Believe it: Steelers are in midst of one of best decades in NFL history

[polamalubeast]

It seems as if many Pittsburgh Steelers fans feel somewhere on a spectrum of unfulfilled to disappointed to frustrated with how their team has played over the past nine seasons.

Turns out, the Steelers have been borderline-historically good.

Data compiled by German reporter René Bugner evaluates every NFL team’s record by calendar decade since the AFL/NFL merger (i.e., 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s, 2000’s, 2010’s). And although the current 10-year span ranks just third-best for the Steelers among the five decades for the franchise, it’s among the top 15 decades the combined league has seen.

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read more

https://triblive.com/sports/believe-it-steelers-are-in-midst-of-one-of-best-decades-in-nfl-history/

[st33lersguy]

Regular season is meaningless when you have only won 3 playoff games in the past 8 years and lose playoff games to the likes of Tebow and Bortles.

[Mojouw]

Don't you have to win regular season games to make the playoffs? I guess they're somewhat important.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[polamalubeast]

Regular season is meaningless when you have only won 3 playoff games in the past 8 years and lose playoff games to the likes of Tebow and Bortles.

I prefer the 1990s of the steelers that this decade ... I hate the underachiever and the killer B era were the most disappointing era in steelers history ... I know the steelers had worse teams, but as disappointment,it was the most frustrating.

[polamalubeast]

Don't you have to win regular season games to make the playoffs? I guess they're somewhat important.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In this list, the steelers have the least (or tie for least) of playoffs apparence (in fact, one more than the redskins in the 1980's but only 5 teams by conference made the playoffs in this decade), super bowl win, super bowl make, conference title game and division title.

[Edman]

Woo hoo.

[86WARD]

I prefer the 1990s of the steelers that this decade ... I hate the underachiever and the killer B era were the most disappointing era in steelers history ... I know the steelers had worse teams, but as disappointment,it was the most frustrating.

Agree. The underachieving and the drAma dis what drags this team to the disappointment levels.

[hawaiiansteeler]

https://media1.tenor.com/images/16a2d70d53b4ffe2845433e5de2aa410/tenor.gif?itemid=9756361

[AtlantaDan]

Noticed that 6 of the top 11 records on that list came from the top heavy 70s where the Steelers, Dolphins, and Cowboys won 8 of the 10 Super Bowls

Steelers teams of this decade are in the midst of one of the best NFL decades the same way the 70s Rams (67.52 winning %) were - flawed teams featuring constant playoff flameouts and a loss in their only Super Bowl appearance

Since the 70s Raiders, 70s Cowboys and 70s Dolphins had better overall records I guess they had a better decade than the 70s Steelers did if overall record is what really matters :coffee:

[polamalubeast]

Noticed that 6 of the top 11 records on that list came from the top heavy 70s where the Steelers, Dolphins, and Cowboys won 8 of the 10 Super Bowls

Steelers teams of this decade are in the midst of one of the best NFL decades the same way the 70s Rams (67.52 winning %) were - flawed teams featuring constant playoff flameouts and a loss in their only Super Bowl appearance

Since the 70s Cowboys and 70s Dolphins had better overall records I guess they had a better decade than the 70s Steelers did

What's odd about the rams in the 1970s is that their worst year in the regular season (in 1979) from 1973 to 1980 is this team who made the super bowl.They also gave a good fight to the steelers in the super bowl.

Also for the Steelers vs. Cowboys and Dolphins in the 1970s, the only reason that Miami and Dallas had a better record than the Steelers in that decade was because Pittsburgh were still rebuilding in 1970 and 1971.

[DesertSteel]

That's a nice consolation prize...

[hawaiiansteeler]

That's a nice consolation prize...

maybe the NFL can give us a nice shiny participation trophy...

[pczach]

maybe the NFL can give us a nice shiny participation trophy...



https://media.giphy.com/media/9xt1MUZqkneFiWrAAD/giphy.gif

[FrancoLambert]

maybe the NFL can give us a nice shiny participation trophy...

