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hawaiiansteeler
01-18-2016, 03:53 PM
Five reasons Steelers will be even tougher contenders in 2016

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH -- Sunday in Denver was a lost opportunity, but there won't be many teams with more 2016 upside than the Steelers.

Here are five reasons:

No major free-agency issues: The Steelers can keep the core of their roster intact for next season, and decisions to keep valuable veterans -- cornerback William Gay and offensive guard Ramon Foster, for example -- wouldn't be costly. While they've been pressed against the cap in previous years, the Steelers should have breathing room this offseason. David DeCastro and Le'Veon Bell each have a year left on their deals, but otherwise most of the Steelers' top options have at least two years left. The roster won't be stripped.

The Steelers should be able to re-sign key veterans, like cornerback William Gay, this offseason. AP Photo/Gary Landers

The obvious one -- health: The Steelers are high on Fitzgerald Toussaint, but his late-game fumble in Denver reminded that injuries finally caught up to this team. Put Le'Veon Bell or DeAngelo Williams in that situation and they probably aren't fumbling there. The Steelers still put up 396 yards on the league's best defense without those two backs or Antonio Brown. This offense still occasionally stalls in the red zone, but moving the ball is rarely a problem. With a full arsenal next year, yards and points will continue to pour in.

Young core developing on defense: The first-round trio of Jarvis Jones, Ryan Shazier and Bud Dupree looked inspired in two playoff games. So did Stephon Tuitt, a second-round pick. Jones made a late-season push, and Shazier showcased his range. He's settled down a bit after struggling with the intricacies of the defense early in his career. There's enough evidence that the defensive rebuild is working. I've been hard on the secondary at times, but they held their own over the last month. The Steelers' defense played well enough to win each week late in the year, giving up three touchdowns in its final three games.

Easier schedule: This one's dangerous because previous-year performance always seems like a bad barometer for future success. But playing the AFC East and NFC East seems like an easier climb than in the 2015 regular season, when the Steelers played five of the seven other teams from last weekend's divisional playoff. Two of the best teams on the schedule -- New England and Kansas City -- play in Heinz Field next season...

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polamalubeast
01-18-2016, 04:00 PM
Winning against bad teams and be healthy at the right time will be the key to the Steelers.I think 12-4 with a first round bye can be a possibility if Roethlisberger and the rest of the team is healthy for most of the year.

ALLD
01-18-2016, 05:50 PM
If everybody stays healthy we will win the Super Bowl. This season was the tune-up and to see where all of the weaknesses are located.

Special Teams is an easy fix starting with a new coordinator and punter. Trade Scobee.

Then there is the issue of drafting more CBs and pass rushers. We also need 2 TEs. If a C comes up cheap in the lower rounds we should pick him up too.

hawaiiansteeler
01-18-2016, 07:49 PM
If everybody stays healthy we will win the Super Bowl. This season was the tune-up and to see where all of the weaknesses are located.

Special Teams is an easy fix starting with a new coordinator and punter. Trade Scobee.



Scobee is a free agent, we no longer have the rights to him so therefore can't trade him even for a bag of chips...

teegre
01-20-2016, 01:05 PM
Here are 5 reasons:

5. A healthy D.Williams
4. A healthy Pouncey
3. A healthy Bell
2. A healthy AB
1. A healthy BB

Rotorhead
01-20-2016, 02:09 PM
Lol 5, give me 3 of the 5 (BB and AB being 2 of the 3) and we are in the big game this year.

GBMelBlount
01-20-2016, 03:53 PM
We also need 2 TEs.

I REALLY wanted Eifert in the first round in 2013 because while Miller is a good overall tight end but his production has always been average.

Thankfully we got Jarvis Jones...

lipps83
01-20-2016, 04:21 PM
I REALLY wanted Eifert in the first round in 2013 because while Miller is a good overall tight end but his production has always been average.

Thankfully we got Jarvis Jones...

For sure! If we didn't get Jarvis Jones this team would be without his contributions.

Oh...wait.......

86WARD
01-20-2016, 05:21 PM
TE can wait. You have Miller, aging but not a slouch, Spaeth can block, Jesse James shows promise and don't forget you have Blanchflower, who,according to some, is the next Gronkowski...so really, it's silly to waste a pick on a TE...especially one like Eifert...

NCSteeler
01-21-2016, 04:32 AM
In the last. Three super bowl appearances, you couldn't have predicted it a year away. Injuries and bad very to be overcome. But they do look poised to make the next step

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

Nadroj 20
01-21-2016, 01:47 PM
Anything can happen. If we stay healthy we can be the best team in the league. But you have to account for the unexpected with injuries and also another team becoming a threat.

Who would have thought the Carolina Panthers would be 16-1 in the NFC championship game?

BigNastyDefense
01-23-2016, 08:12 AM
I REALLY wanted Eifert in the first round in 2013 because while Miller is a good overall tight end but his production has always been average.

Thankfully we got Jarvis Jones...


If the Steelers used him as the Patriots use Gronk, he would be a 1200 yard 10 TD player most seasons. But the Steelers have never used the TE that way. Also, he's a damn good blocker, so he gets kept in on blitzes often or chips and then goes out on the pass pattern but Ben already threw it to Brown.

I've seen a lot of mocks with us taking a TE. I don't think it's a priority over getting a guy who can help in the secondary over a guy who will sit behind Miller and maybe James.

katmandu
01-23-2016, 07:42 PM
Winning against bad teams THIS ! More than anything !

Tomlin and Company NEED to find away to stop laying big, fat, smelly turds against shiiitty teams with losing records !

I'm sic to death of watching our more than capable team trip over their own damn two feet walking against these team!

Until Tomlin and Company find away to reverse this disgusting trend, we fans will continue to get ULCERS ! LOL !

86WARD
01-23-2016, 08:20 PM
Fire Danny Smith. That would be a start.

GBMelBlount
01-23-2016, 09:51 PM
If the Steelers used him as the Patriots use Gronk, he would be a 1200 yard 10 TD player most seasons.



I think a top shelf TE could be the difference we need in the red zone.

Our red zone efficiency has left something to be desired in recent years.

ALLD
01-24-2016, 07:49 AM
If Branchflower was any good Spaeth would have been gone already.

Steeldude
01-24-2016, 09:16 AM
They need to fix the defense.

An easier schedule means more difficult. Haha

SteelerFanInStl
01-24-2016, 04:41 PM
I think a top shelf TE could be the difference we need in the red zone.

Our red zone efficiency has left something to be desired in recent years.
The problem in the red zone is play calling. It's not a personnel problem.