We NEED Harrison and/or Woodley Sunday night

[LayingTheWoodley56]

First, I am not saying we can't win without the two of them. Farrior, I would love to have back obviously but truthfully he is no longer an upper-echelon linebacker; I think we all know that. Stevenson, Carter and Foote all did excellent jobs filling in last Sunday in what was a signature victory for these 2011 Steelers, a deafening wake-up call to the league that we are by no means finished, and a reminder that ol Dick's system is still the best in the league.

However, this is about as big as it gets in the regular season. We are facing a Ravens offense that is deathly struggling (I mean, no first downs until the third quarter against JACKSONVILLE? If their D can do that to the Ravens, ours certainly get, with or without the three linebackers. But that does not necessarily mean we will. With our full defense out there, albeit less than optimally healthy, we have a chance to physically dominate them and kick their ass on national TV and get some revenge for the game-that-shall-not-be-named.

So what I'm saying is: do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING possible to get Woodley's hamstring in shape. Give him treatment 24 hours a day. The guy was just named the AFC Defensive Player of the Month, he's been on an absolute tear and that's with Harrison out and unable to draw attention away from him. He can wreak some serious havoc out there. Same goes for James. Fill his helmet with packing peanuts or bubble wrap or something. Device some insane device that protects his orbital bone. I would never ask to put our players safety in jeopardy, especially Silverback's vision, but we need to do everything we can to get them out there this Sunday.

Selfish, off-field note: I go to school in Albany, grew up on Long Island, so I'm a lifetime New Yorker. I've been to our games the last three times they played at the Meadowlands against the Giants/Jets (03, 04, 07) and once in Pittsburgh against the Broncos (06.) I am returning to my spiritual home of Heinz Field Sunday night. I really, really, REALLY want to see 56, 92, and 51 out there. The experience would go from 100% awesome to about 97% awesome without them. So there you have it.

Silverback or no Silverback, Beast or no Beast, Farrior or no Farrior, LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :tt04:

[FanSince72]

See, this is what I like about where we're headed right now - we don't NEED sacks and a super-agressive defense when we have a very potent and versatile offense.

I think (fingers crossed) that we may have finally begun to turn a page in the history of "Steeler Football" in that we are no longer a "running team" that needs a super-strong defense to protect leads. We are instead becoming a team that can score in many different ways and that we can "protect" a lead by building on it and forcing other teams to out score us.

If we do this, the need for a perfectly healthy and 100% effective defensive line or pass rush isn't as pressing and the game will not hinge on that.
While I don't want to see us become the '99 Rams with no defense at all, I think we can certainly score enough to have a less-than-healthy defense not matter so much.

If we move in this direction, a great deal of pressure is taken off of not just the D-Line but the O-line as well because yardage/scoring plays happen faster (saving the O-line) and the abundance of yardage/scoring plays takes the pressure off the defense as well by either not having to be out there as much or by being able to "bend" more due to a big lead rather than having to stiffen up to protect a small lead.

I think we have the potential to score between 30 and 40 points in this game and if we can, would sacking Flacco really be that important?



(BTW, I think "Sacking Flacco" would be a great name for a punk band) :sofunny:

[Rotorhead]

While i agree it would be nice to have them all back, i would be ok with getting them 100% after the bye and making a tear through the playoffs. With our Oline getting healthy, and a 100% def for the last 6 games we would be virtually unstoppable. I would like another div title, homefield throughout the playoffs, it wont matter as long as we get to the playoffs healthy and firing on all cylinders. I guess i am saying i could stomach losing the next 2 (yeah 2) games if it meant we finished the final 6 with W's AND healthy heading into the playoffs smokin hot. Besides, the way the ravens have been playing, being 12-4 with losses to the ravens could still win us the division and get us homefield!

[NoFieldFive]

scoring 30-40 sounds great but this isn't the Patriots D we are facing. Last week we struggled greatly to get td's in the red zone against the worst defense in football. now we are against one of the best D's. the points are going to be harder this week, not easier than last week.

this week will be the true test if the O line is truly performing at a higher level. going against Suggs and Najda is a little different than what we've been facing.

[stlrtruck]

What we need is for the individuals that play in their spot to step up and make the ratbirds recognize that they are just physical, if not more so, than the players that aren't playing!

That's what we need!

[tanda10506]

We definetl wont score 40, 30 is possible but their defense is still playing good and we won't be able to throw on them like New England, and we only scored 25 on them. This is still a defensive game, we played like garbage on both sides of the ball and thats the only reason they scored 35. It will be another tough one unless they play like they did the last two games.

[Fire Arians]

or worilds, he supposedly had a full practice with no problems, he should be ready to go this sunday if we can't get woodley back. I would NOT rush harrison back from his injury.