....or a certificate of merit we can hang in the locker room. :rolleyes:

[ALLD]

Ask Terry Bradshaw what is the significance of 4 Super Bowl rings.

[munchy]

i dont know what make me more tingly, that chart or our current .500 or better record

[Mojouw]

These facts do not align with my personal opinions!
I will now begin the process of rejecting these facts and aligning reality to better fit my personal opinions!

Notice how the original post was not attempting to designate a subjective ranking of best teams or most underachieving roster or whatever this thread has turned into. It was simply saying that these are the X highest percentage of wins versus games played in a variety of roughly ten year periods.

You know who isn't on there? Noted awesome teams and coaches such as the Saints, Ravens, Packers, and Giants.

I do not understand why it is so hard for people to accept the the Steelers are winning games at a historic rate. Just not as many as we all might like. But still, it needs to be acknowledged that they are winning games at a sustained and noteworthy clip.

[AtlantaDan]

These facts do not align with my personal opinions!
I will now begin the process of rejecting these facts and aligning reality to better fit my personal opinions!

Notice how the original post was not attempting to designate a subjective ranking of best teams or most underachieving roster or whatever this thread has turned into. It was simply saying that these are the X highest percentage of wins versus games played in a variety of roughly ten year periods.

You know who isn't on there? Noted awesome teams and coaches such as the Saints, Ravens, Packers, and Giants.

I do not understand why it is so hard for people to accept the the Steelers are winning games at a historic rate. Just not as many as we all might like. But still, it needs to be acknowledged that they are winning games at a sustained and noteworthy clip.

The chart is fine - the Steelers have won a lot of games this decade - certainly better than being the Jets or the Bills

But the headline for the linked article is

Believe it: Steelers are in midst of one of best decades in NFL history

Hard to have one of the best decades when you were never the best in any season during that decade by winning a Lombardi. The Steelers were the team of the 70s because of their Lombardis even though three other teams had better overall records.

A devoted NFL fan probably can rattle off the Super Bowl champs for the past 10 years - doubtful anywhere near as many remember or care who had the best record during those seasons

[st33lersguy]

These facts do not align with my personal opinions!
I will now begin the process of rejecting these facts and aligning reality to better fit my personal opinions!

Notice how the original post was not attempting to designate a subjective ranking of best teams or most underachieving roster or whatever this thread has turned into. It was simply saying that these are the X highest percentage of wins versus games played in a variety of roughly ten year periods.

You know who isn't on there? Noted awesome teams and coaches such as the Saints, Ravens, Packers, and Giants.

I do not understand why it is so hard for people to accept the the Steelers are winning games at a historic rate. Just not as many as we all might like. But still, it needs to be acknowledged that they are winning games at a sustained and noteworthy clip.

All that winning in the regular season yet all they have to show for it are 5 postseason wins (3 in the last 8 years). Postseason wins is the stat that really matters

[Edman]

Fun Fact, The 2010's Steelers have to win at least 14 games in 2019 in order to tie the 2000's Steelers* win total.

*-The 2000's Steelers had a losing season (6-10) in 2003.

https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/010/566/060.png

[Mojouw]

All that winning in the regular season yet all they have to show for it are 5 postseason wins (3 in the last 8 years). Postseason wins is the stat that really matters

Again. This time I will do it in less words

Need win regular season game get postseason game. Not win postseason game bad. Win postseason game more gooder. But not win enough regular season game never get postseason game gooder or badder.

[Mojouw]

The chart is fine - the Steelers have won a lot of games this decade - certainly better than being the Jets or the Bills

But the headline for the linked article is

Believe it: Steelers are in midst of one of best decades in NFL history

Hard to have one of the best decades when you were never the best in any season during that decade by winning a Lombardi. The Steelers were the team of the 70s because of their Lombardis even though three other teams had better overall records.

