Are we ready for Cinny ?

[steelmann58]

What everyone thinking. Flacco has beaten us before and has two good WR. Steelers under Tomlin not great on thurs on the road.

[CKSteeler]

The Bungles regime has beaten the Steelers and Tomlin with shittier QB's than Flacco. Tomlin making a point to criticize the Browns for the trade today indicates to me that he's living in his fears over this as we speak.

[Orangesteel]

Tomlin seemed extra agitated about this today. He knows he’s laid some stinkers on Thursday against division opponents.

Me thinks he will have them ready to roll on Thursday. This team has momentum. Rodgers is a professional.

[StillerDownSouth]

Seems like they are actually coming up with a plan each week so far, strange times.

[steelmann58]

I was a bit nervous Sunday but a bit more with Vinny at home

[14Thumb]

We have a fighting chance so long as Tomlin does not decide to unleash hell in October.

Remember it all started on a Thursday night in Cleveland.

[Charles Demarr]

No, they are terrible in road Thursday night games. I expect no less from this one. 24 -17 Bungles.

[anpsteel]

Taking Flacco out of the game and the equation, for a moment, should the Steelers win this?

Cincinnati has significant injuries in their defense, which was already terrible prior to the injuries.

Cincinnati’s general game plan going into the season was always going to be based upon their necessity and ability to outscore their opponent, with no general reliance upon their defense

This philosophy, as we all know, is completely counter to Tomlin’s general strategy

With Jake Browning in replacing burrow, both their offense and defense were terrible…

And while Flacco is no Joe Burrow, he’s leaps above browning.

Flacco can still throw the ball all over the field, but as it always is with older quarterbacks, his lack of mobility is a significant issue. Flacco has picked apart this defense on numerous occasions, including just last season.

Now, in respect to the Steelers, in some sort of Seinfeld bizarro world Tomlin has actually had the Steelers scheme to the opponent these past two weeks. :unbelievably shocked:

Will that continue, or will Tomlin revert to his old ways given the short week?

It is my opinion that if Tomlin comes out with his standard play not to lose game plan, the Bengals will win. Flacco has seen this defense far too many times and knows exactly how to attack it. With the Bengals, he has possibly the best receiving duo in the league.

Short week, on the road, against an inferior opponent, who is motivated. This typically spells loss, for Tomlin coached teams.

Tomlin was all agitated yesterday about the Browns trading Flacco to the Bengals. This makes me believe the Steelers did some preliminary coaching and scouting of the Bengals during the bye week, but now that has been made semi irrelevant with the addition of Flacco.

Ignoring the short week situation

If the Steelers come out attacking on offense with the intention of putting up points and building a lead, they can win. A Flacco lead offense can definitely put up points, but he will also turn the ball over particularly when pressured.


This game, imo, comes down to, do the Steelers attack on offense or do they run the ball into the line on first and second down.

If they attack, they win. If they revert to half back dive on first and second down, they lose.

Which do we get?

[bradshaw2ben]

No, they are terrible in road TNF games. I expect no less from this one. 24 -17 Bungles.

AFC North Teams Record in Thursday Games:
CLE. 9-3
BAL. 10-4
CIN 6-6 (0-2 vs BAL, 2-0 vs PIT)
PIT 4-10 (tied for worst in the NFL with the NYJ)

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/bengals- ... k7fhaty182

[bradshaw2ben]

@jebrick the Steelers are terrible in all TNF games. They lost to CIN twice in a row at Heinz/Acrisure in Thursday games.

[.Kodiak]

Fear not.....stack wins in Sep/Oct, and back into NHALS in Nov/Dec

[anpsteel]

No, they are terrible in road TNF games. I expect no less from this one. 24 -17 Bungles.

AFC North Teams Record in Thursday Games:
CLE. 9-3
BAL. 10-4
CIN 6-6 (0-2 vs BAL, 2-0 vs PIT)
PIT 4-10 (tied for worst in the NFL with the NYJ)

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/bengals- ... k7fhaty182

yeah-

In a "normal" Tomlin season, this is a big L

It still might be, but I'm perplexed by the actual coaching going on, over the past 2 games...

[K_C_]

Although Flacco is an old and experienced pro who knows how to play the game, there's a reason he's been on about 12 teams in the last 6 years or so and why, after being comeback player of the year, dude was soon cut loose again.

AND this is literally Flacco's first game ever as Cincy's QB with an offensive line that got the plenty mobile Joe Burrow nearly killed....again.

Flacco is a statue and right now, ALL Steelers are flying around and they are getting to the QB quickly.

Sure, we definitely need to worry about Flacco's moon ball to 2 stud receivers, but Flacco also needs time for those receivers to get downfield for that moon ball.

