7-2 with no complete team performance

[Hawkman]

I was attempting to recall if there has been a Steelers team with a 7-2 record with less enthusiasm for the Super Bowl prospects of the team at the time it hit 7-2 than this one.

There were the 1983 Steelers featuring Cliff Stoudt at QB which peaked at 9-2 before finishing 10-6. And there were the 1996 Steelers with Mike Tomczak at QB (with some Kordell mixed in) which peaked at 9-3 before finishing at 10-6.

Both teams were flawed at QB.

I guess this is sort of like 1983. In 1983 the hope was Bradshaw would come back from his elbow injury - he played one half in week 15 against the Jets until reinjuring his elbow and that was it for his career.

In 2017 the hope is that the version of Ben the Steelers have had for most of his career returns rather than a continuation of the mediocrity we have seen so far. Waiting for the return of prime Ben for one final playoff run in some ways might be as realistic as those of us old timers who were hoping for one final playoff run from Bradshaw in 1983.

Sorry, but I'm really not agreeing with the comparisons, and frankly I think there is plenty of enthusiasm for a SB run, myself included. Games like the Colts, in the past, we would have lost that game,( playing down to the competition). We found a way to win this one. We've played six out of nine games on the road, and won five.

[AtlantaDan]

I think i remember that '83 game vs the Jets. If it's the same one, we were being handled and abused. Bradshaw came in and the Steelers came back and won the game.

I checked PFR to make sure my vague memory was correct. Steelers smoked Jets 34-7. In Bradshaw's first game of the season he led two TD drives for early 14-0 lead in second quarter - on the second TD pass he grabbed the elbow on his throwing arm and left never to return. Passer rating of 133 for the quarter and change he played.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c...8312100nyj.htm

Bradshaw, the Steelers' 35-year-old starting quarterback, was in action for only eight and one half minutes of play and for just 20 of Pittsburgh's 75 plays. But when he came out early in the second quarter because of a bruised passing arm and elbow, he had thrown two touchdown passes

http://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/11/sp...rs-a-lift.html

[tube517]

I checked PFR to make sure my vague memory was correct. Steelers smoked Jets 34-7. In Bradshaw's first game of the season he led two TD drives for early 14-0 lead in second quarter - on the second TD pass he grabbed the elbow on his throwing arm and left never to return. Passer rating of 133 for the quarter and change he played.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c...8312100nyj.htm

Bradshaw, the Steelers' 35-year-old starting quarterback, was in action for only eight and one half minutes of play and for just 20 of Pittsburgh's 75 plays. But when he came out early in the second quarter because of a bruised passing arm and elbow, he had thrown two touchdown passes

http://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/11/sp...rs-a-lift.html

I remember that game well. The Steelers were in a 3 game losing streak and suddenly had to win to hold off the Stains for the division.

Bradshaw threw a TD pass to rookie Gregg Garrity and didn't even know Garrity's name. He missed all of training camp and the entire season except for that Jets game.

Cliff Stoudt was the QB and was horrific.

[AtlantaDan]

Sorry, but I'm really not agreeing with the comparisons, and frankly I think there is plenty of enthusiasm for a SB run, myself included. Games like the Colts, in the past, we would have lost that game,( playing down to the competition). We found a way to win this one. We've played six out of nine games on the road, and won five.

This team, particularly the offense, is getting trashed in the local media this week and the fan base is bitching as well. For a 7-2 team my recollection is that is unusual compared to the enthusiasm for other Steelers teams with such a favorable record in November.

According to PFR about the only Steelers teams that reached 7-2 since Noll arrived were a number of the 70s teams, the 1983 team, the 1996 team, the 2001 team, the 2004-2005 teams and the 2007 team.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../pit/index.htm

The enthusiasm for the 2005 team collapsed after they lost three straight to fall to 7-5, not when that team was 7-2.

Only other comparable situation might be the 1974 team, which was at 7-2-1 but also had QB performance issues as Noll was still shuffling Bradshaw, Gilliam and Hanratty in November.

I certainly am not giving up on the season, just noting that when a team is at 7-2 I have not seen so many downbeat assessments - might be a reflection of anyone with access to a modem being able to share their opinions.

[Psycho Ward 86]

This team, particularly the offense, is getting trashed in the local media this week and the fan base is bitching as well. For a 7-2 team my recollection is that is unusual compared to the enthusiasm for other Steelers teams with such a favorable record in November.

According to PFR about the only Steelers teams that reached 7-2 since Noll arrived were a number of the 70s teams, the 1983 team, the 1996 team, the 2001 team, the 2004-2005 teams and the 2007 team.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../pit/index.htm

The enthusiasm for the 2005 team collapsed after they lost three straight to fall to 7-5, not when that team was 7-2.

