Pittsburgh Steelers Thread

dfx-

I suspect not many Steelers fans here, but may as well have a thread

Current Roster

QB: Roethlisberger, Jones, Dobbs
WR: Brown, Bryant, Rogers, Smith-Schuster, Heyward-Bey, Hunter
RB: Bell, Conner, Nix, Watson
TE: James, Grimble, McDonald
OL: Pouncey, Foster, Gilbert, DeCastro, Villanueva,
Hubbard, Finney, Hawkins, Feiler

DL: Heyward, Tuitt, Hargrave, Walton, Alualu, McCullers
LB: Shazier, Harrison, Watt, Moats, Dupree, Chickillo, Williams, Fort, Matakevich
DB: Burns, Haden, Gay, Davis, Mitchell, Golden, Allen, Hilton, Sensabaugh
ST: Boswell, Berry, Canaday

Schedule, six of the first eight away, a few primetime games later on:

@Browns - W 21-18
vs. Vikings - W 26-9
@Bears - L 23-17 (OT)
@Ravens
vs Jaguars
@Chiefs
vs Bengals
@Lions
BYE
@Colts
vs Titans
vs. Packers
@Bengals
vs. Ravens
vs. Patriots
@Texans
vs.Browns

Garco

After the BYE is some schedule.. handy game, 6 whoppers, handy game!

What you think of Ben so far? Seemed to be getting his groove back against Ravens

dfx-

The one thing going for that run of games is that they're mostly in Pittsburgh in late November or December. Five of the six are pencilled in for TNF, SNF or MNF.

Ben has been ok so far. He's not getting over 300 yards for a while now, not connecting deep shots to Brown or Bryant often and he said last week he should reign himself in and keep it simple. Seems to have worked with the run much better against the Ravens.

Tom Mann Centuria

I'm a Steelers fan going back to the channel 4 days of NFL coverage, but can only be described as a casual fan. Know the bare basics and enjoy watching most weeks, when the game isn't on at stupid o'clock, but the finer points are lost on me.

Chiefs in a couple of weeks will be a big test.

Tom Mann Centuria

Making hard work of this.

dfx-

Three interceptions, three TDs for the Jaguars..

Tom Mann Centuria

Isn't happening for the Steelers at all today. Jaguars actually look a team this year.

dfx-

depends what you want to make of that one. Bortles had just 10 completed passes and you lose 30-9. Day to forget or day to be miserable...Roethlisberger will face a lot of heat during the week.

Same bad start as Chicago, go 7-0 down on a turnover early and then never catch up.

Garco

Bens comments after game suggest hes done

Tom Mann Centuria

Garco wrote: »

Bens comments after game suggest hes done

Very honest assessment, some of it sounded like the fire had gone a bit.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000858648/article/big-ben-after-5-ints-maybe-i-dont-have-it-anymore

Garco

Yea just seems like the fire is missing.. best thing to do now is tank the season for a QB like the Giants... oh wait was it not the Jets???

dfx-

but then again what was he supposed to say. It was 9-7 Steelers midway through the 3rd quarter heading towards 4-1 and comfortably top of the division and now suddenly people are for tanking the season and firing everyone and anyone...

I think this might be his last year if the stuttering offense continues, but that's as far as it goes.

Tom Mann Centuria

I don't think I'd be throwing the baby out with the bath water either and writing off the season. They are still in reasonable shape in their division.

The post match discussing priorities outside of sport, openly questioning his own ability, is more than the usual "I was crap, we were crap" kind of interview you get after a poor result though, I know as a good leader like he is, he'll take all the brickbats aimed at the team but that still felt different.

Hopefully though the great that he is, one dire game won't be in his system long, and maybe the players around him might pull their fingers out too, and coaches look at their calls.

Not a particularly easy game to come now mind, putting it mildly.

conor222

Chiefs fan coming in peace, don't forget that last season you got murdered by the eagles (34-3 or something) then the following week beat the all mighty s**te out of us.
Could be an excellent game upcoming if you guys bounce back

Tom Mann Centuria

Bouncebackability

dfx-

Just about! Nervous finish after being absolutely dominant...

Tom Mann Centuria

https://twitter.com/TheFBBible/status/919702335919505408

Watched this so many times now and still not sure how the ball got through to him, and that he caught it.

Tom Mann Centuria

Steelers go to 6 - 2, tough win last night reading the reports.

Garco

Yea was hard watching at times.. Juju was brilliant.. Defence wasnt great against the pass but made big stops in redzone

dfx-

Big test and big win. Great redzone defense, stopping the run well, but leaving receivers wide open for big gains. Artie Burns particularly doing that. He did that against the Chiefs too.

Offense was alright, Bell got nothing and Brown was covered most of the game, so it's a win for Juju and the redzone defense.

It's good that Juju stepped up. All last season, there was a question of which WR was going to help out Brown and step up. Bryant certainly hasn't. With Bell quiet, they needed someone else to show up. 193 yards for him and the final play of the game too.

dfx-

20-17 :eek::eek:

Huge late interception turned it around, but again on the road troubles.

Blocked FG, Brown was awful, injuries, missed FG, Ben INT and awful, wide open gaps in the defense.

Tom Mann Centuria

It's about as unconvincing as a team who are 7 - 2 can look. Still, makes for great viewing if you don't mind the tension.

helimachoptor

Short week this week.

