What do you think . . .

[Craic]

Here's the injuries we've had this year. Look through the list and then I ask one question below.

Injured Reserve

Ben R. Sept. 16.
Sean Davis. Sept. 17
Stephon Tuitt. Oct. 15
Ulysees Gilbert. Nov. 5
Roosevelt Nix. Nov. 14
Ryan Switzer. Nov. 14
L.T. Walton. Nov. 19
Injuries

Week 1
Sean Davis. Ankle. Doubtful.

Week 2
Maurkice Pouncey. Ankle. Questionable.
Joe Haden. Shoulder. Questionable.
Roosevelt Nix. Knee. Out.

Week 3
Vince Williams. Hamstring. Out.
Roosevelt Nix. Knee. Out.
Anthony Chickillo. Foot. out.

Week 4
Roosevelt Nix. Knee. Out.
Vance MacDonald. Shoulder. Doubtful
Anthony Chickillo. Foot. Out
Vince Williams. Hamstring. Out

Week Five.
Anthony Chickillo. Foot. Out
JuJu SS. Toe. Questionable
Roosevelt Nix. Knee. Out.
Vince Williams. Hamstring. Questionable
Vance MacDonald. Shoulder. Questionable

Week 6
James Washington. Shoulder. Out.
Roosevelt Nix. Knee. Out.
Mark Barron. Hamstring. Out
Jaylen Samuels. Knee. Out
Mason Rudolph. Concussion. Out.
Steven Nelson. Groin. Questionable

Week 7
BYE

Week 8
Ulysees Gilbert. Back. Questionable.
Mark Barron. Hamstring. Questionable.
Jaylen Samuels. Knee. Questionable.

Week 9
Ramon Foster. Concussion. Out.
Benny Snell. Knee. Out.
James Conner. Shoulder. Doubtful
Roosevelt Nix. Knee. Questionable.

Week 10
Ramon Foster. Concussion. Out.
Benny Snell. Knee. Out.
James Conner. Shoulder. Doubtful
Roosevelt Nix. Knee. Questionable.
JuJu SS. Foot. Questionable.

Week 11
Benny Snell. Knee. Out.
Roosevelt Nix. Knee. Out.
Ryan Switzer. Back. Out
Joe Haden. Illness. Questionable.
Anthony Chickillo. Rib. Questionable.

Week 12
James Conner. Shoulder. Out.
JuJu SS. Concussion. Out.
Artie Burns. Knee. Doubtful

Week 13
JuJu SS. Knee. Out.
James Conner. Shoulder. Doubtful
Artie Burns. Knee. Questionable.

Week 14
JuJu SS. Knee. out
James Conner. Shoulder. Out.

Week 15
JuJu SS. Knee. Out.
Vance McDonald. Concussion. Out.
James Conner. Shoulder. Questionable

Week 16
Full Participation

Week 17
James Conner. Dec. 23. Quadricep. Questionable
Mason Rudolph. Dec. 23. Shoulder. Doubtful
Bud Dupree. Dec. 22. Shoulder. Questionable
Maurkice Pouncey. Dec. 22 Knee. Questionable.

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Had you seen this list at the beginning of the year, would you have laughed at anyone who said they had a chance at 9-7 and the playoffs headed into the last game of the year? I know I wouldn't have thought so. Honestly, I would have guessed this team might be a 3-13 team with Ben down and Nix out. And, that would be with a fully healthy Conner, McDonald and Nix.

[Shoes]

I thought maybe 5 or 7 wins at the most with just Ben out and no chance at 9-7

[tube517]

Once Ben went down, I thought we would be 4-12 or, at best, 6-10. No way I thought we had a chance at the playoffs.

So, while the losses to the Bills and Jets suck, I'm still proud we at least tied the NFC preseason champion Cowgirls this year

[DesertSteel]

A lot of people on here were predicting 9-7 with a healthy Ben.

[AtlantaDan]

A lot of people on here were predicting 9-7 with a healthy Ben.

