Key Things to Take Note of at 6-4

[steelfury02]

Defense top unit? agreed
Mike Tomlin is a top 3 coach? agreed
We need Ben back to seriously contend? agreed
Wallace hate will continue until he is either gone or stops giving us reasons to hate him. He is a #2 receiver - and should be paid, or not paid accordingly. We can win without him, and I believe we'll find a replacement in the draft. He has Santonio Holmes written all over him - except, he'll leave without anywhere near the accomplishment (SB MVP) Route running abilities, hands > pure speed.

We are a 6-4 team that would have been 7-3 with Ben at the helm. The team that beat the Giants is the team that can win #7. We need at least him and AB back, as well as the defense to continue to improve - especially in the turnover dept. We'll see. We are on a wild card route as of now, unless the Ravens have a huge meltdown.

Hope we can learn some lessons before we have to watch them pack it up and try to go to the big show via road

[bornaSteelersfan]

There is a very good chance the Ravens will indeed have a meltdown. For all the praise they are given, they prove again and again that they are extremely inconsistent.

[Rick5895]

I have to agree with almost everything the OP says here. Very good read. However, I disagree on Wallace. I certainly don't have hate for him, He is a Steeler and for me there is no "hate". But this guy held out of training camp rather than sign his tender. He wants "Fitzgerald" money, yet he is not playing to the level of what he desires.
It seems every game, Wallace fails to make a catch in a critical situation in the game, whether it be a third down or TD. The last game . that fumble was inexcusable, it was a third down play and would have been a 1st down. The lack of effort on a poor throw in the 4th was shameful That seems to happen every game. To be a number 1 receiver you have to step up and make those plays, Walace does make the odd great play but when he is needed he rarely answers the bell this season. 'm hopeful that changes and soon.
BTW Dwyer was benched for 2 games after that fumble vs the Raiders.

[steeltheone]

Originally Posted by SteelersCanada

I like that one of our biggest problems right now on offense is which pro bowl receiver is better than the other. While I do maintain it's Wallace, I can certainly see the other side of that debate. I don't know that Wallace has fully adjusted to the playbook yet which can be credited to sitting out training camp. I do think, however, that the "one-trick pony" debate has been laid to bed. He might not be playing up to his potential right now, but I think that can be fixed after a year under Haley's system.

Getting back to defense, did you guys see the way Heyward played last night? If that's what we're going to see from him long-term, we're in good shape on our DLine.

Pro Bowl Receivers? Brown is 42 catches 499 yards and 1 td...Thats Pro Bowl ?

Wallace is 42-563-6 with 123 yards coming against the Raiders backup DB's

[SteelersCanada]

Originally Posted by steeltheone

Pro Bowl Receivers? Brown is 42 catches 499 yards and 1 td...Thats Pro Bowl ?

Wallace is 42-563-6 with 123 yards coming against the Raiders backup DB's

Mike and Antonio have both been to the pro bowl, thus they're pro bowl receivers. Granted, AB went as a PR/KR, but he's been to the pro bowl. Also, it's a transition year for the team. Their numbers will be back up next year once Ben is more comfortable with the book and they have a year under their belt.

I do appreciate the feedback on here and I can certainly understand where all of you guys are coming from on Wallace. Maybe I'm being too lenient, but I still think this is a year for the team as a whole to adjust to Haley's book, thus the numbers are down. I'm glad I could make this a good read for you guys.

Cheers.

[steeltheone]

Originally Posted by SteelersCanada

Mike and Antonio have both been to the pro bowl, thus they're pro bowl receivers. Granted, AB went as a PR/KR, but he's been to the pro bowl. Also, it's a transition year for the team. Their numbers will be back up next year once Ben is more comfortable with the book and they have a year under their belt.

I do appreciate the feedback on here and I can certainly understand where all of you guys are coming from on Wallace. Maybe I'm being too lenient, but I still think this is a year for the team as a whole to adjust to Haley's book, thus the numbers are down. I'm glad I could make this a good read for you guys.

Cheers.

Reggie Wayne is in a new system and has a 1000 yards already with a rookie QB.

At this point in BR7 career, he is like Brady. He can throw to anybody. Paying big money to wideouts is a mistake.

[BlaZeQuietly]

Wallace has not performed like a # 1 or # 2. Hes fast, IF he catches the ball and doesn't drop it he can run to the end zone very fast. He drops A LOT of passes and otherwise doesnt catch A LOT of "catchable" passes, just his facial expressions sometimes piss me off.

[SteelersCanada]

Originally Posted by steeltheone

Reggie Wayne is in a new system and has a 1000 yards already with a rookie QB.

At this point in BR7 career, he is like Brady. He can throw to anybody. Paying big money to wideouts is a mistake.

It's apples and oranges. Luck doesn't really have anyone else to throw to on that offense and the lack of a run game makes them a one-dimensional offense. The Steelers have more weapons and talented receivers than just one - Sanders, Brown and Wallace could be number one guys on almost any other team. Throw in guys like Heath, Cotchery and now Burress and the plethora of talent leads to spreading the ball out. Comparing young guys to a first ballot Hall of Famer like Reggie Wayne is a mistake.

Wide receivers are a dime a dozen - you're right. But, you can't buy chemistry and 'young money' has the best chemistry among the starting in the league.

[steeltheone]

Originally Posted by SteelersCanada

It's apples and oranges. Luck doesn't really have anyone else to throw to on that offense and the lack of a run game makes them a one-dimensional offense. The Steelers have more weapons and talented receivers than just one - Sanders, Brown and Wallace could be number one guys on almost any other team. Throw in guys like Heath, Cotchery and now Burress and the plethora of talent leads to spreading the ball out. Comparing young guys to a first ballot Hall of Famer like Reggie Wayne is a mistake.

Wide receivers are a dime a dozen - you're right. But, you can't buy chemistry and 'young money' has the best chemistry among the starting in the league.

Wayne, Avery and Hilton all have better or close to better stats the Steelers wideouts....the Steelers wideouts are good but not great. Ben will make any receiver look good.

I hope they become great, but as of now they are not.

[steelfury02]

Originally Posted by steeltheone

Wayne, Avery and Hilton all have better or close to better stats the Steelers wideouts....the Steelers wideouts are good but not great. Ben will make any receiver look good.

I hope they become great, but as of now they are not.

I think AB is well on his way to being great. I think he'll end up like Hines, where he has a collection of pro bowl seasons, probably a SB MVP - but won't have the monster stats or recognition because he is a Steeler receiver. However, I think once all is said and done, AB's collection of just "good seasons" will be enough to get him to HOF - a lot of time left to see where it goes with him though lol

A couple of different times this season after a drop, and then the recent fumble - Wallace was found to be actually smiling. The guy has "release me" written all over him. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell that he doesn't "get" being a Steeler. Funny thing is - Jerry Jones and Snyder have actually caught up in personnel philosophy a little - and are running out of patience with their overpaid personnel. Wallace might go just to go, even knowing there might not even be anyone out there willing to pay him. Hell, the Steelers might have already made up their mind on him. 10 games in, he sure seems like a lame duck to me.