How We Improved??

[Chemsteel]

We go from a record of 10-6 in 2007 to a record of 12-4 in 2008. Yet our offense has digressed in most areas. The following gives our rank in the NFL.

Average gain/rush.........29 (2008)........7 (2007)
Rush yards/game...........23 (2008)........3 (2007)
Passing Yards/game......16 (2008)........22 (2007)
Passes intercepted........22 (2008)........16(2007)
First downs/game..........20 (2008)........17(2007)
Avg gain/offensive play...24 (2008)........17 (2007)
QB sacks allowed...........29 (2008).........31(2007)
Avg gain/pass play.........20 (2008).........14(2007)

I can only assume defense wins games.

For those of you interested San Diego rates as follows for 2008 season:

Avg gain/rush............19
Rush yards/game........20
Pass yards/game.........7
Passes intercepted......7
First downs/game........13
Avg gain/play..............3
QB sacks allowed.........10
Avg gain/pass play.......1


I can only imagine how dominant the Pittsburgh Steelers would be if we had an above average offense and return game.

[SteelerNation1]

Our offense has been good when needed, in the clutch...see Dallas , SD, and Baltimore 1 and 2. Timely plays from #7.

The defense has been downright sick!

[steelblood]

Timely Offense has helped us win, but our offense is not built to win in the playoffs. Our special teams are not either. It seems it is all on the defense. They are very good. But, IMHO, not good enough to get us to another Championship.

[SteelerNation1]

Timely Offense has helped us win, but our offense is not built to win in the playoffs. Our special teams are not either. It seems it is all on the defense. They are very good. But, IMHO, not good enough to get us to another Championship.
I think our TEAM is good enough to win. Our TEAM is better than any other team left IMO.

[Steeler Shades]

Our offense has been good when needed, in the clutch...see Dallas , SD, and Baltimore 1 and 2. Timely plays from #7...
If you only need your offense to be "good" during the last 7 minutes of the game than the above statement is accurate. Otherwise the comparisons to other NFL offenses and the TOs more accurately describe the 2008 Steeler offense....IMHO. 8)

[Chemsteel]

Our offense has been good when needed, in the clutch...see Dallas , SD, and Baltimore 1 and 2. Timely plays from #7...
If you only need your offense to be "good" during the last 7 minutes of the game than the above statement is accurate. Otherwise the comparisons to other NFL offenses and the TOs more accurately describe the 2008 Steeler offense....IMHO. 8)


If we look at the Steeler fortunes in the playoffs and getting into the post season I think you will acertain field goals are the primary factor. Go back to the 2002 season.

[SteelerNation1]

Our offense has been good when needed, in the clutch...see Dallas , SD, and Baltimore 1 and 2. Timely plays from #7...
If you only need your offense to be "good" during the last 7 minutes of the game than the above statement is accurate. Otherwise the comparisons to other NFL offenses and the TOs more accurately describe the 2008 Steeler offense....IMHO. 8)
12-4 record with that schedule is great. Our defense is so good, the O just needs to stay out of its way, ie not turn the ball over, and we win.

[SteelerNation1]

With this defense, any drive that ends with a kick is positive...think about it.

[feltdizz]

Our Offense has been a roller coaster... how many times have we had a penalty kill a TD or a drive? It's like the whistle gets swallowed in the 4th quarter...

turnovers have also killed us.. sure we aren't rolling as an offense.. but rarely does a team have a top Defense and a top offense... but looking at our losses we have had like 12 TO's in 3 of our losses... ridiculous any way you spin it.

I would give the opposing D credit but I watched every game and Ben was very careless and/or injured during most of these games with the football....

once we get a half decent OL and bring the FB back into the fold I think we are a pretty good O.

[flippy]

We also played all the best defenses this season.

Another thing to consider, we had the #1 defense last season. And I never trusted them to hold anybody.

But even with our average offense, I always trusted Ben can get us points at the end of a game if we need them. Still do. Only difference now is I also trust our defense and kick coverage too.

[SteelerNation1]

But even with our average offense, I always trusted Ben can get us points at the end of a game if we need them. Still do. Only difference now is I also trust our defense and kick coverage too.
Good points flip.

