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hawaiiansteeler
01-24-2016, 03:16 PM
Pundits backing Steelers as good bet to reach Super Bowl next season

January 24, 2016
By Gerry Dulac / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/image/2015/12/07/ca0,6,2230,2236/20151206pdSteelersSports03-4.jpg

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger stood in an interview room after the playoff loss Sunday in Denver and praised his teammates for battling a season-long onslaught of injuries and suspensions to many of their top offensive players, including himself.

While the Steelers persevered, other teams around the league quit, he said.

They won 11 games — 10 in the regular season, one in the playoffs — and came oh-so-close to playing today in New England for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

The Steelers did it despite playing the entire season without All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey, 12 games without All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell, 12 games without left tackle Kelvin Beachum, four games and parts of two others without a battered and concussed Roethlisberger, five games without receiver Martavis Bryant, two games without Bell’s backup, DeAngelo Williams, and one very important playoff game without All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown.

Last week, after the final practice before heading to Denver, coach Mike Tomlin talked wistfully of walking down the hall at the South Side practice facility on occasion and seeing two of the best players in the league — Pouncey and Bell — in the training room. Adding them to what was the most explosive, big-play offense in the league — and avoiding the repeated absences of the other top offensive playmakers — should only make the Steelers more dangerous in 2016.

“I’m optimistic and encouraged,” Tomlin said of 2016. “But I always am.”

He should be.

Come the 2016 season, the Steelers will likely be hailed as the favorite to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 51.

People already have noticed.

Good impression

The Steelers delivered an impressive performance for 3½ quarters last week against the Broncos, coming close to eliminating the AFC’s No. 1 seed without so many of their injured stars and a sore-armed Roethlisberger.

That they came so close only elevated their stature among a number of national writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. In an informal poll, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette asked each of them: Will the Steelers be the favorite to represent the AFC in next year’s Super Bowl? Nearly all agreed that, if not the favorite, they will certainly be in the conversation.

“Not only do I think they will be the favorite going into 2016, I would have picked them if they had beaten the Broncos to go to the Super Bowl this year because they would have had what they will have next year — almost everybody healthy,” said Judy Battista, a columnist for NFL.com who formerly covered the NFL for the New York Times. “And, if Antonio Brown had played, I don’t have much doubt they would have beaten the Broncos.”

“As long as Tom Brady is standing, it’s hard to project anybody but New England as a favorite,” said longtime NFL writer Clark Judge, who covers the league for talkoffamenetwork.com. “You pick the Patriots, and, more times than not, you’ll be right. But if there’s one team other than New England I like in the AFC it’s the Steelers. With all the injuries they suffered to their offense — losing playmakers galore — they still were within a fumble of going to the conference championship game.”

The Steelers should be in good shape under the salary cap as well next season because two former players who counted $13 million against the cap in 2015 — linebacker LaMarr Woodley ($8.5 million) and safety Troy Polamalu ($4.5 million) — are no longer on the books for 2016.

Then there’s kicker Shaun Suisham, who spent the season on injured reserve and is scheduled to count $3.5 million against the cap next season. It is likely the Steelers will opt to keep Chris Boswell, who converted 36 of 39 field goals, including a perfect 7 for 7 in the postseason, and is scheduled to count $575,000 against the cap in 2016. He is 10 years younger than Suisham.

Factor in a projected $10 million increase in the overall salary cap next season, and the Steelers should be in decent shape if they want to sign, say, a cornerback in free agency. Or pay All-Pro guard David DeCastro, who will enter the final year of his contract.

to read rest of article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2016/01/24/Steelers-the-favorite-for-next-season/stories/201601240130

Count Steeler
01-24-2016, 04:02 PM
If healthy and most of the offense in tact, yes, we should be into a deep playoff run next year.

steelerdude15
01-24-2016, 04:06 PM
Definitely could make a deep run next year. Lets hope for a healthy and trouble fee off-season.

fansince'76
01-24-2016, 04:07 PM
I'm glad a certain idiot is no longer around to accuse someone on the team of "talking smack" when it's actually a mediot who's popping off... :rolleyes:

teegre
01-24-2016, 04:37 PM
I'm glad a certain idiot is no longer around to accuse someone on the team of "talking smack" when it's actually a mediot who's popping off... :rolleyes:

Secret agent 00-hippo

86WARD
01-24-2016, 04:43 PM
I like it better when they aren't "supposed" to go.

