What makes us better this season as opposed to last season

[feelthesteel]

I mean that SB was tight. Even though we pulled it out.

[Oviedo]

1. Sepulveda > Berger
2. Logan > everyone else we tried
3. Sweed + Wallace > Washington
4. Timmons > Foote
5. Essex > Stapleton and Simmons
6. 2009 Tomlin > 2006 Cowher

[papillon]

1. Sepulveda > Berger
2. Logan > everyone else we tried
3. Sweed + Wallace > Washington
4. Timmons > Foote
5. Essex > Stapleton and Simmons
6. 2009 Tomlin > 2006 Cowher

Just to add the negatives to be fair... :P

Big Snack in decline (see article on why not to keep him)
Timmons is injured
Mendenhall is still unknown
Parker is healthy, but only carried the ball 4 times in pre-season
New right guard

Just sayin...it isn't all roses

Pappy

[RKSteel]

1. Sepulveda > Berger
2. Logan > everyone else we tried
3. Sweed + Wallace > Washington
4. Timmons > Foote
5. Essex > Stapleton and Simmons
6. 2009 Tomlin > 2006 Cowher

7. Big Snack, Skippy, FWP, Clark, Colon all in contract years. Players always step it up during last year of their deals.
8. Big Ben, as long as he is the QB Steelers always have a chance.

[Uncle Rico]

Sepulveda and Logan.

[Shoe]

Everybody, great points...

You have to factor negatives with the positives for it to mean anything. I do think we have gotten better, most dramatically, in ST's. Logan/Sepulveda is a monstrous upgrade.

I do agree that we do have some player decline, and I do agree that contract players won't/shouldn't slip excessively. Frankly, the only "weakness" as I see it, is the running game/O-line.

Sorry as I am to say it: FWP is a shell of what he was (I think we ran the wheels off him that one year), and the O-line is, well... the O-line. (i.e. not good)

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Big Snack in decline (see article on why not to keep him) If DL thought that he is declining he would not be adding packages to get him more plays
Timmons is injured
Mendenhall is still unknown That is no different than last year
Parker is healthy, but only carried the ball 4 times in pre-season He was hurt throughout most of last season. Nothing worse than last year
New right guard Different than last season's worst OL is not a decline

Just sayin...it isn't all roses

Pappy

[papillon]

Big Snack in decline (see article on why not to keep him) If DL thought that he is declining he would not be adding packages to get him more plays
Timmons is injured
Mendenhall is still unknown That is no different than last year
Parker is healthy, but only carried the ball 4 times in pre-season He was hurt throughout most of last season. Nothing worse than last year
New right guard Different than last season's worst OL is not a decline

Just sayin...it isn't all roses

Pappy

Mendenhall being an unknown is big, since, there's only 4 RBs on the roster.

They can add packages all they want for Hampton, his play is slipping. He was able to be blocked by one guy in the preseason and other teams had success running the football against the first team defense this preseason.

Parker and Mendenhall coming back from injury and with Summers never having played in an NFL game only leaves Moore as a known quantity. That's never an ideal situation.

Missing a lineman form an offensive line that everyone is hoping will gel due to playing a year together is a big deal. They have to work a new guard into their schemes, protections and game plan. It's a step backward.

Pappy

[mshifko]

i'm not going to lie, i think our running game will struggle early on in the season...our passing game is going to have to pick up the slack and i think we can...we have a lot of weapons at wide, ben's on his A game, as long as we can keep D's off balanced we'll be fine.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Big Snack in decline (see article on why not to keep him) If DL thought that he is declining he would not be adding packages to get him more plays
Timmons is injured
Mendenhall is still unknown That is no different than last year
Parker is healthy, but only carried the ball 4 times in pre-season He was hurt throughout most of last season. Nothing worse than last year
New right guard Different than last season's worst OL is not a decline

Just sayin...it isn't all roses

Pappy

Mendenhall being an unknown is big, since, there's only 4 RBs on the roster.

They can add packages all they want for Hampton, his play is slipping. He was able to be blocked by one guy in the preseason and other teams had success running the football against the first team defense this preseason.

Parker and Mendenhall coming back from injury and with Summers never having played in an NFL game only leaves Moore as a known quantity. That's never an ideal situation.

Missing a lineman form an offensive line that everyone is hoping will gel due to playing a year together is a big deal. They have to work a new guard into their schemes, protections and game plan. It's a step backward.

Pappy

I'm not saying that Mendenhall and Parker are not big factors, I'm saying that it is no different than last year in that regard.

Mendenhall was unavailable for 3/4 of the year, and did nothing notable before that. Parker was hurt and largely ineffective through most of the season.

As far as the OL, the missing RG IMO is more than compensated by the fact that each of the other 4 have spent time together and the newbie has been on the team and practiced in the system. It looked like Essex was the front runner whether Stapleton got hurt or not.

And going back to your first point, I'll take Lebeau's opinion over anyone on this board. If he wants Hamp on the field more, I'm okay with it.