Be honest now!!!!!

[frankthetank1]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

Anyone who predicted this season being ruined due to the off season should be having a ball right now.

We made the playoffs... we should get Troy and maybe even Smith back. We are in a good position. We don't need to win every game right now..

We do desperately need the bye week to get healthy...and it looks to me as though we are pi$$ing that opportunity away.

well the steelers are playing the panthers this week. that is pretty much a bye week

[grotonsteel]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I predicted 11-5

3-1 without Ben as QB

8-4 With Ben as QB

I think they will go 12-4 which is a great achievement considering BADall and Ref playing against Steelers every game....

[papillon]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I think I was in the 9-7, but with a chance to be 10-6 and in the playoffs. This has been an exciting year, the games have been close (except for a few) which makes it exciting to watch from my perspective. I like close games they provide more entertainment than blowouts.

This version of the Steelers has been resilient all year; they've played well at times and bad at others, but overall they've played well and it's been fun.

Pappy

[costanza2k1]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I didn't make a prediction on our record. I thought our team was set up for major failure, with the Ben suspension and then the questionable Oline. I am surprised and shocked that we are in the playoffs and are fighting for a #2 seed.

[Oviedo]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I didn't make a prediction on our record. I thought our team was set up for major failure, with the Ben suspension and then the questionable Oline. I am surprised and shocked that we are in the playoffs and are fighting for a #2 seed.

Now there is an honest man

[TallyStiller]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I honestly felt that 12 - 4 was not out of the question at the beginning of the year, for this reason: the Steelers rally around adversity like no other team in the league. The loss to the Jets yesterday was, however, representative of the flip side of that coin and equally ingrained into our franchise's DNA (at least in the Cowher/Tomlin era): the Steelers always seem unable to handle prosperity. Seasons in which the Steelers enter as Super Bowl favorites seem to invariably end at 9 - 7, or 6 - 10, or 10 - 5 - 1, with the Steelers out of the running early. When expectations have been low, on the other hand, we've seen runs to 12 - 4 or 11 - 5 with Lombardis, or to 15 - 1 or 13 - 3 ending two victories short.

As to Carolina on Thursday, I believe the difference between losing to the Jets yesterday and the game Thursday night will be in two factors - 1. Mark Sanchez > Jimmy Claussen... Sanchez at least has an NFL quality skill set, if not yet a Super Bowl caliber game, despite all the media fawning. Claussen is a career back up at best. 2. The Jets have a big league defense, while Carolina's is anything but. I expect Mendy to have a HUGE game against Carolina, opening up the passing game and allowing a relatively easy, confidence building W for the Steelers offense and ESPECIALLY the O Line, which has been quietly improving it's play the last few weeks. And it comes at the perfect time.

[NorthCoast]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I honestly felt that 12 - 4 was not out of the question at the beginning of the year, for this reason: the Steelers rally around adversity like no other team in the league. The loss to the Jets yesterday was, however, representative of the flip side of that coin and equally ingrained into our franchise's DNA (at least in the Cowher/Tomlin era): the Steelers always seem unable to handle prosperity. Seasons in which the Steelers enter as Super Bowl favorites seem to invariably end at 9 - 7, or 6 - 10, or 10 - 5 - 1, with the Steelers out of the running early. When expectations have been low, on the other hand, we've seen runs to 12 - 4 or 11 - 5 with Lombardis, or to 15 - 1 or 13 - 3 ending two victories short.

As to Carolina on Thursday, I believe the difference between losing to the Jets yesterday and the game Thursday night will be in two factors - 1. Mark Sanchez > Jimmy Claussen... Sanchez at least has an NFL quality skill set, if not yet a Super Bowl caliber game, despite all the media fawning. Claussen is a career back up at best. 2. The Jets have a big league defense, while Carolina's is anything but. I expect Mendy to have a HUGE game against Carolina, opening up the passing game and allowing a relatively easy, confidence building W for the Steelers offense and ESPECIALLY the O Line, which has been quietly improving it's play the last few weeks. And it comes at the perfect time.

