(04-07-2016, 09:11 AM)Belsnickel Wrote:

In all seriousness, I don't know how much of it rests on Tomlin, but I have found myself with a decreasing amount of excitement about the Steelers over the past few years. It's happened in general with me for pro sports, but I see it more significantly with the Steelers because even as a kid I was never as big of a Pens or Buccos fan as I was a Steelers fan (and I grew up with Lemieux and Jagr on the Pens and Bonilla, Bonds, etc. on the Buccos), so the drop in my enthusiasm is much more noticeable.

I think there is a change, as well. PIT used to be the posterchild for AFCN football: hard-nosed defense and run the ball down their throats until they are exhausted. I blame it on the change to a more pass-reliant offense.

PIT's defense is still good. But I think everyone will admit that it is not as dominant as it was a decade ago. Part of that is turnover in personnel: The retirement of the Old Guard. But I think another part of that is that they are on the field a lot longer than the used to be. A drawback of a good exposive pass game is that it shortens your time of possession and keeps the D on the field longer. The longer the D is out there, the more weaknesses get exposed (particularly in the secondary).

PIT's run game is good. But it is different than it used to be. It is not as "pound the rock" as it was in the days of Bettis. Bell is explosive. Part of that is his sheer natural ability. Another part is being in the offense which is more pass reliant, which opens up more opportunities on the ground. They compliment each other. But like the pass game, the key word here is "explosive". Once again, that means the D is out there longer.

Some people like the new style Steelers. I suppose it is a question of taste. Personally, I like the Bengals better over the past few years when they have been more balanced than I did when their offense was more pass reliant under Palmer.

Oh! That's right. This is Smack Talk. I forgot!


You Steelers are a bunch of whinebabies anymore!!!!


Nyah, nyah, nyah!!!

(04-07-2016, 04:20 PM)Bengalzona Wrote:

Bengalzona Wrote:I think there is a change, as well. PIT used to be the posterchild for AFCN football: hard-nosed defense and run the ball down their throats until they are exhausted. I blame it on the change to a more pass-reliant offense.

This is due in great part to the rule changes that have been made over the last 10 years.  For the most part the NFL wants to be pass happy with higher scores.

Quote:PIT's defense is still good. But I think everyone will admit that it is not as dominant as it was a decade ago. Part of that is turnover in personnel: The retirement of the Old Guard. But I think another part of that is that they are on the field a lot longer than the used to be. A drawback of a good exposive pass game is that it shortens your time of possession and keeps the D on the field longer. The longer the D is out there, the more weaknesses get exposed (particularly in the secondary).

All good points.  Again though I would argue part of the change here is rules again favoring the QB and receiver. 

(04-07-2016, 04:28 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: All good points.  Again though I would argue part of the change here is rules again favoring the QB and receiver. 

True. But I think some in the PIT org wanted to go that way also, namely Big Ben. And since he is one of the better franchise QB's in the league, I'll bet that carries some weight with the org.

(04-07-2016, 04:35 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: True. But I think some in the PIT org wanted to go that way also, namely Big Ben. And since he is one of the better franchise QB's in the league, I'll bet that carries some weight with the org.

I don't see how that changes anything I said.  All of the things you said are true, however one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle is the rule changes.  They have skewed the rules so heavily to the QB and Receiver that it makes no sense trying to be a hard nosed running team.

Flacco has made a career out of taking advantage of those rules. PI calls had to amount to a large percentage of the yards gained by that offence.

(04-07-2016, 04:41 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: I don't see how that changes anything I said. 

I suppose that that is why I started my statement with "True", eh.

(04-07-2016, 09:11 AM)Belsnickel Wrote:

In all seriousness, I don't know how much of it rests on Tomlin, but I have found myself with a decreasing amount of excitement about the Steelers over the past few years. It's happened in general with me for pro sports, but I see it more significantly with the Steelers because even as a kid I was never as big of a Pens or Buccos fan as I was a Steelers fan (and I grew up with Lemieux and Jagr on the Pens and Bonilla, Bonds, etc. on the Buccos), so the drop in my enthusiasm is much more noticeable.

