasons, so did Cowher, so Tomlin wont be fired by the politically correct Rooney's.

So this is what I would do. I would fire everyone but Tomlin. And then I would tell Tomlin it's his team. Run any defense or offense you want. Hire any coach you need or want. Give Tomlin input into Colbert's replacement. Then give him two years to show a positive improvement. I don't care what the record is, just show us you have a plan and that it's taking root and the needle is pointing up.

As for this year. I think we're looking at 5-11. I figure we might beat the Titans, and maybe take one from the Bengals once the pressure to win is off the teams shoulders. But this is just a bad team. No reason to get worked up about it.


And on a personal note at least I didn't renew my subscription to NFL rewind. So far it's been on free trial. This is the week you have to start paying. Well hell no. I think I'll use that money to pay for the season plan for the Penguins games on NHL.com. :puckjuggle:

[Steelerette]

Nobody plays in a vacuum. Ben in his dotage is still better than about half the league - I really was not in favor of breaking the bank for him, but it's starting to look like we might not have to, and if that's the case, just keep him around.

Clean house on staff though, sure. Plus, and I don't care if you have to make him the best paid LT in football to make it happen - go and sign a stud LT of Munchak's choosing and be done with it.

[polamalubeast]

The steelers will be 4-3 if they win tonight but the schedule is very easy right now....A good team would be 6-1 or 7-0 with this schedule

[ALLD]

All of our easy games are behind us. Could be 4-6 by Thanksgiving.

- - - Updated - - -

Even Tirico is questioning a low percentage pass to Bryant on 2nd down. Haley is stupid or crazy.

[GBMelBlount]

I was so disappointed in their first half play I started watching Cloudy with a chance of meatballs with my daughter about the time you posted this.

Needless to say the wife grabbed me towards the end of the first half....:)

Moving forward, who knows what team will show up to play for the Steelers each week, half or even 2 minute time slice at this point.

Fingers crossed.

[st33lersguy]

We will do good enough to lose out on decent draft position and not force any meaningful change, but bad enough to miss the playoffs. It's like a slightly better version of the Buffalo Bills. Never get better, never get worse just maintain the same level of less than good

[one side only]

Bottom 5? Ridiculous, even if they had lost last night. The bottom 5 are clearly the Raiders, Falcons, Bucs, Jags, and Titans. The Vikings, Rams, Jets, and Redskins are not far above that group. The loss to the Bucs does not make the Steelers a bottom 5 team, nor does a win by the Rams over the Seahawks make them a top 10 team.

THe Steelers beat the Jags, who are getting better behind their franchise QB. The Browns dominated the Steelers, but lost to the Jags. Does that mean the Jags are better than the Steelers? C'mon.

The Steelers may very well end up at 8-8 or worse. However, they could finish a lot better than that and actually win the division. To say "all the easy games behind us" is just as ridiculous, as no game is easy. However, the Steelers still have to play the Jets and Titans, two games in which the Steelers will be road favorites. New Orleans at home is winnable. Cincy doesn't scare anyone now. KC may be out of the hunt by the time that game comes around, and they are beatable anyway. Atlanta is awful, although the Steelers typically don't play well in domes.

This week's game will be a true barometer. The Colts are a better team - today - but sometimes the better team doesn't win. If the Steelers can carry the confidence they gained last night into next week, they have the capability to beat the Colts. Remember, everybody had them dead and buried when they were 0 - 2. Wins against the Colts and Ravens at home puts the Steelers right back in the thick of things in the AFC. Wins at the Jets and Titans puts them at 8-3 going into the bye.

The Steelers have the building blocks to assemble a pretty good team. The killer B's (Ben, Bell & Brown) are formidable for any opponent. Shazier will be back soon. Tuitt and McCullers will continue to play, and make contributions. Bryant adds a different dimension to the offense.

I'm not suggesting anyone make plans for a home playoff game, but it is way too early to write off this season.

[ALLD]

Bench Archer and Cortez and we might not embarass ourselves.

[zulater]

Bottom 5? Ridiculous, even if they had lost last night. The bottom 5 are clearly the Raiders, Falcons, Bucs, Jags, and Titans. The Vikings, Rams, Jets, and Redskins are not far above that group. The loss to the Bucs does not make the Steelers a bottom 5 team, nor does a win by the Rams over the Seahawks make them a top 10 team.

THe Steelers beat the Jags, who are getting better behind their franchise QB. The Browns dominated the Steelers, but lost to the Jags. Does that mean the Jags are better than the Steelers? C'mon.

The Steelers may very well end up at 8-8 or worse. However, they could finish a lot better than that and actually win the division. To say "all the easy games behind us" is just as ridiculous, as no game is easy. However, the Steelers still have to play the Jets and Titans, two games in which the Steelers will be road favorites. New Orleans at home is winnable. Cincy doesn't scare anyone now. KC may be out of the hunt by the time that game comes around, and they are beatable anyway. Atlanta is awful, although the Steelers typically don't play well in domes.

This week's game will be a true barometer. The Colts are a better team - today - but sometimes the better team doesn't win. If the Steelers can carry the confidence they gained last night into next week, they have the capability to beat the Colts. Remember, everybody had them dead and buried when they were 0 - 2. Wins against the Colts and Ravens at home puts the Steelers right back in the thick of things in the AFC. Wins at the Jets and Titans puts them at 8-3 going into the bye.

The Steelers have the building blocks to assemble a pretty good team. The killer B's (Ben, Bell & Brown) are formidable for any opponent. Shazier will be back soon. Tuitt and McCullers will continue to play, and make contributions. Bryant adds a different dimension to the offense.

I'm not suggesting anyone make plans for a home playoff game, but it is way too early to write off this season.

I should have gone with bottom ten. And yes when you're down 13-0 against a piss poor Texan team at home with both the offense and defense shitting themselves every time they take the field you deserve to be in that discussion.

Thankfully they pulled themselves out of their nosedive. And maybe, hopefully they can take something out of this game going forward. But right now I wouldn't say they're too far removed from the bottom rung of the ladder. Would anyone be surprised if in 3 weeks we're looking at a 4-6 record? 6-10 at seasons end?

With all hope that I'm wrong, I would say they are closer to the bottom five than they are to the top five.

[Mojouw]

If this team can develop a legit second WR - there isn't one right now.

If getting back Shazier and Jones makes a difference to the defense then maybe they can improve there.

I don't think they are bottom five. They are just a below average team that is 2-4 pieces away from being far more than that. At least that is the optimistic take.

[st33lersguy]

This team is definitely a bottom 16 team and has no playoff hopes

[bayz101]

This team is definitely a bottom 16 team and has no playoff hopes

:doh:

[steel striker]

We might be just a middle of the road team for now but, big test is coming up against the colts. I agree for now just a average team with a few very good players.

[Moose]

This team cannot tackle and opponents seem to almost always convert 3rd and longs. Offense is so unpredictable and inconsistent. Play calling is pathetic. I could agree right now we are in the bottom 16. I was at the Monday nigh game and the only time I thought the team looked good was the last few minutes of the 2nd quarter when the Texan's self destructed and the Black/Gold capitalized on their mistakes. It was a game of 2 below par teams. A good team or above good team won't let that happen. I'm still hoping for the Steeler's to find their rhythm and make a run to season end.