3-0 Thoughts

[SteelerDayTrader]

- Fields Smith and Tomlin have all done better than I thought. I hope it continues. Plenty of room for real growth

- I won’t be surprised if Fautanu struggles to live up to our hopes moving forward unfortunately. I’m guessing a dislocated kneecap entails a lot more than the mere kneecap as if that doesn’t sound bad enough. Somehow I just can’t see a 320 + tackle moving on from that with little to no permanent setback

- Rotating a threesome of struggling OTs ?? I’ve never heard of anything like that from any other team in the several decades I’ve followed the game and I certainly don’t trust that the Steelers are on to something revolutionary. Truthfully when I gave it some thought about how that could’ve come to be it sounds like no one in the room had a clue about how to genuinely get better OT performance and someone suggested they give them all some work and see what happens. And more truth. I’m not necessarily opposed to the let’s see what happens approach at times however in this instance it just vibes like 1) The Steelers are clueless how to develop OTs and/or 2) it doesn’t give any of the 3 enough work to really get in a groove. I guess the Fautanu injury puts the kibosh on that idea ??

- Team MVP so far ?? Without Boswell and Waitman I’m not sure they aren’t 0-3

- I like Warren a lot. Solid RB. Maybe he’s nursing injury(s). He’s still very good but IMO he’s lost a little zip.

- I like this defense. I still think depth is a real issue. Particularly at ILB and OLB. I think you gotta be at least 2 or 3 deep at all four spots if you want to make a serious run over a 20/21 game season. And I don’t mean Tyler Matakavich type depth. Starter quality or damn close. Particularly on a team that doesn’t have a Big Ben miracle worker on request. I like Elandon Roberts. Everyone else has ALOT to prove at ILB and currently aren’t doing it consistently or reliably.

- Who’s the tipping point player or players right now ?? On defense I’d say Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson. On offense I’d say Calvin Austin and Darnell Washington. If those players are afforded the opportunities needed to get in and stay in a groove and do so consistently in games this team might do a significant amount more than I suspect. Take notice however. That is a multi lane street. First they gotta get fed. Second they gotta perform. And finally they gotta do it over the long haul. Off ball linebacker is really up in the air in particular. Here’s hoping for the best

- I’m done wishing and hoping for a Tomlin that doesn’t exist. I’ve made an uneasy peace with Tomlinball. It’s not gonna change anytime soon. It’s exactly what Deuce and the Steeler zeitgeist want and adore. Not my choice but I’m gonna root for wins and try to post from a perspective that this is what we are now and for a long foreseeable future and I want wins and championships. Might as well make (and mock) the best of it

- I gotta say again. Fields has done ALOT better than I thought. When the inevitable Fibonacci retracement occurs I’m gonna try to remember he’s earned…..some…..slack.

- What kind of lead in the AFC North would I feel fairly safe with barring crazy injuries piling up ? A 5 game lead over the next in line. That schedule looks crazy tough at the end


Go Steelers !!

[Havoc]

I came into the season looking forward to Dallas Mavericks basketball. Made it to the finals last year. Young still developing franchise player with hopefully his best years ahead of him.

Oh, and I don't question the basketball intelligence of the HC.

Wasn't excited at all about the Steelers as a franchise or the direction it's heading going into this season (per my post comparing Steelers and Cowboys since 2011 in another thread).

I have Steelers friends at a Steelers bar. I enjoy the camaraderie (and the draft beer). Decided to try to enjoy the games as much as I can.

Anyway, the team has caught my interest a little. Interested to see just how good this defense really is. And if the D turns out to be truly great... then I'm interested to see what happens with Fields this season...

I wrote before the season, only chance of ever getting another Lombardi with Tomlin at HC is similar to the way we got one the first time.

So, just in case we get 10,000 lightening strikes in our favor...

...or, there's always the camaraderie and the draft beer LOL

...and the Mavericks will be starting soon

[gojira5150]

I came into the season looking forward to Dallas Mavericks basketball. Made it to the finals last year. Young still developing franchise player with hopefully his best years ahead of him.