A devoted NFL fan probably can rattle off the Super Bowl champs for the past 10 years - doubtful anywhere near as many remember or care who had the best record during those seasons

Just because someone put a clickbait headline on a set of facts doesn't change the validity of that set of facts. I would far prefer that the Steelers win a few more AFCGs and a SB or 7. But I can also hold the thought in my head that they have been winning a consistently competitive number of games year in and year out for 18 years. That should be acknowledged and kinda marveled at. That is 2 decades of never really being out of it. There are franchises that would trade their entire team history for that kinda run of 9-11 wins per season.

I guess I don't get why it seems impossible to acknowledge that both things are true at the same time:
1. Damn! That is a butt-load of winning.
2. Damn! Seems like all that winning should have produced more trophies!

But this board seems to always get stuck on this being a binary set of thoughts. It really isn't.

[munchy]

Again. This time I will do it in less words

Need win regular season game get postseason game. Not win postseason game bad. Win postseason game more gooder. But not win enough regular season game never get postseason game gooder or badder.


hows this?
success in regular season has allowed us to fail in post season

[Mojouw]

hows this?
success in regular season has allowed us to fail in post season

You have to win 9-11 games in the 16 game regular season schedule each year to ensure that you qualify for the postseason. You can not succeed or fail in the postseason if you do not first win the majority of your regular season games.

This is not a revolutionary concept.

[polamalubeast]

This decade is only the 4th best decade of the steelers since 1970

Yes the steelers had some worst teams in their history(especially in the late 1980s), but the killer B era were the most disappointing in steelers history(Not only because they did not win the super bowl, but only one title game in this era, despite a weak conference for the most part) both on and off the field.

[st33lersguy]

In my opinion, the great era of Steelers football in the 21 century was 2001-2010. The credentials are 7 postseason appearances, 6 seasons with at least one playoff win, 12 playoff wins, 5 AFC Championship game appearances, 3 Super Bowl appearances, and 2 Super Bowl wins. The overall record is 118-58-1 (106-53-1 regular season and 12-5 postseason). That's good enough for a 66.9% percentage. Since 2011, they've been complete disappointments and complete underachievers. The decade as a whole needs 2010 (the end of this aforementioned great era more reflective of the successes of the 2000s than the failures of the 2010s) to put them on this list because without 2010, they are off the list entirely.

[teegre]

In my opinion, the great era of Steelers football in the 21 century was 2001-2010. The credentials are 7 postseason appearances, 6 seasons with at least one playoff win, 12 playoff wins, 5 AFC Championship game appearances, 3 Super Bowl appearances, and 2 Super Bowl wins. The overall record is 118-58-1 (106-53-1 regular season and 12-5 postseason). That's good enough for a 66.9% percentage. Since 2011, they've been complete disappointments and complete underachievers. The decade as a whole needs 2010 (the end of this aforementioned great era more reflective of the successes of the 2000s than the failures of the 2010s) to put them on this list because without 2010, they are off the list entirely.

I agree. I thoroughly enjoyed 2001-2010, and felt it was on par with the 1970s. (Here come the people to rip me apart.) Watching Troy was almost as good as getting a Lombardi. Plus, Super Bowl XLIII was the best game I’ve ever seen.

[Mojouw]

In my opinion, the great era of Steelers football in the 21 century was 2001-2010. The credentials are 7 postseason appearances, 6 seasons with at least one playoff win, 12 playoff wins, 5 AFC Championship game appearances, 3 Super Bowl appearances, and 2 Super Bowl wins. The overall record is 118-58-1 (106-53-1 regular season and 12-5 postseason). That's good enough for a 66.9% percentage. Since 2011, they've been complete disappointments and complete underachievers. The decade as a whole needs 2010 (the end of this aforementioned great era more reflective of the successes of the 2000s than the failures of the 2010s) to put them on this list because without 2010, they are off the list entirely.

Agreed. That era was by any evaluation far more successful and rewarding. But just because one thing was more great doesn't always mean anything else is awful.

Good beer is a wonder. Bad beer is still better than no beer.

[teegre]

Agreed. That era was by any evaluation far more successful and rewarding. But just because one thing was more great doesn't always mean anything else is awful.

