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2023 Pittsburgh Steelers. Banged up team loses to Buffalo. Looking ahead to 2024 now (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter Godsbrother
- Start date
Blick
Footballguy
steelers1080
Footballguy
Boom! Half a game from being exactly right. Swept the Ravens, made the playoffs, yeah!
It's not the Bills because they crapped the bed against bad teams, but was close there!
KC next week, it could get ugly but you never know.
steelers1080
Footballguy
The NFL has always been the "any given Sunday" league, as evidenced by the Jags win over the Colts, but the chances that the Steelers beat the Chiefs in KC are very, very slim. IMO the Steelers have to have at least 3 things go their way.
They have to win the turnover battle. If this team gives up free points by having a turnover on our own side of the field, then the chances of winning evaporate quickly.
The Steelers have to run more no-huddle and give Ben control on the field. It will be hard in Arrowhead, but the play calling by Canada is poor and baffling. The Ravens have the #1 run defense and were starting a 6th string CB who is actually a safety, and yet we ran the ball for 0 or 1 yard so often last Sunday. If the opponent's secondary is decimated by injury, pass the freakin ball!
We need to pressure Mahomes while rushing 4. We need Heyward, Highsmith, Watt, and Wormley (or other replacement DE/DT) to get after the QB and create QB pressures so that we can drop 7, maintain over the top coverage, and force KC to slowly move the ball down the field. The recipe for success against KC in the past few years has been to use 2 high safeties and force them to keep making consistent plays underneath. Kelce is a beast, but having to go for 4 yard passes over and over stresses an offense and 1 mistake ends a drive. With how trash our run defense is, I'm not sure we'll be able to devote the personnel necessary for this approach.
Also, last Sunday, watching Edmunds, Bush, Schobert, and Spillane get washed out by pulling O-linemen on every run was depressing. They just run up and guess at a gap and get it wrong most of the time. The lack of instincts in this group is astounding.
Game prediction:
If we score a TD in the first half: KC 27 PIT 20
If we don't score a TD in the first half: KC 38 PIT 13
They have to win the turnover battle. If this team gives up free points by having a turnover on our own side of the field, then the chances of winning evaporate quickly.
The Steelers have to run more no-huddle and give Ben control on the field. It will be hard in Arrowhead, but the play calling by Canada is poor and baffling. The Ravens have the #1 run defense and were starting a 6th string CB who is actually a safety, and yet we ran the ball for 0 or 1 yard so often last Sunday. If the opponent's secondary is decimated by injury, pass the freakin ball!
We need to pressure Mahomes while rushing 4. We need Heyward, Highsmith, Watt, and Wormley (or other replacement DE/DT) to get after the QB and create QB pressures so that we can drop 7, maintain over the top coverage, and force KC to slowly move the ball down the field. The recipe for success against KC in the past few years has been to use 2 high safeties and force them to keep making consistent plays underneath. Kelce is a beast, but having to go for 4 yard passes over and over stresses an offense and 1 mistake ends a drive. With how trash our run defense is, I'm not sure we'll be able to devote the personnel necessary for this approach.
Also, last Sunday, watching Edmunds, Bush, Schobert, and Spillane get washed out by pulling O-linemen on every run was depressing. They just run up and guess at a gap and get it wrong most of the time. The lack of instincts in this group is astounding.
Game prediction:
If we score a TD in the first half: KC 27 PIT 20
If we don't score a TD in the first half: KC 38 PIT 13
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Great analysis, 1080. I agree with pretty much everything you said.
The Chiefs are not as formidable as they were in 2021 and 2020 but they are still way better than the Steelers.
I don't think there is much of a chance to win this but the one thing the putrid offense has done well most of the season is protect the ball. If that holds true and the defense can cause a couple of turnovers, and the Steelers can turn those into points, maybe they can pull off an unlikely win.
The Chiefs are not as formidable as they were in 2021 and 2020 but they are still way better than the Steelers.
