So now what?

[fordfixer]

Will the Steelers come out to play like we know they can next week, or fold up like a cheap lawn chair?

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: So now what?

the Steelers will dominate next week for two main reasons:

1) the Steelers are a proud team and are winners.

2) the Seahawks suck.

[fordfixer]

Re: So now what?

the Steelers will dominate next week for two main reasons:

1) the Steelers are a proud team and are winners.

2) the Seahawks suck.

uuuuuuuuuuummmm I don't mean to be a stick in the mud ,,,but thats what we said about the Ravens

However I do agree

[Shoe]

Re: So now what?

The perennial, contending Steelers would dominate the Bags next week.

However, we have the occasional year where we aren't that team. And in those years, we struggle to find that identity (i.e. suffocating D) and have a rocky, rollercoaster-like season. I think even in those years, we beat a team like the Bags 8 of 10 times. But we don't shut them down, like we know our '08 team would've, or last year's team would've.

I think this next week will say a lot about what kind of season we can expect.

[papillon]

Re: So now what?

"So now what?"

In my opinion, the Steelers of 2011 are going to have to rely on the offense to win games of any importance. The defense will be fine against the bottom feeders, but against playoff teams the offense has to come to the forefront and take over. If you win the toss, you take the ball and try to put points on the board, do not defer and put your defense out there hoping for a three and out, it isn't happening against a good offense.

It's time for the Steelers to transform from relying on its defense to relying on its offense. The offense is younger and needs to take this season by the horns starting next weekend.

IMO, that's "what now"

Pappy

[Steeler Shades]

Re: So now what?

In my opinion, the Steelers of 2011 are going to have to rely on the offense to win games of any importance.

The offense turned the ball over 7 times yesterday against a quality defense. I didn't see anything better from them than I did the defense yesterday.

The defense will be fine against the bottom feeders..

IMHO..the same could/can be said for the offense.

[papillon]

Re: So now what?

In my opinion, the Steelers of 2011 are going to have to rely on the offense to win games of any importance.

The offense turned the ball over 7 times yesterday against a quality defense. I didn't see anything better from them than I did the defense yesterday.

The defense will be fine against the bottom feeders..

IMHO..the same could/can be said for the offense.

That may be true, but, with the rules the way they are and the younger squad being the offense they are the unit that is going to have to win games. Can they do it against the good teams? I have no idea, but the question was "Now What?" and I don't believe the Steelers can rely on the defense to win games or keep them in games. I don't believe the "Now What?" is to rely on the defense as in the past. The offense needs to score points and hope the defense can get a few stops per game. The days of completely shutting down offenses may be over.

You may be right about the offense and not being able to do it, in my mind, they need to do it or it will be a long season. The NFL is going to be one big fast break this year and if you aren't averaging 25+ points per game you're going to be left behind. That's my take, there's no use trying to buck that trend, it's here, it's real and it's what will be necessary to win, IMO.

Pappy

[Steeler Shades]

Re: So now what?

The NFL is going to be one big fast break this year and if you aren't averaging 25+ points per game you're going to be left behind. That's my take, there's no use trying to buck that trend, it's here, it's real and it's what will be necessary to win, IMO.

Agreed. That has been trend. However, I haven't seen many signs from this offense over the last few years (and certainly NOT yesterday) that would suggest they are a big time scoring machine. They just haven't put up a lot of points and definitely not enough to compensate for a defense that gives up 24+ a game. I think we're are going to have to count on both the offense and defense racking up wins against weak sister teams and hope for some miraculous transformation before gaining a wild card entry into the playoffs. Just my opinion....

[feltdizz]

Re: So now what?

we don't win most shoot outs... the only way we win is if the D shows up. This could be 2009 all over again if our D continues down this path.

[Oviedo]

Re: So now what?

"So now what?"

