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Thread: What is your outlook and projections for the Steelers in 2013?

  1. #1
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    What is your outlook and projections for the Steelers in 2013?

    Please try and be honest in your thoughts so we can get a feel on what our new season will look like, and if the Steelers can rebound from the 2012 disappointing season.

    Supers Take:

    I wonder if the window is closing on our steelers, or if we add some players to the roster that can make the difference in the up coming season. The feedback form posts on Steelers planet says the Steelers have their work cut out in order to have a successful 2013. and the main issues must be resolved so they can achieve their goal.
    I'll take a crack at what those main issues are, and look forward to your opinions on this matter as we move forward.

    Main issues and objectives:

    1. First and formost the Steelers need to stay healthy especially on the offensive line in order to maximize continuity with the same 5 starters. We all know injuries will happen, but if they limit them, the team as a whole should see improvement.

    2. QB Play. Lets face it, we only can go as far as Ben Takes us, we need the Ben of the first half of 2012. For whatever reason he wasn't the Ben we could count on in the last quarter of this season and it impacted our playoff hopes.

    3. Pressure and pass rush from our front seven, too often we didn't have that in the course of this season and it left our secondary on an Island. Our secondary wasn't playing well in the beginning of the season, but Keenan Lewis, Cortez made big improvements even with the absense of Troy for the majority of the season. We need a dominate NT that can take on blockers to free our ends up, that combination alone will make our LB's better, and if they are healthy and in shape ( Woodley) it would make a big difference.

    4. Special teams. This unit has to get better not only in coverage, but discipline by not committing penalty's that kill good field position and returns for TD"S. Our Punter isn't up to snuff as well as our Special teams coach, we'll need changes there or at least change what they are doing that hurts the unit.

    Obviously, there are more but these IMHO are valid and need addressed. We have to count on health of the team, getting the right pieces in the draft, and fix the areas' above I mentioned. This no easy task.
    I feel we have a core of really good players to get to the next level, but we still have to find a few impact players in the draft and our coaching staff outside of LeBeau has to improve their decisions on the field.

    Overall:
    As Steelers fans, our expectations are high. Anything less than a playoff appearance is an incomplete season, the team goal is the SB as it should be. However, the reality is our Steelers can't meet their expectations or ours unless they fix the issues at hand.
    I'm confident we'll be better in 2013 but will better be enough? I don't really know, other teams are getting better too so we have to take it up a notch or two to stay ahead of the game.
    When we hit rock bottom we'll know it, we ain't there yet and don't want to be there. Playing 500 ball won't do it folks for them or us, but great teams can't last forever we have to see that reality. Lets hope thay have another one in them in the near future, getting #7 would be sweet and keep us King of the NFL!

  2. #2
    Legend

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    You items #1 and #3 are the keys and may be mutually exclusive in the short term. If we really commit to fixing the OL that will likely require us to use our #1 pick for another OL. That would then mean we aren't getting one of the top NTs or pass rushing OLBs.

    Alot of what we fix depends on who stays and who goes. If Harrison goes then a OLB is top priority. If they can't resign Starks then an OL is a top priority. If they lose both we will probably be about 8-8 again next season.
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  3. #3
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    I can't believe this is happening, but I'm about to agree with Oviedo for my third straight post of the morning. Crazy.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by D Rock View Post
    I can't believe this is happening, but I'm about to agree with Oviedo for my third straight post of the morning. Crazy.
    Obviously, you have gotten smarter in 2013
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  5. #5
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    Unlike a lot of fans I do not believe the sky is falling. The Steelers have started the process of rebuilding (getting younger) this past season with the departure of a few old reliable Steelers and inserted draft picks that have been developing. Injuries aside, at different points in the season each unit was the bright spot of the team with the exception of the special teams. The offense was not overwhelming teams the first half of the year, however, Ben was playing MVP style football and winning the TOP battle. The defense was struggling to get off the field in critical situations early in the season. The second half of the season the defense found its footing and played inspired football and as Troy and James actually got healthy takeaways became the norm the final two games (it was good to see). The offense struggled down the stretch while the defense was playing very good football.

