Steelers full season prediction thread

[polamalubeast]

That game might be like the Rams-Chiefs in 2018. A shootout w/ no defense.

It was 41-38 few week ago between those teams!

[oneforthetoe]

Bengals defense are just awful....They play at Baltimore on thursday and if they don't beat Baltimore,they will be at 4-6,so in a huge hole

I almost think I'd like the Ravens to win to make it a two-team race. Plus, we have fared better against the Ravens in the past few years. On the other hand, if we beat the team, formally know by a real name, next week we would have a two-game lead if the bungles win. Maybe root for a tie.

[cubanstogie]

Hard to believe Steelers have 94% chance of advancing to playoffs after 9 games, per ESPN analytics. Tough schedule remaining as we all saw when schedule released. I’d take 5-3 with no major injuries right now.

[polamalubeast]

The broncos at 5-5 are the 7th seed right now and every team behind them are at 4-6 or worst...If the steelers who are at 7-2 right now don't make the playoffs,it will be a collapse for the ages!

I predicted 9-8 before this year but I knew they were capable of doing more...I just predicted the worst case scenario for the steelers!

I had 2 concerns before the season, it was the QB position, I didn't know if Wilson had enough left in the tank and the other concern was the schedule but so far, so good even if tough matchups remain to be played but they are in a very good position!

[86WARD]

Could easily lose 4-5 games. Could be swept by Ravens and lose one each to the Bengals, Chiefs and Eagles to finish 3-5. OR …… Win two against browns and one against Bengals, could split with the Ravens and go 4-4, sweep the Bengals, 5-3, beat the Chiefs on Christmas Day (very likely) and go 6-2. One Ravens game and the Eagles games, I would say are locks for losses … 38-6.

[cubanstogie]

Could easily lose 4-5 games. Could be swept by Ravens and lose one each to the Bengals, Chiefs and Eagles to finish 3-5. OR …… Win two against browns and one against Bengals, could split with the Ravens and go 4-4, sweep the Bengals, 5-3, beat the Chiefs on Christmas Day (very likely) and go 6-2. One Ravens game and the Eagles games, I would say are locks for losses … 38-6.

I think you covered everything, lol. Very hard to predict, unfortunately for our stress levels most games will end like the Commanders or Cowboys game. I think we go 1-1 in the non division games. Beating KC and Philly a tough task.

[86WARD]

So most of the predictions in this thread, with the exception of a few had the Steelers winning under 10 games. Most, if not all of the media had them at the bottom of the AFC North.

According to this thread the season was a success. No? Or are people just choosing the negative narrative just because it’s easy?

The team had a plan, they had an identity that they wanted to follow. They wanted to be a defense first, running offense second and a manageable QB third. The defense was supposed to be at that level and only added pieces to strengthen them. They brought in the OC most known for that type of offense. They addressed a porous Offensive Line. They got not one but three QBs that can manage football games. They threw up 10 wins before collapsing against better teams at the end of the season. Still makes it a positive season.

The biggest issue was and is the defense. The defense is what 100% let them down down the stretch. Watch the play hard knocks shows at 15 minutes into the show on this weeks episode. 7 defenders on coverage and FIVE Bengals receivers WIDE OPEN. Not a communication issue, it’s an issue where those defenders are positioned. There’s no confusion it’s set up poorly. How many times have the Steelers played the Ravens? All of a sudden, the team can’t cover a zone read run game? Can’t defend an RPO? That’s ALL defensive preparation. That’s nothing to do with communication in those situations it’s positioning and preparation. When Watt crashes down on a RB with no regard for Jackson, which he’s never done in The past, you know that’s his proper assignment…especially when you see it multiple times…then expecting Fitzpatrick to come from the safety position all the way down to Jackson to make the tackle as Jackson is his man? That’s ridiculous.

So while the season as a whole, here in this thread, was a success, the defense is what let the team down the most…or the DC.

[Born2Steel]

Hire Matt Eberflus or Robert Saleh for DC.

People will say it won't matter since Tomlin calls the defense. It does matter who the DC is.

[Mojouw]

So most of the predictions in this thread, with the exception of a few had the Steelers winning under 10 games. Most, if not all of the media had them at the bottom of the AFC North.

According to this thread the season was a success. No? Or are people just choosing the negative narrative just because it’s easy?

The team had a plan, they had an identity that they wanted to follow. They wanted to be a defense first, running offense second and a manageable QB third. The defense was supposed to be at that level and only added pieces to strengthen them. They brought in the OC most known for that type of offense. They addressed a porous Offensive Line. They got not one but three QBs that can manage football games. They threw up 10 wins before collapsing against better teams at the end of the season. Still makes it a positive season.