I said as much in a previous post, the Steelers defense is notorious for making mediocre QBs look all-world at times (witness Holcombe a few years ago passing for >400 yds against the Steelers). Sanchez should have been beaten into submission yesterday and yet he was hardly touched. It's almost like the Steelers field a different type of defense for the lesser QBs, just hoping they will provide the mistakes we need to win the game. In the end, we were outcoached because the Jets changed up their offense enough to the dink and dunk that it was easy.
Expect Carolina to go to the same dink and dunk that NE and the Jets used. It works against LeBeau's zone blitz scheme.

[StarSpangledSteeler]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I think I was in the 9-7, but with a chance to be 10-6 and in the playoffs. This has been an exciting year, the games have been close (except for a few) which makes it exciting to watch from my perspective. I like close games they provide more entertainment than blowouts.

This version of the Steelers has been resilient all year; they've played well at times and bad at others, but overall they've played well and it's been fun.

Pappy

I'm with you on this one, Pap. I was "hoping" for a 2-2 start (losing to the Falcons, Ravens) and a 8-4 finish (losing to the Saints, Pats, Jets, Ravens). That seemed very reasonable going in. Even if we won one of those six we can always be counted on to drop at least one "gimme" or maybe let one go to the Bengals or Titans. I am THRILLED and to be honest SHOCKED with 10-4. But I am most excited that we beat the Ravens in what I consider to be the greatest regular season game i have ever watched. It was so tense and such an adrenaline rush. It was like watching a 22 man street fight in a back alley. You're right... It has been a very exciting year to watch the Steelers.

[NorthCoast]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I think I was in the 9-7, but with a chance to be 10-6 and in the playoffs. This has been an exciting year, the games have been close (except for a few) which makes it exciting to watch from my perspective. I like close games they provide more entertainment than blowouts.

This version of the Steelers has been resilient all year; they've played well at times and bad at others, but overall they've played well and it's been fun.

Pappy

I'm with you on this one, Pap. I was "hoping" for a 2-2 start (losing to the Falcons, Ravens) and a 8-4 finish (losing to the Saints, Pats, Jets, Ravens). That seemed very reasonable going in. Even if we won one of those six we can always be counted on to drop at least one "gimme" or maybe let one go to the Bengals or Titans. I am THRILLED and to be honest SHOCKED with 10-4. But I am most excited that we beat the Ravens in what I consider to be the greatest regular season game i have ever watched. It was so tense and such an adrenaline rush. It was like watching a 22 man street fight in a back alley. You're right... It has been a very exciting year to watch the Steelers.

Even my Browns friends talked about the Steelers/Ravens game as one of the best they have watched in the long time....(and they truly hate the Steelers).
I measure a games excitement on how long it takes me to 'wind down' afterward. I have to say this season I have spent more than a few hours in that mode. (last night, maybe an hour. Steelers/Ravens...a full 3 hrs).

[ikestops85]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

With Ben out the first 4 games I was looking at 9-7 with a possible wild card spot if we were lucky. I never dreamed we would be 10-4 and sitting in the #2 seed spot. This team seems to have more heart than any team I have seen the Steelers field.

The O line is in tatters yet they played one of their best games of the year yesterday. The D line has also been shredded with injuries during the course of the year yet they have kept up stellar play. The D backs seem to do just enough to prevent us from losing but not enough to keep my blood pressure from rising. The contribution of the young receivers has been a very pleasant surprise and softened the loss of Holmes.

My definition of Steeler Type Seasons
Bad - We finish .500 or below
OK - Above .500 but out of Playoffs
Good - We make the Playoffs
Very Good - We go to the AFCC game
Horrible - We lose the SB
Great - We win the SB

[StarSpangledSteeler]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I think I was in the 9-7, but with a chance to be 10-6 and in the playoffs. This has been an exciting year, the games have been close (except for a few) which makes it exciting to watch from my perspective. I like close games they provide more entertainment than blowouts.

