Did we just witness the fall of the Evil Empire?

[cooper]

(01-15-2018, 09:54 AM)whodey4life84 Wrote: The thread title might a little misleading, I just couldn't word what my thoughts were properly. Anyways,  to the point..

This season will be the best season the Steelers will have for a long time. I think we are in the beginning stages of the fall of the Evil Empire. I know Big Ben has already said that he is coming back but in my opinion it doesn't matter.

Their defense just isn't any good without Shazier. It's sad but I don't ever see him playing again. I think their defense went from above average to bad without him.

Big Ben is on the decline and I don't think next year will be any better. They have too many prima donnas on offense. If Im not mistaken they are right at the cap and franchising bell will put them over this upcoming season. I believe they will have to cut ties with 1 or 2 noteable players to keep him or if they decide to move on (highly unlikely) that would make their offense way less potent.

I believe this year was kind of an all in year and it didn't happen. Will they be good next year? Most likely. Will they compete for a super bowl? Highly unlikely imo. Due to salary cap restraints, age, injuries etc, i just do not see it at all possible the steelers field a better team than this year and I believe they will be on the decline with each passing year.

What say you?

did u see the game yesterday..ben was brilliant..he was amazing..just saying

[HarleyDog]

Not excited to face Ben next year after looking at his stats against an exceptional defense like Jacksonville.

[Hammerstripes]

A weaker division this year hid some of their shortcomings.

Hell, the Bengals almost beat them with their team this year.

That being said, there is some serious worry for them. Whenever you start paying multiple skill position guys over $15 million per year, the rest of the team is going to suffer.

They have major holes on defense and they are going to have some issues paying for them.

I'm not saying they are done, but they can't really miss on any free agent or draft picks if they want to pay all those other guys.

Also, this was one of the few years that Ben didn't get hurt. I wouldn't bank on him being healthy for an entire year next year.

[Tomkat]

(01-15-2018, 04:32 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: ...Hell, the Bengals almost beat them with their team this year.

Exactly.  The Steelers struggled against and BARELY beat some awful teams, this year... that doesn't scream "dominant," to me.

[Pat5775]

(01-15-2018, 11:29 AM)Trademark Wrote: Lol Bell already said he’s not gonna play if he is franchise tagged again and I don’t blame him. RB’s take a beating

I know, and he said more or less the same thing last year. I didn't buy it then and I don't buy it now. He'll show up the moment he absolutely has to 

[Pat5775]

(01-15-2018, 04:20 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Not excited to face Ben next year after looking at his stats against an exceptional defense like Jacksonville.

Ben got lucky on a couple of defensive breakdowns (both on fourth down, of course) and benefitted from some spectacular catches in yesterday's game. I won't say they got lucky (because they lost) but if those fourth down plays aren't successful and a few of those balls weren't completed we'd be looking at a whole different ball game. Likely a blowout in favor of Jacksonville 

[motoarch]

(01-15-2018, 01:58 PM)Tomkat Wrote: Same owner as the Bubby-Brister, Kordell Stewart, Tommy Maddox, eras?
Yea, the Steelers caught lightning in a bottle with Big Ben.
Before that, they weren't all that great.

Those three qbs have 11 playoff wins between them. You gotta do way better then that to make your point.

[*Nately120*]

(01-15-2018, 11:12 PM)motoarch Wrote: Those three qbs have 11 playoff wins between them.  You gotta do way better then that to make your point.

Pointing out the Steelers winning 11 playoff games with QBs below the Palmer/Dalton line really shows how they get more out of less and we get less out of more.  So it goes. We should have such a dry spell.  

[bengalsturntup926]

When the Steelers lost I was very happy but then I thought to myself aw man they won't be satisfied and they might be even better next year. I really don't see them sucking next year.they barely ever do.

[bengalsturntup926]

Also you play the Steelers you play the refs too, refs were trying to give Pitt the calls.

[TKUHL]

I'm just waiting for the team to implode with the finger pointing, Bell demanding a trade and Ben retirement. Sucks he lit it up the way he did in the loss. I truly think if he came out and stunk up the joint it would have been his last game.

[Shake n Blake]

Until that ogre QB retires, they'll be in the thick of it every year. Once he retires, they'll go back to the days of Kordell Stewart, Neil O'Donnel, Bubby Brister and Tommy Maddox...but without the elite defense. I'm looking forward to the extreme levels of mediocrity they'll see once Ben decides to limp out of the spotlight. It's going to make the 80's look like a dynasty.

[motoarch]

(01-16-2018, 12:07 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Until that ogre QB retires, they'll be in the thick of it every year. Once he retires, they'll go back to the days of Kordell Stewart, Neil O'Donnel, Bubby Brister and Tommy Maddox...but without the elite defense. I'm looking forward to the extreme levels of mediocrity they'll see once Ben decides to limp out of the spotlight. It's going to make the 80's look like a dynasty.

