So, are the Steelers poised to win 12 or 13 games before choking in the postseason again and breaking our hearts?
… Remember, “One for the Thumb” took decades
It is the the preseason, but the Pittsburgh Steelers fans are optimistic again — or at least some of them are. The Pittsburgh media have been predicting for years that this offensive “tsunami” was going to carry them to another Super Bowl.
However, as the voluble radio personality Mark Madden noted a few weeks ago, the track record of those great offensive weapons has been spotty at best. “This is the last season of the Le’Veon Bell/Antonio Brown era.
It feels like the Steelers have accomplished something in the era’s five years prior, perhaps because of the assorted histrionics. But they haven’t. It’s honestly hard to figure why they didn’t.”
Last year was particularly galling after winning 13 games. Losing to a wild-card team, Jacksonville, in their first game was downright embarrassing, even if they did score 42 points. However, even worse was what happened the year before when the Steeler millennials and Gen-Xers were certain that Super Bowl ring number seven was a certainty.
In that AFC title game, the Steelers were humiliated by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots by three touchdowns. The great matchup between QB Ben Roethlisberger and Brady never materialized as Brady won again, as he has except on one occasion more than a decade ago.
The blame for much of this can be laid on the defense, but also on the front-office for loading up on offense while ignoring defense. They lost their leading tackler for the previous five or six seasons, Lawrence Timmons, whom they decid decided to not sign after ten seasons. A former number 1 draft pick, he was replaced by Vince Williams, a sixth-rounder who is decent, but not good.
It feels like the Steelers have accomplished something in the era’s five years prior, perhaps because of the assorted histrionics. But they haven’t. It’s honestly hard to figure why they didn’t.”
Last year was particularly galling after winning 13 games. Losing to a wild-card team, Jacksonville, in their first game was downright embarrassing, even if they did score 42 points. However, even worse was what happened the year before when the Steeler millennials and Gen-Xers were certain that Super Bowl ring number seven was a certainty.
In that AFC title game, the Steelers were humiliated by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots by three touchdowns. The great matchup between QB Ben Roethlisberger and Brady never materialized as Brady won again, as he has except on one occasion more than a decade ago.
The blame for much of this can be laid on the defense, but also on the front-office for loading up on offense while ignoring defense. They lost their leading tackler for the previous five or six seasons, Lawrence Timmons, whom they decid decided to not sign after ten seasons. A former number 1 draft pick, he was replaced by Vince Williams, a sixth-rounder who is decent, but not good.
Then last year, they lost the other inside linebacker, Ryan Shazier, to an injury that will probably end his career. Have they drafted anyone to replace these two stalwarts? Nope.
Clueless. That is a no-brainer, so to think that somehow this defense will improve significantly is a pipe dream.
What about the "tsunami "of an offense?
Madden elaborated on his ideas about their problems during the Brown/Bell era. “ell and Brown haven’t exactly sharpened the Steelers’ focus, with Facebook Live and training-camp holdouts among superstar-generated distractions,” he wrote in the Tribune-Review. :It is fair to question the team’s focus, as lack thereof avails itself on a regular basis. Last year, it trickled down from Mike Tomlin as the coach openly anticipated a playoff matchup with New England that never came.”
Tomlin and focus
Questioning Tomlin’s coaching ability seems crazy for someone who has won about 65 percent of his regular-season games. But, the Steelers performance in the postseason after his first four seasons. Those resulted in a Super Bowl victory in his second year and a Super Bowl loss in year four.
Since then, it has been downhill, and the B/B’s have not helped off the field. However, they should have done some soul-searching in the off-season. It did not happen based upon the 2018 draft and subsequent stories.
Forgive Steeler fans if they are somewhat cynical entering 2018. As Madden notes, “Its a conundrum, and close to a mystery: How does a team with all that offensive talent (and a very good offensive line) not win a championship, or even come very close? The Steelers have played in just one conference championship game in the Bell/Brown era, and got beat by 19.”
Clueless. That is a no-brainer, so to think that somehow this defense will improve significantly is a pipe dream.
What about the "tsunami "of an offense?
Madden elaborated on his ideas about their problems during the Brown/Bell era. “ell and Brown haven’t exactly sharpened the Steelers’ focus, with Facebook Live and training-camp holdouts among superstar-generated distractions,” he wrote in the Tribune-Review. :It is fair to question the team’s focus, as lack thereof avails itself on a regular basis. Last year, it trickled down from Mike Tomlin as the coach openly anticipated a playoff matchup with New England that never came.”
Tomlin and focus
Questioning Tomlin’s coaching ability seems crazy for someone who has won about 65 percent of his regular-season games. But, the Steelers performance in the postseason after his first four seasons. Those resulted in a Super Bowl victory in his second year and a Super Bowl loss in year four.
Since then, it has been downhill, and the B/B’s have not helped off the field. However, they should have done some soul-searching in the off-season. It did not happen based upon the 2018 draft and subsequent stories.
Forgive Steeler fans if they are somewhat cynical entering 2018. As Madden notes, “Its a conundrum, and close to a mystery: How does a team with all that offensive talent (and a very good offensive line) not win a championship, or even come very close? The Steelers have played in just one conference championship game in the Bell/Brown era, and got beat by 19.”
Leadership, end of Roethlisberger era
I have questioned the leadership of the team since the exodus of the silent leaders like Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith and Alan Faneca and similar people over the past few decades. They had quality people leading them by quiet example, but that appears to be missing today.
I have questioned the leadership of the team since the exodus of the silent leaders like Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith and Alan Faneca and similar people over the past few decades. They had quality people leading them by quiet example, but that appears to be missing today.
I have never felt that Roethlisberger has been a leader. Ever since Hines Ward called him out for refusing to play against the Raves though he was cleared by doctors a decade or so ago, I have wondered how much influence he has within those walls. Nevertheless, he is not in the best phsycial condition, so his career may be winding down.
Madden, not surprisingly, is not positive about the immediate future. “The Steelers won’t win a Super Bowl in the Bell/Brown era. Whatever it is this group never had, it still hasn’t got.”
Bell has been a cancer on this team, no matter how good he is. He should sit for missing two consecutive preseasons, but of course, he will not with a coach who does not believe in discipline.
Ah, that last word makes all the difference
Some of the old-time fans will remember the cry of “Winning one for the thumb,” a plaintive cry that lasted for 26 years. Since the Steelers won their four in the 70s, it took 26 years to win the next one. They now have six, more than anyone else, but as long as Brady is playing that record is not safe.
I agree with Madden that it will not end this year, but if it goes for another 29 years, I will probably not be around to enjoy it [I hope not]. But, having six in my lifetime is not bad, so I will never complain.
Madden, not surprisingly, is not positive about the immediate future. “The Steelers won’t win a Super Bowl in the Bell/Brown era. Whatever it is this group never had, it still hasn’t got.”
Bell has been a cancer on this team, no matter how good he is. He should sit for missing two consecutive preseasons, but of course, he will not with a coach who does not believe in discipline.
Ah, that last word makes all the difference
Some of the old-time fans will remember the cry of “Winning one for the thumb,” a plaintive cry that lasted for 26 years. Since the Steelers won their four in the 70s, it took 26 years to win the next one. They now have six, more than anyone else, but as long as Brady is playing that record is not safe.
I agree with Madden that it will not end this year, but if it goes for another 29 years, I will probably not be around to enjoy it [I hope not]. But, having six in my lifetime is not bad, so I will never complain.
The millennials and Gen Xers may, though. For them, another win would be neat.
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