[RKSteel]

The Steelers are 12-4 and the #2 seed.

The defense is so dominating, and playing at another level that it will shut any team down.

The offense has done enough to win games, sloppy play by Ben cost a few games. But one thing is certain, come Sunday #7 will rise to the occassion and the offense will produce.

Lets sit back and enjoy the ride, it starting to get good.

[Steeler Shades]

The defense is so dominating, and playing at another level that it will shut any team down.
And the way the offense is playing it will need to shut teams down even when they have been given great field position and points from offensive TOs. Our offense may also need our defense to score some points or at least get some TOs within field goal range. 8)

[Steeler Shades]

If we look at the Steeler fortunes in the playoffs and getting into the post season I think you will acertain field goals are the primary factor. Go back to the 2002 season.
Great!!! Hopefully our dominating defense can get some TOs within field goal range so our offense won't be required to move the ball 70 yards to score. Conversely lets hope the offense doesn't provide any short field opportunities for our opponents FG kicker. 8)

[Oviedo]

When your top 2 RBs are either injured or completely out for the season you are going to see a decrease in the effectiveness of your offense. Take Tomlinson and Sproules from the Chargers, Brandon Jacobs and Bradshaw from the Giants, etc and every other offense in the league would suffer the same problems we have. This is not a Steeler unique issue other than it actually happened to us and we still won 12 games. Do you think any of the other teams would have done the same.

[feltdizz]

The defense is so dominating, and playing at another level that it will shut any team down.
And the way the offense is playing it will need to shut teams down even when they have been given great field position and points from offensive TOs. Our offense may also need our defense to score some points or at least get some TOs within field goal range. 8)

sounds like a plan... I saw a few teams get momentum by TO's and the defense scoring points.

Imagine if our O put up 35 a game? We would be banned from the playoffs.. no way a team can be that good on both sides... were a probably the best offense of any team with a #1 D.

[Steeler Shades]

Imagine if our O put up 35 a game?
I'd be happy with 20 points per game and no TOs. We'd be unstoppable. 8)

[TallyStiller]

We also played all the best defenses this season.

Another thing to consider, we had the #1 defense last season. And I never trusted them to hold anybody.But even with our average offense, I always trusted Ben can get us points at the end of a game if we need them. Still do. Only difference now is I also trust our defense and kick coverage too.

:Agree

Our defense this year is far superior to last year's, despite the #1 rankings both years. Look at the playmakers we've added... Troy is healthy this time around. Woodley is a vast improvement over Haggans. Timmons has made plays whenever he's been permitted to see the field.. Ryan Clark is healthy... and perhaps the biggest of all the above: Smitty is back and healthy. We might have survived all the rest of those, but our defense just wasn't the same without Smitty.

Last year's D was #1 in yardage against, but made very few game changing negative plays... you couldn't count on a sack or a TFL or a turnover or a big stop on a 3rd down late in the game. This D has more of its playmakers healthy, and more playmakers, period. It really is, IMHO, THAT much better than last year's that we can be down in nearly every offensive statistical category, have played a MUCH tougher schedule, and be 2 wins the better for it.

[TallyStiller]

The defense is so dominating, and playing at another level that it will shut any team down.
And the way the offense is playing it will need to shut teams down even when they have been given great field position and points from offensive TOs. Our offense may also need our defense to score some points or at least get some TOs within field goal range. 8)

That's what the Steel Curtain did. '75 Steelers had 13 turnovers in 2 playoff games. '79 Steelers had 55 turnovers in 19 games. We always believed that the D could win us a championship if the offense just stayed out of the way. But the truth was, the offense often actively got IN the way, and we won, anyways. If this D is as good as those ones, we'll do it again.

[papillon]

The offense has been very anemic starting with Ravens II. They have not been able to get out of their own way. If the Steelers game plan is to expect the defense to give up less than 13 points per game in the playoffs the Steelers will be one and done.

The offense is going to have to show up starting Sunday at 4:45. There aren't any bad defenses left in the tournament. So, Ben and the offense are going to have to be able to move the ball. Even if all they do is make a few first downs and punt. Too many three and outs will put the best defense in the NFL at a disadvantage.