Our LB's and secondary are going to have their hands full with Juju thats for sure, on to thursday!

dfx-

a lot of the passing-by focus on the Titans seems to be on Mariota, what's the defense like, heli? The co-ordinator was at the Steelers for years so he should know Ben..

helimachoptor

dfx- wrote: »

a lot of the passing-by focus on the Titans seems to be on Mariota, what's the defense like, heli? The co-ordinator was at the Steelers for years so he should know Ben..

Defense has really come into itself the last couple of weeks, Our secondary is basically new, with Logan, Cyprien( who was injured up until the bye week), Jackson and then 2nd year Byard have become a very good pass defense unit.

The linebackers but specifically Woodyard are playing very well, he's around the field, getting sacks, and tackles for loss and breaking up passes while OLB's Morgan and Orakpo havent been lights out but have been consistent. Our sack numbers arent great but the QB pressures/hits are better than last year.

But they will have their hands full with Smith/Brown and even Bell if he gets to the 2nd level.


I'll get up and watch the gamepass 40 min version Friday..

dfx-

Marcus Gilbert suspended for four games for failing a PED test

Tom Mann Centuria

Think the Steelers have forgotten to come out this half against the Ravens. Woeful.

Tom Mann Centuria

Well what a game that was, Steelers aren't keen on making it easy for themselves this year. Still, a wins a win. AFC North Champs confirmed.

dfx-

Couldn't quite celebrate the winning kick until the end as the Ravens still had a chance to get their kicker into FG range, which is about 70 yards.

That defense against the Patriots:eek:

But on the other hand, that's 39 points on a very good Ravens defense. They should be able to get points next week with Smith Schuster back, but can they keep up with the Patriots scoring on every drive...

dfx-

Also, on the Roethlisberger finished thing..

No interceptions, 506 yards and 4 touchdowns. He does still have it...

Tom Mann Centuria

Steelers also have the ultimate in reliable kicker, don't think there's a more solid kicker in the NFL. Huge in tight games.

dfx-

Makes such a difference. It looks like the coach is giving him a chance now from further out during the game from around 50 yards. There were a couple of attempts there that in the recent past that they'd punt away.

But the Ravens kicker...he's the best there is, I think. Commentary saying he's never missed an extra point...and all they needed in the final drive was one of those passes to get near halfway and he'd have made the FG. Fingernails stuff.

OOnegative

dfx- wrote: »

Also, on the Roethlisberger finished thing..

No interceptions, 506 yards and 4 touchdowns. He does still have it...

He's 2nd to Brady in passing with 3,744 yards currently, and he's playing so-so by his standards I'd say. The onfield relationship he has with AB is unreal.

OOnegative

Why isn't Deebo getting more snaps? With Shazier put on IR isn't it the right time to let Harrison loose?

dfx-

Not a great season for Ben perhaps, but the last few games all in primetime, he has been excellent.

Harrison just doesn't fit what they want from the Linebackers. He can't drop back into coverage anymore though it was supposedly never his strongest suit anyway. He's a pass rusher now almost exclusively and Watt and Dupree are first choice.

Mind you he can't be any worse than what was out there last Sunday to try him instead of Spence.

OOnegative

dfx- wrote: »

Mind you he can't be any worse than what was out there last Sunday to try him instead of Spence.

Exactly, he's miles ahead of Spence at nearly 40, pass rush has been his thing as you said all his career hence he's our leading sack man. Would love to see him chasing Brady down Sunday evening. Hopefully Hayden may be back Sunday night to, never did I think I would say that about a Browns reject!!!!

Tom Mann Centuria

https://twitter.com/steelers/status/942475017354391552

OOnegative

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

https://twitter.com/steelers/status/942475017354391552

Nice pyjamas!!!

OOnegative

Yes Vince Williams!!!

OOnegative

Go 26, keep it going Steelers.

discobeaker

We really have being doing well without AB. The rest of the offense has really stepped up and the D has been very solid.

Let's go Steelers!!!

OOnegative

Ffffing robbed, Gronk is talking out of his hoop!!! Touchdown everyday of of the weekto the Outlaw!!!!!

Tom Mann Centuria

Makes a change for the Patriots to get the rub of the green. Said no one ever.

dfx-

Everything went to the script for the Steelers pretty much..dependent on the AB injury.

Dominate the time of possession keeping Brady off the field, defense did ok, a rare Brady interception, all the other receivers stepped up: Rogers, Bryant, Juju, James, Bell...

Then in a puff of smoke...the AFCCG is in Foxboro and the narrative around Steelers v Patriots continues.

OOnegative

WTF realeasing Deebo..... All time sack leader, a man that bled black & gold. Chances are he'll come back to bite Colbert or whoevers ass in the playoffs. Brain dead move.

Garco

I think he has been causing trouble with tomlin about playing time. The obvs feel he doesnt have it anymore.. I think its a stupid move, he's the type of lad that will make a clutch play.

dfx-

He also has only played about 30 snaps all season in an 11-3 record, so they're not hugely missing him they could argue.

He's only played 11 snaps since the Chiefs game, all of them against the Ravens.

OOnegative

Shocking against the run, be fearful coming up against better than Millar & Blue in the playoffs. Haden solid against Hopkins so far.

dfx-

very similar against the run as the Ravens game. 2nd and 22 turns into a first down in two runs.

OOnegative

Offence as always looks like it could run riot, positive thing they held the Texans scoreless on last possession.

OOnegative

O-line was so good on protection on that pass interference call on Rodgers. Great to see Rosie get another TD.