The biggest issue was and is the defense. The defense is what 100% let them down down the stretch. Watch the play hard knocks shows at 15 minutes into the show on this weeks episode. 7 defenders on coverage and FIVE Bengals receivers WIDE OPEN. Not a communication issue, it’s an issue where those defenders are positioned. There’s no confusion it’s set up poorly. How many times have the Steelers played the Ravens? All of a sudden, the team can’t cover a zone read run game? Can’t defend an RPO? That’s ALL defensive preparation. That’s nothing to do with communication in those situations it’s positioning and preparation. When Watt crashes down on a RB with no regard for Jackson, which he’s never done in The past, you know that’s his proper assignment…especially when you see it multiple times…then expecting Fitzpatrick to come from the safety position all the way down to Jackson to make the tackle as Jackson is his man? That’s ridiculous.

So while the season as a whole, here in this thread, was a success, the defense is what let the team down the most…or the DC.

There are defensive issues, for sure. And you have identified them.

For the Ravens, they got gashed by Henry the second regular season game. And they over-corrected in the playoff game. But the Ravens got a vote as well. And Henry and Jackson have made a lot of teams look foolish. Further the Ravens rolled out a Steeler specific approach to their run game that caught the Steelers off-guard.

The Ravens basically don't run out of shotgun since Henry has come on board. I don't have the alignment breakdowns in front of me, but this is not me just saying something - it is backed up by this season's approach by the Ravens. The Ravens stayed under center in Week 11 and the Steelers held them to one of their lowest rushing totals of the 2024 season. In Week 16, the Ravens ran out of the shotgun and Henry had more rushing yards from that alignment than previously in his career. For the Wildcard game, the Steelers tried to adjust their plan. And the Ravens were ready for it.

There is a great breakdown (at least for me) of it here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/605...ing-decisions/ (unfortunately behind a paywall). And it was more than just dropping a safety in. Looks like it was a series of scrape-exchanges and the LBs routinely didn't make it work. Added to that is that the Ravens had answers with their TEs blocking for the exchange defender. Long story short, the Steelers decide to use "scrape-exchange" as a way of defending the shotgun RPO alignment from the Ravens. The Steelers were both bad at this (botched the assignments multiple times) AND the Ravens had an answer for this known defensive strategy for combating shotgun based RPO alignments. The Steelers then didn't have a counter to the counter.

As for the coverage stuff, you and I have discussed this many times before. And I agree that it is not something that should routinely happen but I disagree that it is not a shockingly common NFL phenomenon.

But all of the defensive stuff is kind of just details. There is an ample case to be made that changes have to be made there. Is it letting Austin go? Or is it letting position coaches go that are not drilling the details of each assignment into their units? I have no idea. Guess we will find out.

I do believe you have just totally whistled past the graveyard with the offense here. The offense was, for me, a failure at almost every level in 2024. The only positive I can come up with is that someone made progress with Fields not turning the ball over and the basic play design was an NFL level. But everything else? Awful. The run game was comically inefficient and ineffective. The passing game aside from three moonshots a game was a joke. College teams routinely execute better. Smith's inability to either call plays designed to or get Wilson to target the teams "playmakers" was shockingly bad. In fact, I did not see anything different in 2024 from the failures as a play caller and game planner that got Smith fired in Atlanta. It boggles my mind why any franchise is interviewing him for anything - let alone head coach. Then there is the offensive line. I think they have to fire whoever was in charge of that mess. I believe the Steelers OT's were #1 and #2 in sacks/pressures. While some of that is on them, some is on Wilson, but I think more than a little bit is on the approach.

Honestly, for me, the offense is where I would put all of my attention. They need talent at QB, WR, and RB. And I would strongly consider parting ways with the offensive coordinator and the offensive line coaches.

[Edman]

I think the Steelers will be right where they've always been. In the middle of the pack of the conference, chasing the 7th seed and scoreboard watching in Week 18.

Well I was close. They were in the middle of the pack of the conference, but for entirely different reasons.

[86WARD]

There are defensive issues, for sure. And you have identified them.

For the Ravens, they got gashed by Henry the second regular season game. And they over-corrected in the playoff game. But the Ravens got a vote as well. And Henry and Jackson have made a lot of teams look foolish. Further the Ravens rolled out a Steeler specific approach to their run game that caught the Steelers off-guard.