    The special teams were atrocious all year and consistently put the offense or defense in bad situations and for a unit that is on the field for only 10-15 plays per game the play of the special teams should be unacceptable to the Steelers' brain trust. There has got to be a way to have a special teams unit that is actually special. Suisham is excluding from this take on the special teams as he was the lone consistent bright spot.

    My take...

    Ben is a great quarterback (unconvential, but great) and should still have 5-6 years of great football left in him.
    Troy is still one of the best SS in the game when healthy
    James is still a force that needs to be accounted for every play when healthy
    Dick Lebeau is still one of the best DCs in the league
    Mike Tomlin is still a good coach, but struggled this year with some in game decisions
    Todd Haley knows how to coach an offense
    The salary cap is going to force a change in player personnel for the Steelers

    Moving forward...

    As much as I would like to say that the Steelers need to stay healthy moving forward this simply isn't possible in the NFL. Every team will get banged up over the course of a season. It was unfortunate for the Steelers that their 3 main players missed significant time with injuries this year, Ben (3 games), James (3 or 4 games) and Troy (9 games), two defensive MVPs and an elite quarterback. I don't believe that any of the playoff teams had their quarterback miss any games except for RGIII (1 game). I wonder what the playoff field would like like if any of the teams that didn't get a bye week would have had their quarterback miss 3 games?

    Special teams has to get fixed, this unit was so far below the line that over the course of this past year I am certain that they were responsible for at a bare minimum 1 loss and probably a lot more. This has to be fixed and for my money this is the one place that a coach can really make a difference. Playing special teams is more about heart, the will to succeed and taking pride in your job than any other position on the team. You do not have to be a great football player to play special teams and be successful. You have to want to do the job and take ownership of the job and that's it. This has got to be fixed.

    Personnel is going to be huge this off season. The deaths of James and Troy are greatly exaggerated in my opinion. The final quarter of the year James was getting leverage and his legs looked strong again and Troy was all over the field making plays to which we have become accustomed. I don't know how they keep them, but they need to find a way to keep them. Obviously, the cap situation is dire and this off season will complete the overhaul (or as much of an overhaul as the Steelers will ever do). There will still be a few other long time vets to be let go in the future, but I think this off season will see the largest turnover in some old favorites, unfortunately.

    The running back committeee needs to have one of the committee stand up and take the job. I hope Mendenhall stays he has the most complete package of NFL skills for a running back on the team. The others have specific skills that can be utilized, but I don't believe any of them can be the main back in the offense.

    The coaches aren't idiots, the front office is steady (thankfully) and the players are on par with many of this years playoff teams. The future is bright; Timmons was very good all year, Lewis and Ike make a formidable duo of corners (C. Allen makes a third), Miller had a great season (save for the ACL late), the offensive line showed flashes of brilliance, but never at the same time (probably due to the fact that the makeup of the line changed almost weekly) and the WRs will be good with or without Mike Wallace. Ben has shown that he can lose a good #1 WR and help the team be successful, he's lost Burress and Holmes in the past and Wallace isn't any better than either of them when they left. Save for two stinking plays at the worst possible time Ben had a very good year as well, completion percentage was high, TD to INT ratio was excellent, and very few fumbles and I wouldn't expect anything less moving forward.

    As of right now, James is healthy, Troy is healthy, Ben is healthy (and should be 100% by training camp), Woodley is healthy, Timmons is healthy, A. Brown is healthy, DeCastro is healthy, Pouncey is healthy, Clark is healthy, and hopefully, the offensive linemen get healthy by training camp. The Steelers should be going into camp very healthy and ready to compete for the AFCN title and the playoffs.

    Pappy
    Last edited by papillon; 01-04-2013 at 11:47 AM.


