Reality Check...

[steelsnis]

Amid all of the teeth-gnashing and complaints on this board, let's look at the facts regarding this season.

The Steelers have lost 5 games. 4 of those losses are by a 3-point margin and one loss was by 6 pts.

It's all a matter health. The team's best defensive player missed every single game that the Steelers have lost this season. (started in Cincy but went down early in first quarter). The team's best defensive lineman (Aaron Smith) went down a few games into the season and Timmons has been fighting ankle injuries that have limited his explosion all year.

This is the same defense that is capable of dominating every single team in the NFL but not when they aren't all there. We can complain all day and all night about giving up long drives to lose games, but how quickly we forget Polamalu's absence. When your most dynamic and explosive defensive player is out, let's face it, you're gonna lose something.

Look at last night's game, not only was Polamalu out, but now your best offensive player is on the sidelines as well?

We can beeyotch about Arians and Lebeau and playcalling etc all we want, but without the studs on the field, gameplans aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

They have a 5 game season ahead of them. I still LOVE this team if guys can get healthy for the stretch drive. Get into the playoffs and I guarantee you, there is not one other AFC team that would look forward to Pittsburgh showing up at their doorstep in January.

[NW Steeler]

Re: Reality Check...

I agree with you in that no one will want to see the Steelers in the playoffs. But they have to get there first. To think that they are going to rip off 5 straight, or even go 4-1 down the stretch is a little dicey. That loss to KC was REALLY damaging. We have also shown that we can't really put anyone away, other than the Denver game. I do believe, however, that if Ben had played last night, that we would have won handily. Obviously we need our offense to put us up by 10 points or more, because our D cannot hold a lead at this point. Maybe 1 man (Troy) can change that. Last year, all of these close games went our way, this year, not. Kind of the way it goes. But I refuse to give up hope. I've had some rough nights with little sleep the last 3 Sundays!

[Ghost]

Re: Reality Check...

Maybe the real reality is this an an average team. You are what your record says you are and this team has 5 losses including a loss to one of the worst teams in the entire NFL. They have shown no ability to put teams away or keep a lead.

I'm sick of the Troy excuse. Where are the 11 other guys who are playing? Where's their heart to pick it up? It's not a surprise that Troy's out - get the F over it and come up with a plan to stop the other team.

Special teams might be the worst of any team in the league.

There are stretches of every game where it appears as if they are trying to lose. Sloppy play, penalties, dropped balls (catches and int's), missed assignments, out of position, strange play calls, etc.

On paper this team has the talent to be winning the division. It has not made the transition to the field whatsoever. That is what is so frustrating.

[SteelAbility]

Re: Reality Check...

Reality ...

Sloppy play. (even the TD by Holmes wasn't 100% effort after the catch, it looked like a jog to start out then he sped up as the defender started to put-out. Nonetheless, he left a chance at a tackle short of the GL and with our awesome short-yardage O ... )

Many other cases of sloppy play this season ... drops in the CHI game, multiple STs TDs, Sweed's drop in the CIN game, Ward's fumble in game 1 vs. TEN, the whole KC debacle, yatta yatta)

Assumption of Victory. We play like we can just turn it on any time and get the victory and it just isn't shaking out that way. HELLO? When opportunities come ... and they will ... that's the time to cash in ... no guarantee it will happen again.

No Troy. No Trophy. Plain and simple.

D is somehow very vulnerable. Despite the "stats."

Playcalling is decent but lacking in any kind of strategy at key times. There are times when the situation dictates the play-calling. The playcalling is doing its own thing instead of being guided by situational principle. Example, the final drive in regulation with just under 2 minutes to go. 3 Plays. 12 !@#$R~@#$-in' seconds off the clock. Whatever happened to the run (you know to keep the clock moving in the event of failing to get a 1st down) and using Dixon's awesome legs to give a chance at something happening?

There is more. But those are the major ones in my view.

[NW Steeler]

Re: Reality Check...

I don't believe that this is an average team. And I don't buy into that "you are what your record is". There are too many variables involved. This is the same team that won the SB last year! Is it all injury related? I don't think so. Is it coaching? Is it complacency? Is it a little bit of bad luck? I believe that it is a combination of all of these things, along with a little bit of aging ( Farrior and Hampton) along with a couple of average players (Gay and Clark). I do believe that we can make the playoffs. Beyond that, I don't know. I know in 05' after we lost to Cinci and were 7-6 that there was no way in hell that I thought we were good enough to win the SB. You just never know what is going to happen. A return of Troy, Ben and Kemo will help, I DO KNOW that.

[Ghost]

Re: Reality Check...

I don't believe that this is an average team. And I don't buy into that "you are what your record is".

How about now? Are the Steelers actually the best 6-6 team in the league...

