2011 NFL Thread: The Lazarus Season - Part 2

[Rowsdower!]

I'm with you Row, I just want The Steelers to make the playoffs this year. Anything after that is gravy.

Yeah. I mean, if they make it to the AFC Championship Game and win, of course I'll be hoping for another Super Bowl victory. But like last year, if it doesn't happen, I'll still be happy that they at least made it that far. Because some teams have yet to even do that.

 

[Yurka]

Really? I'm originally from the 'Burgh but I haven't lived there for years, so I haven't heard all of that about Pryor. If what you say is true though, hopefully he'll change his attitude.

Yup, I had friends who used to go watch him play in Highschool and even then they said he was rude to kids and fans.

Yeah. I mean, if they make it to the AFC Championship Game and win, of course I'll be hoping for another Super Bowl victory. But like last year, if it doesn't happen, I'll still be happy that they at least made it that far. Because some teams have yet to even do that.

Of course I want the Steelers to go all the way, and I believe they'll still do very well and make the playoffs. I think the loss to the Ravens was an aberration, and wont happen again this season or anytime soon. However if the Steelers don't make it to the playoffs, I'll be rooting for the Jets, I really like Rex Ryan.

 

[StorminNorman]

If I had to pick a someone to mold my QB after it would be either Brady or Vick.

You know what, I think Newton may be far more dangerous than Vick.

Imagine a Vick-like athlete who is more dangerous throwing the ball. That's what we are looking at in Cam Newton.

Oh yea, and built like a tight end.

That's scary.

 

[Immortalfire]

The season is on...and so are the cheerleader pics. Be sure to check em out in the thread

 

[Chewy]

Has anyone in here mentioned how awful the Giants looked Sunday? That's honestly what stood out to me the most from any game. I know their secondary is torn to shreds but yeesh. They're in for a long, coach-fired-midway-through type season.

I hope Rob Ryan is their head coach next year

 

[Wheels]

The Chin wants that job.

 

[Genesis 1.0]

At least you're keeping it in perspective, which is what all fans SHOULD do, but few ever do. Steelers fans can be just as bad, as I'm sure you know... I think the problem with having so much success overall is that you have people who view any season that doesn't end with a Lombardi trophy as a failure, which is ridiculous. The way I see it, if we make it to the playoffs (and hopefully not lose to a division rival there), the season is a success. If we can cap it off with a Super Bowl title, that's awesome, but it doesn't kill me if we don't.

And yes... Goodell is a massive *****e and a total puppet for the owners. I despise him and the amount of control he has over the league makes me want to vomit.

People always lack perspective after a game of that relative magnitude against a bitter division rival. As I'm sure you know, what really sets this all apart is that both the teams AND the fans legit hate each other and find some of the most graphic ways to express said hatred. As long as it's focused on the teams and it's nothing off the rails into personal, I'm more than fine with that, in fact it's what makes it the best thing going in football.

So when you get that W, people are bound to go overboard on both ends. Crowning themselves AFC North Champs in Baltimore & calling for Arians & Tomlin's heads among Steeler Nation, as I've witnessed. I just take it as a testament to the scope of the rivalry.

The Steelers are probably the only team aside from the Jets, where I just can't say I respect the players, because I'd be lying. I detest those bastards. I DO however respect the franchise, what they've accomplished, & the bedrock of it all: the Defense.

The Saints v. Lions is going to be one hell of a game (I bet it gets flexed to Sunday Night Football in October). Barring dramatic injury, the Lions should take the Saints though. The Saints defense relies on blitz schemes for QB pressure, which makes elite QBs like Rodgers or Stafford particularly dangerous (elite QB's love blitzes). The Saints offense, on the other hand, will have to deal with a defense who can pressure their QB with four (which means 7 reading Brees).

The South is a good division, the North is just better Or at least was Week 1. The Bears defense scares me due to its depth and age (no Urlacher, no defense).

I do think the Bucs are better than the Falcons this year. The Falcons and Matt Ryan are similarly over-hyped.

'Eh, I can't go all in for the Lions over the Saints, I just don't see it right now. The Lions are looking good this year, the Saints have been looking damn good for a while now, so I'll wait to see if Detroit can keep pace.

I'm also rather skeptical of the 'Elite' tag you've put on Stafford. Quite frankly, he hasn't been healthy for long enough to earn that moniker, nevermind the fact that the term 'Elite' is used so lightly today that it's lost any value.

Putting Matt Stafford in the same class as Aaron Rodgers is a leap of faith I'm not equipped to make right now.