Along with Vegas with the over/under wager of 9 wins for the Steelers available last August

https://www.oddsshark.com/nfl/nfl-over-under-win-totals

[Shoes]

A lot of people on here were predicting 9-7 with a healthy Ben.

Probably was me as it normally takes him 6 games to warm up.

[Hawkman]

7-9 was my call

Wasn’t Rossy on IR week 11?

[Hawkman]

7-9 was my call

Wasn’t Rossy on IR week 11?

Oh. And by the way MERRY CHRISTMAS YOU GRUMPY OLD FARTS

[pczach]

Oh. And by the way MERRY CHRISTMAS YOU GRUMPY OLD FARTS

GET OFF MY LAWN BUTTHEAD!!!!

[86WARD]

I think I said 7-9 to 9-7...I kinda forget though. West Coast teams would make or break the season...

[Six Rings]

We have a first class defense, and an excellent kicker. The schedule was on the softer side as well.

With Ben this is an 10-6 to 11-5 type of team, without him 8-8 to 9-7.

[j-d-s]

With Ben we maybe are 9-6 right now, but not better.

Don't forget, without Ben on IR we don't trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick and without him our D is much worse than it is right now. While Watt is playing great too, the minute Fitzpatrick joined the D it was Top5 unit and without him it was average.

[pczach]

With Ben we maybe are 9-6 right now, but not better.

Don't forget, without Ben on IR we don't trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick and without him our D is much worse than it is right now. While Watt is playing great too, the minute Fitzpatrick joined the D it was Top5 unit and without him it was average.

I say they would be a hell of a lot better with a healthy Ben. If Ben were playing with a bad arm....maybe not. But full strength Ben?.....They would be at least a 12 win team with this defense.

You don't know that they don't still trade for Minkah.

Why wouldn't they?

They still have to pay Ben whether he plays or not. There was absolutely no different cap hit whether Ben was playing or not. They traded draft picks, and got a star player on a rookie contract.

I think they saw an opportunity to acquire a player that they were extremely high on, and made the move....and they would have still done it if Ben was playing IMO.

[steelreserve]

Had you seen this list at the beginning of the year, would you have laughed at anyone who said they had a chance at 9-7 and the playoffs headed into the last game of the year? I know I wouldn't have thought so. Honestly, I would have guessed this team might be a 3-13 team with Ben down and Nix out. And, that would be with a fully healthy Conner, McDonald and Nix.

That's where we probably would've been if we hadn't made those trades (for Fitzpatrick, but also Bush) and fixed the defense.

Can you imagine this offense, paired with a defense that was getting routinely torched for big pass plays by even the most pedestrian opposing QBs every game? That would be like 10 ppg for, 28 ppg against. We would be SERIOUSLY shitty.

On the bright side, if Ben comes back at full strength next year, and we have a defense giving up 14 or 15 points a game ... now THAT has the potential for some magic.

[NCSteeler]

Lots of love predictions before Ben went down. No and I mean NO ONE fore saw this defense with Mikah . I'd say this defense with a healthy Ben is deep in the playoffs. Maybe even a have a high seed. But a healthy Ben with last year's defense. 9-7

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[Steeler-in-west]

Beginning of the year the defense was mediocre with holes. Once Bush and Dupree turned it on and the team picked up Fitzpatrick they became dominant so where they’re ending up: 9-7ish, is not that surprising even with all the injuries on offense.

That said, with Ben back healthy next year and the right additions to the offense, watch out

[Bluecoat96]

Beginning of the year the defense was mediocre with holes. Once Bush and Dupree turned it on and the team picked up Fitzpatrick they became dominant so where they’re ending up: 9-7ish, is not that surprising even with all the injuries on offense.

That said, with Ben back healthy next year and the right additions to the offense, watch out

I mentioned it somewhere before, but I bet David Johnson from AZ will be available. Kenyon Drake has made him very expendable.

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