Good beer is a wonder. Bad beer is still better than no beer.

Indeed It’s been a shit ton better than the 80s.

I also loved (LOVED) ‘92-‘97.

‘90-‘91 and ‘98-‘00 kind of ruin that decade, but those other six seasons were some of my favorite... albeit, three of them ended with completely heartbreaking losses.

[Edman]

The 2010's were worse than awful...they were above average. At least with an awful team or a great team you know what you have. The 2010's Steelers were a good team that hardly truly played up to its potential. They never won big games. They never had that big time moment against a big time opponent. They continually struggled with inferior opponents, and continually face planted.

The 2010's Steelers gave the hope and illusion of breaking through, and they never did. They amounted to nothing more than above average when they had the ability to be great. The amount of crappy and inferior teams/QB's they lost to is staggering, and they never went to a Super Bowl (The 2010 team doesn't really count because that was the remnants of the 00's veteran core if anything else). Once they started to break up, the 10's disappointments started.

Unless some miracle happens and the 2019 team exceeds all expectations and wins the Super Bowl, The 2010's will go down as a sad and frustrating era in Steeler history.

The Steelers have a new young core of players led by Edmunds, Davis, Juju, Watt, Bush, Conner, and Samuels, some hopefuls in Snell and two potential heirs to Ben in Rudolph and/or Dobbs. Here's hoping 2020's will be better.

[ALLD]

The chart is fine - the Steelers have won a lot of games this decade - certainly better than being the Jets or the Bills

But the headline for the linked article is

Believe it: Steelers are in midst of one of best decades in NFL history

Hard to have one of the best decades when you were never the best in any season during that decade by winning a Lombardi. The Steelers were the team of the 70s because of their Lombardis even though three other teams had better overall records.

A devoted NFL fan probably can rattle off the Super Bowl champs for the past 10 years - doubtful anywhere near as many remember or care who had the best record during those seasons

I remember in the 90s when the Chiefs went 14-2 and then 1 and done in the playoffs. Then let's talk about Marty Schottenheimer and Norv Turner as head coaches.

[polamalubeast]

Tim Benz: This decade of Steelers football isn’t what numbers suggest

https://triblive.com/sports/tim-benz-this-decade-of-steelers-football-isnt-what-numbers-suggest/

[munchy]

You have to win 9-11 games in the 16 game regular season schedule each year to ensure that you qualify for the postseason. You can not succeed or fail in the postseason if you do not first win the majority of your regular season games.

This is not a revolutionary concept.

im not sure anyone here is disputing the fact that you need to be successful in the regular season to make the post season im not sure who you think you are arguing with.
my post, that you highlighted, certainly doesnt contradict your revolutionary concept

- - - Updated - - -


The 2010's were worse than awful...they were above average. At least with an awful team or a great team you know what you have. The 2010's Steelers were a good team that hardly truly played up to its potential. They never won big games. They never had that big time moment against a big time opponent. They continually struggled with inferior opponents, and continually face planted.

The 2010's Steelers gave the hope and illusion of breaking through, and they never did. They amounted to nothing more than above average when they had the ability to be great. The amount of crappy and inferior teams/QB's they lost to is staggering, and they never went to a Super Bowl (The 2010 team doesn't really count because that was the remnants of the 00's veteran core if anything else). Once they started to break up, the 10's disappointments started.

Unless some miracle happens and the 2019 team exceeds all expectations and wins the Super Bowl, The 2010's will go down as a sad and frustrating era in Steeler history.

The Steelers have a new young core of players led by Edmunds, Davis, Juju, Watt, Bush, Conner, and Samuels, some hopefuls in Snell and two potential heirs to Ben in Rudolph and/or Dobbs. Here's hoping 2020's will be better.


coaching maybe?

[Mojouw]

It was said that regular season games/success are meaningless and that all regular season success has done is lead to the team failing in the playoffs.

If you don't win enough to get into the playoffs you can't either succeed or fail in the playoffs. So a good to really good regular season record can not nor should not just be shrugged off.

