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Thread: 2012 Steelers will have first losing season since 2003

  1. #51
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    Health is going to be a huge problem for this team. Old roster and early injuries.

  2. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigRob View Post
    Health is going to be a huge problem for this team. Old roster and early injuries.
    The state of health concerns me a lot. They had three significant injuries during preason. DJ, (Eff the haters). He was coming on strong and was going to play an important role. A bigger loss than some fools realize. DJ to Pope is a downgrade and Will Johnson has ability and potential but does not seem completely ready. Although right now Ramon Foster might be DeCastro's equal, in due time, DeCastro was going to be really good and the OL depth becomes a problem. Other injuries will occur.

    I liked Sean Spence, very instinctive. I like Slyvester less, he is injured also. Foote probably will struggle if he doesn't have good depth behind him. Harrison and Worilds are hampered by injury. Cris Carter better be the beast he is touted to be because they need him, but I'm reserving some judgement on him until he gets a few sacks in the games that count.

    Injury to Redman. I like Dwyer but is he well-conditioned enough to carry the load? Mendenhall coming back from injury. I think they will be in trouble in the running game if Baron Batch becomes the lead back.

    The Steelers really need to be lucky with injuries for the rest of the season.

  3. #53
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    as usual, in my mind it comes down to the O-line. If they are healthy and play smart consistent football this will be a successful season. The defense to me is a question mark - so we need an offense that controls the ball, clock and limits the time the defense is on the field. Of course, that's ALWAYS a key ingredient to success, but that's why I focus on the 5 up front. When they work well, the team wins. simple.
    2014 MNF EXEC CHAMPION!!!

  4. #54
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    Starkey: Steelers look like 10-6 team

    By Joe Starkey
    Published: Wednesday, September 5, 2012



    Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin high fives Troy Polamalu after dropping Rams running back Steven Jackson for a loss on third down at Heinz Field Dec. 24, 2011

    Their season starts in Denver, but the Steelers’ best chance for a successful campaign begins, as always, in the brutal AFC North.

    Not even the Cleveland Browns can ruin this division’s reputation. It’s the only one that has sent multiple teams to the playoffs each of the past four seasons, including three in 2011.

    Bet on this: More than one will make it again. The Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals all appear capable of winning 10 games or more.

    “Baltimore will be at the top of the AFC, as they are year-in and year-out,” says Steelers safety Ryan Clark. “Cincinnati made a push, and I think they can become a team that advances in the playoffs.”

    Tongue planted firmly in cheek, Clark added: “And the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be the Pittsburgh Steelers — we’re going to be old and slow, and we’re going to try to figure out if we can make some plays.”

    The division’s nature has changed since its inception in 2002 (a year the Browns actually made the playoffs, by the way, with an offensive coordinator named Bruce Arians).

    It’s a pass-first division now, no different than the rest of the league.

    “The game is changing,” Clark says, “from a tough man’s sport into basketball with shoulder pads on.”

    Conventional wisdom might still peg the Ravens as “run-first” and the Steelers as “getting back to the run,” but let’s be serious. The Ravens passed the ball 54 percent of the time last season, and the arrow is pointing up: They unveiled a no-huddle attack this preseason.

    The Steelers have a $102 million quarterback and one of the NFL’s best receiving corps. Think they’re gonna line up with a fullback every play?

    Like everybody else, AFC North teams must answer two critical questions if they are serious about winning a Super Bowl: 1. Can we pass? 2. Can we stop the pass?

    Ancient Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis is a monument to the times: He has dropped 20 pounds in hopes of better defending the pass.

    A look at the contenders …

    STEELERS

    • What we like best: Point potential from an offense that was the AFC’s youngest by the end of last season. … Ben Roethlisberger, who gives this team its best chance to win a seventh Super Bowl. … Youthful energy along the defensive line and proven star power in the back seven.

    • Don’t like: Age and lack of depth looming in certain sectors of the defense (sorry, Ryan). … The fact that an offensive line that was supposed to be significantly upgraded really wasn’t.

    • Breakout player: Ziggy Hood.

    • Keeping an eye on: The budding relationship between Todd Haley and Roethlisberger. Over-under on first sideline blow-up: third quarter of Jets game, Week 2.