This version of the Steelers has been resilient all year; they've played well at times and bad at others, but overall they've played well and it's been fun.

Pappy

I'm with you on this one, Pap. I was "hoping" for a 2-2 start (losing to the Falcons, Ravens) and a 8-4 finish (losing to the Saints, Pats, Jets, Ravens). That seemed very reasonable going in. Even if we won one of those six we can always be counted on to drop at least one "gimme" or maybe let one go to the Bengals or Titans. I am THRILLED and to be honest SHOCKED with 10-4. But I am most excited that we beat the Ravens in what I consider to be the greatest regular season game i have ever watched. It was so tense and such an adrenaline rush. It was like watching a 22 man street fight in a back alley. You're right... It has been a very exciting year to watch the Steelers.

Even my Browns friends talked about the Steelers/Ravens game as one of the best they have watched in the long time....(and they truly hate the Steelers).
I measure a games excitement on how long it takes me to 'wind down' afterward. I have to say this season I have spent more than a few hours in that mode. (last night, maybe an hour. Steelers/Ravens...a full 3 hrs).

It's nice to know there are others out there who were still wound up (too much to sleep) 3-4 hours after a game that we WON. Ha. I thought i was the only one.

[ikestops85]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

It's nice to know there are others out there who were still wound up (too much to sleep) 3-4 hours after a game that we WON. Ha. I thought i was the only one.

I'm right there with you SSS. Night games kill me ... win or lose I'm up to 3 or 4 in the morning just trying to unwind.

[flippy]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I expected better.

A Lombardi is still a possibility and I will continue to expect another until it's impossible.

Given the number of injuries, I'm ok with where we are right now.

But I want and expect more.

Always have.

Always will.

[Shawn]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I think I predicted 10-6, and I really hope I am wrong as our last two games are not givens. Considering all the adversity, no matter how this season plays out I am proud of this team. They fought through Ben's suspension, Holmes being traded, major injuries, fines, penalties and still are 10-4 looking seriously at a bye week in the playoffs. It has been a good season.

[papillon]

Re: Be honest now!!!!!

I think I was in the 9-7, but with a chance to be 10-6 and in the playoffs. This has been an exciting year, the games have been close (except for a few) which makes it exciting to watch from my perspective. I like close games they provide more entertainment than blowouts.

This version of the Steelers has been resilient all year; they've played well at times and bad at others, but overall they've played well and it's been fun.

Pappy

I'm with you on this one, Pap. I was "hoping" for a 2-2 start (losing to the Falcons, Ravens) and a 8-4 finish (losing to the Saints, Pats, Jets, Ravens). That seemed very reasonable going in. Even if we won one of those six we can always be counted on to drop at least one "gimme" or maybe let one go to the Bengals or Titans. I am THRILLED and to be honest SHOCKED with 10-4. But I am most excited that we beat the Ravens in what I consider to be the greatest regular season game i have ever watched. It was so tense and such an adrenaline rush. It was like watching a 22 man street fight in a back alley. You're right... It has been a very exciting year to watch the Steelers.

Even my Browns friends talked about the Steelers/Ravens game as one of the best they have watched in the long time....(and they truly hate the Steelers).
I measure a games excitement on how long it takes me to 'wind down' afterward. I have to say this season I have spent more than a few hours in that mode. (last night, maybe an hour. Steelers/Ravens...a full 3 hrs).

It's nice to know there are others out there who were still wound up (too much to sleep) 3-4 hours after a game that we WON. Ha. I thought i was the only one.

Last week's adrenaline rush had me up late into the night. Yesterday, I was down shortly after the game ended. The intensity level wasn't there from both teams (well, the intensity level wasn't the same as the Ravens game), even though it was an entertaining game.

Pappy