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2023 Pittsburgh Steelers. Banged up team loses to Buffalo. Looking ahead to 2024 now (2 Viewers)

Yeah, i will gladly take it though it was really ugly. Any news on injuries besides Ben? Btw, i was certain he was out after seeing the replay and how his knee buckled. 
Ugly doesn't begin to describe the game but they managed to pull it out.  It was the last game of three consecutive weeks on the road so maybe that was a factor in the underwhleming performance.

According to Tomlin and Ben, he is okay but I didn't like the looks of that hit either.  I didn't hear of any of other injuries to be concerned about.

The Bengals are definitely going to be a challenge this week.  Let's hope that being back home will improve their play cause they're going to need it,  especially on defense.

 
Seeing Ben go down makes me again question why they don't have a proven backup. This is a SB caliber team and Mason isn't up to the task of even helping this team win tough games. I don't care about his record last year and don't tell me most backups aren't "Ben". Mason was lucking his first throw wasn't a pick six after he floated it to the receiver.

 
Play calling was bazaar.  Totally abandoned the run for the second half (one run play before the last drive trying to run out the clock).  Got down 9 and freaked out.

Even more questionable due to the injury to Ben late in the second.  How do you continue to put him at risk by going completely one dimensional?  

Ficthner panicked.

 
Cowboys are apparently complaining about the officiating, but during the first half there seemed to be plenty of non-calls go in their favor. I agree that the Refs stank, but I thought it was pretty even both ways, we just got the calls near the end of the game. The deep pass PI non-call when the defender held, then tackled Claypool was completely ridiculous. 

Also, can we please fire Randy Fichtner? He's a terrible OC. The WR drops didn't help, but his play calling is atrocious and each of the last 2 weeks we only moved the ball at all because we changed to the no huddle and Big Ben took over play calling. Either no huddle all game, or replace OC. We need 1 yard on a run and he puts in McFarland? The smallest RB on the team? Cowboys were terrible against the run all year, but we can't take advantage even though Conner has been having a very solid year? Seems like a scheme problem instead of a player issue. 

Overall, not a fan of his and I think he doesn't add anything to benefit our offense. There's a reason we hardly ever score on the opening drive, a drive that's supposed to be completely scripted by the OC...

 
Cowboys are apparently complaining about the officiating, but during the first half there seemed to be plenty of non-calls go in their favor. I agree that the Refs stank, but I thought it was pretty even both ways, we just got the calls near the end of the game. The deep pass PI non-call when the defender held, then tackled Claypool was completely ridiculous. 

Also, can we please fire Randy Fichtner? He's a terrible OC. The WR drops didn't help, but his play calling is atrocious and each of the last 2 weeks we only moved the ball at all because we changed to the no huddle and Big Ben took over play calling. Either no huddle all game, or replace OC. We need 1 yard on a run and he puts in McFarland? The smallest RB on the team? Cowboys were terrible against the run all year, but we can't take advantage even though Conner has been having a very solid year? Seems like a scheme problem instead of a player issue. 

Overall, not a fan of his and I think he doesn't add anything to benefit our offense. There's a reason we hardly ever score on the opening drive, a drive that's supposed to be completely scripted by the OC...
True but Ben wasn't as accurate in the first half than he usually is, some of those missed opportunities were on him.

 
Steelers should offer a trade for Minshew. Solid, cheap and signed through 2022. Jacksonville seems to like Luton.

 
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Steelers should offer a trade for Minshew. Solid, cheap and signed through 2022. Jacksonville seems to like Luton.
2020 trade deadline already passed so anything now will have to wait. Lot can change in the off-season for who is available and potential trade targets. 

 
Seeing Ben go down makes me again question why they don't have a proven backup. This is a SB caliber team and Mason isn't up to the task of even helping this team win tough games. I don't care about his record last year and don't tell me most backups aren't "Ben". Mason was lucking his first throw wasn't a pick six after he floated it to the receiver.
Mason is terrible.  They need to get Dobbs ready as the #2 and have a new plan for next year.

 
Any chance of signing Trubisky on the cheap in the offseason? Haven't paid much attention to his career due to being in the NFC, but I don't recall the Bears giving him much offensive talent to work with. Might do better with a change of scenery.

