12-4 scenario.

[955876]

We could end up winning out to go 12-4, get a first round bye, and then face a team in the divisional round that just happened to lose their starting QB, RB, and two olineman.

Somehow that patchwork team would pull out a win late while Jibba was trusting his D with but a 4 point lead for a quarter and a half all the while tripping over himself to manage the clock properly.

This team isn’t winning shit of significance until they either replace Jibbs or he learns to manage the clock at a 5th grade level AND comes to the realization (not likely after all these years) that 4 point leads aren’t safe in today’s NFL.

Until those things happen nothing really matters when it comes to this team.

[Kodiak]

Also, I'm not looking forward to the inevitable game(s) when the defense starts sitting on the short passing game and our coaches are completely unprepared for it....And they'll let Rudolph flail around against it because Tomlin only cares about enough offensive production to give them a chance to win in the end.

[955876]

No worries if that happens. He will just tell Fichtner to run some more wildcat. They’ll never see it coming.

[the-other-burg]

Lets get past the Dolphin first.

Worst team in the league + 15 days off, this is a game we might lose even if we were 5-1.

Nothing's a gimmie with this team.

[stillthere]

I'll ride. Any team with a strong defense and a running game is a threat to make the playoffs.

The passing game is under development given all of the new parts which are being required to be main components. Baby steps in that area are fine by me. After all, neither qb has more than 100 professional throws to his name.

Running game???

According to Footballoutsiders.com, Steelers have the 24th best running game, adjusted for strength of opponent. 19% worse than an average NFL RB in 2019.

The problem is those touch passes they ran vs cinci all count as passes instead of jet sweeps and that alone would skew the numbers and the same could be said about some of the passes into the flat vs LAC they are extensions of the run game.

[Kodiak]

Not to shit on the "never had a losing season" mantra, but we have gone from "SB Contender" mid-2018 to a bad team that's now lost 8 of its last 12 games.

[Steelafan77]

But this is a first rate run franchise of 86 years! This is the Second Best-ist coach in the NFL! How can this be?!

[Jizz Mop]

Not to shit on the "never had a losing season" mantra, but we have gone from "SB Contender" mid-2018 to a bad team that's now lost 8 of its last 12 games.

4-8 is below the line if you will

We’re still a SB contender...maybe not this year but check back next year

[COR-TEN]

Not to shit on the "never had a losing season" mantra, but we have gone from "SB Contender" mid-2018 to a bad team that's now lost 8 of its last 12 games.

And six of those 8 losses are with BR under center. And two of the four wins are with a #2 and #3 at QB.

[Jizz Mop]

Not to shit on the "never had a losing season" mantra, but we have gone from "SB Contender" mid-2018 to a bad team that's now lost 8 of its last 12 games.

And six of those 8 losses are with BR under center. And two of the four wins are with a #2 and #3 at QB.

Speaks to what an amazing coach the Steelers have

[Jobu]

Not to shit on the "never had a losing season" mantra, but we have gone from "SB Contender" mid-2018 to a bad team that's now lost 8 of its last 12 games.

And six of those 8 losses are with BR under center. And two of the four wins are with a #2 and #3 at QB.

I honestly don’t know what your point is here, Cor.

If Tomlin somehow manages to get this team to the post season, I will be impressed. I don’t have confidence that he can.

[Professor Half Wit]

Not to shit on the "never had a losing season" mantra, but we have gone from "SB Contender" mid-2018 to a bad team that's now lost 8 of its last 12 games.

And six of those 8 losses are with BR under center. And two of the four wins are with a #2 and #3 at QB.

I honestly don’t know what your point is here, Cor.

If Tomlin somehow manages to get this team to the post season, I will be impressed. I don’t have confidence that he can.

Pretty sure the point is that all this underachieving is just as much Ben's fault as Tomlin's. The proof would seem to be that Ben played in six of those losses.

I'm providing exegesis, not endorsement.

By this logic, we should blame Villy and Heyward, too. They started in all those losses. One could even say Tomlin is great and his players, including Ben, just fail to execute.

