Playoff wins:

Bengals 0
Steelers 0

I think some are a little quick to crown the steelers when they have the same issues in the playoffs.

It's a fair and interesting perspective for sure.

That said, I ain't gonna lie. The Steelers own us and w/o AD, we don't have a chance.

(01-04-2016, 05:43 PM)Whacked Wrote: It's a fair and interesting perspective for sure.

That said, I ain't gonna lie. The Steelers own us and w/o AD, we don't have a chance.

Why? They beat us by 13 points last time with mccarron coming off the bench cold and throwing two costly (one pick 6) picks. Since then he hasn't thrown a pick. Coming off the bench cold with no real reps during the week and no game plan for a qb is difficult. Especially when it's that qb's first real action (oh and our pro bowl TE was out early that game as well). Mccarron will protect the ball and our defense has given up 1 Td to 4 ints vs Ben this year, and that was without Iloka, pacman, and hall last game.

People are giving Pitt WAY too much credit and the 2015-2016 bengals way too little 

(01-04-2016, 05:43 PM)Whacked Wrote: It's a fair and interesting perspective for sure.

That said, I ain't gonna lie. The Steelers own us and w/o AD, we don't have a chance.

Oh stop.

They beat us with an unprepared backup while we had multiple injuries coming into the game. AJ has a few games under his belt, plus we're mostly healthy. And they aren't. Without their running game, we've got a little bit of an edge on them.

Are we going to throw 300 yards and three touchdowns? No. But — given our call history in the playoffs — we wouldn't have tried that anyway.

(01-04-2016, 06:00 PM)Benton Wrote: Oh stop.

They beat us with an unprepared backup while we had multiple injuries coming into the game. AJ has a few games under his belt, plus we're mostly healthy. And they aren't. Without their running game, we've got a little bit of an edge on them.

Are we going to throw 300 yards and three touchdowns? No. But — given our call history in the playoffs — we wouldn't have tried that anyway.

I agree with your totally. But our unprepared backup did throw for 288 and 2 TD. So this defense isn't bulletproof by any stretch. I don't see him turning the ball over at all. Which was the difference last time.

Interesting stat, didn't realize that....lets hope we keep them skunked......

(01-04-2016, 05:52 PM)leonardfan40 Wrote: Why? They beat us by 13 points last time with mccarron coming off the bench cold and throwing two costly (one pick 6) picks. Since then he hasn't thrown a pick. Coming off the bench cold with no real reps during the week and no game plan for a qb is difficult. Especially when it's that qb's first real action (oh and our pro bowl TE was out early that game as well). Mccarron will protect the ball and our defense has given up 1 Td to 4 ints vs Ben this year, and that was without Iloka, pacman, and hall last game.

People are giving Pitt WAY too much credit and the 2015-2016 bengals way too little 

Beat me to it. Great post LF40.

We are the far better team and should win this game in our house. AJM has much more confidence and is
not throwing picks right now as you mention. Reggie should be a Steeler killer once again and like you said
we will have Adam, Iloka and Hall back and the TD machine Eifert. Adam covered Brown like glue the last
time they played which is their main weapon.

Oh, and the running game got back on track with Hill.

Oh and the Steelers are more beat up than us right now on both sides of the ball.

(01-04-2016, 06:31 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Beat me to it. Great post LF40.

We are the far better team and should win this game in our house. AJM has much more confidence and is
not throwing picks right now as you mention. Reggie should be a Steeler killer once again and like you said
we will have Adam, Iloka and Hall back and the TD machine Eifert. Adam covered Brown like glue the last
time they played which is their main weapon.

Oh, and the running game got back on track with Hill.

Oh and the Steelers are more beat up than us right now on both sides of the ball.

Moving Fisher to FB seemed to be just what the Dr. ordered.

(01-04-2016, 05:43 PM)Whacked Wrote: It's a fair and interesting perspective for sure.

That said, I ain't gonna lie. The Steelers own us and w/o AD, we don't have a chance.

There's a thread set up for this. Please go there.

(01-04-2016, 08:05 PM)Beaker Wrote: There's a thread set up for this. Please go there.

Thanks for starting that thread mate

(01-04-2016, 06:31 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Beat me to it. Great post LF40.

We are the far better team and should win this game in our house. AJM has much more confidence and is
not throwing picks right now as you mention. Reggie should be a Steeler killer once again and like you said
we will have Adam, Iloka and Hall back and the TD machine Eifert. Adam covered Brown like glue the last
time they played which is their main weapon.

Oh, and the running game got back on track with Hill.

Oh and the Steelers are more beat up than us right now on both sides of the ball.

Yep this is it right here. The more I think about this, the more I like our chances.  Health is a huge factor and all in all, we are the healthier team. I have a feeling our defense is going to play some big boy football on Saturday night.

Also ,the steelers defense is not good.  We should be able to move the ball no matter who the QB is.

Saturday cannot get here fast enough.    