Of course I want the Steelers to go all the way, and I believe they'll still do very well and make the playoffs. I think the loss to the Ravens was an aberration, and wont happen again this season or anytime soon. However if the Steelers don't make it to the playoffs, I'll be rooting for the Jets, I really like Rex Ryan.

Now when you say 'It won't happen again', do you mean in that particular bruising fashion or do you mean you simply won't lose to us again period? If it's the former, I agree entirely. If it's the latter, I'd say you're in for a rude awakening.

Either way, we'll have both questions answered by November.

 

[Matt]

The Chin wants that job.

I'm not so sure that the Chin wants any job as badly as people think. I think that he may very well be happy in retirement, doing analysis with CBS.

 

[Immortalfire]

I'm not so sure that the Chin wants any job as badly as people think. I think that he may very well be happy in retirement, doing analysis with CBS.

That's a concept hardly any can truly believe; that a former coach is perfectly content to not be coaching.

 

[BlackLantern]

maybe at first, he might have wanted to go back...but as time passes, the fire cools off

both with players and coaches....Keyshawn Johnson is a great example....his first 2 seasons on TV you could just tell he still believed he should be out there on the field

 

[Yurka]

Now when you say 'It won't happen again', do you mean in that particular bruising fashion or do you mean you simply won't lose to us again period? If it's the former, I agree entirely. If it's the latter, I'd say you're in for a rude awakening.

Either way, we'll have both questions answered by November.

The former, of course. Fans of either side know that these games can go in favor of either team pretty much on any given day. That being said I believe the matchup in November will be a whole nother' can of worms, and the Steelers will be "awake" then. This past weekend they just looked completely unfocused and out of it. It's entirely too early to hypothesize on the outcome but I can't see the Steelers turning the ball over 7 times again.

It'll be nice to see them play with some passion this weekend though, I'll be starting my Steelers defense for sure.

 

[Matt]

That's a concept hardly any can truly believe; that a former coach is perfectly content to not be coaching.

Yeah, but a lot of reports of those close to him indicate that he is very happy with his current life. Then again, contradictory reports claim that if Miami had just agreed to fire their GM, Cowher would be their head coach right now.

Though I have trouble believing the Dolphins story. If Stephen Ross was stupid enough to keep Jeff "I Asked Dez Bryant If His Mom Is a Hooker," Ireland over a soon-to-be Hall of Fame coach, he is dumber than Al Davis, Mike Brown, and Jerry Jones combined.

maybe at first, he might have wanted to go back...but as time passes, the fire cools off

both with players and coaches....Keyshawn Johnson is a great example....his first 2 seasons on TV you could just tell he still believed he should be out there on the field

I think his wife's death was a big wake up call to Cowher. I think he likes being able to spend time with his daughters, time he wouldn't have if he were a full time coach, working 80 hours a week.

 

[Genesis 1.0]

The former, of course. Fans of either side know that these games can go in favor of either team pretty much on any given day. That being said I believe the matchup in November will be a whole nother' can of worms, and the Steelers will be "awake" then. This past weekend they just looked completely unfocused and out of it. It's entirely too early to hypothesize on the outcome but I can't see the Steelers turning the ball over 7 times again.

It'll be nice to see them play with some passion this weekend though, I'll be starting my Steelers defense for sure.

7 turnovers from the Steelers definitely isn't something I expect to re-occur, the next game will probably revert to the usual tight slobber-knocker, which is a good thing for football. There just aren't enough good defensive games left in the QB era of the NFL.

Of course being a Ravens fan, I'm looking for the sweep come November.

 

[Matt]

I'm not sure that the Steelers are going to be as peachy as everyone assumes. Sure, they play the NFC West this year, so that should be four easy games...same with the Bengals and Browns. They will finish over .500....but against better teams...I could see it going just like it did with the Ravens.

The Steelers have a lot of problems on offense this year. The O-line is terrible and with Colon out, it isn't getting any better. The secondary still blows. They did nothing in free agency or the draft to improve it so good quarterbacks will continue to pick it apart. Bruce Arians' play calling is as terrible as ever and Tomlin still doesn't have the balls to overrule Ben and take away Arians' playcalling privledges. And don't even get me started on the lack of discipline. The turnovers and penalty yardage was completely unacceptable. Can you imagine if Cowher were around? This team's discipline has gone to hell since Tomlin came on.

The Steelers got VERY lucky last year. They were a very flawed team who got through the playoffs due to very favorable matchups. Had they played either the Pats or the Colts they would've been watching the Super Bowl from home. The Packers showed exactly what a good matchup can do to them and the Ravens showed that all of those flaws are still there. This won't be a good season for the Steelers. They are lucky that they have a relatively easy schedule.

