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View Full Version : How Are We Going To improve Team wise With the issues at Hand ?



supersteeler
01-24-2013, 10:06 AM
As we look forward to the draft, there are some unanswered questions on how this team will improve for 2013.
This paticular draft might be the most important one in several years for the Steelers, I'm hoping we get it right on who we select and that they can impact our team in a good way.

The challenge is going to be huge for our team to overcome all the issues and even if they do, the coaching staff will have to do the best job humanly possible so the team can rebound from a season fans would like to forget.
The message Colbert gave was sobering, but I don't think his plans are to blow up the Steelers roster. He put the players on notice that a 8-8 record is unexceptable, and by not doing anything roster wise we could repeat that record or even worse.
He didn't specify who will be here and who won't only that there will be changes, now those changes could come in the form of restructuring contracts, players taking a pay cut and in some cases released or traded.

My concern is we have more than one or two holes to plug, we have very little if any cash for FA's, so we might have to rely on signing our own in combination of the draft.
I know the FO and Colbert will do everything possible to correct the issues, but it might not be enough, we have some serious issues and they won't be fixed in just one year IMHO.

This should be a wake up call for all involved, the direction of our team will hinge on what they do in the next several months not only for 2013 but beyond, so it is my hope we succeed.

Chucktownsteeler
01-24-2013, 10:55 AM
Hey, give them plenty of Marrianne's cabbage rolls and beast to drink!

How's Bailey doing?

Slapstick
01-24-2013, 01:07 PM
I don't mean to sound snarky, so I apologize in advance if I come off that way...

But, it seems that every offseason, someone is saying how the upcoming draft is the most important in years...go back and look...

And, it seems, every year the Steelers win at least 8 games and are in the hunt for a playoff spot...

Sometimes, I think that we fans tend to overbake things...as is our right, especially on a message board...

supersteeler
01-24-2013, 03:51 PM
I don't mean to sound snarky, so I apologize in advance if I come off that way...

But, it seems that every offseason, someone is saying how the upcoming draft is the most important in years...go back and look...

And, it seems, every year the Steelers win at least 8 games and are in the hunt for a playoff spot...

Sometimes, I think that we fans tend to overbake things...as is our right, especially on a message board...



Its no biggie, Its not only the draft but who we keep and who we let go, but because of the circumstances at hand I would think this draft is critical. We started our transition last season and last years draft was IMO decent, as we have three potential starters with Adams, Beachum, and DeCasteo on the O-line.
We got a TE who isn't in the same caliber as Miller, but he did get playing time which should help him next season.

We not only need some draft picks that can help us this coming season but for the future like a Safety for instance to replace Troy or Clark down the road. We still have to come to grips with the current situation, we all know the team needs a feature back, another WR, ILB, AND OLB those are the immediate needs, but we also could use Safety, TE, OL, and D-line as well.
Heck, at some point we'll need a back-up QB and Punter too so lots to deal with.

I'm looking at this off season as our second transition, Hines, Farrior, Smith to name a few last year and now the possibilty of losing Harrison, Hampton, Starks,Colon,Foster plus Mendy, Wallace and even Foote. Thats a tall order to replace those guys if they all do leave, we don't have cash for FA's so yes this draft is important we hit it right JMHO.

With all the possibilites mention on this board, I hope we somehow some way can keep James Harrison for at least one or two years. Yeah, he's older but he was older starting out in his Pro career, its not like he played for 17 years as Lewis did.
We couldn't replace him with what we have how, so getting the right OLB is critical if we want to stay at a high level for that position.

I really don't care who we draft as long as they can make a contribution to better our team and maybe get one future Star player. They have their work cut out for them and a challenging year coming up, if we hit it right in the draft in combination of signing our own who knows, their might be a silver lining in all of this.


I still wear my Steeler gear, the car has the plates and I'm proud to be a steelers fan.Our Steelers gave us so much to cheer for over several years, lets get behind them and not let a 8-8 record give us the blues, we'll be back.

Go Pittsburgh!

Va Steelr
01-24-2013, 07:53 PM
I agree, es it was a disappointing season for us and our Steelers. But it says a lot about this organization that an 8=8 season is looked at as a very bad year. We definately have some big hurdles to overcome,but how many other organizations can you put in the same class as the Steelers as far as consistency and their way of conducting business. I would say very few.That is a big reason I am proud to be a Steelers fan in good years and bad !!!

lloydroid
01-25-2013, 04:34 PM
I don't mean to sound snarky, so I apologize in advance if I come off that way...

But, it seems that every offseason, someone is saying how the upcoming draft is the most important in years...go back and look...

And, it seems, every year the Steelers win at least 8 games and are in the hunt for a playoff spot...

Sometimes, I think that we fans tend to overbake things...as is our right, especially on a message board...

