Watson done for season

[W&M_Steeler]

Yeah the confluence of the Unleash hell venue, the no-name QB looking like a stud, the HC who outcoached Tomlin from his basement, and the OL backups off the street are scaring me a little ngl

The Browns are 1-4 vs the Steelers since that playoff game.

And can someone please point me to an example of a no-name QB looking like a stud vs the Steelers?

Mike Glennon and Terrelle Pryor were the first to come to mind, but I'll make you a list.

The losses to Mike Glennon teams were catastrophic for the Steelers in retrospect.

Losing to rookie Mike Glennon and the ultimately 2-14 Tampa Bay Bucs at home went a long way towards ruining the 2014 season. That team should have had a 1st round bye. Beat that team and the 4-12 Jets that year and the Steelers are the 1 seed. I think the 2014 loss to the Bucs was Tomlin's worst loss as a head coach, and 2014 was probably his worst performance as a Head Coach (other than arguably 2018) when the 2014 LeGarrette Blount / Running Back debacle is taken into consideration. No excuse for that Steelers team, with Ben at his absolute peak, ended up playing a Wild Card playoff game starting a fresh off the street Ben Tate as RB. Of course Tate is useless and the Ravens render the Steelers utterly one-dimensional, concussing Ben mid-game and leaving that Steelers team one and done. What a wasted opportunity.

The 2017 loss to Mike Glennon's ultimately 5-11 Bears was also terrible. Beat that team and the Steelers are the #1 seed in the playoffs, drawing the Titans instead of the Jags (who were a tough match-up for the Steelers that season).

Two losses to Mike Glennon = 2 wasted seasons during the 2010s Super Bowl window.

Now we're hoping that our pathetic offense is just a little better than the Browns' 3rd string QB pathetic offense so we can defend NHALS and maybe sneak in as a 7th Seed. Yeah! How the mighty have fallen...

[Professor Half Wit]

The past is inalterable, the future is uncertain, and the end is always near. The Steelers are 6-3 against a fuck ton of odds.

A lot of you seem football miserable and unable to be football happy. I feel sorry for you.

This season so far is fun as hell. Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and cheer up.

Ride the bus until the wheels fall off. Unreal and hilarious it hasn’t happened yet.

[Pabst]

Losing to rookie Mike Glennon

Glennon wasn't a rookie. He'd started 16 games to that point in his career.

I realize that's a bit of a nitpick and it doesn't excuse the loss, but this is in the context of the Steelers facing a 5th round rookie starting his 2nd career game this weekend.

[W&M_Steeler]

Losing to rookie Mike Glennon

Glennon wasn't a rookie. He'd started 16 games to that point in his career.

I realize that's a bit of a nitpick and it doesn't excuse the loss, but this is in the context of the Steelers facing a 5th round rookie starting his 2nd career game this weekend.

A loss against the grizzled second-year vet Mike Glennon, at home and with healthy starters, isn't any better. If Tomlin & Co. can botch a game like that with a much better team than this current iteration of the Steelers, then any game is eminently losable.

The only thing I'd say is that Tomlin's embarrassing losses tend to come when he (and the team) has obviously overlooked the team, and Tomlin's Steelers tend not to overlook divisional rivals. I doubt DTR or whatever his name is comes out and lights up the Steelers this week, though the Browns might be able to run on them.

[Pabst]

The past is inalterable, the future is uncertain, and the end is always near. The Steelers are 6-3 against a fuck ton of odds.

A lot of you seem football miserable and unable to be football happy. I feel sorry for you.

This season so far is fun as hell. Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and cheer up.

Ride the bus until the wheels fall off. Unreal and hilarious it hasn’t happened yet.

Do fans of other teams consistently bring up specific games from 10 years ago to justify being pessimistic about their upcoming game?

I mean, we're talking about the Browns here. Do you know how miserable they'd be if they brought up every blown game or loss to a shitty team or bad QB or......oh, right

[Smashmouth21]

The past is inalterable, the future is uncertain, and the end is always near. The Steelers are 6-3 against a fuck ton of odds.

A lot of you seem football miserable and unable to be football happy. I feel sorry for you.

This season so far is fun as hell. Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and cheer up.

Ride the bus until the wheels fall off. Unreal and hilarious it hasn’t happened yet.

Don’t be silly Professor. It’s way more fun (and probably a subconscious defense mechanism for some of these sad souls) to lament success and pretend they can predict the future.