 

[Genesis 1.0]

They certainly do have an easier schedule this year, no doubt, but I don't think they're as bad as off as you think, Matt. Then again, it's the fans who should be most critical of their team, so I expect as much from ya.

Then again, I would be overjoyed if you were correct on everything you laid out here.

 

[Yurka]

7 turnovers from the Steelers definitely isn't something I expect to re-occur, the next game will probably revert to the usual tight slobber-knocker, which is a good thing for football. There just aren't enough good defensive games left in the QB era of the NFL.

Of course being a Ravens fan, I'm looking for the sweep come November.

We'll see in November!

I'm not sure that the Steelers are going to be as peachy as everyone assumes. Sure, they play the NFC West this year, so that should be four easy games...same with the Bengals and Browns. They will finish over .500....but against better teams...I could see it going just like it did with the Ravens.

The Steelers have a lot of problems on offense this year. The O-line is terrible and with Colon out, it isn't getting any better. The secondary still blows. They did nothing in free agency or the draft to improve it so good quarterbacks will continue to pick it apart. Bruce Arians' play calling is as terrible as ever and Tomlin still doesn't have the balls to overrule Ben and take away Arians' playcalling privledges. And don't even get me started on the lack of discipline. The turnovers and penalty yardage was completely unacceptable. Can you imagine if Cowher were around? This team's discipline has gone to hell since Tomlin came on.

The Steelers got VERY lucky last year. They were a very flawed team who got through the playoffs due to very favorable matchups. Had they played either the Pats or the Colts they would've been watching the Super Bowl from home. The Packers showed exactly what a good matchup can do to them and the Ravens showed that all of those flaws are still there. This won't be a good season for the Steelers. They are lucky that they have a relatively easy schedule.

These are the same problems that have "plagued" the Steelers for years. I agree with you on Arians' putrid play calling but I have to disagree big-time with the lack of discipline. Cowher was a coach who would berate a player for a mistake in front of his team and on national television, Tomlin does so behind closed doors. I'm sure guys got yelled at after the game on Sunday for scuffles and personal fouls and such, just because Tomlin doesn't grab them by the collar and spit in their face does not mean he doesn't let them have it. As far as the turnovers go, that's the most non-composed I've ever seen Tomlin, you could literally see him take off his headset and mouth expletives after the fifth I believe, and he's a coach who prides himself on being calm and collected.

I'm not sure how you could call their 2010 season "lucky", aside from the Bills receiver dropping the OT TD pass which would have won them the game, nothing struck me as lucky, especially not starting without Ben for 4 games. And as I recall, despite the Packers exposing the Steelers flaws and causing multiple turn overs, the Steelers were still only one drive away from winning the SB.

I agree this might be a "down" year for the Steelers, but I heard an interesting fact yesterday; the last time the Steelers lost this badly in a season opener, they went on to the Superbowl that season. They eventually lost o) but it's still something to remain optimistic about, the season is nowhere close to over.

 

[Wheels]

I guess Peter King could be wrong about Cowher coveting The Giants head coaching job. I sure would love to see him back on the sidelines though.

 

[Genesis 1.0]

Seems Urlacher might not be able to start for the Bears against the Saints due to a family emergency, here's to hoping it's nothing serious.

 

[Hound55]

Next time, the Dolphins should avoid boasting how they have the best cornerback tandem in the NFL.

I heard screams of "We want Will Allen."

You could have the greatest corners of all time out there... Doesn't mean a thing if you get NO pressure on the QB.

Give a thousand monkeys a thousand typewriters and an infinite time and they'll re-type the complete works of Shakespeare (likely smeared in their own feces, however...) give a half decent QB an infinite amount of time and things'll open up.

The Dolphins and their s***tily executed 3-4 would have had more impact if they just heckled Brady from the backfield...

 

[StorminNorman]

'Eh, I can't go all in for the Lions over the Saints, I just don't see it right now. The Lions are looking good this year, the Saints have been looking damn good for a while now, so I'll wait to see if Detroit can keep pace.

I'm also rather skeptical of the 'Elite' tag you've put on Stafford. Quite frankly, he hasn't been healthy for long enough to earn that moniker, nevermind the fact that the term 'Elite' is used so lightly today that it's lost any value.

Putting Matt Stafford in the same class as Aaron Rodgers is a leap of faith I'm not equipped to make right now.

I can totally understand how most NFL fans can't label Stafford (or, by extension, his Lions) as elite yet. There is a lot of hype in this league and too often it doesn't pan out (I was quite fond of the Texans for years until Cushing got busted for roids and blamed it on cancer). But that's what is so exciting about this team. Most are ready to accept that the Lions are good, but few (including, and especially those in, the media) really grasp at just how good they could be.