[Edman]

The Steelers are currently on their weakest streak of success since the 1980's.

The 80's Steelers had a 2-4 record in the playoffs. One AFC Title game appearance. With the likes of Mark Malone and Bubby Brister at Quarterback.

The 2010's Steelers have a 3-5 record in the playoffs. One AFC Title game appearance. With Ben Roethlisberger at Quarterback.

If that isn't underachievement, I don't know what is.

[hawaiiansteeler]

The 2010's Steelers have a 3-5 record in the playoffs. One AFC Title game appearance. With Ben Roethlisberger at Quarterback.

If that isn't underachievement, I don't know what is.

hard to argue with that...

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

hard to argue with that... Last couple playoff appearances injuries played a big part. Losing to the Jags was a joke though.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Last couple playoff appearances injuries played a big part. Losing to the Jags was a joke though.

for me personally the toughest playoff loss was when we got Tebowed, the worst defensive game plan I have ever seen.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

for me personally the toughest playoff loss was when we got Tebowed, the worst defensive game plan I have ever seen. For sure but I'm talking the the last 5 years with the killer Bee's

[hawaiiansteeler]

For sure but I'm talking the the last 5 years with the killer Bee's

what a disappointment the Killer B's era turned out to be, huh?

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1423/4758/products/Killer_B_s_Pittsburgh_Steelers_Bobblehead_Antonio_ Brown_Le_Veon_Bell_and_Ben_Roethlisberger_large.pn g?v=1529010843

[polamalubeast]

I prefer to miss the playoffs that severely underachieve like the killer B's era.

Even that, the steelers missed the playoffs 3 times in this decade and the team was at one play away to miss the playoffs in 2016 and was a Bills loss away in 2015 to also miss the playoffs.

More disappointing era of football for the steelers, even if sometimes they had teams worse than that.

[teegre]

for me personally the toughest playoff loss was when we got Tebowed, the worst defensive game plan I have ever seen.

I might be the only person who actually thought that it was an ingenious gameplan. It forced a “QB who couldn’t throw” to make perfect throws. Alas, Tebow had a “perfect” game.

The TD pass to Eddie Kennison is a case-in-point.

William Gay was in perfect position; he even got his hands between Kennison’s arms. Yet, the ball dropped at the absolute perfect angle for the TD reception... and... Kennsion caught it. A great QB makes that pass 1 out of 50 times. A HOF receiver makes that catch 1 out of 10 times. Yet, a somewhat decent WR made that catch, and if you gave Tebow 10,000 attempts, he miiiiight repeat that throw.

What gets forgotten in that game was that Ryan Clark could not play in Denver, and we lost Casey Hampton & Brett Keisel on the opening drive. Ergo, the gameplan for the safeties to both play “in the box” because exacerbated. And, Ryan Mundy simply wasn’t up to the task.

Also, in regulation, we are in (long) FG range. We were in position to kick the game-winning FG. Then, on back-to-back plays, Ben takes huge sacks... knocking us well out of FG range.

SUMMATION:
It was the perfect storm of: injuries, bad play by key Steelers, and miracle games by a few Broncos.

[polamalubeast]

I might be the only person who actually thought that it was an ingenious gameplan. It forced a “QB who couldn’t throw” to make perfect throws. Alas, Tebow had a “perfect” game.

The TD pass to Eddie Kennison is a case-in-point.

William Gay was in perfect position; he even got his hands between Kennison’s arms. Yet, the ball dropped at the absolute perfect angle for the TD reception... and... Kennsion caught it. A great QB makes that pass 1 out of 50 times. A HOF receiver makes that catch 1 out of 10 times. Yet, a somewhat decent WR made that catch, and if you gave Tebow 10,000 attempts, he miiiiight repeat that throw.

What gets forgotten in that game was that Ryan Clark could not play in Denver, and we lost Casey Hampton & Brett Keisel on the opening drive. Ergo, the gameplan for the safeties to both play “in the box” because exacerbated. And, Ryan Mundy simply wasn’t up to the task.