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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by papillon View Post
    Unlike a lot of fans I do not believe the sky is falling. The Steelers have started the process of rebuilding (getting younger) this past season with the departure of a few old reliable Steelers and inserted draft picks that have been developing. Injuries aside, at different points in the season each unit was the bright spot of the team with the exception of the special teams. The offense was not overwhelming teams the first half of the year, however, Ben was playing MVP style football and winning the TOP battle. The defense was struggling to get off the field in critical situations early in the season. The second half of the season the defense found its footing and played inspired football and as Troy and James actually got healthy takeaways became the norm the final two games (it was good to see). The offense struggled down the stretch while the defense was playing very good football.

    The special teams were atrocious all year and consistently put the offense or defense in bad situations and for a unit that is on the field for only 10-15 plays per game the play of the special teams should be unacceptable to the Steelers' brain trust. There has got to be a way to have a special teams unit that is actually special. Suisham is excluding from this take on the special teams as he was the lone consistent bright spot.

    My take...

    Ben is a great quarterback (unconvential, but great) and should still have 5-6 years of great football left in him.
    Troy is still one of the best SS in the game when healthy
    James is still a force that needs to be accounted for every play when healthy
    Dick Lebeau is still one of the best DCs in the league
    Mike Tomlin is still a good coach, but struggled this year with some in game decisions
    Todd Haley knows how to coach an offense
    The salary cap is going to force a change in player personnel for the Steelers

    Moving forward...

    As much as I would like to say that the Steelers need to stay healthy moving forward this simply isn't possible in the NFL. Every team will get banged up over the course of a season. It was unfortunate for the Steelers that their 3 main players missed significant time with injuries this year, Ben (3 games), James (3 or 4 games) and Troy (9 games), two defensive MVPs and an elite quarterback. I don't believe that any of the playoff teams had their quarterback miss any games except for RGIII (1 game). I wonder what the playoff field would like like if any of the teams that didn't get a bye week would have had their quarterback miss 3 games?

    Special teams has to get fixed, this unit was so far below the line that over the course of this past year I am certain that they were responsible for at a bare minimum 1 loss and probably a lot more. This has to be fixed and for my money this is the one place that a coach can really make a difference. Playing special teams is more about heart, the will to succeed and taking pride in your job than any other position on the team. You do not have to be a great football player to play special teams and be successful. You have to want to do the job and take ownership of the job and that's it. This has got to be fixed.

    Personnel is going to be huge this off season. The deaths of James and Troy are greatly exaggerated in my opinion. The final quarter of the year James was getting leverage and his legs looked strong again and Troy was all over the field making plays to which we have become accustomed. I don't know how they keep them, but they need to find a way to keep them. Obviously, the cap situation is dire and this off season will complete the overhaul (or as much of an overhaul as the Steelers will ever do). There will still be a few other long time vets to be let go in the future, but I think this off season will see the largest turnover in some old favorites, unfortunately.

    The running back committeee needs to have one of the committee stand up and take the job. I hope Mendenhall stays he has the most complete package of NFL skills for a running back on the team. The others have specific skills that can be utilized, but I don't believe any of them can be the main back in the offense.

    The coaches aren't idiots, the front office is steady (thankfully) and the players are on par with many of this years playoff teams. The future is bright; Timmons was very good all year, Lewis and Ike make a formidable duo of corners (C. Allen makes a third), Miller had a great season (save for the ACL late), the offensive line showed flashes of brilliance, but never at the same time (probably due to the fact that the makeup of the line changed almost weekly) and the WRs will be good with or without Mike Wallace. Ben has shown that he can lose a good #1 WR and help the team be successful, he's lost Burress and Holmes in the past and Wallace isn't any better than either of them when they left. Save for two stinking plays at the worst possible time Ben had a very good year as well, completion percentage was high, TD to INT ratio was excellent, and very few fumbles and I wouldn't expect anything less moving forward.

    As of right now, James is healthy, Troy is healthy, Ben is healthy (and should be 100% by training camp), Woodley is healthy, Timmons is healthy, A. Brown is healthy, DeCastro is healthy, Pouncey is healthy, Clark is healthy, and hopefully, the offensive linemen get healthy by training camp. The Steelers should be going into camp very healthy and ready to compete for the AFCN title and the playoffs.