By the time they get downfield, Watt or Herbig (or Ramsey or Queen on a blitz) might be caving in Flacco's head.

[bradshaw2ben]

No, they are terrible in road TNF games. I expect no less from this one. 24 -17 Bungles.

AFC North Teams Record in Thursday Games:
CLE. 9-3
BAL. 10-4
CIN 6-6 (0-2 vs BAL, 2-0 vs PIT)
PIT 4-10 (tied for worst in the NFL with the NYJ)

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/bengals- ... k7fhaty182

yeah-

In a "normal" Tomlin season, this is a big L

It still might be, but I'm perplexed by the actual coaching going on, over the past 2 games...

I've literally spent most of the past two podcasts talking about the shift in gameplan coaching to something actually... good.

[bradshaw2ben]

Although Flacco is an old and experienced pro who knows how to play the game, there's a reason he's been on about 12 teams in the last 6 years or so and why, after being comeback player of the year, dude was soon cut loose again.

AND this is literally Flacco's first game ever as Cincy's QB with an offensive line that got the plenty mobile Joe Burrow nearly killed....again.

Flacco is a statue and right now, ALL Steelers are flying around and they are getting to the QB quickly.

Sure, we definitely need to worry about Flacco's moon ball to 2 stud receivers, but Flacco also needs time for those receivers to get downfield for that moon ball.

By the time they get downfield, Watt or Herbig (or Ramsey or Queen on a blitz) might be caving in Flacco's head.

We're now really going to know what the Steelers defense is until they face a good, veteran passer who is mobile. They have really brought the house against a statue-like Wentz and a rookie... but they have played very passively against Fields and got carved by Darnold & Maye.

Listen, they are both one injury away from a total collapse and yet a couple of unexpected wins from being thoroughly in the mix for the #1 seed.

At least they are more interesting this season than they have been since Ben was the QB.

[Deebo]

No, they are terrible in road TNF games. I expect no less from this one. 24 -17 Bungles.

AFC North Teams Record in Thursday Games:
CLE. 9-3
BAL. 10-4
CIN 6-6 (0-2 vs BAL, 2-0 vs PIT)
PIT 4-10 (tied for worst in the NFL with the NYJ)

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/bengals- ... k7fhaty182

Isn't this counterintuitive?

The Steelers' gameplans on both sides of the ball are not complex. You'd think such a limited playbook would favor this approach.

It's weird...

[bradshaw2ben]

No, they are terrible in road TNF games. I expect no less from this one. 24 -17 Bungles.

AFC North Teams Record in Thursday Games:
CLE. 9-3
BAL. 10-4
CIN 6-6 (0-2 vs BAL, 2-0 vs PIT)
PIT 4-10 (tied for worst in the NFL with the NYJ)

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/bengals- ... k7fhaty182

Isn't this counterintuitive?

The Steelers' gameplans on both sides of the ball are not complex. You'd think such a limited playbook would favor this approach.

It's weird...

I think in the past few years, they have relied HEAVILY on emotion and physicality. Maybe it's just harder to get fired up and physically dominant for your second game in 5 days?

[langer]

I watched the Bungs Pack game and Joe was his old self. He had some accuracy issues but he was hitting Chase and Higgins.

I expect a competitive game.

There's a reason Flacco has been in the league this long, that blank stare he has.

[K_C_]

Although Flacco is an old and experienced pro who knows how to play the game, there's a reason he's been on about 12 teams in the last 6 years or so and why, after being comeback player of the year, dude was soon cut loose again.

AND this is literally Flacco's first game ever as Cincy's QB with an offensive line that got the plenty mobile Joe Burrow nearly killed....again.

Flacco is a statue and right now, ALL Steelers are flying around and they are getting to the QB quickly.

Sure, we definitely need to worry about Flacco's moon ball to 2 stud receivers, but Flacco also needs time for those receivers to get downfield for that moon ball.

By the time they get downfield, Watt or Herbig (or Ramsey or Queen on a blitz) might be caving in Flacco's head.

We're now really going to know what the Steelers defense is until they face a good, veteran passer who is mobile. They have really brought the house against a statue-like Wentz and a rookie... but they have played very passively against Fields and got carved by Darnold & Maye.

Listen, they are both one injury away from a total collapse and yet a couple of unexpected wins from being thoroughly in the mix for the #1 seed.

At least they are more interesting this season than they have been since Ben was the QB.

I feel a little bit differently. When you are facing big time QB’s (and there are quite a few) nobody can count on their defense to shut down a Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, Baker Mayfield, Jordan Love, Lamar and Burrow when they’re healthy, etc. Thar just isn’t how it works anymore.

