Thoughts on the season so far

[Fire Arians]

The Good:
1. Heath Miller is finally being used as the weapon we all knew he could be
2. Ben Roethlisberger is lights out and if he keeps it up, will have a career season
3. Protection for Ben has been a lot better than what we're used to seeing
4. Baron Batch is money in pass protection
5. Woodley seems to be starting off the season well compared to the start of his last 2 seasons.
6. Mike Wallace missing camp a non factor, he's been productive
7. Harrison, Polamalu, Mendenhall back after the bye (likely)

The Bad
1. Redman / Dwyer are below average and are not getting it done in the running game
2. Lawrence Timmons who? I haven't heard his name called much all season. For 50 million $, he needs to play at a much higher level
3. There is no heir apparent to James Harrison. Worilds and Carter have not made any impact plays in his absence. We spent a lot of picks on OLB's in the recent years, and none have made any impact whatsoever.
4. 2 blown 4th quarter leads in 3 games
5. Special teams, then again, as a Steeler fan I'm used to crappy ST being the status quo

The Ugly
1. Wasn't Willie Colon supposed to be beastly? He hasn't done much in the way of opening running lanes. He has been good in pass pro (reason why he's not in the 'bad' category)
2. Love AB, but hold on to the damn ball
3. Casey Hampton either doesn't have it anymore or is playing injured. If either is the case, should McLendon be given some snaps?
4. Sucks having to lose like this before a bye week, it just gives you another week to think about it.

[Jpeezyiseternal]

All I know is i pushed all the "defense is getting old and slow" comments to the side.....but i kind of see where they are coming from now

at least ike played good against santonio

and your right, timmons isn't playing anywhere near what we expected out of him

[Jpeezyiseternal]

i hope mendenhall returns and has a break-out year

[Steelerfreak58]

Originally Posted by Fire Arians

The Good:
1. Heath Miller is finally being used as the weapon we all knew he could be
2. Ben Roethlisberger is lights out and if he keeps it up, will have a career season
3. Protection for Ben has been a lot better than what we're used to seeing
4. Baron Batch is money in pass protection
5. Woodley seems to be starting off the season well compared to the start of his last 2 seasons.
6. Mike Wallace missing camp a non factor, he's been productive
7. Harrison, Polamalu, Mendenhall back after the bye (likely)

The Bad
1. Redman / Dwyer are below average and are not getting it done in the running game
2. Lawrence Timmons who? I haven't heard his name called much all season. For 50 million $, he needs to play at a much higher level
3. There is no heir apparent to James Harrison. Worilds and Carter have not made any impact plays in his absence. We spent a lot of picks on OLB's in the recent years, and none have made any impact whatsoever.
4. 2 blown 4th quarter leads in 3 games
5. Special teams, then again, as a Steeler fan I'm used to crappy ST being the status quo

The Ugly
1. Wasn't Willie Colon supposed to be beastly? He hasn't done much in the way of opening running lanes. He has been good in pass pro (reason why he's not in the 'bad' category)
2. Love AB, but hold on to the damn ball
3. Casey Hampton either doesn't have it anymore or is playing injured. If either is the case, should McLendon be given some snaps?
4. Sucks having to lose like this before a bye week, it just gives you another week to think about it.

The Good

1. Agreed.
2. Agreed.
3. Still not sold yet.
4. Looking like it. Agreed.
5. He should be for the money he is being payed.
6. Mike missing camp still didn't help.
7. I sure hope so and I hope they can stay healthy. I doubt it though their style of play (for Troy and Harrison) takes a toll.

The Bad

1. Semi agreed on the backs but some of that is the run blocking.
2. Agreed. Timmons needs to earn that money.
3. Agreed. Worlids and Carter are not looking like they are NFL starters.
4. Agreed. Sickening.
5. Yup yup yup.

The Ugly

1. Agreed.
2. Agreed.
3. Agreed Hampton is both older and still injured if you ask me. Hate saying that about Big Snack but he is not cutting it right now.
4. Yup at least its early in the season. Time to analyze and hopefully adjust.

[Fire Arians]

Originally Posted by Jpeezyiseternal

i hope mendenhall returns and has a break-out year

i doubt he will have a breakout year, rb's generally don't come back from an ACL tear the year after, but who knows. I always thought he would excel in a system that used the running backs in the passing game. He's always been the most dangerous in space, and not too much between the tackles (more of a brian westbrook type of back)

[mikegrimey]

1-2 since reverting to a "regular" fullback... Hmm

[tony hipchest]

until yesterday, the raiders had lost 45 consecutive games in which they trailed the 4th quarter by 10 or more points.

chew on that and see if it doesnt make puke up a little hot snack in your mouth.

[StainlessStill]

Originally Posted by mikegrimey

1-2 since reverting to a "regular" fullback... Hmm

You're SERIOUSLY going to go that route and blame the offense? Seriously dude? Not only is this offense completley DESTROYING teams in time of possession (keeping that old, slow and done defense off the field is key, right?) but they are scoring points and giving the defense the lead.

In week 2 against Denver, the offense twice gave the defense the lead, keeping Peyton Manning off the field for a WHOPPING one hour of play and we STILL lost the game. In week 2, our offense scored 27 points and had a breath-taking 10 minute drive to close the game at home. In week 3, our offense was absolutely BRILLIANT, scoring 31 points of offense and playing with the lead the entire game until the final gun.

And it's because of inserting the fullback? Good grief. You people are downright NAUSEATING to listen to after a loss. Out of all my years that I have watched the Pittsburgh Steelers, it's to NEVER panic after a couple tough loss's. You fans should buckle down and do the same and realize this season is FAR from over. If it's any team to rebound, it's us. Same thing every year. We're bound to drop some tough road games.

We will respond.

[Steelerfreak58]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

until yesterday, the raiders had lost 45 consecutive games in which they trailed the 4th quarter by 10 or more points.

chew on that and see if it doesnt make puke up a little hot snack in your mouth.

Hurts me to the core of my soul!!!

[StainlessStill]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

until yesterday, the raiders had lost 45 consecutive games in which they trailed the 4th quarter by 10 or more points.

chew on that and see if it doesnt make puke up a little hot snack in your mouth.

This doesn't surprise me, dude. In fact, my writeup before the game was pretty much spot on. When the schedule was announced, I have it somewhere saying that Oakland was the game that scared me the most and we'll drop it.

That said, go back and look at the Steelers playing down to their competition. Not only are they NOTORIOUS by doing so, but they are notorious for a struggling players breakout performance.

I remember in '02 against the Falcons, Vick was a struggling quarterback, putting up AWFUL numbers the week before, only to have a breakout game against the Steelers.

I remember in '09, when we visisted the Bears. Cutler threw like, 4 interceptions against GB the week before and looked downright PUTRID. Next game, Cutler has one of the best games of his career against us.

Bruce Gradkowski had the game of his life against us in '09.

We all know the Tebow debacle.

Peyton Manning tossed his 400th TD pass against...you guessed it....us.

McFadden, up to this point, was having a VERY HARD TIME finding any types of running lanes. The Raiders ground game was worse than ours entering yesterdays game.

What happens? A 64 yard jaunt to the endzone and a breakout performance for McFadden against our defense, rushing for over 100 yards of offense and putting the ball into the endzone.

We are notorious for it. I expect us to tighten up.