[Kodiak]

By this logic, we should blame Villy and Heyward, too. They started in all those losses. One could even say Tomlin is great and his players, including Ben, just fail to execute.

Well, and three of those "Ben losses" are the Dobbs experiment, bad elbow and extended preseason at NE.


Anyway, the big question going forward is whether they let Rudolph play, or try to win with a game manager.

[COR-TEN]

And six of those 8 losses are with BR under center. And two of the four wins are with a #2 and #3 at QB.

I honestly don’t know what your point is here, Cor.

If Tomlin somehow manages to get this team to the post season, I will be impressed. I don’t have confidence that he can.

Pretty sure the point is that all this underachieving is just as much Ben's fault as Tomlin's. The proof would seem to be that Ben played in six of those losses.

I'm providing exegesis, not endorsement.

By this logic, we should blame Villy and Heyward, too. They started in all those losses. One could even say Tomlin is great and his players, including Ben, just fail to execute.

Villy and Heyward don't play QB, arguably the most important position in football.

But at least some can acknowledge that tomlin isn't the only source of blame.

[Jobu]

I honestly don’t know what your point is here, Cor.

If Tomlin somehow manages to get this team to the post season, I will be impressed. I don’t have confidence that he can.

Pretty sure the point is that all this underachieving is just as much Ben's fault as Tomlin's. The proof would seem to be that Ben played in six of those losses.

I'm providing exegesis, not endorsement.

By this logic, we should blame Villy and Heyward, too. They started in all those losses. One could even say Tomlin is great and his players, including Ben, just fail to execute.

Villy and Heyward don't play QB, arguably the most important position in football.

But at least some can acknowledge that tomlin isn't the only source of blame.

So is it Ben that insists on easing in to games, playing attrition football, controlling the clock and running the offense to get to third down? I guess Ben insisted that he shouldn’t go back in the game, wanted to see what Dobbs could do at Oakland because he liked the flow of the game. And of course it was Ben that insisted that slow as molasses Rosie Nix run the ball up the gut on a 4th and 5 fake punt.
C’mon man...Mike Tomlin is the head coach, he owns this shit. He is bad at his job, the evidence is out there for everyone to see.
But no worries...he’s as comfy as a baby in it’s mother’s arms.

[COR-TEN]

Jobu, I said only source of blame. Tomlin is guilty as charged, but he's not the only reason this team falters. I simply don't subscribe to "The buck stops here" mentality. Too many moving parts. And as I said in another thread, that meme is assigning blame for the sake of assigning blame, instead of looking at all the problems that lead to losses.

[Jobu]

Jobu, I said only source of blame. Tomlin is guilty as charged, but he's not the only reason this team falters. I simply don't subscribe to "The buck stops here" mentality. Too many moving parts. And as I said in another thread, that meme is assigning blame for the sake of assigning blame, instead of looking at all the problems that lead to losses.

Of course Tomlin is not the only reason this team falters, just as Bill Belichick isn’t the only reason the Pats succeed. But the man in charge is ultimately responsible for everything that happens under him...yes, the buck does stop there. It has to stop somewhere. Tomlin has had far too many failures since his last success. Even if you want to give him a pass for the current issues due to injury, there has been too much underachieving, too many of the same problems and issues with this team over the years...on and off the field. He needs to be held accountable. He’s been coasting on his past accomplishments way too long, IMO.

If Tomlin somehow manages to get this current group in to the Post season, he’ll regain a lot of my respect, but I’m not confident that’s going to happen.

[Stallworth16]

The Pipe-dream is still alive. When I originally posted this, we were 2-4. I gave us a 5% chance of going 12-4, and 20% chance of playoffs.

Now at 4-4, i’ll give a 15% chance of 12-4, and 42% chance of playoffs.

[Kodiak]

The Pipe-dream is still alive. When I originally posted this, we were 2-4. I gave us a 5% chance of going 12-4, and 20% chance of playoffs.

Now at 4-4, i’ll give a 15% chance of 12-4, and 42% chance of playoffs.

Well, they lucked out to win a game I predicted Tomlin would cost them. I was wrong for the right reason.

