How talented are the Steelers?

[fansince'76]

Originally Posted by 83-Steelers-43

Eitherway, I'm sure we will hear "Now are you glad we took Tomlin?" and "Now what do you think about that draft?" by the very small and very smart Steeler "fans" who are involved with this organizaton if we have a bad season.

No, we won't have to wait a whole season for that 83 - we'll be seeing "Fire Tomlin!" threads and posts after our first loss.

[Preacher]

The more I think about last years season, the more I realize we were a dropped ball here, broken play there from having a 10-6 or 11-5 season.

With all of that, we were STILL only 1 game out of the playoffs. If we beat the Raiders, we would have made it. Had we not let the Atlanta game get out of hand, we would have made it.

Those type of mistakes come from not being focused. I think that problem is pretty much taken care of. Cowher was always focused on winning the SB. When he won it, I am not sure he knew how to react. The drive that kept this team going since that awful 2003 season disappeared because they DID redeem themselves from that season with a SB win.

Now, we have a coach with that drive again. We only lost Joey (players of importance) from last years team.

Hence, I believe that we are a playoff bound team, deep in the playoffs. SB? Honestly, doubtful. But I also doubt we are a one and done team talent-wise this year.

[lexsteel]

Speaking of the future, great interview on Santonio Holmes on AthletixNation.com, seems like a pretty cool website.

[FastWillieParker39]

Originally Posted by Preacher

The more I think about last years season, the more I realize we were a dropped ball here, broken play there from having a 10-6 or 11-5 season.

With all of that, we were STILL only 1 game out of the playoffs. If we beat the Raiders, we would have made it. Had we not let the Atlanta game get out of hand, we would have made it.

Those type of mistakes come from not being focused. I think that problem is pretty much taken care of. Cowher was always focused on winning the SB. When he won it, I am not sure he knew how to react. The drive that kept this team going since that awful 2003 season disappeared because they DID redeem themselves from that season with a SB win.

Now, we have a coach with that drive again. We only lost Joey (players of importance) from last years team.

Hence, I believe that we are a playoff bound team, deep in the playoffs. SB? Honestly, doubtful. But I also doubt we are a one and done team talent-wise this year.

A-freakin-men

[Edman]

Originally Posted by fansince'76

No, we won't have to wait a whole season for that 83 - we'll be seeing "Fire Tomlin!" threads and posts after our first loss.

Don't forget the "I told you so's" and "Should've hired Grimm" and "The Rooneys are PC cheapskates" posts. Expect a couple of racial slurs in the mix by idiots as well. Yes, there are people that are THAT stupid.

[FastWillieParker39]

Like Preach said we were only ONE WIN from making the playoffs with a QB that had health problems all year and a head coach that really didn't care as much as he had before. This team has talent and even though they have question marks, every team does. If Ben can stay healthy, the offense will be better as that was evident in the last 8 games. Tomlin is a coach who is determined to make the playoffs this year. He and Ben won't let this team fail.

Jeez we don't make the playoffs for one freakin year and no one believes anymore. Its May, we should be believing. Even the Browns are believing!

[GBMelBlount]

Originally Posted by Edman

Don't forget the "I told you so's" and "Should've hired Grimm" and "The Rooneys are PC cheapskates" posts. Expect a couple of racial slurs in the mix by idiots as well. Yes, there are people that are THAT stupid.

Unfortunately E-man, you are right. Also, agreeing much with TX & Czar, I think the three biggest things are:

1. Ben
2. OL!
3. Tomlin

I hope Tomlin brings it together this year. He sounds like a very smart man & a masterful motivator.

[Preacher]

Like Preach said we were only ONE WIN from making the playoffs with a QB that had health problems all year and a head coach that really didn't care as much as he had before. This team has talent and even though they have question marks, every team does. If Ben can stay healthy, the offense will be better as that was evident in the last 8 games. Tomlin is a coach who is determined to make the playoffs this year. He and Ben won't let this team fail.

Jeez we don't make the playoffs for one freakin year and no one believes anymore. Its May, we should be believing. Even the Browns are believing!

I don't think that is what is actually being argued. From my vantage point, there are 4 points which make people worried.

1. New coach and staff. This constitutes a major change in an organization. Sometimes, the team that see these changes comes out tremendously better. However, the Steelers are a team that built with a specific scheme in mind. The question is, can that team handle a different head coach and offensive scheme? it is not as much about talent as it is about how the talent works together within a specific scheme.

2. Joey Porter. There are those who think Porter was the heart and soul... and the engine of the defense. To those, the loss of Porter signifies the loss of the drive that made our defense what it was over the last 14 years. Yeah, I know, Porter didn't play for the last 14 years. However, One can traces a lineage from Kevin Greene/Lloyd through Gildon to Porter. That is a lineage of Steeler linebacker football. Now, who will carry that lineage on? Foote? The worry is that we have lost that lineage, and what it holds.

3. OL (and Faneca). Last year the OL was a worry. Now with the Faneca situation, it is even more of a worry. Will they be able to gel? Can Kemo and Willie Colon hold down the fort? Will we have to rely on the turnstyle system of blocking (where the DL uses our OL as turnstyles)? These worries make some wonder if the addition of the Faneca situation will cause even more problems.

4. The rest of the league. It seems that the Ravens and the Bengals are still building. They are both able to put together playoff run seasons. The Browns have also put together a good draft, and may become increasingly tough to play.

These four reasons make some worry if we are able to really compete this year. I say yes. BUt some, and for understandable reasons, say no.

However, i STILL THINK that we are headed deep into the playoffs.

[Crushzilla]

Hopefully the OL doesn't look like the L(OL)... LOL... laugh out... forget it

[tony hipchest]

all the "cowher didnt care" talk is pretty stale, old, and way off base. he certainly cared when his team went on a 4 game winning streak to make the playoffs (as a #6 seed) in 05, and he cared as they went 6-2 to finish the 06 season. had the steelers actually made the playoffs last year and made some noise (which they were capable of), im sure he woulda been heralded as a "genius" rather than the "dead beat coach" he is currently perceived as...

maybe he did turn in 1 of his poorest coaching years ever. but it wasnt because he didnt care or gave up on the team. give the man more credit than that.