ALLD
01-24-2016, 05:09 PM
Let's keep the pot smoking to a minimum and we have an excellent chance.

st33lersguy
01-24-2016, 05:45 PM
With a good pass defense and an absence of injuries, Steelers got as good of a chance as any

hawaiiansteeler
02-09-2016, 05:23 PM
6 NFL Teams We’re Betting on Next Season

by Jeff Smith
February 09, 2016

Pittsburgh Steelers

Not only did the Steelers go 10-6 and make the playoffs last season, but they did so without Le’Veon Bell for the bulk of the year, and without Ben Roethlisberger at times as well. To top it off, if Roethlisberger was playing during the second half of the year, it was usually with some type of an injury impacting him. Regardless, the Steelers still got to the postseason. Now, imagine a healthy Roethlisberger, Bell, and of course Antonio Brown running wild through secondaries. Pretty scary to think about, and this team will once again be one of the most dangerous offenses out there. To top it off, their defense stepped up quite often in 2015, allowing just 319 total points last season.

to read rest of article:

http://www.cheatsheet.com/sports/6-nfl-teams-were-betting-on-next-season.html/2/

salamander
02-09-2016, 08:52 PM
The key is to stay healthy. Unfortunately, this team seems to be snakebitten at times.

NCSteeler
02-10-2016, 12:25 AM
Yeah and I'm pretty sure a few years ago SF 49ers were the odds on favorites to return to the big game. Lots of time, training and games to be played. Just the media filling the airwaves with nonsense

teegre
02-10-2016, 01:21 AM
Yeah and I'm pretty sure a few years ago SF 49ers were the odds on favorites to return to the big game. Lots of time, training and games to be played. Just the media filling the airwaves with nonsense

Yeah... except, Las Vegas doesn't make billions of dollars off of hype.

In most casinos, the Steelers are one of the top three to win it all.

hawaiiansteeler
02-28-2016, 09:55 PM
Five teams open at 10.5 wins in first NFL sportsbook release for 2016

Feb 26, 2016
Ben Fawkes
ESPN Staff Writer

It hasn't been three weeks since the Denver Broncos upset the Carolina Panthers 24-10 in Super Bowl 50, but the first NFL season win totals for 2016 have been released by CG Technology.

The Panthers, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks are the five teams tied for the highest projected total of 10.5 wins.

The Super Bowl champion Broncos opened up at 9.5 wins, with the under favored at minus-120, partially reflecting the expectation that Peyton Manning will retire.

The Cleveland Browns (4.5), San Francisco 49ers (5) and Tennessee Titans (5.5) opened with the three lowest win totals. The Browns and 49ers have serious questions at quarterback, while the Titans own the No. 1 pick in the draft and need to restock their roster with talent to support Marcus Mariota.

The team with the highest projected jump is the Dallas Cowboys, which opened at 9 wins. Dallas went 4-12 last season, in an injury-plagued campaign for Tony Romo.

These win totals will likely change a good deal before the season as free agency (March) and the NFL draft (April) shift rosters for all 32 teams.

2016 NFL Win Totals
TEAM WINS

Carolina Panthers 10.5
Green Bay Packers 10.5
New England Patriots 10.5
Pittsburgh Steelers 10.5
Seattle Seahawks 10.5
Arizona Cardinals 9.5
Cincinnati Bengals 9.5
Denver Broncos 9.5
Dallas Cowboys 9
Kansas City Chiefs 9
Minnesota Vikings 9
Indianapolis Colts 8.5
Buffalo Bills 8
Houston Texans 8
New York Jets 8
Baltimore Ravens 7.5
New York Giants 7.5
Oakland Raiders 7.5
Philadelphia Eagles 7.5
Washington Redskins 7.5
Atlanta Falcons 7
Detroit Lions 7
Los Angeles Rams 7
Miami Dolphins 7
New Orleans Saints 7
San Diego Chargers 7
Chicago Bears 6.5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6.5
Jacksonville Jaguars 6
Tennessee Titans 5.5
San Francisco 49ers 5
Cleveland Browns 4.5