I don't think there is much of a chance to win this but the one thing the putrid offense has done well most of the season is protect the ball. If that holds true and the defense can cause a couple of turnovers, and the Steelers can turn those into points, maybe they can pull off an unlikely win.
read an article a couple months ago with the author speculating that Hunt will be the hire because his primary contribution (talent evaluator) is harder to replace than Khan's (salary cap expert).
author further speculated that Khan would definitely get a GM job with another team, and that with him being a minority hire, the Steelers would receive a 3rd or 4th round compensatory pick.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Better check with GodsBrother on that since he openly disputes that in the Browns thread.
no idea of the accuracy of the author's speculation. i would tend to trust GodsBrother. thanks.Better check with GodsBrother on that since he openly disputes that in the Browns thread.
steelers1080
Footballguy
Some articles from the last few days list Khan as the favorite to be the new GM, but all the news around the draft last year was that Brandon Hunt would be the pick and that's why Khan was interviewing with the Texans. I haven't heard either mentioned for the open GM spots so far. If the Jags weren't idiots they would fire Trent Baalke and hire whichever the Steelers are willing to part with and hire Leftwich to be HC. But they are idiots, so we might get to keep both for another year.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
I was not disputing anything, I was just stating that I think it is a silly rule (i.e. compensatory picks for executive hires)Better check with GodsBrother on that since he openly disputes that in the Browns thread.
steelers1080
Footballguy
Oh man, what if this team is Deja Vu all over again?!
Steelers knock out starting QB on opening drive and go on to a huge upset, followed by beating the #1 seed as the last team to make the playoffs with a Big Ben season saving tackle, and then win the AFC Championship over the team that knocked out the Pats by forcing lots of turnovers. Boom boom boom, KC, Tennessee, Buffalo. Sadly we can't face Seattle again, but we could face another bird in the Cards or Eagles, though both will probably be eliminated in week 1 of the playoffs. More likely would be a Green Bay rematch where Ben could not throw the back breaking INT at the end to squeak by with a win.
It won't happen, but it would be wildly poetic for Ben to go out the same way he let Bettis go out.
Steelers knock out starting QB on opening drive and go on to a huge upset, followed by beating the #1 seed as the last team to make the playoffs with a Big Ben season saving tackle, and then win the AFC Championship over the team that knocked out the Pats by forcing lots of turnovers. Boom boom boom, KC, Tennessee, Buffalo. Sadly we can't face Seattle again, but we could face another bird in the Cards or Eagles, though both will probably be eliminated in week 1 of the playoffs. More likely would be a Green Bay rematch where Ben could not throw the back breaking INT at the end to squeak by with a win.
It won't happen, but it would be wildly poetic for Ben to go out the same way he let Bettis go out.
steelers1080
Footballguy
Steelers Super Bowl odds are 90-1... it was 55-1 around Thanksgiving. I think that KC game and the rematch is pushing it further down.
steelers1080
Footballguy
Lots of talking heads starting to talk up the Steelers as underdogs and I appreciate but don't believe it.
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McBokonon
Footballguy
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
I was going to post something similar. Bettis needs to be in the building these next few weeks!steelers1080 said:
steelers1080
Footballguy
Khan to be interviewed by the Bears. If they're smart, they'll hire him. He'll bring stability and I think he's going to make a great GM. Easterby F'd him last year apparently. The Texans were about to hire him when Easterby intervened to hire his friend.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
I believe the Steelers would get a 3rd round compensatory pick if Khan is hired by another team.
Speaking of compensatory picks, the Steelers lost a potential 5th round pick when they started Joe Haeg at left tackle last week.
steelers1080
Footballguy
I'm pretty sure if someone hires Khan as their GM we get a 3rd this year and a 3rd next year. I think our best bet long term would be keeping Khan and Hunt, but to me it looks like Hunt is the favorite to be the next GM so I don't see Khan staying. Also, the team is going to be out of salary cap hell starting next year and really have a ton of cap room in 2023. I'm sure Khan did way more than just manage the cap and salaries, but that was what he was revered for so if we had to choose between money management and player analysis, I'd probably go with the player analyst. Though, there have been some major hiccups in signings and picks over the past few years, but not sure if that's Colbert or Hunt.
If we have to lose either, let's lose them while this Compensatory Pick rule is in place. To me the pick rule makes way more sense if they benefited both the team hiring a minority coach/GM and the team losing the coach/GM. The NFL is so incestuous that I don't think that change will happen soon, so many sons of coaches/players are now coaches and so many coaches get fired from 1 job to just move to the next, it's called the coaching carousel for a reason, they all just go round and round.
I wonder if anyone who's never coached could make a good head coach or if that's just a bridge too far.
Yogibear
Footballguy
If this had been a 16-game schedule, the Steelers would've finished 8-7-1 and would've missed the playoffs. As far as I'm concerned, it should be the Colts, not the Steelers who should be going to Kansas City. If you look at my 16-game argument thread, you'll see that the game against the Seahawks wouldn't have counted for the 16-game record. I hope the Steelers get blown out by the Chiefs because they do not deserve to be in the playoffs.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Are the picks contingent upon who the Steelers ultimately hire?