I just enjoy watching them walk back from this team can’t win to this winning is not sustainable to this team can’t make the playoffs to this team can’t compete to the division to well if this team makes the playoffs they will lose in the first round… bunch of failed Nostradamus.

[W&M_Steeler]

The past is inalterable, the future is uncertain, and the end is always near. The Steelers are 6-3 against a fuck ton of odds.

A lot of you seem football miserable and unable to be football happy. I feel sorry for you.

This season so far is fun as hell. Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and cheer up.

Ride the bus until the wheels fall off. Unreal and hilarious it hasn’t happened yet.

Do fans of other teams consistently bring up specific games from 10 years ago to justify being pessimistic about their upcoming game?

I mean, we're talking about the Browns here. Do you know how miserable they'd be if they brought up every blown game or loss to a shitty team or bad QB or......oh, right

Games from 10 years ago aren't relevant for most teams. They're relevant for the Steelers, though, as the Steelers still have the same stale, past his prime head coach who has the same flaws and makes the same mistakes. It's hard for me to muster much enthusiasm for this year's team when I've seen this coach routinely squander much better teams. 6-3 / 3-6... who cares? This team isn't very good compared to the top teams and is going nowhere. I think maybe I need football therapy, as the 2014-2020 period has apparently broken me as a fan

[W&M_Steeler]

The past is inalterable, the future is uncertain, and the end is always near. The Steelers are 6-3 against a fuck ton of odds.

A lot of you seem football miserable and unable to be football happy. I feel sorry for you.

This season so far is fun as hell. Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and cheer up.

Ride the bus until the wheels fall off. Unreal and hilarious it hasn’t happened yet.

Don’t be silly Professor. It’s way more fun (and probably a subconscious defense mechanism for some of these sad souls) to lament success and pretend they can predict the future.

I just enjoy watching them walk back from this team can’t win to this winning is not sustainable to this team can’t make the playoffs to this team can’t compete to the division to well if this team makes the playoffs they will lose in the first round… bunch of failed Nostradamus.

We'll be eating crow at the Super Bowl parade in Pittsburgh this February, I guess. Are you also in the crowd who every July thinks the Pirates are going to win the World Series?

[Smashmouth21]

The past is inalterable, the future is uncertain, and the end is always near. The Steelers are 6-3 against a fuck ton of odds.

A lot of you seem football miserable and unable to be football happy. I feel sorry for you.

This season so far is fun as hell. Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and cheer up.

Ride the bus until the wheels fall off. Unreal and hilarious it hasn’t happened yet.

Don’t be silly Professor. It’s way more fun (and probably a subconscious defense mechanism for some of these sad souls) to lament success and pretend they can predict the future.

I just enjoy watching them walk back from this team can’t win to this winning is not sustainable to this team can’t make the playoffs to this team can’t compete to the division to well if this team makes the playoffs they will lose in the first round… bunch of failed Nostradamus.

We'll be eating crow at the Super Bowl parade in Pittsburgh this February, I guess. Are you also in the crowd who every July thinks the Pirates are going to win the World Series?

Look, I’m not predicting the Steelers will win the Super Bowl. Easiest bet to make is that any particular team won’t win a championship because only one squad ultimately does. But regardless of whether some want to admit it or not, if the Steelers do make the playoffs then there is a chance they could make a run. The teams that have zero chance are the ones that have a losing season and do not even make the tournament. So my friendly advice is not to lose all objectivity but to heed the words of the Professor and try to enjoy the ride.

[Pabst]

Games from 10 years ago aren't relevant for most teams. They're relevant for the Steelers, though, as the Steelers still have the same stale, past his prime head coach who has the same flaws and makes the same mistakes. It's hard for me to muster much enthusiasm for this year's team when I've seen this coach routinely squander much better teams. 6-3 / 3-6... who cares? This team isn't very good compared to the top teams and is going nowhere. I think maybe I need football therapy, as the 2014-2020 period has apparently broken me as a fan

Sure?

As i said earlier, there's not really an example of this happening over the last 4(ish) seasons, and the roster/coaching staff has turned over almost completely since that game.

I'm with the good professor on this one - Enjoy things as they are. I genuinely don't understand why people consistently want to be so negative and re-live bad moments from a decade ago.

[Orangesteel]

The past is inalterable, the future is uncertain, and the end is always near. The Steelers are 6-3 against a fuck ton of odds.

