Beginning of the end!

[KYPITTFAN]

After flirting with it for a few seasons I believe we are now here. Ben plays for a SB not stats. The next time he says he's thinking about retirement, believe him. I don't see him coming back next year unless he just wants a good bye stadium run. There is no SB coming to Pitt anytime soon. The end of this season officially starts a rebuild. We will have a running athletic QB for a couple seasons until Mason is ready to take over. Our defense 3-4, cover two needs to be overhauled and catch up to the league playing man press during the next few years. Draft high on defense picking great corners and safeties. Hire new coaches and get ready for new SB runs with a up to date defense and Mason at QB in about 3-4 years.
I will watch every sweeked out win and be with my team during the lean seasons to come. Thank you Ben for the past, wish you well in your retirement and sorry your last few seasons was a waste under Tomlin.

[Eich]

I do wonder if Ben retires if we end the season with a losing record. Imagine the drama on this team if we lose 4, 5 or even 6 of the next 6 games, which at this point, seems very possible (Falcons, Bungals, Clowns, Rats, Panthers, Jags).

[fordfixer]

What the old saying if you’re talking about retirement then you all ready retired

[Buzz]

If we end up with a losing record, I think there's a good likelihood we let Ben walk, trade AB for some premium draft picks, and go into rebuild mode.

[Steel Maniac]

What the old saying if you’re talking about retirement then you all ready retired

I happen to agree with this.

[Steel Maniac]

Yeah.. it looks like the closing of the window might be finally upon us.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Yeah.. it looks like the closing of the window might be finally upon us.

Yup, nothing lasts forever. It's nice when people can accept that gracefully like in this thread, and not get all bent out of shape with misplaced fury and anger at fellow posters, or personally insulting the coaches etc., like in some other threads.

[feltdizz]

Ben is paid too much to miss this many throws. Not sure what the deal is with his downfield passes. A lot of them aren’t even in bounds.

[SteelBucks]

Call me an optimist or crazy but I’ll give them a couple more weeks before pulling the plug.

[Steel Maniac]

Call me an optimist or crazy but I’ll give them a couple more weeks before pulling the plug.

I think we all will. In the back of our minds, no one wants to see it end but if we drop the next two then it's a wrap.

[K Train]

Teams can turn it around quickly....the team has core talent but theres clearly some missing pieces.

Keep in mind the Rams and the Jags were picking in the top 5 constantly and now neither lose many games

[feltdizz]

Call me an optimist or crazy but I’ll give them a couple more weeks before pulling the plug.

Of course... it’s the day after a loss so we are in our feelings. If we won the next 2 I’m sure feelings would change.

Problem is we dont look look like we can win if things remain the same.

Bell, please come back. LOL

[Moonie]

It ain't over yet, and if it is, it's not Mason taking over. We need to try and draft a first round franchise QB, not some Landry Jones clone.

But it's not over yet. Expect good things from Ben in the weeks to come. Remember "maybe I don't have it any more?" after 5 INTs last year? He came back. He will this year too.

[Buzz]

Of course... it’s the day after a loss so we are in our feelings. If we won the next 2 I’m sure feelings would change.

Problem is we dont look look like we can win if things remain the same.

Bell, please come back. LOL

I'd be shocked if Bell came back. I think he burned his bridges here.

[Steel Maniac]

It ain't over yet, and if it is, it's not Mason taking over. We need to try and draft a first round franchise QB, not some Landry Jones clone.

But it's not over yet. Expect good things from Ben in the weeks to come. Remember "maybe I don't have it any more?" after 5 INTs last year? He came back. He will this year too.

Going forward, we have to feel like Ben will bounce back. He'll have a great opportunity next week against the Falcons. Their defense is as bad or worse then ours.