 
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Any chance of signing Trubisky on the cheap in the offseason? Haven't paid much attention to his career due to being in the NFC, but I don't recall the Bears giving him much offensive talent to work with. Might do better with a change of scenery.
Trubiski is not good. He had/has a very talented WR in Allen Robinson, and a competent WR core behind Robinson in  Anthony Miller, Jimmy Graham, Mooney and dare I say to a stretch of Patterson. No, it's not the same level as Pitt, but Trubiski is not good. He also had a healthy Tareek Cohen as well. 

 
Any chance of signing Trubisky on the cheap in the offseason? Haven't paid much attention to his career due to being in the NFC, but I don't recall the Bears giving him much offensive talent to work with. Might do better with a change of scenery.
I'd take Trubisky all day long. He's a capable starter in the NFL with a strong arm. He'd be a nice backup.

 
For those of us in the peanut gallery, who are following this thread because of the Steelers having fantasy relevance, could someone please breakdown the WRs in the Dallas game and going forward. We're all pulling for Big Ben's health. 

 
Mason is terrible.  They need to get Dobbs ready as the #2 and have a new plan for next year.
Here's the rub....Dobbs is equally terrible.   The guy's issues with accuracy are legion, going back to his time at UT.  It's one of the reasons the Steelers drafted Rudolph in the first place.

I don't want either one of them to ever see the field for more than mop up duty. 

 
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They probably feared a block or miss. Dallas blocked one and were very close to another. It was a ####e game for ST. 
I was terrified they were going to get it blocked and returned. I was happy to see them go for it. I think it is the correct call anyhow. Go for the win. They should have been able to pick that up.

 
I was terrified they were going to get it blocked and returned. I was happy to see them go for it. I think it is the correct call anyhow. Go for the win. They should have been able to pick that up.
I agree with you. You need 1 yard to get the win and the downside is that the 4th string QB still needs to drive 80 yards in a 2 minute drill. 
The called played was crap but the decision correct. Steelers special teams had no answer for Dallas block attempts. 

 
Here's the rub....Dobbs is equally terrible.   The guy's issues with accuracy are legion, going back to his time at UT.  It's one of the reasons the Steelers drafted Rudolph in the first place.

I don't want either one of them to ever see the field for more than mop up duty. 
:goodposting:

Dobbs is not good. I think Rudolph is marginally better.

 
Godsbrother said:
True but Ben wasn't as accurate in the first half than he usually is, some of those missed opportunities were on him.
Granted, I didnt watch a whole game vs. Cowboys yesterday but what's wrong with Roethlisberger?  HIs passing seemed to be off-target all over and why was he trying to be cute!?!?! 

 
bryhamm said:
What the hell was up with the decision to go for it towards the end of the game.  Take the FG and the 8pt lead.
Apparently most disagree with us but I'm with you.  I didn't like the call at the time and still don't.  I know what happened earlier in the game but we're really fearing a FG block return for a TD?  Honestly what are the odds of that?  I like the odds of making the FG and forcing a practice squad QB to drive 75 yards down the field (just with a possibility of sending it to OT) with no timeouts and less than a minute left against a defense that will bring a ton of pressure.  But that's just me.   :shrug:  

 
SoBeDad said:
For those of us in the peanut gallery, who are following this thread because of the Steelers having fantasy relevance, could someone please breakdown the WRs in the Dallas game and going forward. We're all pulling for Big Ben's health. 
Steelers WR - week 9

target share
*claypool: 29.9%
*diontae: 22.2%
*juju: 15.6%
*washington: 4.4%

air yards
*claypool: 133
*diontae: 69
*juju: 50
*washington: 49

 
Ben Roethlisberger, Vance McDonald, Jerald Hawkins, Jaylen Samuels and Vince Williams placed on the reserve/COVID list. Will need to test negative to play Sunday.

 
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Ben Roethlisberger, Vance McDonald, Jerald Hawkins, Jaylen Samuels and Vince Williams placed on the reserve/COVID list. Will need to test negative to play Sunday.
It was just a matter of time before Covid hit the Steelers.   My understanding is that at this point McDonald is the only one that has tested positive, the others are on the "close-contact" list.

