Why Are the Steelers...

[Buzz]

...underachievers?

Good discussion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIGsQtd5294

[Slapstick]

It is an interesting discussion. It is also important to note that there are 31 teams that consider themselves "underachievers" after the season...

I also enjoy how Cris Carter says that he "doesn't make excuses," and then proceeds to make excuses for Seattle in that discussion...

[Northern_Blitz]

The Steelers are "underachievers" because expectations are set very high. The general consensus is that we underachieved because we were "only" a top 8 team.

I believe that many here would still have considered the team "underachievers" if they lost in the AFCC (after all we were "underachievers" last year too, right?).

I also believe that we would have been labeled "underachievers" if we beat the Pats in the AFCC, but lost to the Eagles in the SB (remember when we "underachieved" in the loss to GB in SB XLV?).

Shooting for the moon is good. But you can't let perfection be the enemy of good. The Steelers went 13-3. That's a very good season. But once you're into the single game elimination tournament, anything can happen (for better or worse).

I would have preferred to watch one or two more Steelers games this year, but it wasn't meant to be.

[Slapstick]

You are what your record says you are...

[williar]

Not only do you need the talent but you have to want it, too! And you need to be hungry enough to want to do all the things you have to do to "get it!" Some of that was missing with this team. Also, I'm still wondering where the leadership is at on this team. There hasn't been any since guys like Farrior, Ward, and Taylor left... Ben is still a question mark for me. I know everyone thinks he's the end all, be all! But I still very much question his leadership and desire...

[feltdizz]

Ryan Shazier was one of our leaders. I still think folks are underestimating the impact his injury has on this team.

Heyward is a leader.

Im hoping JuJu will be a leader next year. He has the work ethic and tools to be another Hines Ward type player. I think guys will follow his lead even though he is young.

Ben is a leader. But he is more of a leader on the field. Still too passive aggressive for my taste but he is a leader.

[williar]

Ryan Shazier was one of our leaders. I still think folks are underestimating the impact his injury has on this team.

Heyward is a leader.

Im hoping JuJu will be a leader next year. He has the work ethic and tools to be another Hines Ward type player. I think guys will follow his lead even though he is young.

Ben is a leader. But he is more of a leader on the field. Still too passive aggressive for my taste but he is a leader.

You are correct, for the most part. What bothers me is you can't be a great team leader and at the same time constantly sabotaging your HC and OC... Nothing's perfect and sometimes you have to "make it work" for the best interest of the team, and not to get your own way! Ala - JH.

[feltdizz]

You are correct, for the most part. What bothers me is you can't be a great team leader and at the same time constantly sabotaging your HC and OC... Nothing's perfect and sometimes you have to "make it work" for the best interest of the team, and not to get your own way! Ala - JH.

The whole “we don’t have a AB sneak in the playbook” was infuriating. Then Ben said he asked Tomlin if he could put a QB draw in the playbook at the GL and Tomlin “said not at this age Ben” when a reporter followed up about the QB sneak question.

i truly believe Ben has the authority to call a QB sneak on 4th and inches even if Haley called a different play. Do you think that fake spike pass into the meat of the D was a called play? I don’t think so.

[williar]

The whole “we don’t have a AB sneak in the playbook” was infuriating. Then Ben said he asked Tomlin if he could put a QB draw in the playbook at the GL and Tomlin “said not at this age Ben” when a reporter followed up about the QB sneak question.

i truly believe Ben has the authority to call a QB sneak on 4th and inches even if Haley called a different play. Do you think that fake spike pass into the meat of the D was a called play? I don’t think so.

I think Ben has more free reign of that offense than we will ever know. Tomlin and Haley are not going to throw Ben under the bus the way he does them because it will affect their future coaching opportunities. I think any coordinator worth his salt is not going to try to bump heads with a HOF QB? They're going to say - what do you see, what are you comfortable doing? Ok, make they play! That is sure as hell what I would say as an OC for a 15-year veteran.

[Captain Lemming]

The Steelers are "underachievers" because expectations are set very high. The general consensus is that we underachieved because we were "only" a top 8 team.

I believe that many here would still have considered the team "underachievers" if they lost in the AFCC (after all we were "underachievers" last year too, right?).

I also believe that we would have been labeled "underachievers" if we beat the Pats in the AFCC, but lost to the Eagles in the SB (remember when we "underachieved" in the loss to GB in SB XLV?).

Shooting for the moon is good. But you can't let perfection be the enemy of good. The Steelers went 13-3. That's a very good season. But once you're into the single game elimination tournament, anything can happen (for better or worse).

I would have preferred to watch one or two more Steelers games this year, but it wasn't meant to be.

I never thought we underachieved last year, would not felt that if we lost to the Pats this year either.
We underachieved THIS YEAR because:

You are what your record says you are...

I know this aint what he meant but our "record" was better than theirs and lost to an inferior team.....plain and simple we did indeed "underachieve" in the playoffs

[Steelwolf]

Ryan Shazier was one of our leaders. I still think folks are underestimating the impact his injury has on this team.

