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Thread: What's really bothered me for the last five years

  1. #1
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    Angry What's really bothered me for the last five years

    Complete games are a rarity in the NFL, and this goes for any team. Even the best teams only have a few games per season in which the offense, defense and special teams all play at a high level. But this is what teamwork is all about, to help pick up the slack for a player or a unit if it struggles, and also for the struggling player/unit to find a way to do enough to help the team win in the end.

    With that concept of teamwork in mind, I'm beginning to believe that Ben Roethlisberger is a much better team player than anybody on the defense. In the past, whenever the defense has played at a high level but the offense has struggled, Roethlisberger has still been able to do enough in the end to help the team get the win more often than not, preserving the effort of the defense in the process.

    The same cannot be said when Roethlisberger has played at a high level but the defense has struggled, and this debacle against the Raiders is even more proof of that. How many times in the last few years have we seen the offense give the team the lead and the defense fail to protect it? How many times have we seen the offense make a lead more comfortable only for the defense to make it uncomfortable again?

    This is basically what happened to the Steelers in 2009, when Roethlisberger played at a high level but the Steelers missed the playoffs anyway because the defense blew five fourth-quarter leads -- and it would have been six if Roethlisberger didn't torch the Packers for 503 yards. Of course, he threw for 119 fewer yards against the Raiders yesterday, so shame on him for not coming through.

    I'm really getting sick and tired of the defense getting a pass when they **** up. When the defense plays well and the offense struggles, the defense gets all the glory, but when the offense plays well and the defense struggles, people blame the offense anyway and proclaim that Roethlisberger isn't good enough to carry the team, even though that's exactly what he did today.

    At least Roethlisberger knows how to dig deeper when it matters most, even when he has an off-day. The defense doesn't, at least not consistently enough. It's reached the point where I'd rather the Steelers be trailing by one score late with the ball in Roethlisberger's hands than leading by one score late with the defense trying to protect the lead.

    It's time for the defense to stop wasting Roethlisberger's best efforts, because seldom has he wasted theirs.
    Last edited by DBR96A; 09-24-2012 at 05:08 AM.
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  2. #2
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    Not sure how anyone could reach the conclusion that Ben was a better team player then anyone on defense? I suppose it's all in one's agenda. Knock everyone else down to build Ben up? The reality is that Ben's struggled to maintain enough consistency to carry the team. As a result, the team was carried by defense since Ben became a Steeler.

    Ben carried the team vs the Raiders. Ben and the offense didn't dig deeper when they had a chance to put the game away. There were 2 games this season that the offense had a chance to drive down the field and win. Both times the offense came up short.

    That being said, the defense and special teams didn't do their jobs. Team loss. I think fans better get used to the fact that the days of consistently dominating defenses may be over.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by BURGH86STEEL View Post
    Not sure how anyone could reach the conclusion that Ben was a better team player then anyone on defense? I suppose it's all in one's agenda. Knock everyone else down to build Ben up? The reality is that Ben's struggled to maintain enough consistency to carry the team. As a result, the team was carried by defense since Ben became a Steeler.

    Ben carried the team vs the Raiders. Ben and the offense didn't dig deeper when they had a chance to put the game away. There were 2 games this season that the offense had a chance to drive down the field and win. Both times the offense came up short.

    That being said, the defense and special teams didn't do their jobs. Team loss. I think fans better get used to the fact that the days of consistently dominating defenses may be over.
    Great Post!!

  4. #4
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    What has bothered me is, is our FO lack of vision and progression into the future. Look! I respect the "Steeler Way". It has more than its share of merits to show for. However few things that stand out to me is this team not adjusting to changes that have been made to game. Steelers still trying to run the ball down a teams throat, Lebeau still running the same defensive schemes from the turn of the millenium, and more importantly not utilizing FA to upgrade positions on this team. I think the FO/Coaches have gotten a bit complacent/lazy relying too much on the "Steeler Way". Sorry! But it's time to make some adjustments. If it ain't working? Fix IT!

  5. #5
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    The defense did play poorly yesterday.

    That said the debate seems to be blame goes to defense or is it Ben on offense.

    The "Ben" part of the offense is BETTER than ever.

    Besides the defense decline (partly due to injuries) the difference is that we are not able to play keep away with the run game like we did under BC.
    THAT is the difference between this week and last week as the game wound down.

    Last week we ran poorly overall but that last drive was a beautiful clock eating smashmouth drive.

    But one drive in 12 quarters of football aint gonna get it done.

    The rationale of the Ben bashers is ridiculous.

    No QB scores TDs on every drive. You have carry the entire offense, did your part to score FOUR TDs, have zero ints, have to overcome two fumbles that are not your fault, and a defensive collapse, yet you are up the entire game having scored 30 plus points with no run game. Ben did enough that if even ONE OTHER element on this team was AVERAGE we crush the Raiders.

    Look at my history, I aint no Ben apologist. I am often on the other side of those who wish to shield him from ANY blame in these debates.
    Yesterday? This aint on Ben.

    Man of him to admit he missed Wallace. That is what you do when you dont settle for less than perfection, that is how you grow.

    But as a FAN of this team there is no way I lay blame on this loss at his feet.

    With the way he played it should have NEVER BEEN CLOSE.




