Going on Record Now

[Mojouw]

If AB is traded for some pupu platter of random picks and players, that will close the book on the SB window with Roethlisberger. There is no addition by subtraction in this scenario. AB must net multiple high level talents - either directly in current players or through nailing the draft picks sent Pittsburgh's way.

Recent SB teams have all had a guy or three that can,in any given week, put on the Superman cape and do something simply astounding.

With Ben slowing down and throwing more INTs, AB's departure, Bell leaving, and Shazier's career all but over -- the Steelers have suffered the loss of 4 guys that had that ability. I do not see replacements on the current roster or on the imminent horizon.

Watt, Heyward, Tuitt, Hargrave, Conner, and Juju are all really high quality NFL players, but they have not yet demonstrated the ability to consistently run into the phone booth and come out as Superman and just drag a team to a victory.

It is possible that any one of those guys elevates their game or Ben recovers some of his almost magical playmaking abilities, but I'm pessimistic for now.

If the AB trade isn't 2 first rounders or a 1st and a 2nd spread across the 19 and 20 drafts that they absolutely hit out of the park...it is going to be the beginning of a 3 season transition to the Rudolph era.

[hawaiiansteeler]

If the AB trade isn't 2 first rounders or a 1st and a 2nd spread across the 19 and 20 drafts that they absolutely hit out of the park...it is going to be the beginning of a 3 season transition to the Rudolph era.

it won't be, at this point we'll be lucky to receive a late first round draft choice and even that looks doubtful.

[Mojouw]

Further, I will predict that if this goes pear shaped. Specifically the return netted for AB and the subsequent performance of the team -- Colbert and Tomlin might get shown the door sooner rather than later. Additionally, I can easily foresee a version of all of this, a worst case scenario kind of one, that as soon as 2020, the team is trying to ease Ben R out the door to see if they can "reboot" the whole thing around a core of Rudolph/Juju/Conner.

- - - Updated - - -


it won't be, at this point we'll be lucky to receive a late first round draft choice and even that looks doubtful.

And that is why, this is going to end in a slow moving train wreck of a disaster. You can not continue to bleed talent at the rate this team has recently and not suffer a big-time downturn.

[Shoes]

I don't see Ben winning another SB no matter who comes, goes or stays.

[AtlantaDan]

And that is why, this is going to end in a slow moving train wreck of a disaster. You can not continue to bleed talent at the rate this team has recently and not suffer a big-time downturn.

Which of course is how the league is designed to work

The biggest outlier to how the league is supposed to work are of course the Patriots, with two multi-championship runs from 2001-2004 and 2014-2018. To do that you need the greatest coach in NFL history along with the greatest QB playing at a high level from his mid-20s to early 40s.

But another big one is the Steelers being pretty much consistently competitive since Cowher was hired 27 years ago.

Nothing lasts forever ever and the wheels that were likely to come off as Ben’s effectiveness ebbed just came off a little quicker due to a trifecta of a career ending injury, a running back who was the first player in decades to refuse to play under the franchise tag, and a gifted wide receiver who more or less lost his mind to narcissism.

Shit happens - it finally happened to the Steelers just as it soon will to the Patriots as Brady declines.

[Mojouw]

Which of course is how the league is designed to work

The biggest outlier to how the league is supposed to work are of course the Patriots, with two multi-championship runs from 2001-2004 and 2014-2018. To do that you need the greatest coach in NFL history along with the greatest QB playing at a high level from his mid-20s to early 40s.

But another big one is the Steelers being pretty much consistently competitive since Cowher was hired 27 years ago.

Nothing lasts forever ever and the wheels that were likely to come off as Ben’s effectiveness ebbed just came off a little quicker due to a trifecta of a career ending injury, a running back who was the first player in decades to refuse to play under the franchise tag, and a gifted wide receiver who more or less lost his mind to narcissism.

Shit happens - it finally happened to the Steelers just as it soon will to the Patriots as Brady declines.

All true. But I think the next 1-3 off season cycles will make or break Colbert’s late career reputation.

If he pulls a few rabbits out of his hat, he can shorten the down cycle considerably. If he takes chump change for AB and they just kinda get average or above average in a few drafts, the down cycle may drag on for a lengthy time.

