We'll ultimately look back at 3/13/19 as a turning point for this team for the better

[Steel Maniac]

We don't care about the Saints

Neither do I; I was making a comparison of another team , with a veteran qb who was going all in before their window closes.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

We don't care about the Saints

Of course we care about the Saints. They lost a game because of a pass interference that occurred but was not called. How can you not feel horrible about that? The whole nation is watching.

[Oh wow]

The same Saints team that benefited from some horrible calls when playing us?

[RobinCole]

I don’t feel at all “horrible” about the Saints losing on an uncalled pass interference play. The zebras robbed us of two games down the stretch. One was against the Saints and the other was against the Chargers. If we win those two games we’re 11-4-1. You seldom hear anyone even mention it now.

[Sugar]

I don’t feel at all “horrible” about the Saints losing on an uncalled pass interference play. The zebras robbed us of two games down the stretch. One was against the Saints and the other was against the Chargers. If we win those two games we’re 11-4-1. You seldom hear anyone even mention it now.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The team could just as easily have been a playoff team and the fact that they did, in fact, beat the team that won it all tells me that they weren't as far off the mark as some like to believe.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Schrager Believes ‘Ultimate Experiment Of Team Over Individual’ Will Play Out In Steelers’ Favor In 2019

By Matthew Marczi 

Posted on May 14, 2019 at 9:00 am

At the very least, most commentators seemingly agree with the notion that the Pittsburgh Steelers, pragmatically, had to part ways with former All-Pros, wide receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell. Both of them grew into malcontents and a future relationship with either reached a point at which it seemed to untenable.

There is far more disagreement about the state of the Steelers in the post-Killer-Bs landscape, with some—see Peter King, for example—believing that they are in for a nosedive with the drop in talent, while others believe that the team-over-individual approach will work in their favor and help them return to the postseason, leaving 2018 as an aberration.

You can include Pete Schrager in the latter category, as he explained at length in a recent Good Morning Football segment. “The 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers will be better than the 2018 Pittsburgh Steelers”, he began.

No Le’Veon Bell. No Antonio Brown.@PSchrags says it’s all going to be okay in Pittsburgh, and the @steelers are going to be better in 2019 than they were in 2018. pic.twitter.com/h467JacNqQ

— GMFB (@gmfb) May 10, 2019

“Despite the losses of Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, I think this team is finally a unified core, and I feel like now they are all in together. Think about what they did last year. They were 9-6-1 with a locker room that was completely ripped from the core and fighting with each other publicly, fighting with guys who weren’t in the building, and they had their star player being a malcontent in Week 17”.

Now there is certainly some exaggeration there. At least based on what the players have actually said, there wasn’t this rampant infighting, and in fact right up until the end both Bell and Brown appear to have been well-liked members of the locker room. But nevertheless, there is a point to be made in there.

“I look at it this way. They are all in from day one, and they have young guys who are ready to step up. James Conner [is one of them]. I think James Washington steps up. And I think the biggest star is going to be this man, JuJu Smith-Schuster”, he said. “I feel like year two was a big year for him, he led the team in receptions and yards. I think he goes bonkers in year three as the number one guy”.

“I think the Pittsburgh Steelers, despite all of the tears shed by Steelers fans, despite all of the criticism for the way they handled Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown in the front office, I think they’re a better team with getting rid of those two guys and moving on with what they’ve got in the locker room”, Schrager added.

He called it “the ultimate experiment of team over individual”, saying that the Steelers “have chosen team and jersey over individual and last name on the back of the uniform. I think it actually works out well. I think the Steelers are actually better this year despite less star power at those two positions”.

Even that is not entirely true. If anything, this move makes the ‘individual’ even stronger, in that the individual is now even more individually quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. But in contrast to the individualism of Bell and Brown, Roethlisberger, at least ostensibly, puts winning and team first over his own performance, beyond the fact that his performance helps the team win.

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/05/schrager-believes-ultimate-experiment-of-team-over-individual-will-play-out-in-steelers-favor-in-2019/

[Steel Maniac]

I don’t feel at all “horrible” about the Saints losing on an uncalled pass interference play. The zebras robbed us of two games down the stretch. One was against the Saints and the other was against the Chargers. If we win those two games we’re 11-4-1. You seldom hear anyone even mention it now.

true..........

