When is the right time to focus on player development/evaluation more than winning?

[BradshawsHairdresser]

What about the veteran players who screw up a lot, or have been ineffective, or played poorly?

Oh, right, they're veterans...you don't touch them...

[Oviedo]

What about the veteran players who screw up a lot, or have been ineffective, or played poorly?

Oh, right, they're veterans...you don't touch them...

Don't you know they "know the system", can't you tell by how they have performed.

[steelsnis]

So, Dejan thinks the rookie who screwed up a bunch of assignments should be rewarded with more playing time?

Good call...

It's more than that though. JJ had is best game of the season vs. the Jets, and missed the next game with a concussion. Yes he had a bad game against the Raiders, but even in that game he only played like 11 snaps!

I understand that you don't "reward" errors, but you HAVE to allow a guy to play through his mistakes. If a player starts thinking that he's going to be benched every time he makes a mistake, he'll constantly play scared and not be able to just let it all hang out so to speak.

Jones is on an incredibly steep learning curve that all outside LB's on this team have to go through. I'm sure his head is spinning with all of the minutiae of this defense. If he now starts playing paranoid about making an incorrect read or hesitates at the snap, he'll be useless. I for one don't see the benefit in sitting him on the bench behind a guy who is barely more productive than he is, and who is NOT going to be here next season.

Now maybe he'll still get lots of snaps this wknd vs. the Pats and an immobile Tom Brady and this discussion will be moot. But if he languishes on the bench, losing valuable experience while Worilds slogs his way to a 2 tackle and no sack game, it'll be a joke.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

We know the Steelers. They will battle until week 17 even if they are 2-13 going in.

[Oviedo]

We know the Steelers. They will battle until week 17 even if they are 2-13 going in.

I'm OK them battling and being 2-13 in week 17. That will guarantee we get the elite LT we need

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

I'm OK them battling and being 2-13 in week 17. That will guarantee we get the elite LT we need

I think if the Steelers WANT a LT in 2014 they will have a shot at one of Matthews, Lewan, or Kouandjio. If they lose to the Pats Sunday, I fear they may have a shot at the #1 LT coming off the board WHOEVER that may be.

[Oviedo]

I think if the Steelers WANT a LT in 2014 they will have a shot at one of Matthews, Lewan, or Kouandjio. If they lose to the Pats Sunday, I fear they may have a shot at the #1 LT coming off the board WHOEVER that may be.

Sometimes you just have to give up ground to better position yourself to take more ground. I have embraced this year as our year for doing that.

[Sugar]

We know the Steelers. They will battle until week 17 even if they are 2-13 going in.

Which is part of why I love them. Each game is meant to be won.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Are you guys who say every game is meant to be played all out to be won in all circumstances ... r u saying if we're in week 17 w/ the 1st seed locked up we shouldn't sit people to let them get healthy?

Or, as another example, if we are down (or up) 30 points w/ 4 minutes left in the last quarter, we shouldn't sit Ben to keep him from getting injured?

On reflection, I don't think our goal is to win every game, it is to win the Superbowl. If/when it becomes clear we mathematically can't, I have no problem sitting better players to give young guys some playing time, either for evaluation purposes, or to help them get better for next year.

And if it comes to pass that is in the third quarter of a season, gulp, so be it - prepare to win next year's SB.

Just my 2c.