The Lions have one of the best front offices, best coaching staffs, best scouting departments and, now, best QBs in the NFL. They have two of the most freakish athletes in the game. They have depth at the positions where you need it. We are watching the birth of a new Ravens/Steelers/Patriots/Packers-type organization.

And it is so damn exciting to watch.

And it this reason that I love the NFL.

 

[StorminNorman]

Seems Urlacher might not be able to start for the Bears against the Saints due to a family emergency, here's to hoping it's nothing serious.

And there goes any chance of that being a close game.

No single defensive player means more to his team.

 

[steintym]

Seems Urlacher might not be able to start for the Bears against the Saints due to a family emergency, here's to hoping it's nothing serious.

Sounds like there's an issue with his mother. No other details yet. Right now it sounds like he will play Sunday, but depending on the issue, we'll see.

 

[Matt]

They certainly do have an easier schedule this year, no doubt, but I don't think they're as bad as off as you think, Matt. Then again, it's the fans who should be most critical of their team, so I expect as much from ya.

Then again, I would be overjoyed if you were correct on everything you laid out here.

You would you damn Baltimorite!!

We'll see in November!



These are the same problems that have "plagued" the Steelers for years. I agree with you on Arians' putrid play calling but I have to disagree big-time with the lack of discipline. Cowher was a coach who would berate a player for a mistake in front of his team and on national television, Tomlin does so behind closed doors. I'm sure guys got yelled at after the game on Sunday for scuffles and personal fouls and such, just because Tomlin doesn't grab them by the collar and spit in their face does not mean he doesn't let them have it. As far as the turnovers go, that's the most non-composed I've ever seen Tomlin, you could literally see him take off his headset and mouth expletives after the fifth I believe, and he's a coach who prides himself on being calm and collected.

I'm not sure how you could call their 2010 season "lucky", aside from the Bills receiver dropping the OT TD pass which would have won them the game, nothing struck me as lucky, especially not starting without Ben for 4 games. And as I recall, despite the Packers exposing the Steelers flaws and causing multiple turn overs, the Steelers were still only one drive away from winning the SB.

I agree this might be a "down" year for the Steelers, but I heard an interesting fact yesterday; the last time the Steelers lost this badly in a season opener, they went on to the Superbowl that season. They eventually lost o) but it's still something to remain optimistic about, the season is nowhere close to over.

Regarding Tomlin, even if he is doing it in private, it isn't working. Penalties and turnovers have nearly doubled since the Cowher years. Off field incidents have gone through the roof. Same with fines. And don't even get me started on come from behind losses. Tomlin has lost more games when going into the fourth quarter with the lead in one season (2009) than Cowher had in his whole career. He continues to blow games of that nature. Granted, a big part of that is that Tomlin refuses to take play calling away from Arians who passes with the lead in the fourth quarter, but even that is a reflection of the lack of discipline as it means Tomlin doesn't hold his subordinate coaches to a high standard (so why should his players be held to a standard that their leaders are not held to?). Whatever Tomlin is doing isn't working as this has not been a disciplined team since Cowher left.

As for them being "lucky," last year, what I meant is in regards to their playoff matchups. The Steelers due to their reliance on the blitz and lackluster secondary are not designed to beat teams like the Patriots, Colts, Packers, Saints, etc as they have good, veteran quarterbacks who keep their heads about them when being blitzed and just exploit the weakened secondary. The Steelers' defense is designed for teams like New York who have young quarterbacks that make mistakes when the pass rush is one. Had they played Indy or New England, they likely would've lost as they just didn't match up well in those games. That is what I meant by lucky.

I guess Peter King could be wrong about Cowher coveting The Giants head coaching job. I sure would love to see him back on the sidelines though.

I don't think that Cowher has any interest in Dallas. If he wanted that job, he could've had it last year. Cowher isn't going to be micromanaged by Jerry Jones. Only way that I can see Cowher taking the spot in Dallas is if he is allowed to name his own GM and if Jones is banned from the locker room and sidelines, neither of which I can see happening.

 

[Wheels]

I was talking about what Peter King said last year about Cowher wanting the Giants job. I'm not sure what Dallas has to do with it.

 

[Erzengel]

Coughlin has a contract with the NY Giants through the 2012 season. I think this year is a wash because the Giants have been decimated with injuries but I think if 2012 is uneventful, Coughlin will be let go and we'd see if Peter King is right although, I've stated that I heard Bettis say the same thing about Cowher wanting to coach in NY.