The window is closed however.....

[Shawn]

I think we have a championship caliber team if we can get Troy, Mendy, and Harrison back...coupled with playing sound fundamental football.

1) Get healthy
2) Protect the football
3) Minimize penalties

our days of havin a dominate D might be over but our Passing game is the real deal. If the D can be solid, Mendy can breathe a little life into the running game...I know Bens arm can take us there.

[SS Laser]

So when we pick in the 1st round 2013 do we take ILB Manti Te'o or a CB?

[Oviedo]

I think we have a championship caliber team if we can get Troy, Mendy, and Harrison back...coupled with playing sound fundamental football.

1) Get healthy
2) Protect the football
3) Minimize penalties

our days of havin a dominate D might be over but our Passing game is the real deal. If the D can be solid, Mendy can breathe a little life into the running game...I know Bens arm can take us there.

I think you are wildly optimistic. We may be able to get into the play offs but would likely never see a championship game. Our offense is on the upswing but our defense is on the downslide proabably at a rate we can't overcome without changes to scheme and personnel.

I really hope I am wrong about the defense but what I have been trying to point out for two seasons now is coming to the fore in spades.

[Slapstick]

Again, it's a 16 game season and the first 1/4 is not even over yet...

[flippy]

No reason we can't go 17-2. We all hated the early bye week before we played the Raiders. Now it looks pretty good.

[aggiebones]

Way too much overreacting on this board lately. No defense in this league is infallible. Even the Seahawks b*** raping the Packers last night, will struggle at times this year.
We will improve as some newer players adjust, and other players come back to their starting rolls.
Defensive mistakes may cost a game or 2 as will offensive mistakes.


Yes, the phone butchered this the first time and now the edit button was making me explain why I wanted to change what I said, while I was in traffic. So I waited til I got to work. lol

[feltdizz]

Way too much overreacting on this board lately. No defense in this league is infallible. Even the Seahawks to b*** raped the Packers last night, will struggle at times this year.
We will improve as some newer players I just, and other players come back to their starting rolls.
Defense of mistakes may causes a game or 2 as well office of mistakes.

Are you typing on a phone or did you lose a bet and fail to pay the bookie?... lol.

I think this is a big problem and I don't think getting Troy and JH will cure our Defensive woes... We are making QB's look like HOFers... this isn't going to get any better anytime soon.

I have a feeling we will get swept by the Rats again this year. Someone told me Flacco said we will never win the AFCN again as long as he is the QB. I know it sounds crazy but I think he has Lebeau figured out. If we are in a one possession game do you feel good with our D making a stop?

I remember when people asked if Tebow could beat us if he had to make one drive and we laughed at the notion. It's not funny anymore. We struggled against the COLTS last year with a guy named Painter.. THE COLTS!!! Our pass defense's standard has dropped considerably.

I watched GB struggle last night vs the Seahawks... but I've also watched GB struggle last year in the playoffs and early this year. The problem IMO is our DB's have a trend and it isn't good. This isn't a one off... this has been going on for years now.

[aggiebones]

When you get players that have excelled at some point, they become expensive. And capwise, you can't just cut them when they are slipping or it depletes your cap. Good teams ALWAYS have this problem. We normally overcome it to a degree. As bad as we were last yeasr in some peoples eyes...we were 12-4 with Ben playing with 1.2 legs. I still don't know how he finished that game where his leg was pointing the wrong direction on the ground. The old gray mare must be flexible.

We are in abit of a hole, so winning the division may be tough. But NE and Baltimore will struggle at times too. Houston looks great but they had to release some top players due to salary in the offseason. Our conference is WIDE open and we won't likely quit. We have been there as a team and will be a force to be reckoned with shortly.

In fine print...some times things don't work and injuries mount and we pick around 10-15. So this could be that year.
That said, Patrick Peterson's and the like will not be falling down to us very often and we won't mortgage the farm like say, the Skins, who have found their QB, but will never win due to lack of other good picks and no depth.

[Shawn]

I think you are wildly optimistic. We may be able to get into the play offs but would likely never see a championship game. Our offense is on the upswing but our defense is on the downslide proabably at a rate we can't overcome without changes to scheme and personnel.

I really hope I am wrong about the defense but what I have been trying to point out for two seasons now is coming to the fore in spades.

How would you know until we have a complete D? Anything beyond that is merely reactionary and emotional.

[ikestops85]

I think you are wildly optimistic. We may be able to get into the play offs but would likely never see a championship game. Our offense is on the upswing but our defense is on the downslide proabably at a rate we can't overcome without changes to scheme and personnel.