[86WARD]

If AB is traded for some pupu platter of random picks and players, that will close the book on the SB window with Roethlisberger. There is no addition by subtraction in this scenario. AB must net multiple high level talents - either directly in current players or through nailing the draft picks sent Pittsburgh's way.

Recent SB teams have all had a guy or three that can,in any given week, put on the Superman cape and do something simply astounding.

With Ben slowing down and throwing more INTs, AB's departure, Bell leaving, and Shazier's career all but over -- the Steelers have suffered the loss of 4 guys that had that ability. I do not see replacements on the current roster or on the imminent horizon.

Watt, Heyward, Tuitt, Hargrave, Conner, and Juju are all really high quality NFL players, but they have not yet demonstrated the ability to consistently run into the phone booth and come out as Superman and just drag a team to a victory.

It is possible that any one of those guys elevates their game or Ben recovers some of his almost magical playmaking abilities, but I'm pessimistic for now.

If the AB trade isn't 2 first rounders or a 1st and a 2nd spread across the 19 and 20 drafts that they absolutely hit out of the park...it is going to be the beginning of a 3 season transition to the Rudolph era.

Agree.

But I think the window closed when Jesse James’ TD wasn’t. You can’t survive losing Bell and Brown and expect to compete. Conner is good, Bell was special. JuJu is good. AB was special.

[86WARD]

it won't be, at this point we'll be lucky to receive a late first round draft choice and even that looks doubtful.

That’s why you don’t trade him.

[DesertSteel]

This team will never win another Super Bowl with Mike Tomlin as coach - with or without Antonio Brown.

[Born2Steel]

Ummmm....wtf???

[st33lersguy]

Super bowl window is already closed. Tomlin is still here, butler is still here, art Rooney believes last year was a success.

[BEERgods225]

With Ben slowing down and throwing more INTs,

Have you ever paid attention to the fact that a vast majority of Ben's Interceptions come when he's forcing the ball to AB to keep the Diva happy?

I'm not defending Ben, he plays his part in this drama but the sky isn't falling. It's been 27 years since this franchise became a year in and year out contender. I don't see that stopping simply because ONCE AGAIN they've lost talent. Rosters cycle, it's happened before and it'll happen again. Bell leaves, Connor/Samuels take over, AB leaves Juju and younger staff take over, Ben leaves Mason takes over. Sometimes you struggle to replace players like Troy Polomalu and Ryan Shazier but you manage until you find someone and you scheme around weaknesses until you fill the role.

If I honestly were to claim changes were coming, I'd guess that if Pittsburgh misses the playoffs again this year then Ben and Tomlin get shown the door and Mike McCarthy gets hired to work with Mason Rudolph moving forward. Either way, the team isn't going to make drastic improvements until they find a decent DC to replace Butler.

and I still believe that Oakland and Green Bay are in the mix with their last first round picks for AB. We'll find out soon.

RD1 - ILB - Devin Bush - Michigan
RD1 - (AB TRADE) CB - Byron Murphy - Washington
RD2 - WR - Riley Ridley - Georgia or Deebo Samuel - South Carolina
RD3 - S - Chauncey Gardner-Johnson - Florida
RD4 - OLB - Austin Bryant - Clemson or OLB - Joe Jackson - Miami *
RD6 - RB - Bryce Love - Stanford or RB - LJ Scott - Michigan State
RD6 - TE - Alize Mack - Notre Dame
RD7 - OT - Mitch Hyatt - Clemson

* I'd love Winovich or Walker here but I think it might be a round too late.

[Mojouw]

Mike McCarthy would make us long for Joe Walton, let alone Haley and Tomlin.

No one has ever rode rookies to the SB. 2020 at the earliest and I still see no place to distribute 130 targets 100 catches and 12 TDs on offense.

The current highest regarded WR in the draft, Metcalf, just turned in change of direction times at the combine slower than most quarterbacks and lineman.

[teegre]

Is Tremaine Edmunds on the “Superman” level?

(He’s at least The Flash.)

[FrancoLambert]

The window has closed.
As posted above, we’ve lost too many key players.
Let the rebuild/reboot begin.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

If the Pats could win it all with a lack luster team like last season all things are possible still.

[86WARD]

If the Pats could win it all with a lack luster team like last season all things are possible still.

The coaching is not there for that to be possible.