In my opinion, the Steelers of 2011 are going to have to rely on the offense to win games of any importance. The defense will be fine against the bottom feeders, but against playoff teams the offense has to come to the forefront and take over. If you win the toss, you take the ball and try to put points on the board, do not defer and put your defense out there hoping for a three and out, it isn't happening against a good offense.

It's time for the Steelers to transform from relying on its defense to relying on its offense. The offense is younger and needs to take this season by the horns starting next weekend.

IMO, that's "what now"

Pappy

Pappy--Totally agree. It is exactly what I have been saying all of the off season since it was obvious to anyone who wanted to see what the Pats did to us, the Jets comeback that fell short and the Packers. Our defense has been figured out and our DC is the last one to figure out that we have been figured out. That is what happens when you are too in love with your own creation.

IMO our only chance for a good season relies on the offense not being abysmal like they were yesterday. We are going to have to score lots of points because we sure look like we are going to give up lots to any play off caliber team.

[Shoe]

Re: So now what?

"So now what?"

In my opinion, the Steelers of 2011 are going to have to rely on the offense to win games of any importance. The defense will be fine against the bottom feeders, but against playoff teams the offense has to come to the forefront and take over. If you win the toss, you take the ball and try to put points on the board, do not defer and put your defense out there hoping for a three and out, it isn't happening against a good offense.

It's time for the Steelers to transform from relying on its defense to relying on its offense. The offense is younger and needs to take this season by the horns starting next weekend.

IMO, that's "what now"

Pappy

Agreed.
In the preseason, I basically said Harrison's back will probably prevent him from being "Silverback". And sadly, I stand by that. The effect will be, that our pass-rush won't be as dynamic as it had been. Not to say he won't probably put up solid numbers... because basically, his effort is so good that he'lleffort his way into some sacks, etc.

But he's not going to be able to physically overwhelm guys like he normally did (Especially, the way he could knock 300+ lb guys back like he used to... amazing).

The effect is tha we won't get the pressure we want/are accustomed to. Woodley's pretty much established himself as a "Number two" kinda guy. He's not a guy you want to have to hang your hat on.

[Steeler Shades]

Re: So now what?

IMO our only chance for a good season relies on the offense not being abysmal like they were yesterday. We are going to have to score lots of points because we sure look like we are going to give up lots to any play off caliber team.

Do you have ANY reason to believe that our offense can "score lots of points" against play off caliber teams?

[papillon]

Re: So now what?

"So now what?"

In my opinion, the Steelers of 2011 are going to have to rely on the offense to win games of any importance. The defense will be fine against the bottom feeders, but against playoff teams the offense has to come to the forefront and take over. If you win the toss, you take the ball and try to put points on the board, do not defer and put your defense out there hoping for a three and out, it isn't happening against a good offense.

It's time for the Steelers to transform from relying on its defense to relying on its offense. The offense is younger and needs to take this season by the horns starting next weekend.

IMO, that's "what now"

Pappy

Pappy--Totally agree. It is exactly what I have been saying all of the off season since it was obvious to anyone who wanted to see what the Pats did to us, the Jets comeback that fell short and the Packers. Our defense has been figured out and our DC is the last one to figure out that we have been figured out. That is what happens when you are too in love with your own creation.

IMO our only chance for a good season relies on the offense not being abysmal like they were yesterday. We are going to have to score lots of points because we sure look like we are going to give up lots to any play off caliber team.

I don't know that it's the defensive scheme being figured out as much as it is the rules handcuffing defenses. Good quarterbacks and WRs are going to make a lot of defenses look bad. You are going to have to be able to score points to win in the NFL and you're going to need more than 24 against good offensive teams.

Just my Opinion

Pappy

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: So now what?

Kovacevic: Calm is right course for Steelers

By Dejan Kovacevic, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, September 12, 2011




BALTIMORE — A stone-faced Mike Tomlin stood outside the Steelers' locker room in the bowels of M&T Bank Stadium, his arm extended to shake the hand of every sweaty, sullen player passing by. The coach's chin was up, his eyes wider than the gaps in his secondary, and he greeted each of his "men," as he calls them, with a firm grip.