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I don’t feel at all “horrible” about the Saints losing on an uncalled pass interference play. The zebras robbed us of two games down the stretch. One was against the Saints and the other was against the Chargers. If we win those two games we’re 11-4-1. You seldom hear anyone even mention it now.

After the Saints game someone I know was ranting that the game should be replayed. I said "sure, but replay the game in L.A. because had the Saints not beaten the Steelers with the benefit of two bad P.I. calls - and I never heard one New Orleans complaint about that - then the Saints would not have had home field advantage and that game would have been played on the road."

[RuthlessBurgher]

It’s great to see so much peace, love and warmth emanating from the Steelers these days

The Steelers seem like a much happier bunch following the offseason departures of Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Coincidence? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

By Anthony Defeo
May 20, 2019, 8:55am EDT

Remember when the Pittsburgh Steelers were a circus? It seems like only yesterday, right?

Maybe that’s because it wasn’t so long ago that Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell were the stars of just about every headline related to the Steelers. Even after they left, they were still making noise, at least as it pertained to the shade they were throwing on their former team—namely, the general manager, head coach and quarterback.

It really wasn’t that long ago that I was defending the Steelers on social media while arguing with people—mostly non-fans who supported other franchises—who were laughing at the perceived circus/Dumpster fire/you name it they thought the team had become.

But it’s amazing the difference one day (or a few weeks) can make when changing the perception of a football team.

Maybe it’s my imagination, but don’t the Steelers seem more loving these days? Don’t they seem more joyous? A lot happier? A lot closer?

Instead of negative quotes, images and videos on social media, you’re seeing players yukking it up on the dance floor at Ryan Shazier’s wedding (speaking of joyous, heartwarming and dancing, has there been a better sight in recent weeks than that of Shazier dancing at his own wedding)? Negative rap songs by disgruntled former Steeler running backs have been replaced by terrible singing by happy current linebackers and receivers such as Anthony Chickillo and Ryan Switzer, respectively. Speaking of Switzer, he was recently spotted, along with B.J. Finney, dancing with sick kids at Children’s Hospital’s annual prom. Defensive end Cameron Heyward just celebrated his 30th birthday by hosting kids at his annual “Heyward House Birthday Bash.” Pittsburgh’s defenders were recently in the news for having a spirited cook-off won by defensive end Stephon Tuitt. Ben Roethlisberger just made headlines for inviting his skill position players down to his summer home in Georgia (before you say it, I know he does this with his teammates every year). Alejandro Villanueva and T.J. Watt, a left tackle and a linebacker he probably has to block a lot at training camp, recently went fishing together.

And, last but not least, receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster just continues to do many wonderful things with the world.

Yes, seeing the players so close-knit and happy is wonderful, even if this is behavior they most likely have engaged in in the past (see Roethlisberger’s annual get-togethers with teammates at his summer home). Unfortunately, perception is reality, and with Brown and Bell hogging most of the recent Steelers headlines, there simply wasn’t much oxygen left to allow the good news to emanate from the locker room.

Maybe that’s what head coach Mike Tomlin was trying to convey recently with his “cleansing” comment regarding the departures of both Brown and Bell.

Does this cleansing—this clearing out of all the stuffy, negative air—mean the Steelers will win a championship in 2019? It’s obviously impossible to tell. However, when you see Brown in the headlines for saying goodbye to the murals at his old Pittsburgh home, it makes you realize how, well, “unique” he may have been to deal with in the Steelers locker room. When you see Bell still in the news for perhaps not being fully embraced by new Jets’ head coach Adam Gase, you wonder if controversy will forever be a part of his career (although, in all fairness, it’s kind of hard to blame Le’Veon for that one).

To paraphrase Tomlin regarding Brown’s insubordinate behavior that often included being late to meetings: “We will tolerate his behavior until his play on the field dictates that we shouldn’t.” Obviously, Brown is still very much at the top of his game. And even though he hasn’t played a down since 2017, Bell likely is, too. But this doesn’t mean championships can’t be won without them.

Legendary actor Marlon Brando was notorious for being hard to work with. Same for current actor Christian Bale, who is considered to be one of the most talented at his craft. But that doesn’t mean great movies couldn’t be made without them—Titanic was still a great film, even without Bale, who was in the running to play Jack Dawson before Leo grabbed the part.

