juju voodoo

[feltdizz]

Considering Brady has NEVER EVER lost to Pittsburgh in Foxboro, the assertion that home field is meaningless seems pretty silly.

when have we ever beat NE in Pittsburgh in the playoffs?

[RuthlessBurgher]

JuJu Smith-Schuster working on staying calm around Ben Roethlisberger
Posted by Josh Alper on July 5, 2017, 8:51 AM EDT

The Steelers are set to have a spirited competition for playing time at wide receiver once they get to training camp later this month and second-round pick JuJu Smith-Schuster is going to be right in the middle of it.

Smith-Schuster is the youngest receiver vying for playing time in Pittsburgh and his inexperience at the NFL level is one of the things he’ll be working to overcome once camp is underway. In particular, the rookie will need to get used to the fact that he’s part of an offense led by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

“When I’m thrown in there with Ben, I get too excited. I have to keep calm,” Smith-Schuster said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “He goes to any [receiver], but I have to make my own play. I was watching [Antonio Brown] and Ben, and that’s eight years they’ve had together. That’s something I want with a quarterback.”

Building that kind of relationship with Roethlisberger isn’t something that is going to happen overnight, but everyone should be getting together just fine if Smith-Schuster can show the same knack for making catches in traffic that he showed at USC.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/07/05/juju-smith-schuster-working-on-staying-calm-around-ben-roethlisberger/

[Steel Maniac]

Considering Brady has NEVER EVER lost to Pittsburgh in Foxboro, the assertion that home field is meaningless seems pretty silly.

On point Captain.

[feltdizz]

when have we ever beat NE in Pittsburgh in the playoffs?

anyone? can anyone answer this one?

like I said.. it doesn't matter where we play the Pats.

[Northern_Blitz]

anyone? can anyone answer this one?

like I said.. it doesn't matter where we play the Pats.

Especially since we play them in the regular season again this year.

I want HFA because it gives us a better chance for someone else to knock the Pats out.

But, if we can stay healthy (and suspension free) I think that our O will have a chance to keep up with them. I just don't like the idea of meeting them in the playoffs after they've already game planned for us once.

[feltdizz]

The best way to beat the Pats is to do what you aren't comfortable doing. The Jets beat the Pats in the playoffs a few years ago by going zone when they previously played man to man all season. Pats had no answer for it because they practiced all week with te expectation the Jets would continue to play man to man.

The last time we beat the Pats it was at home but it wasn't because of home field advantage. After years of getting whipped by the Pats, Lebeau finally had enough and threw the cushion out the window. Our offense also made plays early.

I definitely agree that having HFA is the best way to hopefully avoid the Pats which is still our best chance of getting past them. Until we do uncomfortable things on defense it doesn't matter where we play them they will carve us up.

[Captain Lemming]

when have we ever beat NE in Pittsburgh in the playoffs?

Ben played them at home ONCE when Ben was a rookie. What kind of sample size is that?
What we DO know is that Ben has ONLY EVER beaten a Brady led Pats team at home never ever on the road.

Therefore, the desire to face them at home makes perfect sense.

[Captain Lemming]

anyone? can anyone answer this one?

Just did my friend.

[Shawn]

Especially since we play them in the regular season again this year.

I want HFA because it gives us a better chance for someone else to knock the Pats out.

But, if we can stay healthy (and suspension free) I think that our O will have a chance to keep up with them. I just don't like the idea of meeting them in the playoffs after they've already game planned for us once.

The only way to beat them twice is to have two different game plans. If I'm gaming for the Pats it isn't just about the D...its about shaking it up on O. Where are the Steelers deepest? WR. There is your potential for mismatches. 4 wide, no huddle, Bell playing both running back and slot through motion. No way can that secondary keep up with AB, Bell, Bryant, JuJu and Rodgers.

[feltdizz]

Ben played them at home ONCE when Ben was a rookie. What kind of sample size is that?
What we DO know is that Ben has ONLY EVER beaten a Brady led Pats team at home never ever on the road.

Therefore, the desire to face them at home makes perfect sense.

and before Ben?

Look, you may not want to admit it but the Pats have our number at home, especially in rematches in the playoffs.

Cockrell has also only lost one time to the Pats on the road in the playoffs. What type of sample size is that?

[Captain Lemming]

and before Ben?

If we are going to predate Ben, and any current Steeler players (which is ridiculous), Kordell was .500 at home against the Pats in the playoffs.

Cockrell has also only lost one time to the Pats on the road in the playoffs. What type of sample size is that?

Your point is that a sample size of one is meaningless?
Are you TRYING to make my case?

[Captain Lemming]

One more thing. WHEN we have lost to the Pats, they win the SB. In other words we NEVER play them in the playoffs when they are not proven to be the best team in football.

We believe we only get to the SB when "other teams" beat them because they have our number.
But we never get a shot at those teams that DO lose in the postseason.

That 2005 team SMOKES the Pats if we play them that season, the Colts were a superior team to them.

Pats didnt make the playoffs in 08 (was that when Brady got hurt)?

Our 2010 team thaT lost in the SB to the Pack also was superior to the Pats who lost to the Jets that year.

We played ONLY championship quality Pats teams, and save for the year Ben was a nervous rookie, they have not played any of OUR best teams in the playoffs.

They beat us last season because they were the best team in football. Never mind the game....the RECORD proved it

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

The best way to beat the Pats is to do what you aren't comfortable doing. The Jets beat the Pats in the playoffs a few years ago by going zone when they previously played man to man all season. Pats had no answer for it because they practiced all week with te expectation the Jets would continue to play man to man.

The last time we beat the Pats it was at home but it wasn't because of home field advantage. After years of getting whipped by the Pats, Lebeau finally had enough and threw the cushion out the window. Our offense also made plays early.

I definitely agree that having HFA is the best way to hopefully avoid the Pats which is still our best chance of getting past them. Until we do uncomfortable things on defense it doesn't matter where we play them they will carve us up.

Oh, that was such a glorious game. And we've never seen a game plan like that again, it's like it happened in an alternate universe.

In terms of the only way to beat them being to step out of the comfort zone with a completely different game plan. I'd agree with that with one addition ... be ready with a Plan B in case you walk into an adjustment that nullifies it.

Plan B ... is that even a concept in our coaching staff lingo? Sometimes I don't think so ...

[feltdizz]

It still comes to our offense scoring TD's and sustaining drives. We had a chance to make it 17 to 13 right before halftime in NE AND we got the ball to start the second half. We ended up kicking a FG after having 1st and goal and then we went 3 and out.

[Shawn]

It still comes to our offense scoring TD's and sustaining drives. We had a chance to make it 17 to 13 right before halftime in NE AND we got the ball to start the second half. We ended up kicking a FG after having 1st and goal and then we went 3 and out.

I think that's the point some are missing. There were a couple crucial points where the Steelers left points on the field. The O didn't finish the job. Keep in mind that this is without Heyward, Bell or Bryant. I feel like a healthy Steelers can beat a healthy Pats 3 times out of 10. While that isn't awesome it's something to build upon. Hopefully, an extra year for Dupree, Davis and Burns along with the additions of Watt and JuJu will be enough to turn the tide.