Steelers at the Bye 3-3, so where are we?

[Rotorhead]

A couple of questions:

Did Alualu make that big of a difference? And if so, will Tuitt fix the run defense issue we have had since we lost Alualu? Does he come back after surgery?

OL, we should be at full health after the bye, but is that going to be good enough to get the run game going?

What surprise players are you all happy about for future seasons?

[HollywoodSteel]

A couple of questions:

Did Alualu make that big of a difference? And if so, will Tuitt fix the run defense issue we have had since we lost Alualu? Does he come back after surgery?

OL, we should be at full health after the bye, but is that going to be good enough to get the run game going?

What surprise players are you all happy about for future seasons?

Norwood

[Steeler-in-west]

We’re missing alualu for sure, I think Vince too, he was a run stuffer

PF is going to be really good, I know thats not a big surprise but many people still had doubts

[DesertSteel]

I don't think Tuitt is coming back this year. Looking at a possible 9-8. Hopefully Canada and Ben get on the same page during the bye and start running some no huddle soon.

[Drazo85]

Honestly, I think it's somewhat a miracle this team is 3-3 considering how they play. Most of the time they look below average, but they somehow pulled three wins. I'll give credit to Tomlin, for keeping things in perspective and not panicking when it seems everything is going of the rails. But looking from the other side they have a lot of talent, so it seems they should perform better. We keep bashing defense but they are giving up 22 points per game by being mash unit since week 2. Bengals are not as bad as we thought they are, and Seahawks are the only team with losing record Steelers played so far. Offense is really bad, let's face it. Combining young and athletic OL with aging and declining QB and first time OC can do that. I hope two things can happen in the next eleven games. Keep the Tomlin streak and Najee alive.

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[86WARD]

Alualu was a big loss. However, when the proper plays/personnel are called, it seems like this team can defend the run. It’s when the team thinks the opponent is going to pass deep, so they call plays to defend that and that said opponent comes out establishing the run and the defense doesn’t realize it until about 25 minutes into the second half that they should make an adjustment…that kinda doesn’t help…

I look forward to Tuitt coming back…if he’s mentally there and healthy.

[tube517]

Missing from the 2019-2020 defense is takeaways. This defense is almost like the 2012-16 defense where they couldn't get turnovers. They forced some fumbles last night but no INTs.

Bush and Fitzpatrick are having subpar years. Need those 2 guys to ball out like 2019.

Missed tackles are becoming the norm again.

Najee got stronger by game's end and was starting to get some yards.

[Mojouw]

Defense is the most variable component of an NFL team year to year. Next is turnovers. The most stable? Offense.

I think this is what the 2021 defense is. Good enough to win a bunch of games but not enough to do it all alone.

[EzraTank]

We are headed for a mediocre record, no playoffs and a middle round pick instead of properly tanking like the Jets/Jags.

[86WARD]

Defense is the most variable component of an NFL team year to year. Next is turnovers. The most stable? Offense.

I think this is what the 2021 defense is. Good enough to win a bunch of games but not enough to do it all alone.

Kansas City Chiefs offense may disagree…

[Mojouw]

Kansas City Chiefs offense may disagree…

Maybe! But if you look up the analysis, it’s been a strong trend for several years now. Teams can repeat offense year to year but defense is up and down. Turnovers even more so. It may not be anyone’s fault. Just how it is.

[Drazo85]

We are headed for a mediocre record, no playoffs and a middle round pick instead of properly tanking like the Jets/Jags.

Yeah, those franchises are synonyms for success. It doesn't matter where you pick, it's who and how you pick. Top ten QBs in the last ten years aren't exactly a sure thing. If we include Burrow and exclude this year's draft, there are seven guys who could be called successful, Newton, Luck, Mahomes, Murray, Allen, Herbert and four of those were first overall. You can include Winston if you want. Picks from 11 to 20 are the ones mediocre teams get.

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[86WARD]

Maybe the Seahawks game becomes the launching point for this team to get its shit together?

[Shoes]

Maybe the Seahawks game becomes the launching point for this team to get its shit together?

Looks like the Browns will be lacking some key players in week 8. Reality will probably hit home when we play a healthy team.


https://steelersdepot.com/2021/10/br...s-week-8-game/

[Rotorhead]

Looks like the Browns will be lacking some key players in week 8. Reality will probably hit home when we play a healthy team.


https://steelersdepot.com/2021/10/br...s-week-8-game/

Well, something to look forward to after the bye. I think they have to activate Tuitt after the bye or he is done for the season, so we should know where he stands soon.

[Steeler-in-west]

Maybe the Seahawks game becomes the launching point for this team to get its shit together?

like you alluded to earlier, maybe it’s a time for the coaches to get their shit together as well as the players, the run defense got really ugly at time yesterday

[Fire Goodell]

too early to tell, though I still stand by my opinion that they aren't a good team (yet). They needed OT to squeak by a Seahawks team without Russell Wilson. If Wilson played, they would have won easily.

[tube517]

Looks like the Browns will be lacking some key players in week 8. Reality will probably hit home when we play a healthy team.


https://steelersdepot.com/2021/10/br...s-week-8-game/

Case Keenum will have 500 yards if Mr. Progressive Insurance can't go.

[DesertSteel]

Case Keenum will have 500 yards if Mr. Progressive Insurance can't go.

I think Case Keenum is a better quarterback than Mayfield.

[Shoes]

Case Keenum will have 500 yards if Mr. Progressive Insurance can't go.

I think Case Keenum is a better quarterback than Mayfield.

[DesertSteel]

I also think that Case Keenum is a better quarterback than Ben at this stage.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Maybe the Seahawks game becomes the launching point for this team to get its shit together?