But not a word.

And, really, what was he going to say after the all-encompassing, stomach-turning, seven-turnover 35-7 thrashing by the Baltimore Ravens?

Nice effort, fellas!

No, there's not much to be said about this one. And, by all accounts, not much was said after the coach pulled that door closed. No paint was peeled, no fingers pointed.

As Tomlin succinctly opened his postgame news conference, "That's pretty easy to assess, ladies and gentlemen: We got handled in all three phases today."

More like man-handled.

Troy Polamalu couldn't keep pace with a tight end on a touchdown. Bryant McFadden couldn't cover a baby with a blanket. Brett Keisel and the defensive line were revolving doors for Ray Rice. James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and the rest of the megabucks linebackers barely made Joe Flacco flinch. And James Farrior was, in a striking move, kept on the sideline much of the first half in favor of Larry Foote.

Tomlin and Farrior explained that the plan all along had been to use Foote regularly. Anyone who watched Foote yesterday would have a hard time digesting that.

On offense, Ben Roethlisberger flung the ball about the field with the recklessness of a rookie. Jonathan Scott was so mismatched against Terrell Suggs, they might as well have switched sides at the line of scrimmage. Maurkice Pouncey guessed wrong on a Suggs stunt to allow a sack. Doug Legursky practically invited another.

And that's to say nothing of four fumbles, three interceptions, a two-point conversion run by the punter and, yes, Tomlin clearly not having his players as ready as John Harbaugh did.

"We got our tails whupped," receiver Hines Ward said. "Players, coaches, all of us."

They sure did.

So, that's it, right?

The Steelers will never block anyone again, their quarterback will turn into a turnover machine, their talented receivers will never be a factor, the defense will allow every back 100-plus yards, Harrison and Woodley will never penetrate another backfield, the secondary will never cover anyone, and the team will finish 0-16. Maybe even get relegated to the CFL.

Or, it's not all that bad.

Sure, there are legitimate lessons to learn: Scott needs a challenger at left tackle, if not an immediate replacement. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians needs to be updated on a) the pedigree of his receivers and b) teams being allowed to put more than one body on a force like Suggs. And one of those young corners would do well to crash-course the position and steal it from McFadden. Like yesterday.

But the rest of it, really, felt more like a snowball than some sudden dropoff in status.

They're still the Steelers.

They still have a terrific skill set on both sides of the ball, still have the experience and drive of proven champions. And I'll repeat this: The nonsense about the defense being too old doesn't jibe with a calendar that shows they were the NFL's best just eight months ago.

At least not yet.

I asked Tomlin if the Steelers' defense looked slow, and he came back, "You know, we just didn't make enough plays. I'm not ready to judge it from a speed standpoint. We didn't turn around enough ball-carriers. We didn't get off on third down. We didn't create turnovers. Usually, speed is part of that equation, but I'm not ready to say that."

Overall, I'll stick with this: They just had a really, really bad day.

That's why I liked the reaction afterward, including Tomlin's handshake line. Most everyone stunk except Mike Wallace and Ike Taylor. Noses are held, and noses get put to the grindstone. No point in pouting or panicking. Get ready for Seattle in the home opener.

Some players embraced the negative.

"It's incredibly humbling, which obviously we needed at this point," Polamalu said.

Some were defiant.

"I know people are going to try to define our season with this one game," Woodley said. "We're not going to let that happen."

Mostly, though, the Steelers seemed to take solace in knowing they're dramatically better than this.

And they surely are.

"I think we'll be fine," Ward said, managing a small smile. "It's a prideful group of guys. It's not the end of our season or anything like that. But we definitely can't play another game like that."

That will be the time to start pounding fists rather than shaking hands.

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[Northern_Blitz]

Re: So now what?

Will the Steelers come out to play like we know they can next week, or fold up like a cheap lawn chair?

We'll get a chance to see the character of this team next week.