[vasteeler]

Oh please, window is not closed. Fix the damn defense and we have a good of a chance as any body. With or without Bell and Brown.

[st33lersguy]

Oh please, window is not closed. Fix the damn defense and we have a good of a chance as any body. With or without Bell and Brown.

Starts with fixing the defensive coaching which Art won't do

[vasteeler]

Starts with fixing the defensive coaching which Art won't do

Unfortunately I can't disagree.

[Mojouw]

Is Tremaine Edmunds on the “Superman” level?

(He’s at least The Flash.)

Maybe? But his next impactful play will be his first. I'm a big fan of high draft picks and well regarded rookie players. However, when you start talking "SB Windows" - they are next to useless. It takes 1-3 years for players to grow into a championship caliber role.

The most astounding Steelers player of my lifetime, Troy Polamalu, looked like a lost puppy his first season or so. The most recently astounding Steeler, Antonio Brown, had to fight for playing time initially.

[Dwinsgames]

Maybe? But his next impactful play will be his first. I'm a big fan of high draft picks and well regarded rookie players. However, when you start talking "SB Windows" - they are next to useless. It takes 1-3 years for players to grow into a championship caliber role.

The most astounding Steelers player of my lifetime, Troy Polamalu, looked like a lost puppy his first season or so. The most recently astounding Steeler, Antonio Brown, had to fight for playing time initially.

and your Franchise QB was 1 game away form a SB as a rookie 15-1 season ....

[Mojouw]

and your Franchise QB was 1 game away form a SB as a rookie 15-1 season ....

Sure. And he was brought there by a running game and a defense. Ben had a great rookie year, but he was running a super basic and limited offense that eventually hit a wall against higher end competition.

If AB brings back 1-3 1st and 2nd round picks across the 2019 and 2020 draft, the team can quickly recover the talent level needed to be a serious SB contender by as early as 2020 or 2021 - assuming the picks pan out. But if they trade AB for a 4th and a bag of kicking tees, the roster is just chasing a talent deficit that it will take a long time to recoup drafting between 20-25 every year. It will likely start a slide of 8-8, then 7-9, and then 5-11 or whatever to close out the Ben R era.

If you get multiple high draft picks and nail them, the team may be able to stop and reverse that slide much quicker. All of this is a long way of saying that I think they should only trade AB for a great return package and if not, then just let the dude stew at his house in Florida and decide how important the NFL is to him.

[Dwinsgames]

Sure. And he was brought there by a running game and a defense. Ben had a great rookie year, but he was running a super basic and limited offense that eventually hit a wall against higher end competition.

If AB brings back 1-3 1st and 2nd round picks across the 2019 and 2020 draft, the team can quickly recover the talent level needed to be a serious SB contender by as early as 2020 or 2021 - assuming the picks pan out. But if they trade AB for a 4th and a bag of kicking tees, the roster is just chasing a talent deficit that it will take a long time to recoup drafting between 20-25 every year. It will likely start a slide of 8-8, then 7-9, and then 5-11 or whatever to close out the Ben R era.

If you get multiple high draft picks and nail them, the team may be able to stop and reverse that slide much quicker. All of this is a long way of saying that I think they should only trade AB for a great return package and if not, then just let the dude stew at his house in Florida and decide how important the NFL is to him.

its all a guess ...

great players get drafted in all rounds . sure it is more likely to get great players earlier in the process but not unheard of to get them later ....

its not always about the pick point but what you do with that pick ....

I do not buy into the " need several high round picks " part ...

a high 2nd and a player who fills a need be it corner or ILB with coverage skills allows you to not have to draft that essentially giving you another pick too ...

if you are better by 7 points on D you can falter 6 points on O and still win as many games .. so you do not have to " replace browns numbers" just soften the blow and get better elsewhere to balance the scales

[Fire Goodell]

We're still gonna be in the mix.

Hate on the defense all you want, but it was a top 10 unit last year. Offense without AB will be less potent, yes. But it's not helpless either. Last I checked, we still have Ben, and a pro bowl WR and RB. We will be fine. Without the distractions, who knows, maybe we finally play as a team rather than a group of talented individuals who care more about their money and stats than championships.

I HOPE the media says during the offseason that we're going nowhere. The team does get fired up when the media starts counting us out.

