Vrabel did an amazing job.....

[Steel Maniac]

Does anyone besides me realize what just happened?





Wait, wait, wait one minute!!!!

Did I see Maniac ready to be rid of Ben, while Dizz suggests we roll with him?

Is this bizarro world?
Or perhaps an alternate "Steelerverse".

Nooo.. we have to roll with Ben but I’m just saying that he won’t be as effective as he was when he was 36. We have to roll with Ben. We’ve got nothing else.

But we need to seriously start looking and making plans to get a new franchise guy within the next 18 months.

[Northern_Blitz]

They are saying that Bellichek privately is fuming about what Vrabel did to him with using the loophole.

Now hoody has to stew in that all summer. I love it! Just the thought one of his old players comes back to give him some dick big time will give me something to chuckle about all off-season long.

At the combine, will Bellichek and Vrabel speak to one another? Lol

This is the best part about this without question.

[Northern_Blitz]

That’s why I’m saying that anyone who thinks that Ben is going to play at 38 as well as he played at 36 is dreaming.

I can't speak for everyone, but I don't think he'll be as good.

But I still think he'll be much better than MR or Duck.

I also think people are putting far too much stock in playoff results. It's not uncommon for good teams to lose to other good teams.

The Pats have never won a SB without a bye. And they were in the middle of a pretty bad run of games.

[SidSmythe]

Personally I think that clock situation was foolish - call me crazy but my philosophy is always have the football last.
I'd rather give the ball to the Pats with almost 6 minutes left than with 4 min & 45 secs left.
Either way the Patriots have plenty of time to kick a FG - I'd rather have some time left for my offense to get our own FG as time expires.

[Mr.wizard]

First off, while I would have been hopeful and praying for a win - if tonight had been the Steelers I don't think there's much of a chance with our offense we would have beat the pats.

but more importantly - that punt series by the Titans really brought into focus my chief complaint about Tomlin. In a game of inches, smart savvy coaches can really make the difference. For all Tomlin's strengths (and he has many) my largest critique about him over the years has been with regards to strategy, in-game decisions, clock management etc. I just don't think he's a clever innovative coach. He's a motivator, solid guy who gets the best out of his players - but I believe doesn't always put them in the best position to win.

In other words - does anyone here for one second, think Tomlin would have done delay, false start, delay etc to keep winding that clock down to 5 minutes? I don't think it would have even occurred to him to try. It was an amazing series to watch. Vrabel took an extra 1+45 off the clock without running a play! I was astounded, impressed followed by the realization that is something we would never ever see here in pittsburgh.

the pats are eliminated. the entire country is thrilled. it was done because of coaching. it was amazing to watch.


bummer about the bills - i was hoping they'd hang on. oh well.

Not many do it because at the 5 minute mark you havent accmoplished much. You are only up by 1 point and pats only need a FG. In my opinion it hurts your chances at a comeback if the Pats drive down and score, especially a TD. Also if the refs deem it unsportsmanlike they can throw the flag for a 15 yard penalty.

[feltdizz]

Ben can hand off 90% of
the time and the O will look better because he can read defenses better than the young bucks.

[Steel Maniac]

Personally I think that clock situation was foolish - call me crazy but my philosophy is always have the football last.
I'd rather give the ball to the Pats with almost 6 minutes left than with 4 min & 45 secs left.
Either way the Patriots have plenty of time to kick a FG - I'd rather have some time left for my offense to get our own FG as time expires.

Not foolish; it’s about staying in control and there’s nothing foolish about that.

[Oviedo]

I can't speak for everyone, but I don't think he'll be as good.

But I still think he'll be much better than MR or Duck.

I also think people are putting far too much stock in playoff results. It's not uncommon for good teams to lose to other good teams.

The Pats have never won a SB without a bye. And they were in the middle of a pretty bad run of games.

Ben doesn't have to be leading the league in passing like 2018. If Ben had played an got us 20TDs and 10-12INTs we would have easily been able to win at least two or three more games and make the play offs. We weren't as bad as some want to make the team out to be.

IMO we need to upgrade RB and TE on offense and push the ball down the field less.

Fichtner may need to go but I doubt if that happens because of Ben's comfort with him.

[Steel Maniac]

Fichtner wasn't good in 2018; and he wasn't good in 2019. How much do they need to see to know he stinks?

[feltdizz]

Personally I think that clock situation was foolish - call me crazy but my philosophy is always have the football last.
I'd rather give the ball to the Pats with almost 6 minutes left than with 4 min & 45 secs left.
Either way the Patriots have plenty of time to kick a FG - I'd rather have some time left for my offense to get our own FG as time expires.

I’m not a fan of goofy loopholes. I’m only happy because the Pats did this in a meaningless game just to show off and then it was used against them. Can’t they call timeout?

Seems like with the way the game was unfolding you would use a timeout to save that time.