It's age. Same has happened to me too. Job, house, wife, KIDS, hopefully all allow you to see what is really important. I still love football and the Steelers and will watch the NFL all day Sunday, but what happens isn't so important to me. Football and the Steelers have become a nice little diversion from reality on Sundays in the fall. 

(04-07-2016, 04:20 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: I think there is a change, as well. PIT used to be the posterchild for AFCN football: hard-nosed defense and run the ball down their throats until they are exhausted. I blame it on the change to a more pass-reliant offense.

PIT's defense is still good. But I think everyone will admit that it is not as dominant as it was a decade ago. Part of that is turnover in personnel: The retirement of the Old Guard. But I think another part of that is that they are on the field a lot longer than the used to be. A drawback of a good exposive pass game is that it shortens your time of possession and keeps the D on the field longer. The longer the D is out there, the more weaknesses get exposed (particularly in the secondary).

PIT's run game is good. But it is different than it used to be. It is not as "pound the rock" as it was in the days of Bettis. Bell is explosive. Part of that is his sheer natural ability. Another part is being in the offense which is more pass reliant, which opens up more opportunities on the ground. They compliment each other. But like the pass game, the key word here is "explosive". Once again, that means the D is out there longer.

Some people like the new style Steelers. I suppose it is a question of taste. Personally, I like the Bengals better over the past few years when they have been more balanced than I did when their offense was more pass reliant under Palmer.

I used to post on the old ESPN Bengal board and I'd say the same thing to Bengal fans back then. Your defense is definitely better and its weakness less exposed when you're playing from in front and are only on the field for 25 minutes a game. 

(04-07-2016, 05:01 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: It's age. Same has happened to me too. Job, house, wife, KIDS, hopefully all allow you to see what is really important. I still love football and the Steelers and will watch the NFL all day Sunday, but what happens isn't so important to me. Football and the Steelers have become a nice little diversion from reality on Sundays in the fall. 

Hell, I have a hard time watching football on television. Anyone else ever paid attention to the actual amount of action compared to the time you spend watching the game?

(04-07-2016, 04:35 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: True. But I think some in the PIT org wanted to go that way also, namely Big Ben. And since he is one of the better franchise QB's in the league, I'll bet that carries some weight with the org.

Yep, I thinks its a mix of both. Rules are a lot of it, but having a QB who you can lean on is a big part of it too. 

(04-07-2016, 05:09 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Hell, I have a hard time watching football on television. Anyone else ever paid attention to the actual amount of action compared to the time you spend watching the game?

True, but if you have Sunday Ticket or NFL RedZone (me), you can just flip around and fill in the slow spots with other games. 

A lot of people quit watching once their team is eliminated, but IMO playoff football is the best. You cant beat WC and Divisional Round weekends. The best 2 weeks of the season. 2 days straight really good football regardless of who is playing (unless its the Chiefs/Texans) in the dead of winter when the days are short and there is nothing else to do.  

(04-07-2016, 05:14 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: True, but if you have Sunday Ticket or NFL RedZone (me), you can just flip around and fill in the slow spots with other games. 

A lot of people quit watching once their team is eliminated, but IMO playoff football is the best. You cant beat WC and Divisional Round weekends. The best 2 weeks of the season. 2 days straight really good football regardless of who is playing (unless its the Chiefs/Texans) in the dead of winter when the days are short and there is nothing else to do.  

I have basic cable. I'm lucky if I get to see the Steelers game at all since I'm in Redskins territory.

(04-07-2016, 05:09 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Hell, I have a hard time watching football on television. Anyone else ever paid attention to the actual amount of action compared to the time you spend watching the game?