[Mojouw]

its all a guess ...

great players get drafted in all rounds . sure it is more likely to get great players earlier in the process but not unheard of to get them later ....

its not always about the pick point but what you do with that pick ....

I do not buy into the " need several high round picks " part ...

a high 2nd and a player who fills a need be it corner or ILB with coverage skills allows you to not have to draft that essentially giving you another pick too ...

if you are better by 7 points on D you can falter 6 points on O and still win as many games .. so you do not have to " replace browns numbers" just soften the blow and get better elsewhere to balance the scales

I'm going to sell my $10 million dollar house that I lucked into when no one else saw the same potential in it that I did (AB as a 6th round pick). If I sell it for $4 million, what are the chances I fall ass backwards into another "hidden gem" and can recoup the value? Wouldn't it be better to either sell the house for $10 million or at least burn it to the ground for the insurance money?

[Edman]

If the Pats could win it all with a lack luster team like last season all things are possible still.

The Patriots have top tier coaching and a quarterback who buys in. The Steelers have neither of those things. They have barely functional coaching and no top talent to cover up for it.

The Super Bowl window slammed shut against the Jaguars. The Steelers are not and will never win anything worth a note until Mike Tomlin is replaced. Bell and Brown Staying doesn’t make a difference. You have to kill the monster at the source, and that is Mike Tomlin.

[Dwinsgames]

I'm going to sell my $10 million dollar house that I lucked into when no one else saw the same potential in it that I did (AB as a 6th round pick). If I sell it for $4 million, what are the chances I fall ass backwards into another "hidden gem" and can recoup the value? Wouldn't it be better to either sell the house for $10 million or at least burn it to the ground for the insurance money?


10 million dollar house has a leaking roof , bad septic system and collapsed well ....

so as prestigious as it is or once was it is still a fixer upper or handimans special if you will and not everyone wants to spend that kind of money on something you will have to put so much back into to make it worth your while and many believe you never get out of something what you put into it to repair ...


The Dixie Chicks where once one of the most popular and best country recording acts they sold millions of CDs and filled concert venues all across the country ( and parts of the world )

they made 1 statement about then President Bush that people didnt like and country radio blackballed them , record sales halted and concert venues where near empty and they faded into the sunset to be all but forgotten ...

Point being is Brown Dixie Chicked himself to the league there were not many left with interest and he killed that by refusing to go to Buffalo now anyone left with interest is stepping back saying he is not gonna embarrass our organization by refusing to come here then wanting to dictate how we do things and cost me draft picks and a new deal that we may or may not be able to get done ... hell to the NO !!

so at this point you either ......

A ) take what you can get because I doubt Ben wants to play with him any longer

or

B) give him the Al Davis treatment meaning you pay him because you have to and do not want to play against him without " fair" compensation and do not want to give in and let him win in any manner and essentially let him rot on your depth chart killing his career numbers

[Mojouw]

10 million dollar house has a leaking roof , bad septic system and collapsed well ....

so as prestigious as it is or once was it is still a fixer upper or handimans special if you will and not everyone wants to spend that kind of money on something you will have to put so much back into to make it worth your while and many believe you never get out of something what you put into it to repair ...


The Dixie Chicks where once one of the most popular and best country recording acts they sold millions of CDs and filled concert venues all across the country ( and parts of the world )

they made 1 statement about then President Bush that people didnt like and country radio blackballed them , record sales halted and concert venues where near empty and they faded into the sunset to be all but forgotten ...

Point being is Brown Dixie Chicked himself to the league there were not many left with interest and he killed that by refusing to go to Buffalo now anyone left with interest is stepping back saying he is not gonna embarrass our organization by refusing to come here then wanting to dictate how we do things and cost me draft picks and a new deal that we may or may not be able to get done ... hell to the NO !!

so at this point you either ......

A ) take what you can get because I doubt Ben wants to play with him any longer

or

B) give him the Al Davis treatment meaning you pay him because you have to and do not want to play against him without " fair" compensation and do not want to give in and let him win in any manner and essentially let him rot on your depth chart killing his career numbers

Ok. We are on the same page with the "Al Davis treatment" idea. That is exactly what I would do if I was running things.

[NCSteeler]

If AB is traded for some pupu platter of random picks and players, that will close the book on the SB window with Roethlisberger. There is no addition by subtraction in this scenario. AB must net multiple high level talents - either directly in current players or through nailing the draft picks sent Pittsburgh's way.

