Pittsburgh Steelers Thread

Tom Mann Centuria

Great (tension wise) games every week. Not good for my post covid ticker!

Fugly winning streak goes on.

Edit: Why didn't they go for the field goal? (I'm not up on the nuances of the game but just seemed a better option?)

dfx-

I started the game aged 36, I end it aged 136.

Again.

The_Honeybadger

Quite unconvincing from the Steelers but this was the third road game in a row, the only thing that matters is the win. They will be glad to have a home game next week I am sure.

Dallas played much harder than I expected and could have won it, Gilbert gave a great account of himself.

dfx-

There looks like there was a lot of zone with TJ Watt and Dupree in coverage and Gilbert found ways through. Again there were complaints from some that Minkah was not contributing...he certainly has recently. Same stuff Brady ripped apart with regularity a few years ago (AFCCG etc)

Vance McDonald on Covid list...

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Edit: Why didn't they go for the field goal? (I'm not up on the nuances of the game but just seemed a better option?)

Tomlin said in his interview that he didn't like how the game had went or something like that. It's one of three things...

1. Gambling on getting the first down and the game is over (most risk)
2. Not confident in Boswell (hopefully not)
3. Seeing how they blocked an XP and nearly blocked others and not risking it..

The_Honeybadger

Vance was with the team in Dallas, presumably there will be a few close contacts added to the Covid list. Injuries are mounting on the defence and team looked flat and tired v Dallas. They could really do with a bye week at this stage.

They have been quite lucky and are due a defeat, I would not be surprised if they lose one of the next two v Bengals and @Jax

dfx-

8-0 does flatter them. Other than the Titans first half and the Texans second half, it seems like it's players making plays at crucial times - especially on defense than a scheme thing.

They are arguably the most criticised 8-0 team...

Ben threw for 300 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs with a sore knee - the narrative had been he's holding them back, but no credit for him this week.

The_Honeybadger

I don’t necessarily think Ben is holding them back. He has been superb in the Redzone and he seems to be able to move the ball in fits and spurts, especially when they go empty sets and no huddle.

One of the difficulties is that they have no run game, the line can’t seem to create the gaps for Connor and it seems like they are continually in third and long as a result. That makes it very hard to manage games, control the clock and give the defence a breather. They can’t keep asking the defence to play 65-70 snaps a game.

OOnegative

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/11/10/ben-roethlisberger-and-three-other-steelers-go-on-covid-19-reserve/amp/

Hopefully Ben’s back by Sunday!!

dfx-

After Rudolph's 'cameo' on Sunday, can they pick someone else if he isn't back...anyone else...

The_Honeybadger

Ugh, hopefully he is back, I would not trust Mason to start either.

Bengals are much improved on last season and will be a good test even with Ben.

The_Honeybadger

Despite her optimism this does not sound good. We could have two games of Mason and / or Josh Dobbs on the way.

https://twitter.com/akinkhabwala/status/1326206319125270530?s=21

dfx-

I'd really rather Tomlin plays QB himself than Rudolph. Dobbs and Ben are supposedly in conversations about plays a bit and Ben trusts him..

There is a lag time so he might not test positive until Friday and as careful as you are, you can still easily catch it despite mask wearing etc.

The_Honeybadger

Rudolph will be getting the majority of snaps in practice this week by all accounts. If they had a consistent running attack you could probably hide him for a few games but we’ve seen in recent weeks that this is a pass first team.

I think they’ll still be competitive against the Bengals if Mason has to play but it reduces the game to a 50/50 at best and it’ll be on the defence to try to win it.

OOnegative

Ben good to go tomorrow.

The_Honeybadger

OOnegative wrote: »

Ben good to go tomorrow.

Dotson added to Covid list, McFarland listed with an ‘illness’. Hope this isn’t the start of big outbreak in the locker room.

OOnegative

We winning tonight lads? Have my Big Al Salute to Service jersey on, hope I don’t jinx them!!!

Tom Mann Centuria

Hope we win, but there is a school of thought that maybe a defeat sometime soon might bring the expectations back down to a more realistic level. Which I suppose is reasonable, I don't really think they're playing like an 8 - 0 team.

No, actually scrub that, let's go all the way Undefeated. :pac:

OOnegative

Tom Mann Centuria wrote: »

Hope we win, but there is a school of thought that maybe a defeat sometime soon might bring the expectations back down to a more realistic level. Which I suppose is reasonable, I don't really think they're playing like an 8 - 0 team.

No, actually scrub that, let's go all the way Undefeated. :pac:

Yeah, we haven’t played like an 8-0 team but somehow they are finding ways to win games which I’ll take every week. Not good for the heart but!! Taking care of No7 is of the upmost importance or we could finish 8-8!!

The_Honeybadger

Very hopeful for tonight. They should have too much for the Bengals, you never know of course.

I can understand people questioning the record. You expect an 8-0 team to be dominant against lesser teams, outside of the Cleveland game they haven’t been that convincing really, and have been really lucky at times with penalties etc.

dfx-

they were 6-2 and still missed the playoffs in 2018, so nothing is sure yet

OOnegative

The wind looks crazy in Heinz Field!!

The_Honeybadger

Great work by Ben and DJ on that drive, especially given the conditions

OOnegative

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Great work by Ben and DJ on that drive, especially given the conditions

Difficult conditions to say the least.

OOnegative

Is TJ better than JJ......

dfx-

243 yards passing, 16 yards run in the first half. Hopefully this is not another rgame changing half time like the past few weeks have been..

The_Honeybadger

The run game is just not working at all in the last few weeks, negative yards on nearly every first down putting pressure on Ben to bail them out. Not sure what the issue is.