A lot of you seem football miserable and unable to be football happy. I feel sorry for you.

This season so far is fun as hell. Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and cheer up.

Ride the bus until the wheels fall off. Unreal and hilarious it hasn’t happened yet.

Oh come on, lighten up dude. Part of being a fan is being critical. Otherwise what’s the fun? Just blindly rooting for a team regardless of the product they churn out? You can enjoy winning and be critical at the same time.

Great post about the 2014 and 2017 seasons, W&M. Really shows that winning (or losing) against bottom feeders can be massively important in the grand scheme of things.

[W&M_Steeler]

Don’t be silly Professor. It’s way more fun (and probably a subconscious defense mechanism for some of these sad souls) to lament success and pretend they can predict the future.

I just enjoy watching them walk back from this team can’t win to this winning is not sustainable to this team can’t make the playoffs to this team can’t compete to the division to well if this team makes the playoffs they will lose in the first round… bunch of failed Nostradamus.

We'll be eating crow at the Super Bowl parade in Pittsburgh this February, I guess. Are you also in the crowd who every July thinks the Pirates are going to win the World Series?

Look, I’m not predicting the Steelers will win the Super Bowl. Easiest bet to make is that any particular team won’t win a championship because only one squad ultimately does. But regardless of whether some want to admit it or not, if the Steelers do make the playoffs then there is a chance they could make a run. The teams that have zero chance are the ones that have a losing season and do not even make the tournament. So my friendly advice is not to lose all objectivity but to heed the words of the Professor and try to enjoy the ride.

I've lost my ability to suspend disbelief when it comes to the Steelers. Nothing in the past decade+ says the Steelers have any shot at making a deep playoff run. The ride isn't very enjoyable to me when there are no stakes and most of what we're watching is close games between bad/mediocre teams (which is what the Raiders/Titans/Rams/Packers are) full of bad football. That's my problem. Glad you are enjoying the ride. I'm barely on it these days.

[Orangesteel]

And don’t forget we have to constantly hear about how amazing Tomlin is as a coach.

NHALS persists and he’s still winning games he shouldn’t (I’ll give him some credit for that) but an argument doesn’t exist that can persuade me to believe that the final 10 years of Ben’s career weren’t a complete waste.

[Professor Half Wit]

The past is inalterable, the future is uncertain, and the end is always near. The Steelers are 6-3 against a fuck ton of odds.

A lot of you seem football miserable and unable to be football happy. I feel sorry for you.

This season so far is fun as hell. Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and cheer up.

Ride the bus until the wheels fall off. Unreal and hilarious it hasn’t happened yet.

Oh come on, lighten up dude. Part of being a fan is being critical. Otherwise what’s the fun? Just blindly rooting for a team regardless of the product they churn out? You can enjoy winning and be critical at the same time.

Great post about the 2014 and 2017 seasons, W&M. Really shows that winning (or losing) against bottom feeders can be massively important in the grand scheme of things.

Oh, the Steelers offense has been playing like shit! KP often playing like shit! That’s part of the fun THIS season. It’s been miraculous!

They should be losing every game but keep finding unicorn horseshoes and fairy football mothers on the field.

My point is that I feel sorry for those unable to enjoy the ride bc this is the ride. There ain’t another option.

So!

Pull your heads out of your miserable asses and ride until the wheels fall off the season.

[Orangesteel]

Yeah you have to enjoy this for sure; at least find humor in it.

Great Seinfeld reference. I’m amazed how much I still enjoy those episodes.

[W&M_Steeler]

Games from 10 years ago aren't relevant for most teams. They're relevant for the Steelers, though, as the Steelers still have the same stale, past his prime head coach who has the same flaws and makes the same mistakes. It's hard for me to muster much enthusiasm for this year's team when I've seen this coach routinely squander much better teams. 6-3 / 3-6... who cares? This team isn't very good compared to the top teams and is going nowhere. I think maybe I need football therapy, as the 2014-2020 period has apparently broken me as a fan

Sure?

As i said earlier, there's not really an example of this happening over the last 4(ish) seasons, and the roster/coaching staff has turned over almost completely since that game.

I'm with the good professor on this one - Enjoy things as they are. I genuinely don't understand why people consistently want to be so negative and re-live bad moments from a decade ago.

The coaching staff and roster are worse now overall than they were in 2014. Why should I take any comfort in staff/roster turnover?