Recent SB teams have all had a guy or three that can,in any given week, put on the Superman cape and do something simply astounding.

With Ben slowing down and throwing more INTs, AB's departure, Bell leaving, and Shazier's career all but over -- the Steelers have suffered the loss of 4 guys that had that ability. I do not see replacements on the current roster or on the imminent horizon.

Watt, Heyward, Tuitt, Hargrave, Conner, and Juju are all really high quality NFL players, but they have not yet demonstrated the ability to consistently run into the phone booth and come out as Superman and just drag a team to a victory.

It is possible that any one of those guys elevates their game or Ben recovers some of his almost magical playmaking abilities, but I'm pessimistic for now.

If the AB trade isn't 2 first rounders or a 1st and a 2nd spread across the 19 and 20 drafts that they absolutely hit out of the park...it is going to be the beginning of a 3 season transition to the Rudolph era.So in the same vane, isn't the window closed if he stays and pitches a fit gets suspended and rides the pine. Or dogs it and rides the pine?

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[Mojouw]

So in the same vane, isn't the window closed if he stays and pitches a fit gets suspended and rides the pine. Or dogs it and rides the pine?

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk
Yeah. I just was thinking through the implications of the "trade the cancer no matter what" argument.

I also am not sure that if a trade fizzles out that AB doesn't come in and try and ball out. I think his stats are too important to him and he is too focused on his social media "brand" perception. The drumbeat of people dunking on him if he sat out 2019 might be too much for him to take.

I don't know what is going to happen because this is the first Instagram driven NFL trade. We know how this works in the NBA. Eventually some team meets the trading team's demands and everyone shakes hands and walks away. But the NBA isn't as worried about "distractions" and "drama" as the NFL is. If we applied the same benchmarks to NBA teams as we do the NFL -- every single one would be a factory of team killing drama on a weekly basis. So what does this all look like in a league that would prefer their players just were kept in stasis pods between practice and games?

[86WARD]

10 million dollar house has a leaking roof , bad septic system and collapsed well ....

so as prestigious as it is or once was it is still a fixer upper or handimans special if you will and not everyone wants to spend that kind of money on something you will have to put so much back into to make it worth your while and many believe you never get out of something what you put into it to repair ...


The Dixie Chicks where once one of the most popular and best country recording acts they sold millions of CDs and filled concert venues all across the country ( and parts of the world )

they made 1 statement about then President Bush that people didnt like and country radio blackballed them , record sales halted and concert venues where near empty and they faded into the sunset to be all but forgotten ...

Point being is Brown Dixie Chicked himself to the league there were not many left with interest and he killed that by refusing to go to Buffalo now anyone left with interest is stepping back saying he is not gonna embarrass our organization by refusing to come here then wanting to dictate how we do things and cost me draft picks and a new deal that we may or may not be able to get done ... hell to the NO !!

so at this point you either ......

A ) take what you can get because I doubt Ben wants to play with him any longer

or

B) give him the Al Davis treatment meaning you pay him because you have to and do not want to play against him without " fair" compensation and do not want to give in and let him win in any manner and essentially let him rot on your depth chart killing his career numbers

Dixie Chicks turned out to be correct...lol

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I thought the window wasn't closed. :confused::confused: We had a thread that said it and everything.

[st33lersguy]

Ok. We are on the same page with the "Al Davis treatment" idea. That is exactly what I would do if I was running things.

a lot of us are on board with the Al Davis treatment. Only thing is is the FO on board?

[Fire Goodell]

a lot of us are on board with the Al Davis treatment. Only thing is is the FO on board?

They should be. The worst thing they can do now is cave in, the entire league is watching.

[NCSteeler]

Yeah. I just was thinking through the implications of the "trade the cancer no matter what" argument.

I also am not sure that if a trade fizzles out that AB doesn't come in and try and ball out. I think his stats are too important to him and he is too focused on his social media "brand" perception. The drumbeat of people dunking on him if he sat out 2019 might be too much for him to take.

