The walls are finally starting to cave in

[WickedSteel]

I have been saying for a while now that I believe the Steelers were in decline over the past few years. I said back in January that if the Steelers didn't win the SB that it would be a while before they make it back. The defense is old, the offensive line is in shambles and the $100 million QB is getting pounded every game. The rebuilding starts now and will take some time which is unfortunate for guys like Ward, Farrior, Harrison and Troy who will likely not see another Super Sunday.

This year has been a disaster from the get go and I believe that it will only continue to spiral downward. The D can't stop the run anymore and the O line can't hold a fly back. This was a season that many predicted the Steelers would dominate in and now they have everyone questioning whether they can even beat the Browns or the Bengals. All of these "cakewalk" games suddenly don't look so easy anymore do they?

The most frustrating part to me is that this has not been a secret for years now and the FO has done little about, just watching as things continue to fall apart all around. While I understand their reluctance in free agency, it's maddening at times to watch quality players that could make an immediate impact passed by year after year. Ben has been getting the poop knocked out of him for years now and yet the same rag tag group of O linemen continue to have jobs here allowing Ben to take it on the chin game after game.

BA's playcalling blows my mind as well. He is insistent on calling plays that take forever and a day to develop knowing full well that the O line can't keep defenders off of Ben for more than 2 seconds. Start adjusting the game plan to allow Ben to get rid of the ball faster. Who gives a shit about 50+ yard bombs? The Pats and the Pack and the Saints play the dink and dunk game and last time I looked their offenses were doing pretty well. Not only do they move the ball up and down the field, they take huge chunks of time off the clock as well, keeping the ball out of the opposing teams hands and wearing down their defense. But BA thinks he's too smart for that apparently. Instead, two run plays up the gut on 1st and 2nd down for 1-2 yards and then a 3rd and long that results in a 3 and out is more his style, not to mention the stupid bubble screens. This results in many 3 and outs for the Steeler offense and more pressure on the aging D to hold the other team. This wears them down and they get no help from the offense whatsoever.

I fully expect Ben to get sacked 4+ times on Sunday and possibly get injured worse than he is. I also expect the run game to get stuffed once again and Ben have little time to find open receivers. This is fast turning into a train wreck.

But, then again, the Steelers could come out Sunday and blow out the Titans while clicking on all cylinders. The offense could make big play after big play and the D could dominate and cause turnover after turnover. They could finally get things straightened out and roll the rest of the season while on their way to a rematch with the Pack in the SB and be putting number 7 in the case in February. Yeah, and then I woke up....

[Goldsteel86]

Originally Posted by WickedSteel

I have been saying for a while now that I believe the Steelers were in decline over the past few years. I said back in January that if the Steelers didn't win the SB that it would be a while before they make it back. The defense is old, the offensive line is in shambles and the $100 million QB is getting pounded every game. The rebuilding starts now and will take some time which is unfortunate for guys like Ward, Farrior, Harrison and Troy who will likely not see another Super Sunday.

This year has been a disaster from the get go and I believe that it will only continue to spiral downward. The D can't stop the run anymore and the O line can't hold a fly back. This was a season that many predicted the Steelers would dominate in and now they have everyone questioning whether they can even beat the Browns or the Bengals. All of these "cakewalk" games suddenly don't look so easy anymore do they?

The most frustrating part to me is that this has not been a secret for years now and the FO has done little about, just watching as things continue to fall apart all around. While I understand their reluctance in free agency, it's maddening at times to watch quality players that could make an immediate impact passed by year after year. Ben has been getting the poop knocked out of him for years now and yet the same rag tag group of O linemen continue to have jobs here allowing Ben to take it on the chin game after game.

BA's playcalling blows my mind as well. He is insistent on calling plays that take forever and a day to develop knowing full well that the O line can't keep defenders off of Ben for more than 2 seconds. Start adjusting the game plan to allow Ben to get rid of the ball faster. Who gives a shit about 50+ yard bombs? The Pats and the Pack and the Saints play the dink and dunk game and last time I looked their offenses were doing pretty well. Not only do they move the ball up and down the field, they take huge chunks of time off the clock as well, keeping the ball out of the opposing teams hands and wearing down their defense. But BA thinks he's too smart for that apparently. Instead, two run plays up the gut on 1st and 2nd down for 1-2 yards and then a 3rd and long that results in a 3 and out is more his style, not to mention the stupid bubble screens. This results in many 3 and outs for the Steeler offense and more pressure on the aging D to hold the other team. This wears them down and they get no help from the offense whatsoever.

I fully expect Ben to get sacked 4+ times on Sunday and possibly get injured worse than he is. I also expect the run game to get stuffed once again and Ben have little time to find open receivers. This is fast turning into a train wreck.

But, then again, the Steelers could come out Sunday and blow out the Titans while clicking on all cylinders. The offense could make big play after big play and the D could dominate and cause turnover after turnover. They could finally get things straightened out and roll the rest of the season while on their way to a rematch with the Pack in the SB and be putting number 7 in the case in February. Yeah, and then I woke up....

Gotta a good feeling about this week, three of the four games have been played on the road. Tomlin put them in pads twice, the only time this season he is allowed to, recoginizing the need for a win. Ben is going to play irregardless, he will have more confidence with Starks back, Redman will carry the ball better than Mendenhall and I have a sneaky feeling after this Sunday there will be an air of confidence. I think youth will reign in the Steel Town and put the "older" guys on notice.

[tony hipchest]

people in the city of pittsburgh after reading this post-

[YOUTUBE]-2onoJLq2-8[/YOUTUBE]

[Atlanta Dan]

Wicked Steel briefs the mayor on what is to come

[youtube]O3ZOKDmorj0[/youtube]

[Goldsteel86]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Dan

Wicked Steel briefs the mayor on what is to come

[youtube]O3ZOKDmorj0[/youtube]

Ohhh Damn, can't have that the "Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man" is out this week, didn't you hear Hoke is taking Casey Hampton's place.

[tony hipchest]

[Goldsteel86]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

Wallace needs to be the "Human Torch" this Sunday and Ben needs to be "Plastic Man", Mendenhall can play the role of the "Invisible Woman" for all I care!!!!! Rumor has it Starks will play the "Thing"!

[tony hipchest]

[YOUTUBE]FAh_8erWyQw[/YOUTUBE]

[PhantomJB93]

I personally think, outside of NT and OL (which can be addressed in the next two drafts) we have the talent to still be a Super Bowl contending team for the next 5-7 years (until Ben retires). The problem is that talent won't all come together and be ready for a year or two, and we're in that frustrating limbo stage where the old guys are too old and the young guys are two young. Curtis Brown, Cortez Allen, Stevenson Sylvester, Jason Worilds, Cam Heyward, and Ziggy Hood all have good potential to be solid, even great replacements for their predecessors(I know some of you may hate on Worilds from this preseason but he showed last year that he can have some mean pass rushing ability and I still have faith he'll be good). And of course on offense we've had the pieces (outside of an OT and OG) to remain good on offense for pretty much the next decade, most of the offense outside of Ben is under 25.

[MACH1]

[YOUTUBE]_uCm1N-vSHI[/YOUTUBE]