I don't want to re-live the disappointment of the 2010s. I'm still pissed off about it though and, since Tomlin is still coach and is still approaching things essentially the same way he always has, the failures and problems of a decade ago remain relevant to the discussion of current issues. That's why these decade old issues come up over and over in discussions.


It doesn't help that in recent years most Steelers games are barely watchable slogs against mediocre/bad teams or games in which the Steelers get blown out. It makes it easier to reminisce about when the Steelers were a good team and fun to watch. But those thoughts lead to remembering that those 2010 teams ultimately underperformed, which helps make me pissed off all over again...

[Smashmouth21]

And don’t forget we have to constantly hear about how amazing Tomlin is as a coach.

NHALS persists and he’s still winning games he shouldn’t (I’ll give him some credit for that) but an argument doesn’t exist that can persuade me to believe that the final 10 years of Ben’s career weren’t a complete waste.

This can all be true. Fun article from Slate FWIW.

https://slate.com/culture/2023/11/mike ... dings.html

[955876]

try to enjoy the ride.

I certainly am. Just requires changing your perspective a bit.

I mean, when we have one of those games where we can’t even get a 1st down I find myself enjoying each failed series more and more.

How cool would it be to win a game where the offense failed to pick up a first?

That would go down in history. I don’t think a team has ever come close to doing that but our 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers have a great shot.

A pick six here, a TJ strip sack ran back for a TD there, a couple INTs on their side of the field that lead to some Boz FGs could get it done. All possible too.

It’s also nice to nod off for a quarter or so and wake up having not missed anything offensively.

[Smashmouth21]

try to enjoy the ride.

I certainly am. Just requires changing your perspective a bit.

I mean, when we have one of those games where we can’t even get a 1st down I find myself enjoying each failed series more and more.

How cool would it be to win a game where the offense failed to pick up a first?

That would go down in history. I don’t think a team has ever come close to doing that but our 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers have a great shot.

A pick six here, a TJ strip sack ran back for a TD there, a couple INTs on their side of the field that lead to some Boz FGs could get it done. All possible too.

It’s also nice to nod off for a quarter or so and wake up having not missed anything offensively.

You realize the Steelers offense scored on its first three drives last game, don’t you?

[W&M_Steeler]

try to enjoy the ride.

I certainly am. Just requires changing your perspective a bit.

I mean, when we have one of those games where we can’t even get a 1st down I find myself enjoying each failed series more and more.

How cool would it be to win a game where the offense failed to pick up a first?

That would go down in history. I don’t think a team has ever come close to doing that but our 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers have a great shot.

A pick six here, a TJ strip sack ran back for a TD there, a couple INTs on their side of the field that lead to some Boz FGs could get it done. All possible too.

It’s also nice to nod off for a quarter or so and wake up having not missed anything offensively.

Tomlin's dream is to win a game like the Texans over the Steelers in 2002: https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/221208023

[W&M_Steeler]

And don’t forget we have to constantly hear about how amazing Tomlin is as a coach.

NHALS persists and he’s still winning games he shouldn’t (I’ll give him some credit for that) but an argument doesn’t exist that can persuade me to believe that the final 10 years of Ben’s career weren’t a complete waste.

This can all be true. Fun article from Slate FWIW.

https://slate.com/culture/2023/11/mike ... dings.html

In 13 years, Tomlin has managed to make 1 AFCC game and win 3 playoff games, despite coaching teams loaded with talent for much of that period. I give credit to Tomlin where due- he's a good coach, and he hasn't let his teams bottom out and collapse. But the national media vastly overrates him. He's more like a Mike McCarthy, Jeff Fisher, or Marvin Lewis than a Lombardi or Walsh or Gibbs or Noll.

[955876]

You realize the Steelers offense scored on its first three drives last game, don’t you?

Yes I do. Was fun to see.

But ummm, you do realize we lead the league in 3 and outs don’t you?

So nothing I said was false.

But you are correct, we looked like an actual NFL offense in the 1st quarter for a change.

Took us 8 or 9 games but it finally happened.

I’m finding fun in both. Moving the ball for a change is great and a welcome turn of events.

Not getting our first 1st down till late in the 2nd quarter has also become fun in its own perverse way.

None of it changes my day when the game is over or my week come Monday morning.

While I hope we win I’m not down after the losses because at this point I don’t have high expectations. We are what we are.

That was different when we had prime Ben and the offensive firepower to seriously challenge for a title. Those seasons ended up being a let down.

