The window is closed however.....

[Dee Dub]

I do believe the window for winning another championship has closed but I also believe it could be re-opened very quickly in this off-season if the right moves are made. This team desperately needs a legitimate corner. Look at the Cardinals defense and what it has become since the arrival of Patrick Peterson. He has completely change the entire dynamic of that team/defense.

Troy, Woodley, Ziggy, Heyward, Harrison, and Clark are enough to build around. However, Taylor, Hampton, Keisel, Foote, and Timmons are becoming non-factors and in the case of Taylor and Foote are liabilities. Worilds and Carter are nothing more than bodies. Neither one has shown anything that would reflect any positive return.

A blue chip corner and a legit inside run stuffing LB is a major priority for this team if it wants to win another championship.

[lloydroid]

Patrick Petersons come around, oh, like once a decade or so. I don't know if there is ANY CB in college who offers what he does. His size and speed ratio, and football instincts, are off the charts. That dude is ridiculous. I doubt there is anyone in the draft who is comparable. He is the ultimate athlete. It's a shame that they basically missed on the Hood, Heyward, Timmons, and those other 6-10 LB prospects, or we wouldn't be in so much trouble. This team is bordering on less than average in a big hurry. Our O-line and rushing game are already far below average, and now the D is falling as well. We are basically going to resemble high wire, pass all the time teams that have no D or rushing game. No fun to me.

[Dee Dub]

Patrick Petersons come around, oh, like once a decade or so. I don't know if there is ANY CB in college who offers what he does. His size and speed ratio, and football instincts, are off the charts. That dude is ridiculous. I doubt there is anyone in the draft who is comparable. He is the ultimate athlete. It's a shame that they basically missed on the Hood, Heyward, Timmons, and those other 6-10 LB prospects, or we wouldn't be in so much trouble. This team is bordering on less than average in a big hurry. Our O-line and rushing game are already far below average, and now the D is falling as well. We are basically going to resemble high wire, pass all the time teams that have no D or rushing game. No fun to me.

I dont argue that Peterson is a cut above however if we look at the draft there are several bonafide CB's who have come out recently. Morris Clayborne, Patrick Peterson, Darrelle Revis, etc. And then there have been some pretty solid ones too, Joe Haden, Devin McCourty, Vontae Davis, Leon Hall, etc. This upcoming draft has some guys who have a chance to stand out and have the size-speed ratio that are very attractive....Jonathan Banks, David Amerson, and Xavier Rhodes.

[Jooser]

I still scratch my head that we draft a DE like Timmons and expect to convert him into some kind of MLB phenom. He's a talented athlete, but seems lost most of the time because he's playing out of his natural position. He was a great speed rusher in college, but has slowed way down because of the bulk he's added to play LB. Foote is old and busted and was a stop-gap measure this season to cover Farrior's departure. We need a legit MLB.

[Oviedo]

I do believe the window for winning another championship has closed but I also believe it could be re-opened very quickly in this off-season if the right moves are made. This team desperately needs a legitimate corner. Look at the Cardinals defense and what it has become since the arrival of Patrick Peterson. He has completely change the entire dynamic of that team/defense.

Troy, Woodley, Ziggy, Heyward, Harrison, and Clark are enough to build around. However, Taylor, Hampton, Keisel, Foote, and Timmons are becoming non-factors and in the case of Taylor and Foote are liabilities. Worilds and Carter are nothing more than bodies. Neither one has shown anything that would reflect any positive return.

A blue chip corner and a legit inside run stuffing LB is a major priority for this team if it wants to win another championship.

I disagree that Timmons is a non-factor. However I do agree that changes need to be made. This season isn't a lost cause yet but if our defense continues to play the passive bend don't break (but really break) style then the season will be lost. Passing offenses are too sophisticated with too many options to play that anymore. I would rather finish the season 8-8 but have our defense in attack mode every play than the nonsense we saw in Week #1 and yesterday.

I will say after the season we need a real objective and honest assessment of what defense we play and what our current roster is best suited for. Plus what style of defense we can keep the young players coming in and contributing early versus serving extended internships making marginal contributions.

[Oviedo]

I still scratch my head that we draft a DE like Timmons and expect to convert him into some kind of MLB phenom. He's a talented athlete, but seems lost most of the time because he's playing out of his natural position. He was a great speed rusher in college, but has slowed way down because of the bulk he's added to play LB. Foote is old and busted and was a stop-gap measure this season to cover Farrior's departure. We need a legit MLB.