I was thinking the exact same thing; every draft fans tend to say, "This is our most important draft in a long, long time. If we don't get this one right, we will be down for years." They were saying it last year too. Funny thing is, it has already been true since about 2005. I felt that they needed to start rebuilding the OL at that point and in draft after draft, they barely addressed it, and that is why we are where we are. The last few drafts we finally got serious about the OL, but the damage has been done: our OL stinks from years of neglect. They were dabbling with taking lower-tier people like Tony Hills, AQ Shipley, Cameron Stephenson and Marvin Phillip and placing a higher priority by wasting picks with your Anthony Smith, Matt Speath, a punter in the 4th round, a garbage LB in Bruce Davis, a crap WR in Limas Sweed, and so on.

Oviedo
01-25-2013, 04:58 PM
I think if they try to band-aid this one piece at a time we will be in trouble. If we take a look at the entire system and come up with a system fix we can be successful.

Look no further further than the two teams in the Super Bowl next weekend. If you recall, both the Patriots and the Ravens made major roster cuts a 2-3 years ago letting go of lots of veterans. We thought that meant they were on the way down but in relaity they haven't missed a beat. The common thing they both did is that they took risk on the defensive side of the ball and added weapons on the offensive side of the ball.

Look at the Pats, they got rid of most if not all the veterans that won their last Super Bowls. They kept a very small veteran core and got young players and put them on the field. They got rid of the ones who didn't cut it and got new ones who did but their defense was young and they still were a perenial play off contender...how can that be when Defense supposed wins championships? Not in today's NFL! They did something radical on offense. They draft two top flight TEs in the same draft when we can't get Steelers fans to consider a TE worth nmore than a 3rd round pick at the earliest. People thought they were nuts but they did something no one has yet been able to figure out how to stop. They got a "commitee of RBs." They aren't wasting big dollars Wallace-like receiver and haven't for years but they have 4-5 solid ball catchers. It works and now the defense has caught up to the offense. They weren't afraid to change because they weren't held capative by being expected to be a certain "way." They just were committed to winning.

Same with the Ravens. They blew up their defense and went young. Some worked and some didn't and they took a slight step back, but they invested in their offense. They added weapons to the offense and opened it up. It worked for them too.

The league is about offense and teams that are trying to squeexe the last drop out of old oranges aren't going to be successful. We need to be bold this off season and keep only the highest level performer and not keep players hoping they have one more good year. I hope I have to have a roster next to me next year to figure out who is playing. If there are some coaches who are in the way get rid of them too.

We have to make big changes this off season and unfortunately I think fear of the unknown will cause us to make far too few changes and 8-8 and 9-7 seasons will be repeated more frequently.

steelz09
01-25-2013, 05:49 PM
They got rid of the ones who didn't cut it and got new ones who did but their defense was young and they still were a perenial play off contender...how can that be when Defense supposed wins championships? Not in today's NFL!

The 49ers and the Ravens are in the playoffs because of they are well balanced. They both have good defenses. Why aren't the Patriots and Falcons in the SB if offense "rules" the day? They're defense. That's why.

Eddie Spaghetti
01-25-2013, 06:04 PM
the pats did pay wallace like money to a WR. Actually they paid 3X as much for wes welker.

Sugar
01-25-2013, 07:11 PM
The 49ers and the Ravens are in the playoffs because of they are well balanced. They both have good defenses. Why aren't the Patriots and Falcons in the SB if offense "rules" the day? They're defense. That's why.

Defense STILL wins championships...

flippy
01-25-2013, 08:34 PM
I think the band aid is to get Ben a big reliable target that can get open when the game's on the line. He hasn't had a go to guy since Santonio left. Give Ben a chance to pull out some wins at the end.

And get the best defender we can find. Take the next Troy/James/Timmons at #17.

Shaker
01-25-2013, 09:41 PM
I really don't see all the issues that you are talking about. The one thing that hurt
us the past couple of years is health. If we stay healthy we go deep into the playoffs.
Maybe I'm looking at this thing through rose colored glasses but I just don't see it. One
thing I do agree on is the cap problems, it seems we will be in cap purgatory and some tough
cuts will be made. But that's part of the game, players come and players go but this team is still very solid.
I look for another year of player purging much the same as last year and perhaps the following year again.
We will get younger just not over one offseason but over the course of several years I have been a BIG FAN
for many years and while there have been some very lean years the good to great years far outweight them.
Just my 2 cent.

fordfixer
01-25-2013, 10:02 PM
I really don't see all the issues that you are talking about. The one thing that hurt
us the past couple of years is health. If we stay healthy we go deep into the playoffs.
Maybe I'm looking at this thing through rose colored glasses but I just don't see it. One
thing I do agree on is the cap problems, it seems we will be in cap purgatory and some tough
cuts will be made. But that's part of the game, players come and players go but this team is still very solid.
I look for another year of player purging much the same as last year and perhaps the following year again.
We will get younger just not over one offseason but over the course of several years I have been a BIG FAN
for many years and while there have been some very lean years the good to great years far outweight them.
Just my 2 cent.
Welcome to the Planet :tt1Or should I say welcome back?

Shaker
01-25-2013, 10:39 PM
Thanks FordFixer and you're right I was here before, surprised you remembered. I like your picture
and sig.

fordfixer
01-25-2013, 10:47 PM
Thanks FordFixer and you're right I was here before, surprised you remembered. I like your picture
and sig.
Thanks. :-)