I don't know what is going to happen because this is the first Instagram driven NFL trade. We know how this works in the NBA. Eventually some team meets the trading team's demands and everyone shakes hands and walks away. But the NBA isn't as worried about "distractions" and "drama" as the NFL is. If we applied the same benchmarks to NBA teams as we do the NFL -- every single one would be a factory of team killing drama on a weekly basis. So what does this all look like in a league that would prefer their players just were kept in stasis pods between practice and games?I do agree his stats are too important to him especially at 30 he's no Bell.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

[munchy]

I don't see Ben winning another SB no matter who comes, goes or stays.

unless all of cowhers players come back..............:heh:

[zulater]

I'm going to go on record now too. Ben's play is still at peak value. Career high td passes, yards, and completions tells me this. 96.5 passer rating and 73 qbr also plainly point this out. Barring major injury the offense will be top 8 across the board next season. If this team goes out of character and makes a couple 'splash' free agency signings and addresses their positions of greatest need (safety, ILB) then they will win 10-13 games, win the division, and make it at least to the divisional playoff round.

[FrancoLambert]

I'm going to go on record now too. Ben's play is still at peak value. Career high td passes, yards, and completions tells me this. 96.5 passer rating and 73 qbr also plainly point this out. Barring major injury the offense will be top 8 across the board next season. If this team goes out of character and makes a couple 'splash' free agency signings and addresses their positions of greatest need (safety, ILB) then they will win 10-13 games, win the division, and make it at least to the divisional playoff round.

Ben’s play is at peak value...check his interception total.
Top 8 offense...meh.
”If” the team goes out of character and makes a splash in free agency...they won’t, it’s not who they are.
Same defensive coordinator, same special teams coach.
Winning 10-13 games. I doubt it.

[DesertSteel]

Ben’s play is at peak value...check his interception total.
Top 8 offense...meh.
”If” the team goes out of character and makes a splash in free agency...they won’t, it’s not who they are.
Same defensive coordinator, same special teams coach.
Winning 10-13 games. I doubt it.
I am far from a Ben apologist, but you should be aware that in Ben's 15 seasons he's only had three seasons when his Interception percentage was lower than last year's 2.4%. It was his lowest since 2014.

[EzraTank]

When Brady finally retires the Pat's will plummet as well.

Our window isn't closed but it's really tight.

[st33lersguy]

Offense will regress without AB, I don't think there is any point suggesting otherwise. That combined with losing munchak which will hurt the o-line in the pass heavy offense that Ben wants to run, this offense is taking a step back for sure

[vasteeler]

Offense will regress without AB, I don't think there is any point suggesting otherwise. That combined with losing munchak which will hurt the o-line in the pass heavy offense that Ben wants to run, this offense is taking a step back for sure

Disagree. Without the distractions this offense Will be fine. If the defense plays even a little better we will at least win the division.

[st33lersguy]

Disagree. Without the distractions this offense Will be fine. If the defense plays even a little better we will at least win the division.

Not without a 2nd receiver they are not. They go from AB and juju to juju and nothing. Sure Ben may throw the ball enough times to pad his stats but the offense will regress. The next best option available in the draft and free agency is d.k. Metcalf who is likely gone by pick 20. The offensive stinker they put out minus AB in a must-win game against the worst defense in the league was troubling

[teegre]

The Steelers get back to a balanced attack on offense. Conner rushes for 1500 yards and 13 TDs. The offense scores the same amount of points as this season, except...

...the defense does not give up late-game game-losing TD drives to the opposition. (The defense improves “just enough”.)

The Steelers get the second seed... and steamroll through a weak AFC. Then, they eek out a victory over the highly-favored NFC representative. #stairwaytoseven

Afterwards, seeing how Ben & Pouncey have two more years remaining on their contracts, the Steelers win two more Lombardis, becoming the first team to threepeat.

[FrancoLambert]

I am far from a Ben apologist, but you should be aware that in Ben's 15 seasons he's only had three seasons when his Interception percentage was lower than last year's 2.4%. It was his lowest since 2014.

I would never mistake you for a Ben apologist. :kissass:
Must be the timing/nature of his picks...forcing the ball, not throwing it away when he should, that stands out to me.
IMO, just another example where numbers don’t always tell the true story.
:drink:

[stillers4me]

The Steelers get back to a balanced attack on offense. Conner rushes for 1500 yards and 13 TDs. The offense scores the same amount of points as this season, except...

...the defense does not give up late-game game-losing TD drives to the opposition. (The defense improves “just enough”.)