Look at the Ravens game this past weekend. Their offense did little or nothing, but, they moved the ball enough to keep the field position in their favor.

I hope the Steelers offense this year doesn't waste the defensive effort that this group has put forth this year. A trip to the Super Bowl will always keep this defense in the forefront when talking about great defenses. A one and done and no one will ever remember how well they played this year.

Pappy

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

We go from a record of 10-6 in 2007 to a record of 12-4 in 2008. Yet our offense has digressed in most areas. The following gives our rank in the NFL.

Average gain/rush.........29 (2008)........7 (2007)
Rush yards/game...........23 (2008)........3 (2007)
Passing Yards/game......16 (2008)........22 (2007)
Passes intercepted........22 (2008)........16(2007)
First downs/game..........20 (2008)........17(2007)
Avg gain/offensive play...24 (2008)........17 (2007)
QB sacks allowed...........29 (2008).........31(2007)
Avg gain/pass play.........20 (2008).........14(2007)

I can only assume defense wins games.

For those of you interested San Diego rates as follows for 2008 season:

Avg gain/rush............19
Rush yards/game........20
Pass yards/game.........7
Passes intercepted......7
First downs/game........13
Avg gain/play..............3
QB sacks allowed.........10
Avg gain/pass play.......1


I can only imagine how dominant the Pittsburgh Steelers would be if we had an above average offense and return game.

Not that I'm saying that our O played well, but to compare the teams by ranks does not give an accurate picture. I forget the exact stat, but I had researched and posted once that the Steelers have played (I think the number is) 7 games against top 7 Ds from this year. Not too bad considering we were the number one D and could not play ourselves - we played Baltimore twice.

Its late and I'm not going to look, but suffice it to say that the Chargers have played nowhere near the caliber of defenses that we have. Figure that 6 of their games were against Oakland, KC, and Denver, and as I recall they also played the AFC East and their band of four average teams.

[skyhawk]

I say put Ed Reed on our D. Then we wouldn't have to worry about the O only scoring 10-14 pts a game. :shock:

He is a huge threat to return it to the house each time he touches it.

Hopefully the Steeler D can score some points in the playoffs folks! :tt1

[RuthlessBurgher]

When your top 2 RBs are either injured or completely out for the season you are going to see a decrease in the effectiveness of your offense. Take Tomlinson and Sproules from the Chargers, Brandon Jacobs and Bradshaw from the Giants, etc and every other offense in the league would suffer the same problems we have. This is not a Steeler unique issue other than it actually happened to us and we still won 12 games. Do you think any of the other teams would have done the same.

Denver lost RB's Aldridge, Hall, Hillis, Pittman, Pope, Torain, and Young to injured reserve this year. They were down to an 8th string RB, finished with the same record as the division champion Chargers, and Shanahan still lost his job.
:shock:

[TallyStiller]

The offense has been very anemic starting with Ravens II. They have not been able to get out of their own way. If the Steelers game plan is to expect the defense to give up less than 13 points per game in the playoffs the Steelers will be one and done.

The offense is going to have to show up starting Sunday at 4:45. There aren't any bad defenses left in the tournament. So, Ben and the offense are going to have to be able to move the ball. Even if all they do is make a few first downs and punt. Too many three and outs will put the best defense in the NFL at a disadvantage.

Look at the Ravens game this past weekend. Their offense did little or nothing, but, they moved the ball enough to keep the field position in their favor.

I hope the Steelers offense this year doesn't waste the defensive effort that this group has put forth this year. A trip to the Super Bowl will always keep this defense in the forefront when talking about great defenses. A one and done and no one will ever remember how well they played this year.

Pappy

Beg to differ... San Diego finished in the mid 20's statistically, and got absolutely shredded through the air all season, which is why they were 8 - 8. They corrected in the last 4 to make the playoffs, but played a bunch of crappy teams. Their pass rush is questionable sans Shawne Merriman, and their defense for whatever reason hasn't been creating turnovers.

Second point, Berger is definitely a concern. An exchange of punts between him ans Scifres might cost us 15 - 20 yards each time. Gotta move the ball some, but I believe we can do it. We gained 400 + on them last time... if we can halve the penalties, we win going away.