Again, the love and joy that has seemingly overtaken the locker room on the South Side may not lead to a title—plenty of close-knit teams come up short every year. But if it does, it sure will make for a great narrative for a future America’s Game film involving the 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/5/20/18630535/its-great-to-see-peace-love-and-warmth-emanating-from-the-steelers-these-days-juju-smith-schuster

[Oh wow]

Not sure we can win a title with this team but if we make the playoffs it’s a step in the right direction.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers' hopeful 2019 outlook: Addition by subtraction

1:00 AM ET

Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer

PITTSBURGH -- With coach Mike Tomlin recently calling the departures of receiver Antonio Brown and running back Le'Veon Bell a "cleansing" of sorts, it highlights a new era of Pittsburgh Steelers football.

But that word doesn't quite cover it all. Tomlin addressed another layer to all this much earlier, from the NFL owners meetings: mainly, a change in on-field ownership.

Young, ascending players will be emboldened.

"No disrespect to those guys or what they’ve been able to do over the course of their careers, particularly in Pittsburgh, but we had a Pro Bowl wideout on our team who’s still on our team from last year. We had a Pro Bowl running back last year who was on our team who’s still on our team," said Tomlin, referring to wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner. "So, we’ve got good players. We’ve got good, quality players specifically at those positions. Will we need additional plays from other people? Certainly, but you have that discussion and make those statements year in and year out, and we do."

Starting with OTAs, which begin Tuesday, the Steelers hope to offset the loss of major talent with improvements in chemistry, depth and expanded roles.

The leadership growth of Smith-Schuster and Conner in year three will be one of many pivotal storylines, with two-thirds of the now-defunct Killer B's trio in different locker rooms.

The only "B" left, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, likely will address the local media on Tuesday from the team facility for the first time since Week 17 of last season. Good thing Roethlisberger led the league in passing last year, because there's serious ground to cover: From Brown's departure and criticisms of his former quarterback, ex-teammates taking shots at the QB and his new contract.

To be sure, it's hardly a guarantee Roethlisberger and younger offensive weapons can replicate the production of Brown and Bell, perennial All-Pros who broke multiple records together.

But fair or not, Brown and Bell alienated Steelers fans with contract disputes and trade requests. Conner and Smith-Schuster have the chance to win those fans back. To this point, Smith-Schuster has followed the playbook for young stars, combining team-first attitude with marketability and countless hours of community work. Conner endeared himself to the locker room last season, particularly with his quarterback and offensive line.

Both seem intent on minimizing distractions and maximizing play, which is what the rest of the locker room wants.

"Hopefully, everything will pass and it will be all about football," said defensive end Tyson Alualu of the headlines surrounding the Steelers dating back to September. "That will be great for our team."

That football focus undoubtedly will shift to the passing game, which features one player with an 800-yard receiving season in his career (Smith-Schuster). James Washington, Donte Moncrief and others will vie for the No. 2 receiver spot.

But true position battles are minimal, thanks to quality depth. Matt Feiler, Chukwuma Okorafor and Jerald Hawkins will compete for the right tackle job. Most positions are well-defined.

Either way, Tomlin is eager to shift focus to the on-field product.

"I think [the Bell and Brown sagas] have been highly chronicled and too chronicled," Tomlin said this offseason. "I think some things have been said that may or may not be true. All I know is neither one of those guys are members of our team anymore, so I understand that. I understand what that means. We focus our energy on those who are and their readiness and preparation."

The biggest positive from the recent talent drain is the edge injected into the Steelers locker room. A trendy top-10 preseason team for years is No. 16 in ESPN's recent offseason Power Rankings.

The sexy story in the AFC North? Not the Steelers, but the Cleveland Browns, who acquired serious talent but are not battle-tested.

“It’s funny everybody’s counting us out,” Steelers linebacker Anthony Chickillo said. “You still have to play."

http://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/30778/steelers-hopeful-2019-outlook-addition-by-subtraction

[RuthlessBurgher]

Ramon Foster: Steelers “closer now than we ever have been”

Posted by Darin Gantt on May 22, 2019, 5:49 AM EDT

Veteran guard Ramon Foster has been around long enough that he knows what it’s supposed to look like. And last year wasn’t it.

But the Steelers fixture said things already appear much more cohesive this offseason — after a year of Le'Veon Bell drama went away and Antonio Brown was traded to the Raiders.

“I feel like we are closer now than we ever have been,” Foster said, via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The 11th-year lineman referred to this spring as “one of the longest-shortest offseasons ever,” and seeing that much star power hit the door is difficult. It also led to some backlash against quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but Foster defended his quarterback and the entire team as it stands.