Could be Rudolph Mason time next week.

 
Ben Roethlisberger, Vance McDonald, Jerald Hawkins, Jaylen Samuels and Vince Williams placed on the reserve/COVID list. Will need to test negative to play Sunday.
Vance popped positive.  He likely won't play.  The others are on because of tracing back to Vance.  They could play if they test negative later this week.

 
Vance popped positive.  He likely won't play.  The others are on because of tracing back to Vance.  They could play if they test negative later this week.
Yep same thing happened to Stafford last week and he ended up playing on Sunday.  

 
curious about the release of Wisniewski ......know they needed roster space but it appeared he was back and healthy and can help an oline.....as a KC fan hearing some noise about them trying to bring him back to KC....and it seemed like PIT could have used the depth on their line.....you guys got any scoop....

 
curious about the release of Wisniewski ......know they needed roster space but it appeared he was back and healthy and can help an oline.....as a KC fan hearing some noise about them trying to bring him back to KC....and it seemed like PIT could have used the depth on their line.....you guys got any scoop....
I was surprised too but he was having issue getting/staying healthy even before the season started.

 
The ONLY argument I can make for Dobbs is that nobody has really seen what he can do except against 3rd stringers.  I am pretty sure he didn't play a down when he was with the Jaguars.  We know that with Rudolph and Hodges you are dragging at a 10-6 and a wild card spot and the most boring football you will ever see

 
Solid win, as should have been expected. Ben should be included in MVP conversations.

Another dreaded road game as a double digit favorite looms with Baltimore visiting on its heels on a short week.

The run game has officially gone from a concern to emergency. If you can't run against Dallas and Cincy, when is it going to improve?

 
The run game has officially gone from a concern to emergency. If you can't run against Dallas and Cincy, when is it going to improve?
Totally agree. What has happened to Conner that past couple weeks. The line deserves some of the blame, but his decision making and vision seems to have disappeared. 

 
Ben runs the offense and he doesn't really care if we run or not.   So far it is working but at some point we're going to need to run the ball.   Conner hasn't looked sharp but there haven't been huge holes to run through either.  I also think you need to give a RB more carries to get into a rhythm and right now that just is not happening. 

 
Ben runs the offense and he doesn't really care if we run or not.   So far it is working but at some point we're going to need to run the ball.   Conner hasn't looked sharp but there haven't been huge holes to run through either.  I also think you need to give a RB more carries to get into a rhythm and right now that just is not happening. 
I was also annoyed by all the east-west running in the first half. It clearly wasn’t working so why not try between the tackles for a change?

 
I was also annoyed by all the east-west running in the first half. It clearly wasn’t working so why not try between the tackles for a change?
Great posting.   Stevie Wonder could see those sweeps were going nowhere.  They had much better results running in between the tackles

 
Tomlin seems to be doing a nice job of giving more "vet days" this season given the Steelers got screwed on the BYE weeks.  Do we know yet how many seeds get a first round BYE for the playoffs, or is that a moving target still because of Covid?  These guys will be pretty beat up come week 16-17.

 
Tomlin seems to be doing a nice job of giving more "vet days" this season given the Steelers got screwed on the BYE weeks.  Do we know yet how many seeds get a first round BYE for the playoffs, or is that a moving target still because of Covid?  These guys will be pretty beat up come week 16-17.
Right now it is only the #1 seed. If things start going off the rails, I could see adding another team to each conference for a total of 8 teams each, and thus no byes at all.

 
Ben runs the offense and he doesn't really care if we run or not.   So far it is working but at some point we're going to need to run the ball.   Conner hasn't looked sharp but there haven't been huge holes to run through either.  I also think you need to give a RB more carries to get into a rhythm and right now that just is not happening. 
Right, at least try and run the ball 

 
ThaPenguin said:
Right now it is only the #1 seed. If things start going off the rails, I could see adding another team to each conference for a total of 8 teams each, and thus no byes at all.
Wow that really screws us when combined with how the team really got no bye week and they fake bye week was super early. 

 

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