The Ravens basically don't run out of shotgun since Henry has come on board. I don't have the alignment breakdowns in front of me, but this is not me just saying something - it is backed up by this season's approach by the Ravens. The Ravens stayed under center in Week 11 and the Steelers held them to one of their lowest rushing totals of the 2024 season. In Week 16, the Ravens ran out of the shotgun and Henry had more rushing yards from that alignment than previously in his career. For the Wildcard game, the Steelers tried to adjust their plan. And the Ravens were ready for it.

There is a great breakdown (at least for me) of it here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/605...ing-decisions/ (unfortunately behind a paywall). And it was more than just dropping a safety in. Looks like it was a series of scrape-exchanges and the LBs routinely didn't make it work. Added to that is that the Ravens had answers with their TEs blocking for the exchange defender. Long story short, the Steelers decide to use "scrape-exchange" as a way of defending the shotgun RPO alignment from the Ravens. The Steelers were both bad at this (botched the assignments multiple times) AND the Ravens had an answer for this known defensive strategy for combating shotgun based RPO alignments. The Steelers then didn't have a counter to the counter.

As for the coverage stuff, you and I have discussed this many times before. And I agree that it is not something that should routinely happen but I disagree that it is not a shockingly common NFL phenomenon.

But all of the defensive stuff is kind of just details. There is an ample case to be made that changes have to be made there. Is it letting Austin go? Or is it letting position coaches go that are not drilling the details of each assignment into their units? I have no idea. Guess we will find out.

I do believe you have just totally whistled past the graveyard with the offense here. The offense was, for me, a failure at almost every level in 2024. The only positive I can come up with is that someone made progress with Fields not turning the ball over and the basic play design was an NFL level. But everything else? Awful. The run game was comically inefficient and ineffective. The passing game aside from three moonshots a game was a joke. College teams routinely execute better. Smith's inability to either call plays designed to or get Wilson to target the teams "playmakers" was shockingly bad. In fact, I did not see anything different in 2024 from the failures as a play caller and game planner that got Smith fired in Atlanta. It boggles my mind why any franchise is interviewing him for anything - let alone head coach. Then there is the offensive line. I think they have to fire whoever was in charge of that mess. I believe the Steelers OT's were #1 and #2 in sacks/pressures. While some of that is on them, some is on Wilson, but I think more than a little bit is on the approach.

Honestly, for me, the offense is where I would put all of my attention. They need talent at QB, WR, and RB. And I would strongly consider parting ways with the offensive coordinator and the offensive line coaches.

But we can pick any recent game and that defense got gashed. Not just the Ravens but the Eagles, Chiefs, Bengals, Commanders…it’s a lot of teams made that defense look silly. If you are a top defense, you need to stop the top teams.

Another issue: year after year after year, this teams not throwing middle of the field. Theory is because of Wilson’s height. Well here’s a thought, Ben who is 6’5” said he had problems seeing the middle of the field at his height and how it works is you throw through the passing lanes. All QBs have problems swing over the line…actually, none of them do. They throw through passing lanes. If those lanes aren’t there because of the O-Line, the middle of the field isn’t there. Again, easy to say, oh this guys wide open middle of the field. No passing lanes? Players actually not open. That middle of the field passing issue is not a QB problem…it’s an O-Line issue…

[Mojouw]

I guess there's no top.defense then. I don't see anyone stopping the good offenses.

You don't have to convince me that the o line is a big issue.

I posted about Meyer never being associated with a good offense over his entire career the summer he was hired. I've been mostly convinced the dude sucks for years.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Hire Matt Eberflus or Robert Saleh for DC.

People will say it won't matter since Tomlin calls the defense. It does matter who the DC is.

I would like either of those guys. I think that Saleh might get a look at some HC jobs. The other guy that I would be interested in is Jerrod Mayo for DC.

- - - Updated - - -

I guess there's no top.defense then. I don't see anyone stopping the good offenses.

You don't have to convince me that the o line is a big issue.

I posted about Meyer never being associated with a good offense over his entire career the summer he was hired. I've been mostly convinced the dude sucks for years.

Maybe your postings have influenced me and I agree with you on Meyer. I think there is good talent there and maybe Broderick Jones doesnt know his left from his right on the topic of pulling. What I see is the Steelers line doesnt maintain a pocket in pass pro like other O lines do. They dont move bodies in short yardage situations like other O lines do. Meyer doesnt have them playing to a level of expectation, or above their abilities..he has them playing down in effort and performance.