Only other comparable situation might be the 1974 team, which was at 7-2-1 but also had QB performance issues as Noll was still shuffling Bradshaw, Gilliam and Hanratty in November.

I certainly am not giving up on the season, just noting that when a team is at 7-2 I have not seen so many downbeat assessments - might be a reflection of anyone with access to a modem being able to share their opinions.

The biggest fear of many is that the 7-2 record will mean nothing if we lose in an inevitable rematch with the Patriots in the playoffs. Count myself in that group.

People can spin it any cute way they want, if we cant get past them, we need to rely on luck. I for one prefer this team is too good to need any

[teegre]

This team, particularly the offense, is getting trashed in the local media this week and the fan base is bitching as well. For a 7-2 team my recollection is that is unusual compared to the enthusiasm for other Steelers teams with such a favorable record in November.

According to PFR about the only Steelers teams that reached 7-2 since Noll arrived were a number of the 70s teams, the 1983 team, the 1996 team, the 2001 team, the 2004-2005 teams and the 2007 team.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c.../pit/index.htm

The enthusiasm for the 2005 team collapsed after they lost three straight to fall to 7-5, not when that team was 7-2.

Only other comparable situation might be the 1974 team, which was at 7-2-1 but also had QB performance issues as Noll was still shuffling Bradshaw, Gilliam and Hanratty in November.

I certainly am not giving up on the season, just noting that when a team is at 7-2 I have not seen so many downbeat assessments - might be a reflection of anyone with access to a modem being able to share their opinions.

The Steelers fans might not be excited about the Steelers’ chances...

But, on an NFL Network panel consisting of 11 of their writers/players (including Ike Taylor & MJD) 5 of those chose the Steelers to hoist the Lombardi in February (the other choices ranged from the Seahawks to the Saints, but no other team had more than 3 votes).

It should be noted, aligning with your point, that Dave Dameshek (a Steelers fan) had Seattle beating Pittsburgh.

[st33lersguy]

The biggest fear of many is that the 7-2 record will mean nothing if we lose in an inevitable rematch with the Patriots in the playoffs. Count myself in that group.

People can spin it any cute way they want, if we cant get past them, we need to rely on luck. I for one prefer this team is too good to need any

It will mean nothing if the team falls short of the Super Bowl period. If theoretically the Steelers beat the Pats in the divisional round and say lose to the Chiefs in the Championship game (again theoretically speaking), it will be just as meaningless as losing to the Pats again.

There are a lot of concerns I have going against the Pats. The lack of offense, the poor special teams of late, and most of all the coordinators. Butler probably still stubbornly uses zone against Brady and Todd Haley's bad playcalling is the exact kind of bad playcalling the Pats have benefited from in their last 2 Super Bowls

[st33lersguy]

I see a Jags/Steelers rematch AFCCG

Yeah, I don't see a scenario where the Pats don't stroll to yet another AFFCG appearance

[fansince'76]

This team, particularly the offense, is getting trashed in the local media this week and the fan base is bitching as well. For a 7-2 team my recollection is that is unusual compared to the enthusiasm for other Steelers teams with such a favorable record in November.

I vividly recall the Steelers being 11-3 at one point in 2008 with fans CONSTANTLY bitching then too, again, because of the offense...

[Hawkman]

I vividly recall the Steelers being 11-3 at one point in 2008 with fans CONSTANTLY bitching then too, again, because of the offense...

I seem to recall that as well. About 20 threads bitching about the O-Line

[fansince'76]

I seem to recall that as well. About 20 threads bitching about the O-Line

That OL deserved to be bitched about.

[AtlantaDan]

I vividly recall the Steelers being 11-3 at one point in 2008 with fans CONSTANTLY bitching then too, again, because of the offense...

Oh I well recall that too - I was one of those bitching at the time on SFF (RIP), particularly after Ben had two lousy games against the Manning brothers at Heinz in a span of three weeks

That is why I checked the record of that 2008 team before asking what other 7-2 teams had so many rocks thrown at them - 2008 team hit 6-3 rather than 7-2 after losing to Peyton & the Colts in week 10, which in hindsight was probably the low point of the 2008 season

https://www.pro-football-reference.c...s/pit/2008.htm

[teegre]

I vividly recall the Steelers being 11-3 at one point in 2008 with fans CONSTANTLY bitching then too, again, because of the offense...

I recall that at the end of the 2008 season, Steelers fans were STILL bitching (LeBeau almost lost the game!!!).

And, as you know, I got banned from a certain site for suggesting that we celebrate for at least one night (before we descended into our normal pattern of dissatisfaction with anything & everything).

