Interesting stat

[Captain Lemming]

We have scored TWENTY more points already than we did in the entire regular season the last time we won the SB.

The different IS defense people.

[SidSmythe]

We have scored TWENTY more points already than we did in the entire regular season the last time we won the SB.

The different IS defense people.

Everyone knows this!!

[squidkid]

and given up 83 more, so far...............add 40 the next 2 games plus 25 to cincy......probably 200 more total when all said and done.
of course the entire nfl, im guessing, is scoring more and giving up more too...

but the actual difference is those were cowhers players coached by cowhers coaches

[Steel Maniac]

but the actually difference is those were cowhers players coached by cowhers coaches

I think it's defense and what squid said above

[skyhawk]

BS. In their last 3 losses/games, the Offense is averaging 21 pts/game. It IS the offense, too. In fact in terms of expectations, they are failing majorly.

[Ernie]

BS. In their last 3 losses/games, the Offense is averaging 21 pts/game. It IS the offense, too. In fact in terms of expectations, they are failing majorly.

I agree the offense shares some of the blame. We've got 2 of the best WRs in the game...and an emerging Pro Bowl RB. We should be hanging 30 plus every week.

[Mr.wizard]

The offense has to share some of the blame, their inability to get first downs in the second half has killed us. We have a lead and we just keep giving the ball back to the other team. The defense hasn't been able to get other teams off the field in the second half giving up long TD drive after Long TD drive. You can try and blame coaching all you want but it comes down to execution, all the coach does is help put a team in position to win and the Steelers have been in that position in almost every game, Players need to start stepping up in the second half and make some damn plays.

[NorthCoast]

Total points scored can be deceiving. A few blockbuster games on offense can skew the numbers.
But I do agree the defense is the difference this season.

[squidkid]

Total points scored can be deceiving. A few blockbuster games on offense can skew the numbers.
But I do agree the defense is the difference this season.


im sure all teams have that blockbuster game here and there. im sure it all pretty much equals out

tomlins first 6 years the defense out ranked the offense by quite a bit.
the next 6 years years the offense outranked the defense but not by quite as much.

[pittpete]

The offense has to share some of the blame, their inability to get first downs in the second half has killed us. We have a lead and we just keep giving the ball back to the other team. The defense hasn't been able to get other teams off the field in the second half giving up long TD drive after Long TD drive. You can try and blame coaching all you want but it comes down to execution, all the coach does is help put a team in position to win and the Steelers have been in that position in almost every game, Players need to start stepping up in the second half and make some damn plays.

I definitely agree that the offense hasnt done what its probably capable of no matter what the reasons
Penalties, turnovers, dropped passes etc...
Where i dont agree with you is dont blame coaching
Really, you put your players in the positions to execute but as a coach you need to be able to have that player have a chance to succeed.
Putting a LBer on a WR on paper might look great, but how does that turn out in an actual game.
Coaching has to share the blame.

[BURGH86STEEL]

People can find fault where ever they want when a team loses. The Steelers are failing as a team when the lose.

The league is much different today then it was the last time the Steelers won the Superbowl. The league placed more emphasis on more exciting offensive football to those that haven't acknowledged or noticed. The league is on record pace for offensive production or probably passed record offensive production.

I will write this again. The days of consistently dominating defenses of the past are gone.

A case can be made that the defense played well enough at times to win the last 3 games the team loss only to become undone by bad luck or unfortunate events that happened.

Assigning to much blame to one unit or the other is difficult most weeks (outside of turnovers).

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

The league is much different today then it was the last time the Steelers won the Superbowl.


Can't believe that it took this long for someone to mention this point. I'm as willing as the next guy to point the finger at this D, but to use the 2008 season as a comparison doesn't work. I am willing to bet that you will not find one team who will give up fewer points this season than in 2008.

[skyhawk]

Can't believe that it took this long for someone to mention this point. I'm as willing as the next guy to point the finger at this D, but to use the 2008 season as a comparison doesn't work. I am willing to bet that you will not find one team who will give up fewer points this season than in 2008.

Exactly. 2008 was one of the top defenses of all time. #1 in rushing and passing D.

If the offense could play up to expectations given what they have, the Steelers would EASILY be 10-2-1. I blame the offense and their coaches.

Perhaps lack of that accountability (to the COACHES and fans) is also part of the problem.

[Mr.wizard]

I definitely agree that the offense hasnt done what its probably capable of no matter what the reasons
Penalties, turnovers, dropped passes etc...
Where i dont agree with you is dont blame coaching
Really, you put your players in the positions to execute but as a coach you need to be able to have that player have a chance to succeed.
Putting a LBer on a WR on paper might look great, but how does that turn out in an actual game.
Coaching has to share the blame.

It's not that I think Coaching is blameless, I think there are certainly situations where you could question the coaching but I don't think it's why we lost the games we lost, as i pointed out we were in a position to win almost every game. I just can't make excuses for the players, they had so many opportunities to get wins and they keep blowing it.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Exactly. 2008 was one of the top defenses of all time. #1 in rushing and passing D.

If the offense could play up to expectations given what they have, the Steelers would EASILY be 10-2-1. I blame the offense and their coaches.

Perhaps lack of that accountability (to the COACHES and fans) is also part of the problem.
Some Steelers fans trashed the 2008 defense too saying they couldn't do this or that.