    Pappy
    The James and Troy staying healthy is the biggest concern we have because it is unlikely that at 34 and 31 respectively you can count on that. The situation is complicated becase Harrison is a huge cap hit in 2013 and he will have to take a cut to stay. Will he? I'm not so sure he will.

    Our defense is lacking something that we took for granted just two seasons ago. We can't sack the QB anymore and we don't get turnovers. Are will wiiling to count on a 34 and 31 year old to turn that around. That is a risk. Factor in the "Great Vanishing" Lamarr Woodley and I am not optimistic that the defense is better next year in the important areas of sacks and INTs.
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  7. #7
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    I honestly think we are 1 good off season away from contending. If everyone gets healthy, we keep the guys that we need to and we have a good draft I think we will be ok.
    1. CB – Marcus Peters – Washington – 6/190
    2. OG – Josue Matias – Florida State – 6-6/320
    3. OLB – Geneo Grissom – Oklahoma – 6-4/250
    4. DL – Ellis McCarthy – UCLA – 6-5/330
    5. TE – Jeff Heurman – Ohio State – 6-5/255
    6. FS – Adrian Amos – Penn State – 6/200
    7. DT – Terry Williams – East Carolina – 6-1/340

    UDFA
    DB – Justin Cox – Mississippi St. – 6-2/190
    OLB – Davis Tull – Chattanooga – 6-2/242

  8. #8
    Legend

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oviedo View Post
    The James and Troy staying healthy is the biggest concern we have because it is unlikely that at 34 and 31 respectively you can count on that. The situation is complicated becase Harrison is a huge cap hit in 2013 and he will have to take a cut to stay. Will he? I'm not so sure he will.

    Our defense is lacking something that we took for granted just two seasons ago. We can't sack the QB anymore and we don't get turnovers. Are will wiiling to count on a 34 and 31 year old to turn that around. That is a risk. Factor in the "Great Vanishing" Lamarr Woodley and I am not optimistic that the defense is better next year in the important areas of sacks and INTs.
    As I mentioned regardless of health because players are going to get injured during a football season I was putting my take on the year. I realize the reality of the cap and salaries of these guys will be an issue, that's for Colbert, Khan and the players to work out. I went at this based on what I saw over the course of the year and the last 4 games with very healthy 43 and 92 the defense was getting a lot of pressure and turnovers. Which to means if contracts can be worked out bringing back James and Troy should be done they still have good football in them, IMO.

    Woodley is interesting because he doesn't really say a whole lot, so I'm guessing that his injuries or dings were more substantial than he let on. I'm looking for him to get back to the business of rushing the passer next year at a high level.

    This is just my take, two halves to the season, the first half the defense was bad and the offense good enough to be 6-2 or 5-3, the second half, the defense was good and the offense was bad, good enough to go 2-6 or 3-5 for a final of 8-8 and out of the playoffs. And, still had the special teams shown up in either half of the season I think the Steelers would be playing a football game this weekend. They were awful in almost every game this year with the exception of Suisham.

    Pappy


    1.20 -
    2.51 -
    3.84 -
    3.98 -
    4.119 -
    7.178 -
    7.195 -

    "Football is a physical game, well, it used to be anyways" - Mel Blount


  9. #9
    Legend

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    I'm gonna keep it real simple - 19-0 and #7 baby.

    I think we're 1 defender and a Carnell Lake like coaching up of the OLine we've got to be great.

  10. #10
    Legend

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    Quote Originally Posted by Oviedo View Post
    You items #1 and #3 are the keys and may be mutually exclusive in the short term. If we really commit to fixing the OL that will likely require us to use our #1 pick for another OL. That would then mean we aren't getting one of the top NTs or pass rushing OLBs.

    Alot of what we fix depends on who stays and who goes. If Harrison goes then a OLB is top priority. If they can't resign Starks then an OL is a top priority. If they lose both we will probably be about 8-8 again next season.
    I think 1 and 3 are the key to this whole thing. And we should absolutely fix #3 thru the draft. At the end of the day, we know the formula is QB + D = Lombardis.

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