Your boy better stop being a crybaby and whining all the time. He's an awesome offensive talent, but he plays zero D. I've been a Lakers fan since '79 and can't wait for Lebron to be gone. I truly cannot stand him.

[Thrillsseeker]

I came into the season looking forward to Dallas Mavericks basketball. Made it to the finals last year. Young still developing franchise player with hopefully his best years ahead of him.

Your boy better stop being a crybaby and whining all the time. He's an awesome offensive talent, but he plays zero D. I've been a Lakers fan since '79 and can't wait for Lebron to be gone. I truly cannot stand him.

Amen. Lebron can’t go away soon enough. He’s a POS.

[Havoc]

I came into the season looking forward to Dallas Mavericks basketball. Made it to the finals last year. Young still developing franchise player with hopefully his best years ahead of him.

Your boy better stop being a crybaby and whining all the time. He's an awesome offensive talent, but he plays zero D. I've been a Lakers fan since '79 and can't wait for Lebron to be gone. I truly cannot stand him.

haha

Luka was not ready to be a champion. Few superstars that age are though.

He actually avoided the referee meltdowns in the playoffs before the finals.

Mavs started playing tough team defense the final month of the regular season and continued in the playoffs before the finals. Really, they were matching their opponents defensively or exceeding them in the playoffs before the finals.

It was ugly Luka in the finals. His referee meltdowns hurt his team. That CANNOT EVER happen on that stage. It hurt his focus and affected his play. And he didn't bring it on defense like he had been doing.

That wasn't the only problem the Mavs had in the finals though. Lack of perimeter shooting reared it's ugly head, and the team as a whole broke down defensively too often (Celtics did that to pretty much everyone though). And the city of Boston was in Kyrie's head.

So, I can only hope that Luka matures and keeps polishing his game. We shall see.

Mavericks are going to destroy some teams in the RS this year with their offense (Luka,Kyrie,Clay). Will be fun to watch when it's rolling. I'm concerned about a possible step back defensively though (Jones out, older version of Clay Thompson in). Kidd has some new pieces and hopefully quality depth to mix and match with. Not sure how it will shake out in the end but I expect the Mavs to contend for the best record in the West.

Another note... Hard to believe that when the season started last year Derrick Lively was ONLY 19 YEARS OLD. Mavs wouldn't have made it to the finals without him. The young man appears to be mature way beyond his years. Wonder how good he might become.

Fun time to be a Mavericks fan!!!!!!!!!

[Gonzo]

I don’t like the general direction of the team and have been clear on that forever.

But as I said in another post i will keep that to myself for now and hope they stay on a nice roll.

one thing that gives me some hope from watching a bunch of games this years … is there seems to be a whole lot of teams playing boring risk-averse and time wasting football. and it’s a good day anytime a steeler opponent is equally predictable and content to waste 50 minutes of game time. maybe a glut of coaches interested in keeping their jobs and not shining any light on their potential “mistakes”. That said - it’s why also IMO the bills, chiefs and a few others will be very hard for any of these teams to beat come playoff time

[bradshaw2ben]

I don’t like the general direction of the team and have been clear on that forever.

But as I said in another post i will keep that to myself for now and hope they stay on a nice roll.

one thing that gives me some hope from watching a bunch of games this years … is there seems to be a whole lot of teams playing boring risk-averse and time wasting football. and it’s a good day anytime a steeler opponent is equally predictable and content to waste 50 minutes of game time. maybe a glut of coaches interested in keeping their jobs and not shining any light on their potential “mistakes”. That said - it’s why also IMO the bills, chiefs and a few others will be very hard for any of these teams to beat come playoff time

It’s like playing four corners basketball (Chaminade vs Georgetown) every game.

[K_C_]

I don’t like the general direction of the team and have been clear on that forever.