If they can manage to dodge the other Tomlin landmine, then at least 8-8 is a real possibility.....which right now looks like a decent shot at a wild card.

But, ummm, a Mike Tomlin team with Mason Rudolph in the playoffs?!? Severe property damage may result....

[jeemie]

The Pipe-dream is still alive. When I originally posted this, we were 2-4. I gave us a 5% chance of going 12-4, and 20% chance of playoffs.

Now at 4-4, i’ll give a 15% chance of 12-4, and 42% chance of playoffs.

Well, they lucked out to win a game I predicted Tomlin would cost them. I was wrong for the right reason.

If they can manage to dodge the other Tomlin landmine, then at least 8-8 is a real possibility.....which right now looks like a decent shot at a wild card.

But, ummm, a Mike Tomlin team with Mason Rudolph in the playoffs?!? Severe property damage may result....

Rams
@Browns
@Bengals
Browns
@Cardinals
Bills
@Jets
@Ravens

Where do you see four more losses? I see three at most so 9-7 is a real possibility.

[Kodiak]

Rams
@Browns
@Bengals
Browns
@Cardinals
Bills
@Jets
@Ravens

Where do you see four more losses? I see three at most so 9-7 is a real possibility.

You have to remember Mike Tomlin is the HC. This team will lose at least 1-2 games they should win, just like what almost happened today.

Otherwise I have them losing to Rams, Cards, Browns (once) and Bills....and BAL, if that game matters. They may win 1 or 2 of those games, but lose one of the others they are supposed to win.

And they're not winning another 4 games with Rudolph being captain checkdown. That has to change for them to have a realistic shot at 8+ wins.

[jeemie]

Rams
@Browns
@Bengals
Browns
@Cardinals
Bills
@Jets
@Ravens

Where do you see four more losses? I see three at most so 9-7 is a real possibility.

You have to remember Mike Tomlin is the HC. This team will lose at least 1-2 games they should win, just like what almost happened today.

Otherwise I have them losing to Rams, Cards, Browns (once) and Bills....and BAL, if that game matters. They may win 1 or 2 of those games, but lose one of the others they are supposed to win.

And they're not winning another 4 games with Rudolph being captain checkdown. That has to change for them to have a realistic shot at 8+ wins.

Arizona is pretty bad...although the game being in Phoenix could factor into it, I guess.

I agree...I think it's actually the intermediate passing game that has to open up....between 8 and 15 yards.

We need to start getting our TEs down the field- I abhor how McDonald and Vannett are being used right now.

[Steelafan77]

Right, because you take two potential additional weapons off the table by having them in for blocking assignments only. Talk about limiting yourselves? Fucking Steelers seem like the last team in the league that uses their TE's in the passing game. Only when it's all out panic mode have we seen McDonald/Vannett emerge as receivers. That has to change for the good of this offense and their hopes of winning more games. This isn't the 1950's football. TE's can and know how to catch down field. How about implementing a more diverse game plan that includes both as skill players that can contribute more in moving the chains?

[Lynch]

I don't think we have the talent to overcome the coaching blunders. Maybe we get to the playoffs, but unless this D turns into the second coming of the iron curtain, I don't think we make it very far once there. As for 12-4, well, I haven't been that blindly optimistic in a while.

[Kodiak]

Arizona is pretty bad...although the game being in Phoenix could factor into it, I guess.

I agree...I think it's actually the intermediate passing game that has to open up....between 8 and 15 yards.

We need to start getting our TEs down the field- I abhor how McDonald and Vannett are being used right now.

The other thing I'm taking into account is I don't continue to expect a lot of help from defensive turnovers. Sure, that could persist for the entire year, but it's not something I would stake on....and our offense presently can't win another 4 games without that turnover help.

[Jobu]

I don't think we have the talent to overcome the coaching blunders. Maybe we get to the playoffs, but unless this D turns into the second coming of the iron curtain, I don't think we make it very far once there. As for 12-4, well, I haven't been that blindly optimistic in a while.

Communists?

[Lynch]

Heh.. yeah, they'd need a Berlin wall at about the ten yd line.