[Hawkman]

I recall that at the end of the 2008 season, Steelers fans were STILL bitching (LeBeau almost lost the game!!!).

And, as you know, I got banned from a certain site for suggesting that we celebrate for at least one night (before we descended into our normal pattern of dissatisfaction with anything & everything).

You got banned!?!!? Say it isn't so.

[tube517]

I vividly recall the Steelers being 11-3 at one point in 2008 with fans CONSTANTLY bitching then too, again, because of the offense...

Steelers offense in 2008: 21.7 ppg.....20th in the league.

Except Arians wasn't yelling, he was thinking up what mixed drinks he would serve from his trunk and what color Kangrol hat to wear.

[fansince'76]

I recall that at the end of the 2008 season, Steelers fans were STILL bitching (LeBeau almost lost the game!!!).

And, as you know, I got banned from a certain site for suggesting that we celebrate for at least one night (before we descended into our normal pattern of dissatisfaction with anything & everything).

Wasn't that the "Dong Sack" site?

[teegre]

Wasn't that the "Dong Sack" site?

[Psycho Ward 86]

Steelers offense in 2008: 21.7 ppg.....20th in the league.

Except Arians wasn't yelling, he was thinking up what mixed drinks he would serve from his trunk and what color Kangrol hat to wear.

That right there is your statistic of the month. The 2008 offense, consisting of a Big Ben that was injured constantly and barely practiced, Gary Russell/Mewelde Moore in the backfield, and probably the worst O-line to ever win a superbowl STILL scored more points than an offense as talented as ours

[zulater]

That right there is your statistic of the month. The 2008 offense, consisting of a Big Ben that was injured constantly and barely practiced, Gary Russell/Mewelde Moore in the backfield, and probably the worst O-line to ever win a superbowl STILL scored more points than an offense as talented as ours

It wasn't all bad. They had Heath, Hines, and Santonio.

[teegre]

Oh I well recall that too - I was one of those bitching at the time on SFF (RIP), particularly after Ben had two lousy games against the Manning brothers at Heinz in a span of three weeks

That is why I checked the record of that 2008 team before asking what other 7-2 teams had so many rocks thrown at them - 2008 team hit 6-3 rather than 7-2 after losing to Peyton & the Colts in week 10, which in hindsight was probably the low point of the 2008 season

https://www.pro-football-reference.c...s/pit/2008.htm

The Eagles game (9 sacks on BB) was the low point.

[Psycho Ward 86]

It wasn't all bad. They had Heath, Hines, and Santonio.

The league's leading receiver. The league's leading rusher. A top 5 O-line. A receiver who's addition to our starting lineup used to help us average an extra TD per game. A receiver who gives Ben nearly a perfect passer rating when targeted. This is the offense that is failing to outscore the 2008 offense. Haley is lucky that nepotism is on his side

- - - Updated - - -

The Eagles game (9 sacks on BB) was the low point.

Ben starting every single game is the definitive miracle of that season. Cannot recall ever seeing a QB pass rushed as horridly as Ben that day

[st33lersguy]

The Eagles game (9 sacks on BB) was the low point.

Especially for me personally, living in F-ing Eagles country surrounded by those cave dwelling fans

[43Hitman]

Especially for me personally, living in F-ing Eagles country surrounded by those cave dwelling fans

Just point to their trophy case and laugh..

[st33lersguy]

I'd say overall this was a complete performance

[SteelerFanInStl]

I'd say overall this was a complete performance

I agree. This was a complete performance.

[polamalubeast]

I'd say overall this was a complete performance

4 interceptions and 5 sacks on defense....Great second half by the offense.And it was against a good(not great but good)team.

[86WARD]

8-2 with one complete team performance?

[polamalubeast]

8-2 with one complete team performance?

Baltimore was a good complete team performence too.

[Lady Steel]

And there you have it.

[zulater]

I'm a little surprised, this coming from you? No, I don't expect you to be a cheerleader. I'm fine with critical analysis. But seriously I'm seeing very positive signs of Ben's game rounding into shape the past two games. I'm surprised what I'm seeing is alluding you? Is he the 2014-15 Ben that could throw 10 Td's in 2 games? No. I can't see that happening again. But he hasn't been floating nearly as many passes these past couple games. He's putting some starch on those seam passes once again. Also seeing Martavis being involved this past game could reap huge future benefits. ( let's not forget the 2 point conversion, not sure why they don't count in player's stats?) Him getting out of his personal fog could help open up the running lanes in the weeks ahead. Lastly Ben's been a much better player at home than on the road in recent seasons. 5 of the last 7 games are at home. I think we're going to see a significant upturn in the passing game in the weeks to come.