The Crossroads

[lifelongsteel]

The crossroads. That is where this team finds itself. A lot of posters are holding off in making predictions until they see more, and while I like to mock this stance I understand it. There are a lot of unknowns. 12-4 is on the table from the optimistic crowd. 4-12 is on the table as well. Neither would be particularly surprising. But something tells me that mediocrity will not reign again. We're going up or we're going down. For clarity's sake let's hope that's the case.

The roster has almost completely turned over since our last SB appearance. Gone are the stalwarts we cheered for. In their place are largely unproven commodities. Even guys we consider proven - Heyward, Worilds, DeCastro - are in the first or second year of starting. Then there is the group of unknowns. Are they ready to move forward and be productive effective NFL players?

So, we are at the moment of Tomlin and Ben. People here tend to think of Ben as a fixed variable, a given for excellence while treating Tomlin as a coach with a lot to prove. I believe they both have a lot to prove. Now is the time.

Tomlin was able to construct a team to his liking, to play schemes to his liking. Ben is the man now - he can't lean on a top 5 defense. He can't lean on a whole group of team leaders. It's up to him. He's got to play 16 quality games, not the 10-12 we are accustomed to from him. For 2 stratight years we have fallen short. Sharper play from Ben. Sharper coaching from Tomlin we are in the playoffs both years.

So what do i think will happen? I'm on record with 12-4, though i do think that's the best possible outcome. I think Ben will have his best year. I think Tomlin will do a better job. I think our new stalwarts can really play. I think a solid group of young contributors will emerge.

I think all of that will be enough in a weak AFC and AFC North

And if not, and it goes the other way, it will be on both Tomlin and Ben. And it will be time for an overhaul in some form or fashion.

This much is clear to me. Until the outcome is settled . . .

I ride

[bradshaw2ben]

I totally ride but Ben is truly weighed down by what they've been trying to do for 2 years plus now. Even his greatest gift, avoiding rush, extending plays, and killing a defense with that is, dare I say, rusty from the lack of practice doing it and the lack of mindset to be "do or die". He has very little talent around him. Thank ye gods that the schedule is pretty tame, that helps a lot.

If Haley doesn't pull his own head out his ass or at least get the fuck out of the way, and if defensive contact and holding is called as it has been thusfar in 2014, the Steelers are at best a 9-7 team. I have every reason to expect all three of those things and would be thrilled to be surprised about any of them.

[Legacy User]

And we pray and we pray and we pray, every day every day every day...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9IXAJg4Vm0[/youtube]

[jebrick]

I think they are more on the Buddhist wheel of life/rebirth than a cross roads. The NFL is cyclical. Drafting at the bottom for a long time leads to having less talent than drafting at the top. Even Mike Brown could not fuck up drafting in the top ten for long.

I remember looking at teams average drafting position back in 2010. The Steelers, in the past 10 years, had drafted an average of 24( 23.6 or 23.8) Higher than even the Pats. The Giants were the only other team close. Go for that long and the talent pool will fall.

The Key for the FO is how long will the valley be before another peak.

[StillMadAtSlobber]

I can see nothing with an unpolluted mind that makes me think Tomlin can coach sharper. Except for the fact that it might be impossible for him to coach stupider than last year... Mind you that is only a technicality.

[jeemie]

I can see nothing with an unpolluted mind that makes me think Tomlin can coach sharper. Except for the fact that it might be impossible for him to coach stupider than last year... Mind you that is only a technicality.

One small clue that expecting Tomlin to coach sharper is a lot to be hoping for?

In the game Thursday night, he let 13 seconds tick off the clock late in the first half and then called a timeout.

So that shows me his clock management skills are where they've always been...in the toilet.

[lifelongsteel]

I totally ride but Ben is truly weighed down by what they've been trying to do for 2 years plus now. Even his greatest gift, avoiding rush, extending plays, and killing a defense with that is, dare I say, rusty from the lack of practice doing it and the lack of mindset to be "do or die". He has very little talent around him. Thank ye gods that the schedule is pretty tame, that helps a lot.