“I’ve said it time and time before just talking to guys this offseason – I don’t think I have talked to more guys on the other side of the ball than I have in my entire career,” Foster said. “And that’s a really good thing. That means communication is there, understanding and there are guys who are genuinely caring about each other. And that’s a good thing.”

Of course, they also just gave away two of the best offensive players in the league for practically nothing, so they’ll have to rely on that good feeling instead of sheer talent.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/22/ramon-foster-steelers-closer-now-than-we-ever-have-been/

[RuthlessBurgher]

Wednesday, May 22, 2019 01:55 PM

JuJu: 'Everyone is on the same page'


Teresa Varley

Steelers.com


If you look at the Steelers roster, the wide receiver position in particular, there is one thing that will stand out immediately.


This is a young group.


And the one leading the group into the 2019 season is just 22-years old. While he might be young, JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t inexperienced.


“With the experience I played, at this point age is just a number,” said Smith-Schuster. “I’ve played enough games where I am able to take on this. It’s just another challenge we have to deal with.


“I think I can be a role model for that room. I can take on that challenge. That is what I have been doing, being the leader and trying to contribute like everybody else. I am already vocal. I am vocal as a person. Just in general that is how I am. There is no need for me to go out of my way and yell at the guys. We are all adults here. We know right from wrong. Everyone just works. We all have a voice in the room. It’s not just mine. I like to have a little voice. Being a young guy in the room, 22, I feel like my dog, my French bulldog barking at everybody. But at the same time they have dogs here who can bark. I like that role.”


Entering his third season with the team, Smith-Schuster is the team’s No. 1 receiver, but he knows that it’s not all about him, that it’s about the entire group working together to reach the ultimate goal.


“It’s super exciting,” Smith-Schuster started off when talking about being the No. 1 guy. “But, I don’t think about it like that. It’s not about being the No. 1 guy. Yes, you have the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 1 running back, but at the end of the day it’s a collective game. The only way you move the ball is if all 11 make plays and do their job. That’s what it’s going to take to win the Super Bowl.”


Smith-Schuster is taking over the No. 1 role that was held by Antonio Brown, who was traded to the Oakland Raiders in the offseason. Brown didn’t leave without making comments that didn’t sit well with Steelers fans about his former teammates, but Smith-Schuster handled it like a mature, seasoned veteran.


“At the end of the day that is his opinion,” said Smith-Schuster. “For myself, I stand from afar. I am not worried about what he has going on and his team. I wish him nothing but the best. He is a great player. As for myself, I am worrying about the guys we have here, my teammates, and how I can be great on the field and off the field.”


Smith-Schuster was asked if he will be watching the stat sheet throughout the year, comparing himself to what Brown is doing. He immediately squashed anything like that happening.


“I am looking at mine, my own team,” said Smith-Schuster. “I am fine. I would take five catches for 30 yards and win the game, than have 10 catches and two touchdowns. It’s not about myself. It’s about the Super Bowl. All we want to do is win.”


One thing that Smith-Schuster knows will happen more this year with Brown gone is him getting double-coverage. But it’s nothing new, and something he will be ready for.


“No doubt,” he said. “We dealt with that against the Patriots last year. They doubled me and AB. It wasn’t anything new. This year it’s going to be the same thing. I am going to being getting the same coverages, the double. We’ve got guys like (Donte) Moncrief, James (Washington), we have the new wide receiver, Diontae (Johnson). We have so many guys who can make plays. I am not worried about that.”


Another thing he isn’t worried about is the attitude in the locker room. The offseason ‘drama’ has dissipated and there truly is a singular focus – winning.


“There is so much motivation for everyone,” said Smith-Schuster. “We have guys, Moncrief, James Conner, it’s his time now. It’s always been his time. We are going to rock with who we have in the locker room. Whoever is in that huddle, the 11 men, that’s who we are going to rock with.


“The chemistry is on point. Everyone is on the same page. Everyone is on point. There is no drama in the locker room.”


https://www.steelers.com/news/juju-everyone-is-on-the-same-page

[Oh wow]

This all sounds great. Hopefully it translates to more wins on the field.

It will be sad as hell if we are a close team who ends up 5-11.

[pittpete]

This all sounds great. Hopefully it translates to more wins on the field.

It will be sad as hell if we are a close team who ends up 5-11.

Thats impossible with Tomlin as the HC