    • Record: 10-6 (wild card)

    RAVENS

    • What we like: Joe Flacco’s new position coach: Jim Caldwell, who brought the no-huddle concepts used with Peyton Manning. … Ray Rice. … Under-the-radar impact players on defense, including Jameel McClain, Pernell McPhee and Bernard Pollard.

    • Don’t like: Age and lack of depth looming in certain sectors of the defense (sound familiar?) … The fact that an offensive line that was supposed to be significantly upgraded really wasn’t (sound familiar?).

    • Breakout player: Torrey Smith.

    • Keeping an eye on: Terrell Suggs’ return from a torn Achilles. He vows to regain top form immediately. Seems unlikely.

    Record: 11-5

    BENGALS

    • What we like: Dalton to Green. You’re going to be hearing that a lot. As Clark says, “Green is a superstar.” … A full offseason for coordinator Jay Gruden to implement his offense. … Disruptive defensive line, especially if Carlos Dunlap fulfills his potential.

    • Don’t like: Pass defense questions — Leon Hall coming off Achilles injury, Nate Clements aging and safety Taylor Mays unproven. Outside the division, Bengals faced a bevy of bad quarterbacks last season. They don’t have that luxury this year. Will see plenty of good ones over the second half, including the Manning brothers back-to-back.

    • Breakout player: Jermaine Gresham.

    • Keeping an eye on: Jeff Faine, released by Tampa, replaces Kyle Cook at center.

    • Record: 9-7 (miss playoffs).

    [URL]http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/2545299-85/com-sports-tribweb-editor-steelers-triblive-pittsburgh-clark-joe-assistant#ixzz25f9Ffx1e[/URL]
    Steel Maniac's Time-Based Prediction: Lamar Jackson will be a bust and total flop in the NFL.

    What Actually Happened: Lamar Jackson became the youngest two-time NFL MVP winner ever.

    Gloat gloat gloat


    Boom........

    Hahahahahahaha

  5. #55
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    A lot of you phukkers were giving me hell over this prediction, and now half the board is falling apart. Too hilarious.

  6. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigRob View Post
    Maybe it is just my general morass about this season, but I am starting to get a strong feeling that this is going to be the first losing season for the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger.

    I am predicting 7-9, what say you?

    As an aside, I believe this will mostly be the case because Roethlisberger will miss 1 to 3 games with an injury.
    I take no pleasure in this, but remember when everyone said It was stupid to post this prior to the season?

    I really hope I am wrong at this point, but 7-9 looks very realistic.

  7. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigRob View Post
    I take no pleasure in this, but remember when everyone said It was stupid to post this prior to the season?

    I really hope I am wrong at this point, but 7-9 looks very realistic.
    9-7 at worst and 11-5 at best; most likely 10-6. I really believe we will win 3 of the next 7 at least. Now that I'm recovering from the psychological trauma of Ben's injury I actually think Lefty will do a good enough job to get us the wins we need to get into the playoffs. Once there though I think we are one and done without Ben.
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  8. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigRob View Post
    I take no pleasure in this, but remember when everyone said It was stupid to post this prior to the season?

    I really hope I am wrong at this point, but 7-9 looks very realistic.
    I thought you were just pessimistic before, but now you think we're going 1 and 6 to finish the season. That's beyond pessimistic.

  9. #59
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    Quote Originally Posted by flippy View Post
    I thought you were just pessimistic before, but now you think we're going 1 and 6 to finish the season. That's beyond pessimistic.
    How is this beyond pessimistic?

    This is a QB driven league more than ever before. We have already lost to the Raiders and Titans. We almost lost to KC in OT. That was WITH BEN.

    Make all of the excuses you want, but look at our remaining schedule. What game do we have a decisive QB advantage? None.

    You can also argue 2010 all you want. This is not the same defense. Clark(Concussion issues), Polamalu (Held together by string), Hampton (Not the same player).

    Why is it not realistic to think we could go 1-6 to end the season?

  10. #60
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    Quote Originally Posted by BigRob View Post
    Make all of the excuses you want, but look at our remaining schedule. What game do we have a decisive QB advantage? None.
    I would say we have a QB advantage over the Cleveland Browns and Brandon Weeden.
    Steel Maniac's Time-Based Prediction: Lamar Jackson will be a bust and total flop in the NFL.

    What Actually Happened: Lamar Jackson became the youngest two-time NFL MVP winner ever.

    Gloat gloat gloat


    Boom........

    Hahahahahahaha

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