See post 47. You wish Cincinnati would experience the level of mediocrity those qbs achieved. Neil O’Donnell played in a freaking Super Bowl. You guys aren’t helpin your case at all. Seriously do you guys research any of this stuff before you type it out.

[BFritz21]

(01-15-2018, 01:39 PM)Ctfan73 Wrote: I agree, at worst they might miss the playoffs for a year or two.  Long term they will remain a contender even after Ben leaves.

I think they'll bet decent when Ben leaves, but I don't know about contending because it all goes through him and his ability to keep the defense off-balance and widespread because o this ability to throw the deep ball/extend plays.

Life's easy on receivers when they have all day to run and have the entire field to find free space (I know they run routes, but sometimes they can alter them a bit and, even if they don't, it's still difficult for the D to cover the entire field, length and width).  

(01-15-2018, 01:58 PM)Brimey Wrote: This current Steelers team is done. And their super bowl window is perhaps closed at the moment. Bell will likely be gone, Shazier was a huge loss, and they have diva issues at receiver. Their secondary is suspect, and some of their LB picks just have underperformed.

But unlike the Bengals, their organizational structure is excellent. And they will be back quickly most likely. I also haven't seen the drop off from BR that many see. He looked good yesterday against a great pass defense and made some throws that quite frankly, our QB doesn't have the ability to make.

Bengals aren't going to get over the hump by the Steelers getting worse. Here's hoping Marvin has more control and the dominos fall. The playoffs were full of previously beleaguered teams. With the right moves, the Bengals could be like the Jags next year. Need some FA help, young guys to develop, and to hit some picks in the draft. Can turn it around that quick.

They're willing to spend money on free agents like we're not (but let's hope Marvin was right about us being active in free agency this offseason), but I don't think that their franchise does much more than most franchises, they just live off the reputation, which draws players to them.

(01-15-2018, 04:20 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Not excited to face Ben next year after looking at his stats against an exceptional defense like Jacksonville.

Most of his throws were lucky and he looked like he struggled more under pressure.  I was actually thinking while watching it "we just need to bring the pressure and we'll win the games next year."

Ben will be 36 next year....... do you think his body can take that kind of beating at 36?

[HarleyDog]

(01-16-2018, 12:19 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: Most of his throws were lucky and he looked like he struggled more under pressure.  I was actually thinking while watching it "we just need to bring the pressure and we'll win the games next year."

Ben will be 36 next year....... do you think his body can take that kind of beating at 36?

As much as it hurts to say, it doesnt matter. The difference between us and them is we call them lucky and we call us unfortunate. They made plays happen. They always make plays happen. We on the other hand look back and say what if we did this? What if we done that? What if AJ holds on to that ball? Our losses were so close had we won this one and that one and that one we would be in the playoffs. See where I'm going with this? So, I will give credit where it is due. Lucky or not, they made things happen. Yes they lost and I'm happy about it but the respect must be given. 

469 passing yds, 5TD's and 1int? All that against Jacksonville? Com'on man!

[BMK]

(01-15-2018, 05:17 PM)Tomkat Wrote: Exactly.  The Steelers struggled against and BARELY beat some awful teams, this year... that doesn't scream "dominant," to me.

The steelers, for whatever reason,  always have been known to play down to their competition. They were also one tiny bobble away from beating the patriots. There's no style points in football. You don't have to be dominate, you just have to not lose.  Wouldn't it be great if we had BARELY beaten the teams we lost to? 

[BMK]

(01-16-2018, 07:56 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: 469 passing yds, 5TD's and 1int? All that against Jacksonville? Com'on man!

You beat me to it.  I wish Andy was that 'lucky'. 

[Nicomo Cosca]

(01-16-2018, 11:15 AM)BMK Wrote: You beat me to it.  I wish Andy was that 'lucky'. 

Andy’s never even thrown for 400+ yds in a regular season game against a bad team, let alone in the playoffs against a #1 defense. I hate Ben as much as anyone, but it is what it is.

[*Nately120*]

Predicting the end of the Steelers always reminds me of those 80s and early 90s WWF events where Hulk Hogan would be in the main event and he'd get beat up for the first 5 minutes of the match and Jesse Ventura (or the other heel announcer) would gleefully tell Gorilla Monsoon that Hulkamania was clearly dead and over. Then Hulk Hogan gets "Hulked up" and wins the match and everyone rejoices.

We've gleefully predicted the Steelers to be dead multiple times this year, not to mention the many times in years past, so forgive me if I'm not convinced quite yet. Also, is it this thread that pointed out that the Steelers made it to the SB and won 11 playoff games during their "lousy period" between SB wins in 79 and 05? Yeah, I'm not sold that franchise is dead, sorry. We got to see back to back 8-8 seasons, so that might have to hold us for a while.

[Hammerstripes]

(01-15-2018, 11:54 PM)bengalsturntup926 Wrote: When the Steelers lost I was very happy but then I thought to myself aw man they won't be satisfied and they might be even better next year. I really don't see them sucking next year.they barely ever do.

Well, they lost in the playoffs last year and weren't any better this year.