Tom Mann Centuria

Is it going to be an actual comfortable win? Surely they'll just have a nice sensible, sedate 4th quarter and we all get a week off from anxiety and stress.

The_Honeybadger

Ray Ray has been quite a find. Had never even heard of him before they picked him up

dfx-

Who needs practice? :pac: (except the run game, I think that's on the OL not opening or maintaining gaps)

Good result in Arizona too so if the Patriots could keep that going...

The_Honeybadger

Very good performance, just had far too much for an emerging Bengals team as expected. Bengals seem to have nailed their draft with Burrow and Higgins. If they manage the roster properly going forward they could be really good. I’d take Burrow over Lamar and Baker right now without a moments thought.

On to Jacksonville who gave Green Bay plenty to think about today. Steeler are probably headed in to a few down years very soon but this is a really special season

OOnegative

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Steeler are probably headed in to a few down years very soon but this is a really special season

100%, when Ben goes lean years lie ahead!!

The_Honeybadger

Did not see that Patriots result coming, Baltimore now 6-3 along with the Browns, and the Steelers hold tiebreakers over both. Long way to go yet but that’s a great position to be in at this stage of the season.

dfx-

I don't really buy into the "easy" schedule thing, but its a great advantage to have on results so far.

Again 2018 - 7-2-1 with a final play win in Jacksonville and supposed easy games were to come in Denver and Oakland and that went badly...

The_Honeybadger

Every game on the slate is winnable but they will slip up a few times without a doubt. There are no guaranteed wins, especially if the continue to pick up injuries or if they have more Covid issues.

Remaining schedule

@Jacksonville
Ravens
Washington
@Bills
@Bengals
Colts
@Browns

Edit; I remember that 2018 season and the Bell fiasco, that ugly third down defence, Boswells meltdowns and getting robbed by the refs v Chargers and @Saints (in AB’s last game). I hope they don’t collapse like that again, they look a bit more together now, especially on defence.

Kirk Van Houten

I'm sure this is well known and I'm just last to figure it out but if you log onto Paddy Power (I'm using the app) you can watch the Steelers and I presume any other game live. Didn't even had to place a bet.

Kirk Van Houten

Go Titans. They might do us a real favour tonight.

The_Honeybadger

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

I'm sure this is well known and I'm just last to figure it out but if you log onto Paddy Power (I'm using the app) you can watch the Steelers and I presume any other game live. Didn't even had to place a bet.

Didn’t know that. I’m paying for Gamepass which I find very good

Totally controlling this one v Jax. Two picks for Edmunds, I don’t ever remember him getting one before today? He has really stepped up this year.

Tom Mann Centuria

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

I'm sure this is well known and I'm just last to figure it out but if you log onto Paddy Power (I'm using the app) you can watch the Steelers and I presume any other game live. Didn't even had to place a bet.

Dofu streams are good too, especially if you have an Android TV device. Now I know we can't recommend iffy apps, but that's in the Google app store and has been for months. So I'm only recommending a "legit" app, feck knows how it's legit though.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dofusports.nfl.nba.ncaaf.mlb.nhl

Kirk Van Houten

Titans 3 up with 90 seconds left.

dfx-

Tucker should see that out for the Ravens in OT I think. Huge to be four points up against them like Steelers were, takes him out of the game - same on Thursday.

Good solid conventional road win, bench involved at the end - not to be taken for granted either way

Kirk Van Houten

Titans win

Tom Mann Centuria

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Titans win

Excellent result.

The_Honeybadger

Titans grind it out in OT. Ravens now four games behind in the division. They absolutely have to win Thursday and hope the Steelers implode down the stretch

Good job all around by the Steelers today. Came away with no major injuries which is good. Juju hurt his toe but I’m sure he will be good to go on Thursday

dfx-

Vance is back too for selection with Gentry out. I have to say Ebron has been excellent, Ben is going to him a lot and how good is to have a catching TE back.

There was a play where he stumbled over on the route yesterday and Ben still went for him down the field and missed him.

The_Honeybadger

Ravens having a bit of a Covid issue. dobbins and Ingram positive and out for Thursday and probably others after they complete the contact tracing.

We could be looking at our second postponement of the season with the game moved to Sunday or Monday.

dfx-

If it's an early cancellation, it might be welcome to the players. A week 4 bye week that was declared very late and really had no time off wasn't very welcome.

Worst case is that they keep moving it and then cancel it.

The_Honeybadger

I was thinking they’d just move it to Sunday to allow anybody they put on the Covid list as a precaution time to come back in?

I don’t think they want to cancel games unless absolutely necessary

Edit: forgot this is the Thanksgiving prime time game. Will probably only be moved as a last resort if the Ravens can’t field a team.

The_Honeybadger

Moved to Sunday afternoon, at least we will be able to watch at a reasonable hour


https://twitter.com/nflfootballops/status/1331658077624553473?s=21

Kirk Van Houten

Lamar Jackson has tested positive for Covid. Unlikely to play Sunday but have to wonder now if the game will go ahead if there are more close contacts or positive tests.

The_Honeybadger

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Lamar Jackson has tested positive for Covid. Unlikely to play Sunday but have to wonder now if the game will go ahead if there are more close contacts or positive tests.

The week 18 fallback may be enacted here. The Ravens are totally decimated. Not trying to be facetious here but is RG3 such a massive drop off from Lamar right now the way he has been playing? IDK. Lamar has been a total disaster any time he has faced that Steelers defence

Edit: just see the Ravens have shut their facility until Monday citing player safety. The Sunday game is dead, no chance it goes ahead imo. NFL can make them play week 18 or make the Raven forfeit. No wiggle room to shuffle the remaining games unfortunately