Timmons was a LB in college not a DE. He came out as a classiic weakside OLB in a 4-3 defense and was favorably compared to Derrick Brooks of the Bucs. However, we moved him inside where his speed was marginalized and then he gained weight to be strong at the point of attack against the run. However, if our DL was playing the way they should the OL should never get to him. It is a waste to take an athlete that talented out of the "run and hit" mode to the MLB run stuffer mode.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

enough with the excuses for timmons already.

the guy is average at best and nowhere near worth the checks he is cashing.

anybody who says otherwise is just pushing an agenda as usual.

[steelfin]

enough with the excuses for timmons already.

the guy is average at best and nowhere near worth the checks he is cashing.

anybody who says otherwise is just pushing an agenda as usual.

+1...Thank you...you beat me to it...

[Slapstick]

Timmons was a LB in college not a DE. He came out as a classiic weakside OLB in a 4-3 defense and was favorably compared to Derrick Brooks of the Bucs. However, we moved him inside where his speed was marginalized and then he gained weight to be strong at the point of attack against the run. However, if our DL was playing the way they should the OL should never get to him. It is a waste to take an athlete that talented out of the "run and hit" mode to the MLB run stuffer mode.

Timmons actually played strong side LB in college...I much preferred his speed and play making ability at the mack when he was down to 235-240 lbs...

[pittpete]

"Build around" and "Ziggy" should never be mentioned in the same sentence.
Ziggy has gone for so many rides this year he should have a bus pass.
As long as Ben is here there is always a shot for another superbowl win.

[steelz09]

Timmons was a LB in college not a DE. He came out as a classiic weakside OLB in a 4-3 defense and was favorably compared to Derrick Brooks of the Bucs. However, we moved him inside where his speed was marginalized and then he gained weight to be strong at the point of attack against the run. However, if our DL was playing the way they should the OL should never get to him. It is a waste to take an athlete that talented out of the "run and hit" mode to the MLB run stuffer mode.

The d-line isn't Timmons' only problem. The reality is that you need to be able to fight off a block if you play LB. He's not very good at it.

He takes HORRIBLE angles. He plays on roller skates. Someone made that analogy earlier and I think that describes his play quite well.

He doesn't have very good natural ILB instincts. I've said it time and time again... 3-4 ILB is a very difficult position to be good at. There is A LOT going on. The ability to fight off blocks, read/react, good vision and quickly diagnose plays, shifting through the trash on the inside, taking good angles.. etc. It's more Colbert and Tomlin's fault than it is Timmons. He was drafted as a 3-4 OLB and he was a bust at that. The only way the Steelers could save face and not have him be a complete bust was to move him to ILB.

[phillyesq]

enough with the excuses for timmons already.

the guy is average at best and nowhere near worth the checks he is cashing.

anybody who says otherwise is just pushing an agenda as usual.

Agree as well.

[lloydroid]

The d-line isn't Timmons' only problem. The reality is that you need to be able to fight off a block if you play LB. He's not very good at it.

He takes HORRIBLE angles. He plays on roller skates. Someone made that analogy earlier and I think that describes his play quite well.

He doesn't have very good natural ILB instincts. I've said it time and time again... 3-4 ILB is a very difficult position to be good at. There is A LOT going on. The ability to fight off blocks, read/react, good vision and quickly diagnose plays, shifting through the trash on the inside, taking good angles.. etc. It's more Colbert and Tomlin's fault than it is Timmons. He was drafted as a 3-4 OLB and he was a bust at that. The only way the Steelers could save face and not have him be a complete bust was to move him to ILB.

I agree and it depresses me. Plays on roller skates is accurate. He was a bust of a pick, he was supposed to be our next terror at OLB, which this D MUST have or it fails. We lucked out on finding Harrison, and hit on the Woodely pick or else we'd not have had much success in recent years. Can you imagine how much weaker this D would be if we were relying on LTs to be our OLB? Goose would be cooked. He is no good there. And he really has added weight to become a thumper; I noticed how much thicker he appears these days. He is not natural at ILB. Instincts stink. Flies around but runs by plays far too often. Depressing.

[Slapstick]

I guess I'm not ready to concede that "the window has closed" with 13 games left to play this season...

[RuthlessBurgher]

I guess I'm not ready to concede that "the window has closed" with 13 games left to play this season...

Me neither. Ben is having his best NFL season, and we should be getting some serious talent back after the bye. I think the defense might improve just a little bit by adding a couple DMVP's. And although many folks aren't fans of Mendenhall, he does have multiple thousand yard rushing season and 30 NFL TD's, which is much, much better than what we have been getting from our running game so far this season. I'm also looking forward to the return of my boy DeCastro in the second half of the season, which should help our run game even more (perhaps by then Willie Colon will be more comfortable at LG too).