The Steelers get the second seed... and steamroll through a weak AFC. Then, they eek out a victory over the highly-favored NFC representative. #stairwaytoseven

Afterwards, seeing how Ben & Pouncey have two more years remaining on their contracts, the Steelers win two more Lombardis, becoming the first team to threepeat.

:applaudit:

[Rotorhead]

I think we will be fine, the Cheats won the SB with a rushing focused attack, one good WR and an above avg def.

[DesertSteel]

I think we will be fine, the Cheats won the SB with a rushing focused attack, one good WR and an above avg def.
And a great coach (cheater or not).

[zulater]

I would never mistake you for a Ben apologist. :kissass:
Must be the timing/nature of his picks...forcing the ball, not throwing it away when he should, that stands out to me.
IMO, just another example where numbers don’t always tell the true story.
:drink:

Like I said he had a 73 qbr last season. 3rd best in the league. That stat, while hard to figure, accounts for poor decisions, impactful plays etc.... Only two qb's rated higher.
But not good enough for you. You'll cherry pick through 40 good plays to come to the one you didn't like and say aha! Shitty qb! Don't worry that will likely come soon enough once Ben's gone you'll see plenty of the plays that transfix you.

I kinda wonder how many of you Ben critics watched last year's playoffs? Because if you had, of the 11 playoff games played I want you to point out the games where the qb played a flawless game? I mean Brady without a DE lining up offsides ends the Patriots season in KC on a pick. Breees did end his teams season on an OT interception. ( the bum!). What about Jared Goff? 4 career playoff games. Let me know when he has a good one? :coffee: Same question Deshean Watson. Even Russell Wilson, perhaps my favorite qb outside of Ben only managed 11 first downs and less than 300 yards of total offense against a marginal Cowboys team in the playoffs. (admittedly play calling didn't help).
Anyway long story short they all eff up at times. We just notice our own screw up mores. Bottom line with better (more timely) defense, better luck, better officiating Ben played good enough to get this team 10-13 wins and an easy trip into the playoffs. Losing Brown will change things but not in a devastating way. A better run pass balance might be the net result and that could not only result in fewer turnovers but better TOP which would help the defense quite a bit.

I'm all in for 19 and happy as hell Ben is our qb!

[86WARD]

I think we will be fine, the Cheats won the SB with a rushing focused attack, one good WR and an above avg def.

Which was smart on their part
Because the league is going heavy defending the pass. Now is the time to make that switch to a run heavy offense

[DesertSteel]

Like I said he had a 73 qbr last season. 3rd best in the league. That stat, while hard to figure, accounts for poor decisions, impactful plays etc.... Only two qb's rated higher.
But not good enough for you. You'll cherry pick through 40 good plays to come to the one you didn't like and say aha! Shitty qb! Don't worry that will likely come soon enough once Ben's gone you'll see plenty of the plays that transfix you.

I kinda wonder how many of you Ben critics watched last year's playoffs? Because if you had, of the 11 playoff games played I want you to point out the games where the qb played a flawless game? I mean Brady without a DE lining up offsides ends the Patriots season in KC on a pick. Breees did end his teams season on an OT interception. ( the bum!). What about Jared Goff? 4 career playoff games. Let me know when he has a good one? :coffee: Same question Deshean Watson. Even Russell Wilson, perhaps my favorite qb outside of Ben only managed 11 first downs and less than 300 yards of total offense against a marginal Cowboys team in the playoffs. (admittedly play calling didn't help).
Anyway long story short they all eff up at times. We just notice our own screw up mores. Bottom line with better (more timely) defense, better luck, better officiating Ben played good enough to get this team 10-13 wins and an easy trip into the playoffs. Losing Brown will change things but not in a devastating way. A better run pass balance might be the net result and that could not only result in fewer turnovers but better TOP which would help the defense quite a bit.

I'm all in for 19 and happy as hell Ben is our qb!
Ben isn't the reason this team isn't winning Super Bowls.

[st33lersguy]

I think we will be fine, the Cheats won the SB with a rushing focused attack, one good WR and an above avg def.

Because of an all-time great head coach. Coaching has been this teams downfall the last 2 years and now with munchak and Saxon gone the coaching somehow has gotten worse.

Tomlin coached in the last super bowl he will ever coach in on February 2011 and Keith butler will never make a super bowl as D.C.