If Haley doesn't pull his own head out his ass or at least get the fuck out of the way, and if defensive contact and holding is called as it has been thusfar in 2014, the Steelers are at best a 9-7 team. I have every reason to expect all three of those things and would be thrilled to be surprised about any of them.

Think about your comments re: his greatest gifts. You can't build an offense around those things. If a guy is only at his best under duress than you've got some trouble. He has got to improve his in rhythm game or we're screwed. That other shit he's so good at should be the last resort.

Think about Joffre in WW1 from those podcasts. How much better off would France have been if he had kicked it into high gear "before" the germans were viewable from the walls of Paris? That's Ben.

[lifelongsteel]

I can see nothing with an unpolluted mind that makes me think Tomlin can coach sharper. Except for the fact that it might be impossible for him to coach stupider than last year... Mind you that is only a technicality.

One small clue that expecting Tomlin to coach sharper is a lot to be hoping for?

In the game Thursday night, he let 13 seconds tick off the clock late in the first half and then called a timeout.

So that shows me his clock management skills are where they've always been...in the toilet.

All true. He needs to improve in other areas because he won't get better in this area. clock management stuff is either in your brain or it isn't. He's like Andy Reid. He'll never figure it out. And like Any Reid he has too much pride to ask for help with the math.

[Legacy User]

Great thread and post, brother!

I ride always!

Let's GO! I have faith in this mostly young team, riding the arm of the veteran Big Ben, and the defensive wisdom of Dick LeBeau. I have confidence we can not only make noise this year, but get to the post-season and whatever happens from that point forward will happen. Let's GO!

[Legacy User]

We are a young team now, I think we may start a little slow but as long as we can scrape together some wins early on I think we can be dangerous once young guys really start to catch on

[bradshaw2ben]

I totally ride but Ben is truly weighed down by what they've been trying to do for 2 years plus now. Even his greatest gift, avoiding rush, extending plays, and killing a defense with that is, dare I say, rusty from the lack of practice doing it and the lack of mindset to be "do or die". He has very little talent around him. Thank ye gods that the schedule is pretty tame, that helps a lot.

If Haley doesn't pull his own head out his ass or at least get the fuck out of the way, and if defensive contact and holding is called as it has been thusfar in 2014, the Steelers are at best a 9-7 team. I have every reason to expect all three of those things and would be thrilled to be surprised about any of them.

Think about your comments re: his greatest gifts. You can't build an offense around those things. If a guy is only at his best under duress than you've got some trouble. He has got to improve his in rhythm game or we're screwed. That other shit he's so good at should be the last resort.

Think about Joffre in WW1 from those podcasts. How much better off would France have been if he had kicked it into high gear "before" the germans were viewable from the walls of Paris? That's Ben.

no one is saying you should only improvise-- just that he ought to get more freedom to do it situationally, because otherwise he's fighting the Great War without using our best weapon.

[Legacy User]

We are a young team now, I think we may start a little slow but as long as we can scrape together some wins early on I think we can be dangerous once young guys really start to catch on

And there will be countless "we're easing into the season" jokes even though it might be perfectly natural that we'll be better later in the season than early.

[Legacy User]

I'm going with 11-5 and AFC North title

[Legacy User]

I'm at 10-6 or 11-5, I think either will win AFC North

[SteelBull]

2-14. Fire Tomlin and fick dich to the Rooney's!

[steelclan]

I see 9-7 and a wild card.

[lifelongsteel]

2-14. Fire Tomlin and fick dich to the Rooney's!

Same prediction every year.

[Legacy User]

2-14. Fire Tomlin and fick dich to the Rooney's!

Same prediction every year.

Ovviamente!

[Legacy User]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMYAEHE2GrM[/youtube]

[Steelafan77]

9-7 is my hard to write prediction.

[StillMadAtSlobber]

I dont want to touch this with a 10 foot pole. I can see 10-6 and 6-10.