    In view of the fact that Mike Tomlin has matched Cowhers record I give him the designation:

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    The Coach Formerly Considered Less Than Cowher

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by williar View Post
    What has bothered me is, is our FO lack of vision and progression into the future. Look! I respect the "Steeler Way". It has more than its share of merits to show for. However few things that stand out to me is this team not adjusting to changes that have been made to game. Steelers still trying to run the ball down a teams throat, Lebeau still running the same defensive schemes from the turn of the millenium, and more importantly not utilizing FA to upgrade positions on this team. I think the FO/Coaches have gotten a bit complacent/lazy relying too much on the "Steeler Way". Sorry! But it's time to make some adjustments. If it ain't working? Fix IT!
    I seem to remember the "Steeler Way" leading us to the Super Bowl 3 times in the last 7 years, winning twice. Coming off back-to-back 12-4 seasons, we should have scrapped the "Steeler Way" and gone into full-bore Dan Snyder-mode this offseason instead.
    Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.

    Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.

    We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.

    We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by williar View Post
    What has bothered me is, is our FO lack of vision and progression into the future. Look! I respect the "Steeler Way". It has more than its share of merits to show for. However few things that stand out to me is this team not adjusting to changes that have been made to game. Steelers still trying to run the ball down a teams throat..... If it ain't working? Fix IT!
    It is ridiculous how these things get repeated like gospel without any basis in fact.
    We passed nearly 50 times (49) yesterday and ran 20 times in a game where we LEAD ALMOST THE ENTIRE WAY.
    This kind of loss ALMOST NEVER HAPPENED when we do play "Steeler Football" with a lead.

    The fact is that abandoning the "Steelers Way" is part of the problem.
    Thanks to the fact that our offensive talent is in our receivers, LIKE SO MANY WANTED we have the prolific passing game like everyone else.
    We are incapable of the BC "turtle" late game offense so many here despised.
    What do we have to show for it? A losing record.
    Our ONE victory was the ONE GAME that we were somewhat balanced in outr attack.

    The issue with our defense is about talent not scheme.
    We had players one and three in the DPOY race just two years ago and BOTH were out. Add to that our top tackler of the decade who is gone (Farrior). We just are far less talented.
    We are screaming about how "great" Clark is last week? Really? He is "good" but if the best guy on your defense is a safety that has average cover skills and who's best skill is delivering hits that are now illegal that is not a great defense. No coach can make that defense great as long as Harrison and Troy are out or play like a shell of their former selves. We do not have "great" young talent, so the future does not look great on defense either.
    Last edited by Captain Lemming; 09-24-2012 at 01:52 PM.




    In view of the fact that Mike Tomlin has matched Cowhers record I give him the designation:

    TCFCLTC-
    The Coach Formerly Considered Less Than Cowher

  8. #8
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    I hate to change the subject between whethe it's Ben's fault or the defence, or LeBeaus schemes etc, but the reality is that it's the rules and the league more than anything. Most of the teams are fairly evenly matched when it comes to talent and coaching. We have had stronger defenses in the past because of personnel and scheme, but the NFL has turned itself into the NBA. Score at will, last team with the balls wins. The NFL feels that high scoring games are more entertaining so they are going to regulate the game and change the rules to make it that way.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by DBR96A View Post
    Complete games are a rarity in the NFL, and this goes for any team. Even the best teams only have a few games per season in which the offense, defense and special teams all play at a high level. But this is what teamwork is all about, to help pick up the slack for a player or a unit if it struggles, and also for the struggling player/unit to find a way to do enough to help the team win in the end.

    With that concept of teamwork in mind, I'm beginning to believe that Ben Roethlisberger is a much better team player than anybody on the defense. In the past, whenever the defense has played at a high level but the offense has struggled, Roethlisberger has still been able to do enough in the end to help the team get the win more often than not, preserving the effort of the defense in the process.

    The same cannot be said when Roethlisberger has played at a high level but the defense has struggled, and this debacle against the Raiders is even more proof of that. How many times in the last few years have we seen the offense give the team the lead and the defense fail to protect it? How many times have we seen the offense make a lead more comfortable only for the defense to make it uncomfortable again?

    This is basically what happened to the Steelers in 2009, when Roethlisberger played at a high level but the Steelers missed the playoffs anyway because the defense blew five fourth-quarter leads -- and it would have been six if Roethlisberger didn't torch the Packers for 503 yards. Of course, he threw for 119 fewer yards against the Raiders yesterday, so shame on him for not coming through.

    I'm really getting sick and tired of the defense getting a pass when they **** up. When the defense plays well and the offense struggles, the defense gets all the glory, but when the offense plays well and the defense struggles, people blame the offense anyway and proclaim that Roethlisberger isn't good enough to carry the team, even though that's exactly what he did today.

    At least Roethlisberger knows how to dig deeper when it matters most, even when he has an off-day. The defense doesn't, at least not consistently enough. It's reached the point where I'd rather the Steelers be trailing by one score late with the ball in Roethlisberger's hands than leading by one score late with the defense trying to protect the lead.

    It's time for the defense to stop wasting Roethlisberger's best efforts, because seldom has he wasted theirs.
    I actually feel a bit bad for Big Ben this past game. He was basically having a career best day, only to end up with a loss.
    Tomlin: Let's unleash hell and "mop the floor" with the competition.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by RuthlessBurgher View Post
    I seem to remember the "Steeler Way" leading us to the Super Bowl 3 times in the last 7 years, winning twice. Coming off back-to-back 12-4 seasons, we should have scrapped the "Steeler Way" and gone into full-bore Dan Snyder-mode this offseason instead.
    I acknowledge that the "steeler way" has served pretty darn well! Did I not? Largely, thanks due in part to fielding a talented team with a lot of seasoned-veteran, hungry players. But guess what? Most of those players are gone now... Time to refresh, refuel and ADJUST!! The game is quite different from 3 years ago let alone 5.

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