Do good teams allow 3 TD's in the 4th quarter to the Raiders? The F'n Raiders. You know what - you were right this team isn't average. Average would be a step up.

[Jooser]

Re: Reality Check...

I don't care how many points you lose by, we've now lost 6 games and the slide continues...and that my friend is the reality of the situation.

[skyhawk]

Re: Reality Check...

I knew when the Steelers scored with 1:58 left it was too much time. I seriously thought to myself that I wished I was Gradkowski. I thought he is gotta be lickin his chops vs. one of the worst 2min defenses in league history.

[Shoe]

Re: Reality Check...

I agree with you in that no one will want to see the Steelers in the playoffs.

I don't know about you guys, but that is even more frustrating... supposedly have a team "no one" wants to play--and you are sitting home, watching other (lesser) teams play.

[Ghost]

Re: Reality Check...

Are you kidding - every team watching this defense completely collapse in the 4th Q over and over again - this is exactly the team other teams want to face. It makes me sick to my stomach, but the Steelers ARE one of the lesser teams. Saying anything else is a total lack of objectivity.

If another team in the division was 6-6 with a 4 game losing streak and a fan came here talking about what a good team they were, they'd be laughed off the board. Time to look in the mirror. Saying the Steelers are good is simply untrue at this point.

[AngryAsian]

Re: Reality Check...

Are you kidding - every team watching this defense completely collapse in the 4th Q over and over again - this is exactly they team other teams want to face. It makes me sick to my stomach, but the Steelers ARE one of the lesser teams. Saying anything else is a total lack of objectivity.

If another team in the division was 6-6 with a 4 game losing streak and ca fan came here talking about what a good team they were, they'd be laughed off the board. Time to look in the mirror. Saying the Steelers are good is simply untrue at this point.

Logic, in excess.

[Chadman]

Re: Reality Check...

The 'reality' of it is this- in Chadman's opinion-

We can't blame injuries for this season. The Steelers have been in a position every week to win, yet they have found ways to lose games. The fact that they are in these games proves that they have the talent to win them. It's not skill that is holding them back, but attitude.

They are not hungry.

It's much like 2006- they've come back from the pinnicle, and have been caught having a nap thinking how great they are.

The Defense is playing soft- both in the playcalling & effort on the field. The offense isn't putting teams away. ST's is horrid.

There are some highlights this season- Mike Wallace's play, improved OL play, Rashard Mendenhall...

But in the end, this season will be known as a wasted season- one where they had the NFL at it's feet, and decided to take the year off.

[feltdizz]

Re: Reality Check...

The 'reality' of it is this- in Chadman's opinion-

We can't blame injuries for this season. The Steelers have been in a position every week to win, yet they have found ways to lose games. The fact that they are in these games proves that they have the talent to win them. It's not skill that is holding them back, but attitude.

They are not hungry.

It's much like 2006- they've come back from the pinnicle, and have been caught having a nap thinking how great they are.

The Defense is playing soft- both in the playcalling & effort on the field. The offense isn't putting teams away. ST's is horrid.

There are some highlights this season- Mike Wallace's play, improved OL play, Rashard Mendenhall...

But in the end, this season will be known as a wasted season- one where they had the NFL at it's feet, and decided to take the year off.

While the O could put up some more points.. do you really think the D would let them get away with it? This D reminds me of that one player on the team in HS who really doesn't have any desire to play or practice one the post season starts...

This D is in offseason mode already.. they are thinking about cheap houses they can buy in this market.. no part of the DB's minds are on football right now..

I feel like the locker room is divided and the D is pissed off at the O and decided to take the year off. Maybe Ben should have taken the DL to the WWE event..

[Sugar]

Re: Reality Check...

I gotta agree w/ Chadman here. This season has been extremely disappointing to say the least.

You didn't need to have black and gold glasses on to pick this team to be 12-4 at worst- many experts did just that. Many of them don't even particularly care for the Steelers. The fact that they returned much of the same talent and had a much lesser slate of opponents this year led many, myself included, to believe that they had a legit chance at the Lombardi again.

This is a team that at one point was one of the elite this season being able to conquer the Vikings. For whatever reason, as it stands now, they are one of the teams in the bottom third of the league. The Bears, Raiders and Cheifs are bad teams, but somehow the Steelers have found a way to lose to each.

Sad.

[Chadman]

Re: Reality Check...

Actually, there is one thing Chadman hadn't thought of but feltdizz got Chadman's mind working..

Does anyone think that Ben's off field trouble could be effecting the team on the field?

When your franchise QB, all $100 million of him, is involved in legal trouble that simply won't go away, does it play negatively on the minds of your teammates?

Could it be partially to blame for the total lack of desire that we see before us?