It took OT to beat a Geno Smith lead Seahawks team. If it were Russell Wilson back there, the record would be 2-4 and this place would be a pity party of extreme whining for 2 weeks.

Steelers scored 20 points in regulation, won the time of possession battle, but were horribly out rushed by Seattle and the Seahawks backup QB had a better passer rating than the Steelers starter.

The game was fun to watch, just like all of them I have watched for over 40 years, but I am not going to kid myself that this team's best possible finish is likely 3rd in the AFC North. Could actually finish last in the division.

[steelreserve]

I won't lie, I was expecting the defense to be MUCH worse than this. They're not perfect, but they have at least shown they can play an acceptable game, as opposed to some years when you are just sitting there waiting for the obvious weaknesses to be exploited. The young guys on the offensive line have been a pleasant surprise, and the line has potential. Ben has maybe started to adapt his game to his aging skill set, is making fewer mistakes, but needs to be consistent. Hard to say yet whether Harris will be a game-changer or just a solid player; either one is good, and the same could be said for all the other skill positions on offense.

Overall, "adequate" is probably a pretty good word to describe this team. A lot depends on whether they can mesh in a way that makes them more than the sum of their parts; they might be on that trajectory If they can keep it up. If they stay mostly injury-free, they could compete for a wild card. If they lose any of the key guys on defense - Watt, Bush, Heyward - for an extended period, any one of those could send them into a slide. They are worth some cautious optimism, but they are pretty thinly insulated from a number of issues that could cause them to capsize.

[Moose]

To answer the thread, so where are we = a sub .500 team. Lucky to have 3 wins to begin with. This team needs so much the list is endless. Unless major changes are made in just about every position, including coaching techniques, I think they'll be lucky to win 3-4 more games. Right now I see them finishing last in division, disgusting behind the bungholes......I say that with puke in my mouth. !!!!

[DesertSteel]

To answer the thread title question: We are what our record says we are.

[Craic]

I won't lie, I was expecting the defense to be MUCH worse than this. They're not perfect, but they have at least shown they can play an acceptable game, as opposed to some years when you are just sitting there waiting for the obvious weaknesses to be exploited. The young guys on the offensive line have been a pleasant surprise, and the line has potential. Ben has maybe started to adapt his game to his aging skill set, is making fewer mistakes, but needs to be consistent. Hard to say yet whether Harris will be a game-changer or just a solid player; either one is good, and the same could be said for all the other skill positions on offense.

Overall, "adequate" is probably a pretty good word to describe this team. A lot depends on whether they can mesh in a way that makes them more than the sum of their parts; they might be on that trajectory If they can keep it up. If they stay mostly injury-free, they could compete for a wild card. If they lose any of the key guys on defense - Watt, Bush, Heyward - for an extended period, any one of those could send them into a slide. They are worth some cautious optimism, but they are pretty thinly insulated from a number of issues that could cause them to capsize.

This is a very good summary of the team, except I wouldn't quite say "adequate" at this point. I always say you can never judge a Steelers team until we have played the first six games. This year, we've played the first six and we still don't know who the team really is. In years past, the run or the pass game would start to solidify by now, or it'd be falling apart. The defense would show strengths or it too would start falling apart. This year, none of that is true. In some ways, it's seems they're just going through the motions. And yet, I know that's not true either as they gutted out the win last night (but against a 2-3 Seahawk team).

So, I'd have to rate this team fair to middling right now.

[buzz998]

what this team needs more than anything is decent play calling. seriously. i've already tired of the hand off out of shotgun formation as it RARELY works. i'm also tired of seeing every play ran out of a shotgun formation. especially when i see plays where ben lines up under center actually having more success. i've also seen enough of only 2 d-linemen when the d keeps getting gashed for big yards and no adjustment is being made. i know very little, but i am observant enough to notice that what they are doing isn't working and yet they keep doing it.

the parts of the sum aren't all that impressive individually, but the sum of the parts as a whole do give a little hope. if only the coaching staff would help the sum of parts by calling a better game i think this team could look considerably better than they do currently.

[Mojouw]

Shotgun formation is to keep Ben in position to make plays. He’s just not comfortable or as effective under center.

It’s kinda two offenses right now. Under center is Canada stuff. Shotgun is Ben stuff.

[86WARD]

I think Case Keenum is a better quarterback than Mayfield.

Agree. was just saying to someone today that the Browns are a better team with Keenum. Mayfield does too much that doesnt matter. He scrambles and runs and does non-sense instead of just playing football.

[fansince'76]

It took OT to beat a Geno Smith lead Seahawks team. If it were Russell Wilson back there, the record would be 2-4 and this place would be a pity party of extreme whining for 2 weeks.

Not so sure about that - the Seahawks weren't playing that great with Wilson under center either.

I won't lie, I was expecting the defense to be MUCH worse than this. They're not perfect, but they have at least shown they can play an acceptable game, as opposed to some years when you are just sitting there waiting for the obvious weaknesses to be exploited. The young guys on the offensive line have been a pleasant surprise, and the line has potential. Ben has maybe started to adapt his game to his aging skill set, is making fewer mistakes, but needs to be consistent. Hard to say yet whether Harris will be a game-changer or just a solid player; either one is good, and the same could be said for all the other skill positions on offense.

Overall, "adequate" is probably a pretty good word to describe this team. A lot depends on whether they can mesh in a way that makes them more than the sum of their parts; they might be on that trajectory If they can keep it up. If they stay mostly injury-free, they could compete for a wild card. If they lose any of the key guys on defense - Watt, Bush, Heyward - for an extended period, any one of those could send them into a slide. They are worth some cautious optimism, but they are pretty thinly insulated from a number of issues that could cause them to capsize.

This is where I'm at as well.