Also, in regulation, we are in (long) FG range. We were in position to kick the game-winning FG. Then, on back-to-back plays, Ben takes huge sacks... knocking us well out of FG range.

SUMMATION:
It was the perfect storm of: injuries, bad play by key Steelers, and miracle games by a few Broncos.

If the steelers would not have changed their system in defense, that would never have happened

I mean, no matter what QB you play against, you can never get vulnerable to the deep pass, especially on every play ... Tebow always struggled in his completion % regardless of the distance of his passes, so everything what the steelers had to do was not give a long gain for the few times Tebow completed a pass, but Tebow had 31.6 yards per completion

It would have been the perfect game to play the tackle the catch game since Tebow struggles a lot with the routine throw.

The only way the Broncos would score a lot of points with Tebow (20 points or more) was with the big play.

[Edman]

The three postseason wins weren't that great either. And get even worse when you go into context.

2015 @ Cincinnati: 18-16. The Steelers gag away a 15-0 Lead and were effectively fucked until Burfuck and Pacman had their catastropic meltdown.

2016 vs Miami: 30-12 win in the most complete playoff performance of the 2010's. Against a really crappy Dolphins Team with a -17 points differential forced to start Matt Moore at QB.

2016 @ KC: 18-16. The Steelers beat Kansas City without scoring a single touchdown.

In four of their five playoff losses, the 2010's Steelers were beaten by a touchdown or more. Even the Jags playoff loss looked better than it did due to the trademark garbage time stat padding. Ben dry heaves an early short field to the Jaguars and throws in a Fumble Six for good measure. The Steelers were never close in that game and were down 28-7 by the second quarter. Finish it off with abominable playcalling, and it was curtains.

[polamalubeast]

Our percentage of wins in this decade (especially in the killer B's era) is like empty stats

Lots of win because of the talent, but outside of the christmas game in 2016 against the Ravens and maybe the game vs Denver in the regular season in 2015, not a lot of big and memorable moment in this era.

[AtlantaDan]

for me personally the toughest playoff loss was when we got Tebowed, the worst defensive game plan I have ever seen.

Not for me

That Steelers team already was banged up with Ben playing on one leg and was not going deep in the playoffs after the season turned with a last minute loss in November at Heinz to the Ravens (IMO the game that was the beginning of the end for Arians because the offense could not run out the clock and AJRII had seen enough with that and Ben getting pounded for another season)

As teegre has posted, during the Tebow game the injuries continued with Keisel and Hampton going out after Ryan Clark could not play at altitude due to his sickle cell condition.

The trip to New England the next week if the Steelers had won would have been a 2007 or 2013 level blowout in Foxboro. I had no interest in seeing that.

[hawaiiansteeler]

If the steelers would not have changed their system in defense, that would never have happened

I mean, no matter what QB you play against, you can never get vulnerable to the deep pass, especially on every play ... Tebow always struggled in his completion % regardless of the distance of his passes, so everything what the steelers had to do was not give a long gain for the few times Tebow completed a pass, but Tebow had 31.6 yards per completion

It would have been the perfect game to play the tackle the catch game since Tebow struggles a lot with the routine throw.

The only way the Broncos would score a lot of points with Tebow (20 points or more) was with the big play.

:iagree:

[Steeler-in-west]

Completely meaningless stat. Only shows how bad the team underachieved.

0 super bowl victories in the last ten years
1 super bowl appearance (2010)
how many AFCCG’s since 2010? One?

thats embarrassing

if the stat was meant to make Tomlin and co look good it actually does the reverse.

[munchy]

Completely meaningless stat. Only shows how bad the team underachieved.

0 super bowl victories in the last ten years
1 super bowl appearance (2010)
how many AFCCG’s since 2010? One?

thats embarrassing

if the stat was meant to make Tomlin and co look good it actually does the reverse.

agreed.
i compare it to your kid getting all A's in school then C's on the finals OR to make another poster happy, your kid getting all A's and a scholarship to a college only to get there and fail out or grades are so low they take the scholarship away