I can’t be let down at this point.

So will either end up pleasantly surprised or right where I expected us to be come seasons end.

Obviously would prefer to be pleasantly surprised.

Time will tell.

[Pabst]

The coaching staff and roster are worse now overall than they were in 2014. Why should I take any comfort in staff/roster turnover?

I don't want to re-live the disappointment of the 2010s. I'm still pissed off about it though and, since Tomlin is still coach and is still approaching things essentially the same way he always has, the failures and problems of a decade ago remain relevant to the discussion of current issues. That's why these decade old issues come up over and over in discussions.


It doesn't help that in recent years most Steelers games are barely watchable slogs against mediocre/bad teams or games in which the Steelers get blown out. It makes it easier to reminisce about when the Steelers were a good team and fun to watch. But those thoughts lead to remembering that those 2010 teams ultimately underperformed, which helps make me pissed off all over again...

I mean, take this for what it's worth, but there's a disconnect between you saying you don't want to rehash stuff from 10 years ago while constantly bringing up events from 10 years ago.

If the Steelers make you this pissed off you're better off finding a different hobby

[Smashmouth21]

try to enjoy the ride.

I certainly am. Just requires changing your perspective a bit.

I mean, when we have one of those games where we can’t even get a 1st down I find myself enjoying each failed series more and more.

How cool would it be to win a game where the offense failed to pick up a first?

That would go down in history. I don’t think a team has ever come close to doing that but our 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers have a great shot.

A pick six here, a TJ strip sack ran back for a TD there, a couple INTs on their side of the field that lead to some Boz FGs could get it done. All possible too.

It’s also nice to nod off for a quarter or so and wake up having not missed anything offensively.

So I nailed it with the defense mechanism. Thanks for confirming.

[Pabst]

A different way of looking at this - yes, those games like the Bucs in 2014 or Mallet in 2015 were awful. But those weren't the only games the Steelers ever played against bad QBs. As stated the Steelers record against rookie QBs is very good in that time frame.

Know how many good teams have lost games against bad teams over the past decade? All of them.

[K_C_]

If the Steelers make you this pissed off you're better off finding a different hobby

Christ this is true for so many miserable ass “fans” here.

Makes me love this team all the more!!

[CKSteeler]

If the Steelers make you this pissed off you're better off finding a different hobby

Christ this is true for so many miserable ass “fans” here.

Makes me love this team all the more!!

I do find it ironic that all this unbridled optimism is coming from a guy whose name comes from Kill Cowher. I'm glad you have wrapped your football identity around Kenny Pickett and his success. You do it seemingly ever year with some mediocre JAG.

[jeemie]

Why do I get this idea this youngster is gonna smoke our asses on Sunday?

[K_C_]

If the Steelers make you this pissed off you're better off finding a different hobby

Christ this is true for so many miserable ass “fans” here.

Makes me love this team all the more!!

I do find it ironic that all this unbridled optimism is coming from a guy whose name comes from Kill Cowher. I'm glad you have wrapped your football identity around Kenny Pickett and his success. You do it seemingly ever year with some mediocre JAG.

I love that I live in your head rent free.

Like this entire team does. You hate watching them so much but can’t miss a second.

Just like my posts. They are all indelibly stamped on your tiny brain.

That…..is a beautiful thing.

[955876]

try to enjoy the ride.

I certainly am. Just requires changing your perspective a bit.

I mean, when we have one of those games where we can’t even get a 1st down I find myself enjoying each failed series more and more.

How cool would it be to win a game where the offense failed to pick up a first?

That would go down in history. I don’t think a team has ever come close to doing that but our 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers have a great shot.

A pick six here, a TJ strip sack ran back for a TD there, a couple INTs on their side of the field that lead to some Boz FGs could get it done. All possible too.

It’s also nice to nod off for a quarter or so and wake up having not missed anything offensively.

So I nailed it with the defense mechanism. Thanks for confirming.

It’s not a defensive mechanism. It’s coming to terms (quite some time ago) that I don’t feel Jibbs wins another SB here.

So my expectations have come waaay down.

That is called being realistic.

Still my team (as they will be for life) but I’m not building up hope for more than we’ve been getting this past decade until Jibbs starts putting something different on tape.

Will be happy to be pleasantly surprised.

Doesn’t mean I need to blindly wave Pom Poms over pre-season and some regular season wins.

Yawn.