Think about this for a moment...

[SteelCrazy]

...Our Offense next season could be one of the best EVER to play in the NFL.

1. Our QB is top 5 in the league. Hope he doesn't retire any time soon.

2. We have arguably the best RB in the league. Better re-sign him or tag him.

3. We also have arguably the best WR in the game. They are working on signing him.

4. Martavis Bryant is going to be a beast. He's gained 15-20 lbs of muscle and gas worked tirelessly during his suspension. Other teams better look out for him and will not be able to double team AB or they'll pay deeply.

5. Sammie Coates before his lineman finger disease was a beast in his own right. He had at least one catch over 40yds in every game before the injury and the game he injured his hand he was 6/140 for 2 tds. Hope he heals, surgery or no...Eli Rogers is looking good as well...

6 - 10. Our OL is also arguably the best in the game.

11. Ladarius Green, if he can stay healthy adds another dimension in the passing game with superior talent.

This will be a passing and running game unlike any I have ever seen in Pittsburgh. If you just sit back for a moment and look at 11 healthy starters, healthy being key and possibly re-signed, it's amazing what has been accomplished mostly through the draft and two acquired through free agency, I think.

They literally will be an unstoppable force only slowed by what their defense does or doesn't do. Again, if they stay healthy. I'm really excited for 2017. I hope the draft brings elite talent to the edge and the rest of the D.

[Oviedo]

...and the glass half empty crowd will start posting in 5-4-3-2-1............

[RuthlessBurgher]

What if we were able to complement that potential offensive juggernaut with a similarly successful defensive draft like last year?

Going corner and safety with our top two picks in Burns and Davis worked out rather well as those two should be cornerstones in our secondary for years to come. What if we double down on that and do something similar once again to truly solidify our defensive backfield for years to come?

If one of the top four corners in draft falls to #30 (let's say Washington CB Sidney Jones) and we have a shot at another dynamic safety in round two (let's say his college teammate with the Huskies, Budda Baker), then our DB problems could potentially be solved via infusion of top notch draft talent just like how we turned OL from a weakness to a strength by investing multiple early picks on the likes of Pouncey, DeCastro, and Gilbert.

Then come back and address our LB corps with our next two picks, let's say the athletic edge rusher Tyus Bowser from Houston in round 3 to learn behind Deebo as a rookie, and small school tackling machine Connor Harris from Lindenwood in round 4 to provide depth behind Timmons and/or Vince inside.

From that point on, all you'd need to do is add depth to your DL, RB, TE, etc. and I know that I'd be really excited.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I think I'll be a little afraid to let my hopes get up until we start scoring more from up close. If someone can stat me smarter please do, but my minds eye is me watching the games filled with as much dread as hope when we lined up in a 1st and goal situation this past year, and maybe going back another year or two before that. Even with the injuries it's not like we lined up with horrible talent, it just seemed like there were way too many FGs we had to kick. Admittedly we didn't have Heath or Green, but still Jesse James isn't chopped liver either.

BTW, asking out of ignorance - how likely is it that a big league coup on D in the draft pays out in the same year? Or realistically does it take until the next year most of the time? I know our rooks did pretty well this year, but there were also games late in the season where they fell apart.

[brothervad]

Just to make sure Oviedo is right in his prediction...

What's it matter? Tomlin/Butler will just implement their new fangled soft zone defensive scheme against the Pats and end losing in the playoffs at New England.

I didn't want to disappoint you all...so I took on the role of Mr. Half Empty.

(Please note I am hopeful that Mr. Tomlin leaned something finally...)

[feltdizz]

I want to believe this but it seems every year someone mucks it up with weed and then another person gets injured and we spend the first 10 games playing the what if game.

Now that I got that out of my system if everyone is healthy it's going to be nuts. The biggest problem is only having one football on the field at a time.

Seriously, no knock on Ben but even if he retired in a year or 2 I think fans need to accept the fact that this team is STACKED at the skill position. Our FO is tremendous at finding talent.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I want to believe this but it seems every year someone mucks it up with weed and then another person gets injured and we spend the first 10 games playing the what if game.

Now that I got that out of my system if everyone is healthy it's going to be nuts. The biggest problem is only having one football on the field at a time.

Seriously, no knock on Ben but even if he retired in a year or 2 I think fans need to accept the fact that this team is STACKED at the skill position. Our FO is tremendous at finding talent.

Excellent point, not made enough I believe!

[squidkid]

i had to double check the date of this post. i was positive i read it last year or the year before or was it the year before that?

[Real Deal Steel]

Just to make sure Oviedo is right in his prediction...

What's it matter? Tomlin/Butler will just implement their new fangled soft zone defensive scheme against the Pats and end losing in the playoffs at New England.

I didn't want to disappoint you all...so I took on the role of Mr. Half Empty.

(Please note I am hopeful that Mr. Tomlin leaned something finally...)

Yep. I have zero faith in Tomlin and Butler's ability to scheme against top notch QB's.

Very clear to me that they are not good "X's & O's" type of guys.

[feltdizz]

Yep. I have zero faith in Tomlin and Butler's ability to scheme against top notch QB's.

Very clear to me that they are not good "X's & O's" type of guys.

I wonder what our record is against top notch QB's not named Brady.

The only way you get to be a top notch QB is by torching the league so it's not really all that surprising. Especially these last few years when our defense was in rebuilding mode.

Even when Denver beat the Pats they barely beat them even though it looked like they dominated them all game. It's incredibly hard to beat Brady.

I have more beef beef with outer offense than our defense. Way too many weapons to end up kicking all these FG's.

[SteelCrazy]

With the talent we have on offense it makes no difference the play call, we'll score in the RZ.

[SteelCrazy]

i had to double check the date of this post. i was positive i read it last year or the year before or was it the year before that?

I posted this year though and I'm a glass is 2/3rds full kinda guy. I literally see endless scoring from this offense if we stay healthy and drug free

[Cinnjerm3000]

I totally agree with OP. The problem is football fans have incredibly short memories. Just like how people going into 2016 were saying that Brown was our best offensive player not named Ben because of Bell being hurt most of 2015, people seemed to have also forgotten how awesome our passing game is when teams can't just double team Brown all game. No matter how butthurt some of you still are over the AFCC, this team has done progressively better year after year the last four years.

[SteelCrazy]

I totally agree with OP. The problem is football fans have incredibly short memories. Just like how people going into 2016 were saying that Brown was our best offensive player not named Ben because of Bell being hurt most of 2015, people seemed to have also forgotten how awesome our passing game is when teams can't just double team Brown all game. No matter how butthurt some of you still are over the AFCC, this team has done progressively better year after year the last four years.

I like this guy....Listen to him, he knows his stuff. Probably has a high football IQ.....

[NorthCoast]

I totally agree with OP. The problem is football fans have incredibly short memories. Just like how people going into 2016 were saying that Brown was our best offensive player not named Ben because of Bell being hurt most of 2015, people seemed to have also forgotten how awesome our passing game is when teams can't just double team Brown all game. No matter how butthurt some of you still are over the AFCC, this team has done progressively better year after year the last four years.

I was trying to figure out how I could objectively measure 'progressively better'. The problem is the target is always moving. Other teams are also getting progressively better. If you look at point differential per game, which should factor in offense and defensive performance there was actually a big step backward last season. Meanwhile NE has been on an uptrend with no sign of decline. So while I want to be positive, people keep bringing up the dream scenarios that just haven't happened consistently. All teams need to deal with adversity, just seems that Steelers struggle to do it quickly, and especially within game.