The Darnold game, to me, is one that got away. Darnold has become a very good QB. Very good. He did not embarrass the Steelers defense. He threw 2 TD passes and was picked twice. I love Calvin Austin (who rarely makes any kind of mistake) but when he cut off Muth in the end zone and caused a pick, that was the game changer.

Cost the Steelers 7 points and Darnold capitalized with a TD drive of his own.

When you are playing against QB that can hang 30 on any defense, your offense has to hold up their end of the bargain and the Steelers O couldn’t do that.

Whether they can do that against some big boys down the road I don’t know, but we’re gonna need more points from this offense no matter how much Tomlin loves winning 16-13.

[anpsteel]

AFC North Teams Record in Thursday Games:
CLE. 9-3
BAL. 10-4
CIN 6-6 (0-2 vs BAL, 2-0 vs PIT)
PIT 4-10 (tied for worst in the NFL with the NYJ)

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/bengals- ... k7fhaty182

yeah-

In a "normal" Tomlin season, this is a big L

It still might be, but I'm perplexed by the actual coaching going on, over the past 2 games...

I've literally spent most of the past two podcasts talking about the shift in gameplan coaching to something actually... good.

I know, it’s crazy. I’m tempering my expectations- because 2 games in a half dozen or so years, is not sufficient for a trend.

After this game against the Bengals, the season really starts. 3 games in a row, against much better opponents

[CKSteeler]

Tomlin's press conference was actually fairly entertaining this week. Beyond his Flacco comments, he had some great non-cliche lines. "I've gotten my ass kicked in a lot of ways over the last 19 years" (In relation to his Thursday night struggles).

When exiting the podium, he said "man you guys were annoying the fuck out of me today."

[.Kodiak]

I've literally spent most of the past two podcasts talking about the shift in gameplan coaching to something actually... good.

Could it be Tomlin finally has a mandate to do more than NHALS?

Or maybe it turns out the playcalling looks a lot better when your QB is nearly flawless. They haven't really asked much of Rodgers, but he's been executing at a high level. We'll see how that holds up.

And we'll see how the defense does against better competition. Encouraging, I suppose, but we've seen this movie before. Maybe not with the game planning and scheming, but 2 games is not a trend.

[Jizz Mop]

Tomlin's press conference was actually fairly entertaining this week. Beyond his Flacco comments, he had some great non-cliche lines. "I've gotten my ass kicked in a lot of ways over the last 19 years" (In relation to his Thursday night struggles).

When exiting the podium, he said "man you guys were annoying the fuck out of me today."

Yeah well fuck him….if he was the HC in Philly or NY he would be tortured by the media

Swear to God the reporters in Pitt collectively are a bunch of pussies

[Deebo]

Tomlin's press conference was actually fairly entertaining this week. Beyond his Flacco comments, he had some great non-cliche lines. "I've gotten my ass kicked in a lot of ways over the last 19 years" (In relation to his Thursday night struggles).

When exiting the podium, he said "man you guys were annoying the fuck out of me today."

Yeah well fuck him….if he was the HC in Philly or NY he would be tortured by the media

Swear to God the reporters in Pitt collectively are a bunch of pussies

100%

[Obviously]

I was a bit nervous Sunday but a bit more with Vinny at home

Testaverde retired in 2007, and he never gave the Steelers much trouble.

[anpsteel]

Tomlin's press conference was actually fairly entertaining this week. Beyond his Flacco comments, he had some great non-cliche lines. "I've gotten my ass kicked in a lot of ways over the last 19 years" (In relation to his Thursday night struggles).

When exiting the podium, he said "man you guys were annoying the fuck out of me today."

That's pretty funny

I'm glad the reporters were grilling him. I've long stopped listening to his bs press conferences- because he never says anything. It's always- we do what we do. Paint the barn green. Don't blink. crap.

[anpsteel]

I was a bit nervous Sunday but a bit more with Vinny at home

Testaverde retired in 2007, and he never gave the Steelers much trouble.

I'm guessing he meant this guy

[Texas Black & Gold]

I was a bit nervous Sunday but a bit more with Vinny at home

Testaverde retired in 2007, and he never gave the Steelers much trouble.

I'm guessing he meant this guy

Or my cousin Vinny.....

[lifelongsteel]

Steelers will need to score.

Flacco will hit that back foot on his drop and let it rip to Chase and Tee. it's what he did against the packers and they made those contested catches over and over again. I expect they'll have similar success against the Steelers.

Bengals getting 24 seems right to me. Can the Steelers keep up?

[langer]

Hendrickson and Gesicki left the Pack game, didn't practice.