But as I said in another post i will keep that to myself for now and hope they stay on a nice roll.

one thing that gives me some hope from watching a bunch of games this years … is there seems to be a whole lot of teams playing boring risk-averse and time wasting football. and it’s a good day anytime a steeler opponent is equally predictable and content to waste 50 minutes of game time. maybe a glut of coaches interested in keeping their jobs and not shining any light on their potential “mistakes”. That said - it’s why also IMO the bills, chiefs and a few others will be very hard for any of these teams to beat come playoff time

We'll find out more about the direction of the team if either Fields takes the next step, or if he doesn't.

If Fields truly is developing into the kind of QB you can win with (no point in debating how much the Steelers can win with him. If Fields goes 12-5 as a starter and is making progress as a passer, he will be the QB long term whether we like it or not) then the Steelers can pass on taking a QB very early next season and concentrate on WR, RB, DL, Edge (yes because I don't think Highsmith is long for this team and depth there will be huge) and a QB to develop behind Fields in maybe the 5th round.

If Fields fails to take the next step and we're fighting for the infamous NHALS, then QB very early is probably a certainty.

I agree the Steelers are playing boring, risk averse football with Fields right now. If he starts making plays down the field and limiting his mistakes, I think Arthur Smith would be only too happy to open up the offense for him.

Gonna be interesting to see how this plays out.

[Gonzo]

it apears to be a leage-wide infection

[bradshaw2ben]

Most of the coaches in the league are afraid of everything. You can calculate all the analytics you want; Coaches gonna run back to their cave if they see their own shadow.

[Steel Bingo]

Have to love the way the Steelers defense has risen to the challenges so far. Wk. 1 vs. Cousins and all the Falcons weapons, one garbage TD. Wk. 2 the second consecutive week on the road, no TDs. Wk. 3 vs. the #1 rushing attack in the league, shut it down. And when Highsmith went out, Herbig burst onto the scene for some big plays.

Additionally, when the opponent has not been able to raise their game, also love the way Pittsburgh has not given in or played down to that level.

All very good signs.

[PennyBacker]

Justin Fields protecting the football is possibly the most significant development to Pittsburgh’s success. Right up next to the Steelers defense playing the way it has.

Fields has to continue to play within himself, as well as not force things to players who are not there. He has been fantastic so far.

[Gonzo]

I don’t like the general direction of the team and have been clear on that forever.

But as I said in another post i will keep that to myself for now and hope they stay on a nice roll.

one thing that gives me some hope from watching a bunch of games this years … is there seems to be a whole lot of teams playing boring risk-averse and time wasting football. and it’s a good day anytime a steeler opponent is equally predictable and content to waste 50 minutes of game time. maybe a glut of coaches interested in keeping their jobs and not shining any light on their potential “mistakes”. That said - it’s why also IMO the bills, chiefs and a few others will be very hard for any of these teams to beat come playoff time

It’s like playing four corners basketball (Chaminade vs Georgetown) every game.

you would think like the NCAA back then the NFL would be interested in how they can discourage this type of game

[Gonzo]

Most of the coaches in the league are afraid of everything. You can calculate all the analytics you want; Coaches gonna run back to their cave if they see their own shadow.

the odder part IMO - is I understand playing 4 corners if you are Chaminade or Princeton. not everyone can have Mahones or the 9ers talent or patrick ewing all the time. it’s that many of these guys show no interest in trying to develop a team to that level or taking the chances needed to get there or beat those top line

the majority are with Tomlin - he is the rule now. maybe that’s good for us

[Gonzo]

on an (ex)coach by unrelated note - I want to kick rex ryan in the mouth everytime i see him

[Deebo]

Have to love the way the Steelers defense has risen to the challenges so far. Wk. 1 vs. Cousins and all the Falcons weapons, one garbage TD. Wk. 2 the second consecutive week on the road, no TDs. Wk. 3 vs. the #1 rushing attack in the league, shut it down. And when Highsmith went out, Herbig burst onto the scene for some big plays.

Additionally, when the opponent has not been able to raise their game, also love the way Pittsburgh has not given in or played down to that level.

All very good signs.

Well that didn't last long...