Did we just witness the fall of the Evil Empire?

[whodey4life84]

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?

[Big Boss]

Honestly, it feels like we say this every year. And every year, there they are going to the divisional round of the playoffs while we sit on the couch.

I'll file this away under "I'll believe it when I see it."

[McC]

(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?

No.  Their personnel department is too good for that to happen.   They might not be 13 win good but they aren't going anywhere.

[Beaker]

You just jinxed it by starting this thread. Now the steelers will do well again next season, and shazier will be back. Thanks.

[Pat5775]

No way. Ben will be back, Bell will be franchise tagged and swallow his pride and play, much of their stellar oline will be back, AB is the best in the league, the defense is usually no slouch either...

Point is, even with Tomlin, the steelers are going to be contending for Super Bowls for at least a few more years.

[SunsetBengal]

Doubtful. What we did witness yesterday was an inspired game played by an inspired team. Jags showed a lot of character to hold on for dear life, as the more talented team came roaring back.

[grampahol]

Too bad they didn't have their usual bs cutesy show off celebrations to make us all want to vomit.. I was looking forward to vomiting..Now I'll just have to completely digest last nights dinner..  

[*SHRacerX*]

I think their downfall happened some time ago, when football shifted to a wide-open game. They got extremely lucky that Bell and Brown turned out to be the players they have become. I am still more than a little superstitious about their transformation after college (Brown ran something like a 4.59 at the combine???) but that is a topic for another thread.

The classic steeler team with power running with a guy like Bettis isn't their game any more. Bell has been the best all-around threat in the league for several years now. I watch guys miss him time and time again and think he must soak his uniform in Mobil 1. He is VERY unhappy with the team and he will likely look to cash out elsewhere.

They still have a solid offensive line, a talented stable of WRs, and the officials in their back pocket, but if they lose Bell and the team becomes more one-dimensional, I think they are in real trouble.

That, and that beard can't hide Piggy's six chins. He isn't and has never been the reason this team wins.

I think it will be very interesting to see what they do with Bell and how Piggy responds to another offseason at Golden Corral.

[Tomkat]

(01-15-2018, 10:38 AM)Beaker Wrote: You just jinxed it by starting this thread. Now the steelers will do well again next season, and shazier will be back. Thanks.

Shazier may recover, but he will never play football again.

Those injuries heal, but they end up being "hanging-by-a-thread" situations.
It won't take much to re-injure himself and end up in a wheelchair for life, next time.

Doctors will advise him to retire, and he will.

[*Nately120*]

Meh, until Ben retires the Steelers will still be fairly alive. The thing this year is that they started off the season distracted and full o' divas and ended the season by talking trash they couldn't back up, overlooking the entire playoffs in order to trump up the rematch vs the Pats, and pointing fingers when it comes to placing the blame. They lost, and when you lose the swagger and confidence turns into cancerous bs, or so people perceive it. It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to treat a team that humiliated you at home earlier in the year like they are a veritable bye-week in the playoffs. Win and it's swagger. Lose, and it's everything that's wrong with you.

The bottom line is the 2 top AFC teams this year are the Patriots and the Jaguars and the Steelers played 3 games against them, all at home, and went 0-3. They lost. Bottom line.

[CJD]

We can dream.

If we're lucky, they can't afford Bell and he leaves this off season as well. He did say, after all, that he'd sit out if he's franchised.

Of course, the dumbass said a similar thing last year so he's very much an "all talk" kind of negotiator...

[*Go Cards*]

Ben has a decision to make.

[grampahol]

(01-15-2018, 10:56 AM)Tomkat Wrote: Shazier may recover, but he will never play football again.

Those injuries heal, but they end up being "hanging-by-a-thread" situations.
It won't take much to re-injure himself and end up in a wheelchair for life, next time.

Doctors will advise him to retire, and he will.

I'm not quite sure Shazier is smart enough to listen to his doctors. After all, once a squeeler always a dumbass*.. They can't uncoach dumbassedness.
*see..oh never mind.. It'll just start another argument..

[Sled21]

Even if Shazier is stupid enough to try to play football again (and he probably is if he even gets out of his chair), I can't see him willing to hit like he did before, worrying that every impact could cripple him. Shame really, the Stealers taught him to tackle dirty, and it cost him his career.

[XenoMorph]

well tomlin has them focused on the right things.. Like the patriots next week.. Now they can all watch at home instead of play them because they decided not to focus on the team that crushed them earlier in the year

HAHAHA what a shit head

[Striper]

I said this in 2006 and 2012. I'm not saying it again until that team has a losing season and a run of bad drafts. Their football ops department is really smart about replacing outgoing players and Ben is giving them time to get a QB plan in place (WHICH IS WHAT THE BENGALS SHOULD BE DOING, BUT AREN'T RIGHT NOW).

They still have a good offensive line, an endless number of ahole wide receivers that they seemingly grow in Pittsburgh, and Bell will be back someway somehow. They'll fix their defense's issues through the draft this year and will be thorns in our side all over again. 

It really feels like two years is our minimum sentence here. Two years until Marvin is gone. Two years until Brady retires. Two years until Roehtlisberger retires. Two years until all these things happen to turnover the league and football can be fun again. 

[Nicomo Cosca]

469 yds and 5 TD’s in a playoff game against a #1 defense is on the “decline?”

Don’t kid yourself, Ben is still elite.

[R3stangs]

(01-15-2018, 11:23 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: 469 yds and 5 TD’s in a playoff game against a #1 defense is on the “decline?”

Don’t kid yourself, Ben is still elite.

4200 Yards/28 TD/14 Int over the season. Ranked #5 in the league as far as I see.

Yeah you beat me to this one. He can't scramble like he used to but I'm not seeing where his passing game has declined a bit. (As much as it pains me to admit. Hate that asshat)

[Trademark]

(01-15-2018, 10:39 AM)Pat5775 Wrote: No way. Ben will be back, Bell will be franchise tagged and swallow his pride and play, much of their stellar oline will be back, AB is the best in the league, the defense is usually no slouch either...

Point is, even with Tomlin, the steelers are going to be contending for Super Bowls for at least a few more years.

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

[McC]

(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

Especially when they are getting 400 touches a year.  Most RB's only have so many miles in them.  How many more years can he go on being used this much?