Glass half full

[Captain Lemming]

All this moaning about losing to bad teams?

On the one hand we ALL want to never lose, true.

But we have beaten (some splits) the best teams on our schedule too.

Given the same record, I'd like a team that has proven ability to beat the best teams we play over one that beats all the scrubs and wilts when the spotlight is on. Like the Natti does.

Say we wind up 10-6, do you want those loses to be the scrubs or the best teams?

[SS Laser]

All this moaning about losing to bad teams?

On the one hand we ALL want to never lose, true.

Given the same record, I'd like a team that has proven ability to beat the best teams we play over one that beats all the scrubs and wilts when the spotlight is on. Like the Natti does.

Damn I agree! Guess I am a Lemming! Still need to beat a few "bad" teams coming up!

[flippy]

I'm with you. If we can make it into the playoffs, we'll be playing good teams and then we've got a chance. So it's good from that perspective. There's hope and talent in this team. But there's always the question in the back of everyone's mind - which team will show up each week.

Im praying that we magically get in the tournament and then show up to ball.

It's reasonable to think some of the young guys could start getting it and improving down the stretch. But at the end of the day, we'll get as far as Ben can take us. He's just gotta show up in the playoffs for us. Ben and healthy James can overcome a lot of deficiencies.

[Captain Lemming]

I'm with you. If we can make it into the playoffs, we'll be playing good teams and then we've got a chance. So it's good from that perspective. There's hope and talent in this team. But there's always the question in the back of everyone's mind - which team will show up each week.

Im praying that we magically get in the tournament and then show up to ball.

It's reasonable to think some of the young guys could start getting it and improving down the stretch. But at the end of the day, we'll get as far as Ben can take us. He's just gotta show up in the playoffs for us. Ben and healthy James can overcome a lot of deficiencies.

See what I gotta do to get you back on the positive train Flippy?

I was thinking.......no the Koolaid drinkin Lemmings have lost Flippy? NOOO not Flippy.
Our beacon of hope during tough times......NOT FLIPPY.

Now go and erase that crazy talk on that thread you started dude.

[feltdizz]

If we make the playoffs then sure.. no problem.

My issue is these losses to bad teams usually haunt us when it comes to missing the playoffs.

[Captain Lemming]

If we make the playoffs then sure.. no problem.

My issue is these losses to bad teams usually haunt us when it comes to missing the playoffs.

Solid point, true

[flippy]

See what I gotta do to get you back on the positive train Flippy?

I was thinking.......no the Koolaid drinkin Lemmings have lost Flippy? NOOO not Flippy.
Our beacon of hope during tough times......NOT FLIPPY.

Now go and erase that crazy talk on that thread you started dude.

I'll never lose hope, bro.

It's just that I feel like there's a systematic problem here that keeps happening over and over and over. It's like we're in the movie Groundhog Day here but haven't come to the realization that we need to change things up a little.

It feels a little like the Pirates over the last 25 years prior to the current team. Every year, I'd get excited during the offseason and spring training thinking this was the year. And every time until recently many of the same problems reared their ugly head by about mid season.

The Buccos would bring in promising players, and we'd get our hopes up. But looking back, they were always trying to put a band aid on a gaping head wound and it just didn't work.

I just don't want to go down that path. Here's a question for you, do you feel like this team has taken significant steps forward during the rebuild over the last 3 years? Is this year's team that much better than the team we had at the start of the rebuild? I'm not sure. I'm not sure where we are headed.

On the flip side as long as we have Ben, we have a puncher's chance. And I can always come back to that and find my optimism. But I always found optimism in the Pirates too, so what do I know. It's just how I'm wired to be naturally hopeful about things.

[Slapstick]

Are we better than last year? Significantly so...

Are we good enough to make the playoffs? Possibly...

Are we a SB contender? At this point, I'd say, "Not yet."

[NorthCoast]

All this moaning about losing to bad teams?

On the one hand we ALL want to never lose, true.

But we have beaten (some splits) the best teams on our schedule too.

Given the same record, I'd like a team that has proven ability to beat the best teams we play over one that beats all the scrubs and wilts when the spotlight is on. Like the Natti does.

Say we wind up 10-6, do you want those loses to be the scrubs or the best teams?

Really hoping the NFL is unkind and gives the Steelers the toughest schedule in the league next season.... means they will probably go 15-1. On the otherhand, if they draw the weakest schedule it could be another season of frustration.

[WindyCitySteel]

Eh...the best team we've played is Indy, and at home. God forbid this team had to travel to NE or Denver.

[brazilsteel]

Eh...the best team we've played is Indy, and at home. God forbid this team had to travel to NE or Denver.

We don't need to. We make Bucs and Jets look just like them.

[hawaiiansteel]

God forbid this team had to travel to NE or Denver.

I have to agree here, it wouldn't be pretty...

[papillon]

Are we better than last year? Significantly so...

Are we good enough to make the playoffs? Possibly...

Are we a SB contender? At this point, I'd say, "Not yet."

I'm not certain that they are significantly better than last year, at this point they are two games better which would put them at 10-6 if it holds up until the end of the season. There's a lot of football and under achieving teams (Titans, Saints and Falcons) on the schedule for the Steelers to play down to between now and week 17. If they lose those three and win the others they're looking at 9-7 and 1 game better than last year.

I agree they are good enough to make the playoffs, but they are going to have to win the three games mentioned above, those teams are under achieving and under .500.

Definitely not a SB contender, unfortunately, I think they're closer to .500 than a SB contender. The Steelers need players to start being consistent week in and week out, all too often one week they appear to have turned the corner and then the next they look like a 6-10 team. The three game winning streak gave me hope that maybe the wild fluctuations were going to end and then they come out and lay an egg against the Jets.

Pappy

[WindyCitySteel]

We don't need to. We make Bucs and Jets look just like them.

Funny, but I have no doubt Brady and Co. would drop another double nickel on this team.

[sick beats]

F this. Making rose colored excuses for losing to the worst teams on the planet is lame. This team shouldn't be 1-8 vs. .200 teams and worse. Stop the excuses.