Heyward is a leader.

Im hoping JuJu will be a leader next year. He has the work ethic and tools to be another Hines Ward type player. I think guys will follow his lead even though he is young.

Ben is a leader. But he is more of a leader on the field. Still too passive aggressive for my taste but he is a leader.

I also feel as that can be an excuse, loss of shaz was huge but great teams fond ways to over come injuries

[Starlifter]

I have always defined a successful season as making the playoffs. It seems to arrogant to say only a SB win qualifies - yet with the talent on this team, I don't walk away from 2017 with a good feeling about it. I thought our 13-3 record was pretty thin. I thought the offense that put up 42 against the good jags defense is one we would have seen the majority of the year, and not at the end of the season. I believe many of us thought the defense was still a work in progress (turned out to be true) and that the offense would have to carry the team. It was actually backwards for the first 8 games.

But here's the deal. This team is essentially coming back next year. Everyone of importance is locked down - even if LB is franchised. Shazier needs to be dealt with, and that's a huge hole to fill - but once again, the steelers should be a pre season favorite to win the SB. If they don't make the AFCCG or better - it WILL be a failed season.

too much talent on this particular team to settle for just a playoff appearance.

they DID underachieve this year in my opinion.

[Steelerphile]

I think people assume that the Steelers are more talent laden than others, and therefore should win the SuperBowl. As if the Steelers are awarded extra talent by the NFL committee for talent or the Steelers get first crack at the talent buffet while everyone else waits.

The Steelers always pick late. Other teams have first crack at the talent. There is no reason why the Steelers should have more talent than other teams other than through their own shrewdness at finding talent and developing it. This sometimes galls me about the way fans think. The Steelers have done well with finding contributing players and developing them from later rounds such as Antonio Brown, Jesse James, Vince Williams or Anthony Chickillo or FAs such as Ramon Foster, Chris Hubbard, Chris Boswell, Mike Hilton, Eli Rogers, BJ Finney or Alexander Villanueva.

I take the season as a whole and don't think only in terms of the last game. I am as emotionally invested in the 1st game, 5th game, 10th, 14th game as the playoff game. Therefore, I feel the season was fulfilling and exciting. Basically I want the Steelers to be a strong team, and a tough out for anybody. They did that. They weren't number one but they were high up there.

Fans seem to think that winning the SuperBowl is so simple, but I think it is hard with 31 other franchises pouring resources into that end. The Patriots maintain excellence better than anyone else in this era, but I would put the Steelers at number two. Fans also seem to think that you can blow up a successful franchise and just find any ole bloke to come in and do better, and to me that is just utter infantile and deluded thinking.

[Slapstick]

I think people assume that the Steelers are more talent laden than others, and therefore should win the SuperBowl. As if the Steelers are awarded extra talent by the NFL committee for talent or the Steelers get first crack at the talent buffet while everyone else waits.

The Steelers always pick late. Other teams have first crack at the talent. There is no reason why the Steelers should have more talent than other teams other than through their own shrewdness at finding talent and developing it. This sometimes galls me about the way fans think. The Steelers have done well with finding contributing players and developing them from later rounds such as Antonio Brown, Jesse James, Vince Williams or Anthony Chickillo or FAs such as Ramon Foster, Chris Hubbard, Chris Boswell, Mike Hilton, Eli Rogers, BJ Finney or Alexander Villanueva.

I take the season as a whole and don't think only in terms of the last game. I am as emotionally invested in the 1st game, 5th game, 10th, 14th game as the playoff game. Therefore, I feel the season was fulfilling and exciting. Basically I want the Steelers to be a strong team, and a tough out for anybody. They did that. They weren't number one but they were high up there.

Fans seem to think that winning the SuperBowl is so simple, but I think it is hard with 31 other franchises pouring resources into that end. The Patriots maintain excellence better than anyone else in this era, but I would put the Steelers at number two. Fans also seem to think that you can blow up a successful franchise and just find any ole bloke to come in and do better, and to me that is just utter infantile and deluded thinking.

Well stated.

While the ending was disappointing, it does not ruin the entire season. I refuse to invest myself in something that is meaningless.

[Shoe]

Well stated.

While the ending was disappointing, it does not ruin the entire season. I refuse to invest myself in something that is meaningless.

You guys can slice and dice it any way you want, but this was a massive failure.

I read a story on SI or something, citing the best teams of each franchise never to make the SB. In our case, they picked the 76 team I believe? (That was the team that reeled off shut-out after shut-out before losing the the Raiders.

Anyway, if not for that great team, I would put this one on the top of the list. They lost because of hubris... that is the bottom line. Hubris, in thinking they could just show up. Hubris, looking ahead. Hubris, thinking you could just jettison future HOF to the enemy with Bud effen Dupree and Watt.

Its OK to lose to your opponent; it isn't OK to lose becuse you thought you took them for granted.