SuperBowl or Bust - Now or Never

[Eich]

I think the real problem might be that Ben doesn't realize he doesn't have an arm anymore. It's like we're watching Duck Hodges disguised in Mason Rudolf's body. Someone needs to have a come to Jesus with Ben and help him quickly figure out how to stop making decisions like he's got a rocket for an arm any more. Ben is completely immobile. He's got a Duck Hodges arm. Everyone knows balls can't go more than 20 yards on a rope if that.

Ben is a huge part of the problem. But I put as much of that on Fichtner. He created this "get rid of the ball in under 3 seconds" offense. And now that defenses know how to deal with that, we have no other answers. Nothing.

I don't think Ben has Duck's arm yet. I've seen him make some pretty throws recently. But he's playing with a 3 second clock in his head now. And defenses know exactly what to do to get in the way. Batted balls at the line. Contested throws everywhere. Sitting on routes.

We've taken away Ben's greatest strengths and crippled the offense without any plan or ability to pivot.

We would have been MUCH better off last night to have thrown less than 10 passes and run all night long, trying to perfect our run game.

[Northern_Blitz]

The Steelers have really stunk it up at the very end of the past 3 seasons. In 2018 they lost 4 of their last 6 games and missed the playoffs. Last season they lost their final 3 games and again no playoffs. And of course, this season could easily end with the Steelers finishing up on a 6 game losing streak. This crap of getting our hopes up then crushing us is getting kind of old now.

I think we needed the high level D to keep generating insane pressure and turnovers.

Then Ben could make low risk passes.

Defenses noticed that we can't run out throw intermediate or deep.

And the D lost most of its LBs. Then lost some backups too.

[Northern_Blitz]

Ben is a huge part of the problem. But I put as much of that on Fichtner. He created this "get rid of the ball in under 3 seconds" offense. And now that defenses know how to deal with that, we have no other answers. Nothing.

I don't think Ben has Duck's arm yet. I've seen him make some pretty throws recently. But he's playing with a 3 second clock in his head now. And defenses know exactly what to do to get in the way. Batted balls at the line. Contested throws everywhere. Sitting on routes.

We've taken away Ben's greatest strengths and crippled the offense without any plan or ability to pivot.

We would have been MUCH better off last night to have thrown less than 10 passes and run all night long, trying to perfect our run game.

I think this is the O Ben wanted when talking about how we should be like Brady.

Probably because his mid to long range accuracy seems to be bad.

[Eich]

I think this is the O Ben wanted when talking about how we should be like Brady.

Probably because his mid to long range accuracy seems to be bad.

Brady didn't run a no-intermediate pass offense. Brady didn't have an offense that couldn't get a single yard on first and goal from the 1.

Dink and dunk only works if you have some threat of a run game, some threat of intermediate passing and receivers that don't drop everything. You have to be able to make defenses pay when they have everyone at the line of scrimmage. We can't. We get tipped/blocked passes, jumped routes, triple coverage, sacks, negative yard completions and negative yard runs with defenders in the backfield.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Its the defense. Its not their fault but our D is the reason we have faded down the stretch these last few years.

But its not because the D is bad. Its because the D is tired and injured from so many 3 and outs with this offense.

Good point. The D played last night at linebacker without Bush, Dupree, Williams, and Spillane. That is 4 of your top 5. They have held up remarkably well in the first half but the O kept putting them back out on the field without a rest. Then when the O finally puts a few drives together but the D finally wears down, it looks like they are the issue. I stated before yesterdays game that the first thing I really wanted to see was a TD on the first drive on offense. Instead it was a 3 and out. There is only so many times that the D can be asked to go back out and defend a short field. Would have been much worse without the very strong punting of Berry. He has been very good since returning, and the offensive MVP in the first half of several games.

[Eich]

I stated before yesterdays game that the first thing I really wanted to see was a TD on the first drive on offense. Instead it was a 3 and out.

Firs drive??? How about first HALF?! The entire first half was so abysmal that I believe any college offense could do better.

1st Drive: 3 plays, 3 yards, punt
2nd Drive: 3 plays, -7 yards, fumble
3rd Drive: 10 plays, 17 yards, interception
4th Drive: 3 plays, 7 yards, punt
5th Drive: 3 plays, 4 yards, punt

THIS

IS

INSANE INEPTITUDE

[flippy]

Firs drive??? How about first HALF?! The entire first half was so abysmal that I believe any college offense could do better.

1st Drive: 3 plays, 3 yards, punt
2nd Drive: 3 plays, -7 yards, fumble
3rd Drive: 10 plays, 17 yards, interception
4th Drive: 3 plays, 7 yards, punt
5th Drive: 3 plays, 4 yards, punt

THIS

IS

INSANE INEPTITUDE

In the game Denver played without a QB, they were more efficient offensively in their 1st half than we were yesterday. And they played against a better D.

[NorthCoast]

They were talking today about which teams would you prefer to face in the playoffs. Almost universal either PIT or MIA. That's telling.

[Northern_Blitz]

They were talking today about which teams would you prefer to face in the playoffs. Almost universal either PIT or MIA. That's telling.

I was talking about this with a friend at lunch too.

I was like MIA...and I guess PIT, but I'm assuming I am PIT so we can't play ourselves.

My friend is a Bills fan. We were also talking about how they could easily have 2nd locked up after next weekend. If so (and maybe even if not), maybe they don't try that hard / rest a lot of guys against the Dolphins. 2 plays 7. And I think everyone in the 2 spot would much rather have Miami than Baltimore.

Dolphins have to beat the Raiders though. Wonder if the black and silver show up to take someone else down, or mail in the rest of the season.

[NorthCoast]

I think this is the O Ben wanted when talking about how we should be like Brady.

Probably because his mid to long range accuracy seems to be bad.

This seems to be true. And now that defenses know there is little threat of a mid to long completion the QB has been found out. The coaches should have been on this. If Roethlisberger can't throw those routes, we better build a dominating run game or it's game over.

It is also very possible that they found out about this far too late to do anything about it. Remember, no training camp, no preseason.

[flippy]

Good point. The D played last night at linebacker without Bush, Dupree, Williams, and Spillane. That is 4 of your top 5. They have held up remarkably well in the first half but the O kept putting them back out on the field without a rest. Then when the O finally puts a few drives together but the D finally wears down, it looks like they are the issue. I stated before yesterdays game that the first thing I really wanted to see was a TD on the first drive on offense. Instead it was a 3 and out. There is only so many times that the D can be asked to go back out and defend a short field. Would have been much worse without the very strong punting of Berry. He has been very good since returning, and the offensive MVP in the first half of several games.

If you're gonna go 3 and out so many times, why not just run the ball every play to eat a little clock and preserve the D?

[NorthCoast]

If you're gonna go 3 and out so many times, why not just run the ball every play to eat a little clock and preserve the D?

Dunno, ...I guess they feel like their HOF QB would pull a rabbit out of his helmet at some point.

[Eich]

I really hate having such high hopes for the team, only to have it come crashing down so epically. When you're 11-0, you expect to at least be competitive the rest of the way. I now fully expect to be beaten soundly for the next 3 games.

[Northern_Blitz]

I really hate having such high hopes for the team, only to have it come crashing down so epically. When you're 11-0, you expect to at least be competitive the rest of the way. I now fully expect to be beaten soundly for the next 3 games.

Amen to this.

[Steel Maniac]

I really hate having such high hopes for the team, only to have it come crashing down so epically.

This is how I felt in 2018. When we went 13-3 and had a golden path to at least the AFC championship game where we were better than the pats that year. Or so I thought.

We couldn’t even handle the jags.. at home. Blake Bortles.