It is the only reason I keep RedZone.  My wife hates it, but I love the jumping from game to game all day.

(04-07-2016, 05:14 PM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: True, but if you have Sunday Ticket or NFL RedZone (me), you can just flip around and fill in the slow spots with other games. 

A lot of people quit watching once their team is eliminated, but IMO playoff football is the best. You cant beat WC and Divisional Round weekends. The best 2 weeks of the season. 2 days straight really good football regardless of who is playing (unless its the Chiefs/Texans) in the dead of winter when the days are short and there is nothing else to do.  

Unless you're a Bengals fan.  

 "Rule changes are why Pittsburgh isn't tough and hard nosed anymore. Rule changes made our players a bunch of whiney, bitchy kitty cats"  


You Pennsylvanians never cease to amaze me with your bitching and moaning. 

(04-07-2016, 04:20 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: I think there is a change, as well. PIT used to be the posterchild for AFCN football: hard-nosed defense and run the ball down their throats until they are exhausted. I blame it on the change to a more pass-reliant offense.

PIT's defense is still good. But I think everyone will admit that it is not as dominant as it was a decade ago. Part of that is turnover in personnel: The retirement of the Old Guard. But I think another part of that is that they are on the field a lot longer than the used to be. A drawback of a good exposive pass game is that it shortens your time of possession and keeps the D on the field longer. The longer the D is out there, the more weaknesses get exposed (particularly in the secondary).

PIT's run game is good. But it is different than it used to be. It is not as "pound the rock" as it was in the days of Bettis. Bell is explosive. Part of that is his sheer natural ability. Another part is being in the offense which is more pass reliant, which opens up more opportunities on the ground. They compliment each other. But like the pass game, the key word here is "explosive". Once again, that means the D is out there longer.

Some people like the new style Steelers. I suppose it is a question of taste. Personally, I like the Bengals better over the past few years when they have been more balanced than I did when their offense was more pass reliant under Palmer.

I don't disagree with any of this; however time of possession has been part of the offensive strategy under Haley. We'd never pass up on a quick TD, the short passing game is a way we can still keep the ball on offense while the defense rests.

(04-07-2016, 07:06 PM)6andcounting Wrote: I don't disagree with any of this; however time of possession has been part of the offensive strategy under Haley. We'd never pass up on a quick TD, the short passing game is a way we can still keep the ball on offense while the defense rests.

I agree it is part of the strategy. But (and this is a good problem to have, I'd say), the talent of guys like Bell and Brown ends up turning routine short plays into big plays and the offense into an explosive offense.

BTW - I still hate you guys. I just respect you while I hate you!

(04-07-2016, 05:09 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Hell, I have a hard time watching football on television. Anyone else ever paid attention to the actual amount of action compared to the time you spend watching the game?

I found out a few years ago there's an average of around 11 minutes of actual action each game. It kind of deflated my enthusiasm toward the game. 

I'll say one thing about the statement though: it is sort of pointless. Without the penalty, the field goal was far less likely. Without the field goal, the Steelers would not have advanced.

It is the kind of silly "if" statement that someone makes in a bar after throwing back a few.

I heard some sports radio jocks today trying to put the 'nice' spin on DeAngelo by saying things like "Ya gotta respect how he just puts his true feelings out there for everyone to see!". Yeah... so does the drunk guy at the bar. What's the difference?

(04-07-2016, 08:03 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: I found out a few years ago there's an average of around 11 minutes of actual action each game. It kind of deflated my enthusiasm toward the game. 

Part of the enjoyment of the sport is learning the formations on offense and defense then seeing the chess match that is going on in football prior to the snap.

(04-07-2016, 07:31 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: I agree it is part of the strategy. But (and this is a good problem to have, I'd say), the talent of guys like Bell and Brown ends up turning routine short plays into big plays and the offense into an explosive offense.

BTW - I still hate you guys. I just respect you while I hate you!

 I neither hate nor respect you guys.