It Took a Little Patience

[flippy]

We started out the season with a lot of guys less than 100%. And the sky was falling and Steeler nation was ready to collectively jump off a cliff.

And slowly but surely, Harrison, Casey, Max, and Keisel have rounded into form and are contributing again. A bunch of youngins (Keenan, JD, Worilds, Hood, Heyward, Cortez, Manny) have started to contribute. And some old reliables have upped their games (Timmy, Clark, Heath).

Now we've got a few setbacks. Luckily we've got some of the biggest weapons in the arsenal on the shelf and in due time, we will get them back and use them. Ben, Troy, DD, Woodley, Brown, Colon

Have a little patience my friends. This second surge is gonna be way bigger than the first.

Another way to look at it, we've had 3 perennial stars on the team. 1 of them (Harrison) is just on the verge of rounding into form. His super friends (Ben and Troy) will be back soon. And the supporting cast got a lot better seemingly out of nowhere.

[JAR]

Great post Flip, I've been thinking the same thing.

[Ghost]

Serious question - you think they can get in with a 10 win season or do they have to run the table to get to 11 to make the playoffs

[Tomlinator]

Serious question - you think they can get in with a 10 win season or do they have to run the table to get to 11 to make the playoffs

If we stiff arm Cincinnatti and keep the tie breaker, I think we can get in. We'll be on the road the whole time, with a likely first round trip to New England, but we'll be in. I still think Indy stumbles a bit with still needing to play both their games with Houston, though the Texans D is looking a bit soft these last two weeks.

[flippy]

10 we're likely in
9 we're probably in
8 we need some help

[D Rock]

the Chargers loss helped us more than a Ravens loss would have in the overall playoff picture

[Slapstick]

the Chargers loss helped us more than a Ravens loss would have in the overall playoff picture

Given how we played at Cleveland, I agree...

[steelfin]

10 we're likely in
9 we're probably in
8 we need some help

Agree with this....

However our success this season will depend on timing...I just don't see getting enough people back in time to make a run...I hope I am wrong but we have a lot of key injuries...especially on the offensive line.

I will remain hopeful that we can pull it together to make a run, but this is the wrong time of the season to be figuring things out...We should be in full stride making a push for the post season.

[BigRob]

We started out the season with a lot of guys less than 100%. And the sky was falling and Steeler nation was ready to collectively jump off a cliff.

And slowly but surely, Harrison, Casey, Max, and Keisel have rounded into form and are contributing again. A bunch of youngins (Keenan, JD, Worilds, Hood, Heyward, Cortez, Manny) have started to contribute. And some old reliables have upped their games (Timmy, Clark, Heath).

Now we've got a few setbacks. Luckily we've got some of the biggest weapons in the arsenal on the shelf and in due time, we will get them back and use them. Ben, Troy, DD, Woodley, Brown, Colon

Have a little patience my friends. This second surge is gonna be way bigger than the first.

Another way to look at it, we've had 3 perennial stars on the team. 1 of them (Harrison) is just on the verge of rounding into form. His super friends (Ben and Troy) will be back soon. And the supporting cast got a lot better seemingly out of nowhere.

Your assuming of course that all of these players come back, stay healthy, Ben comes back, and we have enough time to still make the playoffs. Its all seeming very unlikely at this point. Can't see the forest for the trees.

I am still predicting that 7-9 is very possible. I hope I am dead wrong. :cool:

[NorthCoast]

We started out the season with a lot of guys less than 100%. And the sky was falling and Steeler nation was ready to collectively jump off a cliff.

And slowly but surely, Harrison, Casey, Max, and Keisel have rounded into form and are contributing again. A bunch of youngins (Keenan, JD, Worilds, Hood, Heyward, Cortez, Manny) have started to contribute. And some old reliables have upped their games (Timmy, Clark, Heath).

Now we've got a few setbacks. Luckily we've got some of the biggest weapons in the arsenal on the shelf and in due time, we will get them back and use them. Ben, Troy, DD, Woodley, Brown, Colon

Have a little patience my friends. This second surge is gonna be way bigger than the first.

Another way to look at it, we've had 3 perennial stars on the team. 1 of them (Harrison) is just on the verge of rounding into form. His super friends (Ben and Troy) will be back soon. And the supporting cast got a lot better seemingly out of nowhere.

Sadly, may be a case of too little, too late. We complained about Woodley taking half a season to get rev'd up, now we have half the team doing the same.... the Steelers need to get younger.

[Ghost]

Two of these three three teams should make it as Wild Cards (assuming no 4-7 team rips off 5 straight): So yeah, looking at this, a 9 win season could definitely get you in

Steelers (6-5) - Ravens, Chargers, Cowboys, Bengals, Browns

Colts (7-4) - Lions, Titans, Texans, Chiefs, Texans

Benglas (6-5) - Chargers, Cowboys, Eagles, Steelers, Ravens

[flippy]

Two of these three three teams should make it as Wild Cards (assuming no 4-7 team rips off 5 straight): So yeah, looking at this, a 9 win season could definitely get you in

Steelers (6-5) - Ravens, Chargers, Cowboys, Bengals, Browns

Colts (7-4) - Lions, Titans, Texans, Chiefs, Texans

Benglas (6-5) - Chargers, Cowboys, Eagles, Steelers, Ravens

And when I look at those schedules, I can't help but think, would the Ravens or Texans intentionally lose in Week 17 to keep the Steelers out of the playoffs if they could?

[BigRob]

And when I look at those schedules, I can't help but think, would the Ravens or Texans intentionally lose in Week 17 to keep the Steelers out of the playoffs if they could?

Hell Yeah! As long as it didn't hurt their playoff seeding they would love to keep Big Ben out of the playoffs.

[Sugar]

And when I look at those schedules, I can't help but think, would the Ravens or Texans intentionally lose in Week 17 to keep the Steelers out of the playoffs if they could?

No team is going to purposely throw a game to keep another team out of the playoffs. Neither the Ravens or Texans feel that they have anything to fear from the Steelers at this point.

[BigRob]

No team is going to purposely throw a game to keep another team out of the playoffs. Neither the Ravens or Texans feel that they have anything to fear from the Steelers at this point.

Yep, teams never rest their players when that team has their spot locked up. Never happens.

[RuthlessBurgher]

It may all come down to the Cincy game. We are tied with them but hold the tiebreaker at the present time because of our head-to-head win against them. If we pull off the sweep, we are in. Seriously, who else is able to catch us besides Cincy? Miami is a game back of us, but they have a rookie QB and play decent one week and then are absolutely putrid the next week. Two games back we have the Chargers, Titans, Jets, and Bills...these teams would have to win out just to get to 9-7...that simply ain't happening.