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Give me a break. The regular season is now 17 games and the standings at 16 games doesn't mean squat. The Colts were so worthy they lost to a 2-14 team a win-and-your-in situation.
Go ahead and root for a blowout but by all measures the Steelers deserve to be in the playoffs because they qualified for the playoffs. Unlike the Colts.
steelers1080
Footballguy
If this had been a 1-game schedule, the Steelers would've finished 1-0 and would've made the playoffs due to strength of schedule and beating the Bills, a team everyone thought was good. As far as I'm concerned, it should be the Steelers, not the Colts who should be going to Kansas City. If you look at my 1-game argument here, you'll see that the Colts lost to the Seahawks who are a bad team and would count for their 1-game record. I hope that the Colts get blown out in the first week of the playoffs, oh wait, they didn't make it because they couldn't beat the Jaguars, a team they haven't beaten in Jacksonville since 2014.
Well here we are 
I'm just enjoying that broke down rickety ### wooden roller coaster ride that is Big Ben. I mean seriously - talk about cementing your legacy.
And we get to close our eyes and hold our breath one more time. Nothing better than that and the Bradshaw ride was just the same.
PS4L
I'm just enjoying that broke down rickety ### wooden roller coaster ride that is Big Ben. I mean seriously - talk about cementing your legacy.
And we get to close our eyes and hold our breath one more time. Nothing better than that and the Bradshaw ride was just the same.
PS4L
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Ben actually came out and said “we have no chance”. Love it. 
steelers1080
Footballguy
If the Steelers don't run at least 3 trick plays I'll be sorely disappointed. This team should be playing with nothing to lose, so just go all out and pull out every possible stop. The game should be no huddle, trick plays, going for it on 4th down if we're anywhere near mid-field, and playing smash mouth football when we have opportunities to hit people. This feels like the sort of game where Polamalu or Harrison would light someone up to change the momentum in our favor, hopefully someone can do that in this game. It would probably be Watt or Heyward, but don't be surprised if Maulet gets a crack at Mahomes and gives us some juice.Ben actually came out and said “we have no chance”. Love it.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
I'm all for throwing the kitchen sink at them and playing with reckless abandon.
I'm sure you know this but I'll point out for those that don't that Maulet is in concussion protocol.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Upset special coming.
fred_1_15301
Footballguy
Yeah it's too bad there has never ever been a major playoff upset in the history of the NFL (where one team appeared to be completely mismatched on paper). I wish I had a reason to get excited for the game.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
"The Steelers are the biggest underdogs in Wild Card Weekend history. ... I said 'Better than a Bye' & the only real pushback I got was what about injuries. That's a fair point. If I were Andy Reid, I'd consider resting Travis Kelce & Tyreek Hill." —
@getnickwright
@getnickwright
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster returned to practice today. The Steelers have 21 days to activate him
ETA: James Washington was activated from the Covid list
ETA: James Washington was activated from the Covid list
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Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Whoa. This is like the Bettis and Rod Woodson super bowl years combined.
Ben wins this game for Juju so he can play again.
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
Sooo, something along the lines of....
- JJSS catches TD over Honey Badger in waning minutes of the third quarter to give Steelers the lead. Does an impromptu robot-inspired dance move where he points at his shoulder a couple times before spiking it.
- 12 minutes later, some no-name KC defensive back houses an INT(his 2nd pick of the game) to retake the lead for the Chiefs and gets named "Wildcard Round MVP." Come the offseason, he flips his good fortune into a massive contract with some team who has more money than sense (let's say, oh, I dunno....Washington. Yeah, that fits). He's out of the league three years later.
- Chiefs hold on win game.
Yeah, I'd rather skip the "Woodson" portion, thanks.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Sooo, something along the lines of....
- JJSS catches TD over Honey Badger in waning minutes of the third quarter to give Steelers the lead. Does an impromptu robot-inspired dance move where he points at his shoulder a couple times before spiking it.
- 12 minutes later, some no-name KC defensive back houses an INT(his 2nd pick of the game) to retake the lead for the Chiefs and gets named "Wildcard Round MVP." Come the offseason, he flips his good fortune into a massive contract with some team who has more money than sense (let's say, oh, I dunno....Washington. Yeah, that fits). He's out of the league three years later.
- Chiefs hold on win game.
Yeah, I'd rather skip the "Woodson" portion, thanks.
Well, I was more meaning that he was out all season and able to come back for the super bowl.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Injury Report: Thursday, January 13
RB Najee Harris (Elbow) - DNP
QB Ben Roethlisberger (Pectoral/Right Shoulder) - Full
DB Arthur Maulet (Concussion) - Full
T Dan Moore Jr. (Ankle) - Full
G Trai Turner (Knee) - DNP
Harris is supposed practice tomorrow. We'll see...