-- Courtesy CG Technology Sportsbook

http://espn.go.com/chalk/story/_/id/14850021/carolina-panthers-green-bay-packers-new-england-patriots-pittsburgh-steelers-seattle-seahawks-top-win-totals-cg-technology-sportsbook

Cyphon25
02-29-2016, 09:08 AM
It never seems to work as expected but if healthy we should be a guarantee. We arguably should have went this year and we won't be losing any major pieces in the offseason minus maybe Ramon Foster and we should have multiple players on the upswing. Shazier, Tuitt, Villi etc....

lipps83
02-29-2016, 11:45 AM
It never seems to work as expected but if healthy we should be a guarantee. We arguably should have went this year and we won't be losing any major pieces in the offseason minus maybe Ramon Foster and we should have multiple players on the upswing. Shazier, Tuitt, Villi etc....

Not only that, but any improvement to the defense is a better defense than what was had last year. Tuitt, Shazier and Dupree should improve like you stated, any change to the secondary is an improvement. If Blake is gone, addition by subtraction.

That doesn't even begin to start with what might happen in upcoming draft.

I would love to pick the Steelers as favorites, but I can't do that without being biased. I will pick Pats to represent the AFC, and have my fingers crossed the Steelers knock them out.

Nadroj 20
02-29-2016, 02:08 PM
We won a playoff game and gave the eventual champs a run for their money and was not near the team we could have been health wise. Why wouldn't we be a good bet to reach the Superbowl?

Have to stay healthy though.

teegre
02-29-2016, 10:17 PM
Anything less than 19-0 is unacceptable.

I'm only partially joking.

Cyphon25
02-29-2016, 10:29 PM
Anything less than 19-0 is unacceptable.

I'm only partially joking.

Health concerns aside, that really isn't all that unreasonable.

A top 5 QB, #1 WR as part of (arguably) the number 1 receiving group in the NFL, a top 5 offensive line (honestly don't know much about others) and the number 1 all-around back in the NFL. This offense should essentially be unstoppable and almost anything we do on defense should be an improvement.

This is why I keep harping on drafting defense and to hell with Henry or Garnett in the first round. I don't normally support Socialism but our offense is rich enough. Time to give to our needy defense.

You add a 10 sack pass rusher or a good-great DB and we have ourselves a championship team.

teegre
02-29-2016, 11:18 PM
Health concerns aside, that really isn't all that unreasonable.

A top 5 QB, #1 WR as part of (arguably) the number 1 receiving group in the NFL, a top 5 offensive line (honestly don't know much about others) and the number 1 all-around back in the NFL. This offense should essentially be unstoppable and almost anything we do on defense should be an improvement.

This is why I keep harping on drafting defense and to hell with Henry or Garnett in the first round. I don't normally support Socialism but our offense is rich enough. Time to give to our needy defense.

You add a 10 sack pass rusher or a good-great DB and we have ourselves a championship team.

This post was an A... the socialism reference moves it to an A+.

Outstanding. :applaudit:

86WARD
03-01-2016, 05:08 AM
Health concerns aside, that really isn't all that unreasonable.

A top 5 QB, #1 WR as part of (arguably) the number 1 receiving group in the NFL, a top 5 offensive line (honestly don't know much about others) and the number 1 all-around back in the NFL. This offense should essentially be unstoppable and almost anything we do on defense should be an improvement.

This is why I keep harping on drafting defense and to hell with Henry or Garnett in the first round. I don't normally support Socialism but our offense is rich enough. Time to give to our needy defense.

You add a 10 sack pass rusher or a good-great DB and we have ourselves a championship team.

But it kinda is unreasonable. Remember this team likes to throw clunkers around...if they went 18-0...I'd be very afraid of the result of #19

teegre
03-01-2016, 06:21 AM
But it kinda is unreasonable. Remember this team likes to throw clunkers around...if they went 18-0...I'd be very afraid of the result of #19

17-2
Both losses will be during the regular season to the 6-10 Baltimore Ravens.

That way, the mantra of "John Harbaugh is better than Mike Tomlin" may continue with full force.