I really hope I am wrong about the defense but what I have been trying to point out for two seasons now is coming to the fore in spades.

What scheme do you think guarantees success in the NFL? What defense in this era of offensive football has gone through unscathed? I look at Baltimore and they have had 2 horrible games defensively (sound familiar). San Fran didn't exactly look overwhelming against Ponder and the Vikings. How many points did TB put up on the Giants? The Titans went for 44 points against the Lions.

So who does that leave ... basically the Texans. They and San Fran seem to be the flavor last year and this year although both have had games where they were torched. I'd just like to know what this magic scheme is and wonder why the rest of the NFL hasn't gone to it.

[Oviedo]

How would you know until we have a complete D? Anything beyond that is merely reactionary and emotional.

It's not like Harrison played 16 games last year. He missed extended periods of time and the defense still achieved that #1 ranking.

Well we can take solace in the fact that the Pats and Giants made it to the Super Bowl last year with two of the worse defenses in the NFL. It appears our defense is going to let us try to do the same.

[RuthlessBurgher]

What scheme do you think guarantees success in the NFL? What defense in this era of offensive football has gone through unscathed? I look at Baltimore and they have had 2 horrible games defensively (sound familiar). San Fran didn't exactly look overwhelming against Ponder and the Vikings. How many points did TB put up on the Giants? The Titans went for 44 points against the Lions.

So who does that leave ... basically the Texans. They and San Fran seem to be the flavor last year and this year although both have had games where they were torched. I'd just like to know what this magic scheme is and wonder why the rest of the NFL hasn't gone to it.

In the era of the 5000 yard passers, everyone's pass defense sucks. Even the Texans (they faced the almighty Ryan Tannehill in his first ever NFL start and the amazing Blaine Gabbert in the first 2 weeks of the season...when they faced Peyton Manning last week, they gave up 330 yards and 2 TD's, which is more than the 253 yards and 2 TD's we gave him...they won that game because they had built a 20 point second half lead...before almost blowing it by allowing a couple of Denver TD's in the 4th).

[steelblood]

I think you are wildly optimistic. We may be able to get into the play offs but would likely never see a championship game. Our offense is on the upswing but our defense is on the downslide proabably at a rate we can't overcome without changes to scheme and personnel.

I really hope I am wrong about the defense but what I have been trying to point out for two seasons now is coming to the fore in spades.

This team has problems. But, so do the Pats, the Saints, and the Packers. The Texans and the Ravens are the class of the AFC. But, they are beatable.

[ter1230_4]

This team has problems. But, so do the Pats, the Saints, and the Packers. The Texans and the Ravens are the class of the AFC. But, they are beatable.

I share many of the concerns that have been expressed, particularly with respect to the current state of the Steelers Defense. But it is WAY too early to give up on the season. The Steelers have got a Franchise QB which means that as long as Ben remains healthy there's hope. Besides, lately it seems that the recipe for winning a Lombardi is to play most of the season mediocrely and then get hot at the end. Last season the Giants were 7-7 including a December loss at home to the Redskins, then got on a roll. The year before the Packers were 8-6 and needed a lot of help (including the Giants blowing a 21 point 4th quarter lead to the Eagles) to even make the playoffs. And the Steelers started this trend in 2005 when they were 7-5 and needed help to make the playoffs, then got on a roll and won it all. The teams that start out 10-0, 12-0, they NEVER win the Lombardi. So let's just enjoy the ride and see what this year's version of the Steelers is made of when all is said and done.

[Dee Dub]

I think we have a championship caliber team if we can get Troy, Mendy, and Harrison back...coupled with playing sound fundamental football.

1) Get healthy
2) Protect the football
3) Minimize penalties

our days of havin a dominate D might be over but our Passing game is the real deal. If the D can be solid, Mendy can breathe a little life into the running game...I know Bens arm can take us there.

Shawn (also Ruthless and Slapstick), I hope you guys are right and I am wrong. But let's not forget with Harrison and Troy in there last year on defense this team had a 21 year low 35 sacks and only 16 takeaways. I just dont see a championship caliber team this year. I think a reload is definitely in order. The guy lined up next to Timmons has to be a force in run support. Foote is far from it. And if you watch these games Casey Hampton is still taking on two blocks. Which means at least one inside LB is running free/clean. We need a legit corner. We have none right now. Ike Taylor is on a steady decline. He is holding and grabbing at will and yet he his still getting beat or giving up a costly penalty. Add and inside force and a descent corner and things will change. And I'd be willing to bet LeBeau or whoever the D-cordinator is would be a lot more aggressive in their attack.