RB Najee Harris (Elbow) - DNP
QB Ben Roethlisberger (Pectoral/Right Shoulder) - Full
DB Arthur Maulet (Concussion) - Full
T Dan Moore Jr. (Ankle) - Full
G Trai Turner (Knee) - DNP
Harris is supposed practice tomorrow. We'll see...
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Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Godsbrother
Footballguy
I don't. He is expected to practice tomorrow. I think he'll play but I am not a doctor and did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express.Leeroy Jenkins said:
ChiefD
Footballguy
I remember years ago when the Chiefs were the #1 seed in the Marty years. They had the bye, a dominant defense, and the Colts coming in back when Harbaugh was the QB.
The narrative all week was similar to this week. Nobody gave the Colts a chance, and lo and behold the Chiefs kicker missed three field goals and the Chiefs got beat.
I’m getting an eerie feeling about this game. Tyreek got downgraded today to a limited participant in practice, and Helaire got downgraded to no participation. You also have Darrell Williams nursing a sore toe that kept him out of the 2nd half last week.
I think the Steelers have a real chance in this game.
The narrative all week was similar to this week. Nobody gave the Colts a chance, and lo and behold the Chiefs kicker missed three field goals and the Chiefs got beat.
I’m getting an eerie feeling about this game. Tyreek got downgraded today to a limited participant in practice, and Helaire got downgraded to no participation. You also have Darrell Williams nursing a sore toe that kept him out of the 2nd half last week.
I think the Steelers have a real chance in this game.
The Steelers can’t run block, can’t pass block, don’t do run defense and their secondary is average at best. Even their punter is bad. If KC can block a four men rush then they will win by a country mile.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
I can't really dispute any of this BUT...
The Steelers running game has improved significantly since rookie center Kendrick Green was injured and replaced by JC Hassenaur. The bigger concern is the health of Najee Harris. If he can't go the Steelers are screwed because Snell, Ballage, et al suck. If Najee plays I think the running game will be okay, it is not like the Chiefs run defense is all that great.
The Steelers run defense is bad, no way to sugarcoat that although they did manage to keep Chubb in check in both games with the Browns (hey it's something!). Where they are really weak is right up the middle so I can see a guy like Gore having a big day.
The secondary isn't awful and if Hill can't go that would make things much easier. Kelce is a factor of course, and Pringle lit up the Steelers a few weeks ago. It really depends on how well KC handles the Steelers pass rush.
The Steelers biggest problem this year has been the lack of offense in the first half. IF the Steelers can keep it close in first 30 minutes then they MIGHT have a snowball's chance in hell in this game.
I think the Chiefs put this one away early though and Ben throws his last TD pass late in the 4th quarter to make the score look better than it should.
Chiefs: 35, Steelers 17
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steelers1080
Footballguy
The Steelers scored 16 points in OT against a team that was starting a 6th string safety at CB because they're so injured in the secondary. If we can't make a game plan to attack one of the worst secondaries in the NFL and instead try to take on the #1 run defense, I don't have super high hopes for us making a decent offensive plan against the Chiefs.
The only chance in this game is turnovers, trick plays, and no huddle offense. If Ben isn't allowed to go no-huddle and Canada calls every play, I think we're doomed.
I'm loving the underdog story lines and the groundswell of hope, but people should also prepare for a rough game. I'm hoping for the best but expecting the worst.
The only chance in this game is turnovers, trick plays, and no huddle offense. If Ben isn't allowed to go no-huddle and Canada calls every play, I think we're doomed.
I'm loving the underdog story lines and the groundswell of hope, but people should also prepare for a rough game. I'm hoping for the best but expecting the worst.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Agreed.
The Chiefs average more than 28 points per game, the Steelers scored more than 28 points in 2 games this season. That alone does not bode well.
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irish eyes
Footballguy
The Colts got smoked by the pathetic Jags. Gimme a break, lol.Yogibear said:
Godsbrother
Footballguy
Ian Rapoport is saying that JuJu Smith-Schuster is expected to be activated and play against the Chiefs.
5-ish Finkle
Footballguy
This.
Plus, at the moment the Steelers don't have a single player on defense that can consistently control/contain Kelce. Not a single one.
Their only real hope in this one, to me, is to win the TOP by a MASSIVE margin. I do not see a script that can accomplish this with their offense, even if their D was able to give them the ball a couple/three times.
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steelers1080
Footballguy
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