(01-04-2016, 08:32 PM)The Real Deal Wrote: Yep this is it right here. The more I think about this, the more I like our chances.  Health is a huge factor and all in all, we are the healthier team. I have a feeling our defense is going to play some big boy football on Saturday night.

Also ,the steelers defense is not good.  We should be able to move the ball no matter who the QB is.

Saturday cannot get here fast enough.    

A.J.GREEN HAS TO HAVE A HUGE GAME AND NOT DROP THE BALL AND ALLOW FOR AN INTERCEPTION LIKE HE HAS IN THE PAST.WE NEED HIM TO SHOW UP BIG.

(01-04-2016, 08:37 PM)fortyyearfan Wrote: A.J.GREEN HAS TO HAVE A HUGE GAME AND NOT DROP THE BALL AND ALLOW FOR AN INTERCEPTION LIKE HE HAS IN THE PAST.WE NEED HIM TO SHOW UP BIG.

The best players must play GREAT in the playoffs. AJ, eifert, whit, geno, Dunlap, Burfict, Nelson, pacman to name a few.  
The role players have to pick up their game too. In the playoffs you have to have another gear. Unfortunately in years past we haven't seen that gear. They must find it Saturday night to have a chance. 

(01-04-2016, 06:00 PM)Benton Wrote: Are we going to throw 300 yards and three touchdowns? No.

Big JEN will. That's my point. We need AD to match their offensive potency. AJ cannot.

Can we all call a spade a spade? BigJEN and his WR's and even TE...are a force.

They put up in 33 points in our house last time. What makes you think they can't/won't again? 

I don't see AJ-Mac doing the same. The Stoolers will take a page out of Denver's D (second half).

(01-04-2016, 08:48 PM)Whacked Wrote: Big JEN will. That's my point. We need AD to match their offensive potency. AJ cannot.

Can we all call a spade a spade? BigJEN and his WR's and even TE...are a force.

They put up in 33 points in our house last time. What makes you think they can't/won't again? 

I don't see AJ-Mac doing the same. The Stoolers will take a page out of Denver's D (second half).

Ben has thrown a total of 1 TD this year against our Defense.. also his passing rating is 70 percent against the Bengals... we already beat them once this year , so that already shows we can beat them this year.. it will be tougher without Dalton i understand that but I still believe we can compete with AJ.. the nice thing is we don;t need to take a page out of anyones play book on Defense,

They put up 19 on our defense . Not 33. 14 points came due to the AJM turnovers.

If AJM takes care of the ball. We win.

Oh and AJM threw for 288 yards and 2 TD's as well.

(01-04-2016, 08:48 PM)Whacked Wrote: Big JEN will. That's my point. We need AD to match their offensive potency. AJ cannot.

Can we all call a spade a spade? BigJEN and his WR's and even TE...are a force.

They put up in 33 points in our house last time. What makes you think they can't/won't again? 

I don't see AJ-Mac doing the same. The Stoolers will take a page out of Denver's D (second half).

Our defense when healthy held them to 10 in their house right?

 The last game in Cincinnati saw our defense with multiple injuries. Pacman,and  iloka were both out. If I remember correctly Leon was banged up. 7 of their 33 came from a pick 6. So the defense gave up 26.  Another 7 came from a very short field due to an int thrown by a QB playing his first meaningful nfl game. We can't take that 7 off, but let's say a more prepared and comfortable McCarron didn't make those mistakes (which he hasn't since) and all the sudden you're looking at 19 points for that "vaunted"  offense. 

You see, things can be spun all kinds of ways. 

(01-04-2016, 08:32 PM)The Real Deal Wrote: Yep this is it right here. The more I think about this, the more I like our chances.  Health is a huge factor and all in all, we are the healthier team. I have a feeling our defense is going to play some big boy football on Saturday night.

Also ,the steelers defense is not good.  We should be able to move the ball no matter who the QB is.

Saturday cannot get here fast enough.    

Yeah brother, we just started to run the ball and this needs to continue.

Also, some might have not mentioned it but we need to keep the penalties down to a minimum.

That is what stalled our Offense against the Ravens in the first half.

(01-04-2016, 08:52 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Ben has thrown a total of 1 TD this year against our Defense.. also his passing rating is 70 percent against the Bengals... we already beat them once this year , so that already shows we can beat them this year.. it will be tougher without Dalton i understand that but I still believe we can compete with AJ.. the nice thing is we don;t need to take a page out of anyones play book on Defense,

Yeah, Whacked sounds whacked on this one. Their Offense has not been near as good against our Defense
as that score alludes to. We held them to 10 points the first game and AJM's picks led to their points the last
game. AJM just needs to take care of the ball like he has been the last 3 starts.

Keep in mind that the Steelers defense made Ryan Mallett look like a pro bowler. Along with their back up WR's. Our offense is much better than theirs.

As long as we get to fatass quickly, and not lose coverage, we win this game