I Like Where the Steelers Are At

[NorthCoast]

It's a great situation heading into a season with almost no pressure. The media has almost universally dismissed them as an also-ran that could finish with their first losing season since Tomlin came on board. But there are things to really like about this team:

• Youth at key skill positions - they have excellent depth at WR, several shiny new RBs, a good balance of young and old at LB
• Veteran leadership - Heyward continues as a key team leader; not afraid to use his voice in guiding the young players (see his comments to Bush tweeting), explaining the "Steelers way"; and now reading neat stories about how Turner has taken Green under his wing as a mentor to get him ready for NFL play. Tomlin has praised Turner's embracing the role.
• OL - there, I said it. Yes, they are young. Yes they will probably make a whole lot of mistakes early on. But the change in approach with Klemm is a breath of fresh air after watching the most tiresome, passive OL play of last season. Watch Green in action against DAL. Too small? Arms too short? The guy displayed his wrestling background on some good reps against DL that outweighed him and had arms like a gorilla. Turner I already talked about, and Tomlin had no concern whatsoever about his injury. Looking forward to Canada designing plays with Banner leading the way. The guy will be beast in the run game and he'll get comfortable with pass blocking as well.
• QB - Roethlisberger returns and will win games; if he goes down I think the Steelers have a very good group of backups that could allow them to be at least 0.500 in games if they have to play.
• Defense - despite missing Bush and Dupree at the end of last season, there were guys stepping up and making key plays. Yes, they ran out of gas in the playoffs but I put a lot of that on an offense that was 30th in the NFL in TOP in their last three games. I expect the run game will get it's share of 3rd and 1 first downs this season to extend plays and keep a defense fresh.
• Special Teams - who cannot like what they are seeing with their new punter?! A guy that will consistently drop an opponent inside their 20 will be huge for the defense. PIT was 25th in the NFL in average opponent drive length repeatedly handing the defense a short field.

So there it is. Lots of reasons to be excited about the upcoming season.

Let's Go

[Steel Maniac]

Lets go! And hopefully the injury bug doesn’t hit us too hard.

[NorthCoast]

One other thing:

• Coaching -
  • Tomlin - his strong point is coaching younger guys in getting them ready to play professional football, and this may be his youngest roster yet. He has a clear approach on what he expects from them and lets them know it (see Dotson for example).
  • T. Austin - did the Steelers somehow magically figure out how to draft CBs? I say not likely. It's Austin that has gotten this young group of promising CBs ready to take a next step. The Steelers obviously felt good enough about what they have that they let two key guys go, much to our laments.
  • Canada - let's face it, it shouldn't be too hard to outdo his predecessor but Canada is frequently commented as one of the new bright, innovative offensive minds. I'll give him the requisite 3 yrs to show his stuff but I get the sense he will either be a long time Steeler coach or will end up as a HC by mid-decade.
  • Klemm - we've heard all the words used to describe his coaching style, it's been sorely lacking from the OL coaching. Prediction; the OL gets at least two unnecessary roughness penalties this season, and we shouldn't be angry about it.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Pending the unforeseen (injuries) this season rests on the OL. If they are at least average then this team is a good team that makes the playoffs and contends.

[hawaiiansteel]

Lets go! And hopefully the injury bug doesn’t hit us too hard.

don't bother with the fake enthusiasm.

all we have to do is read your sig to know where you stand.