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The Steelers lost both Casey Hampton (NT) and Chad Scott (CB). I think Hampton was by far the better player but I'm more concerened about Scott's replacement(s). Willie Williams is old and not the CB he once was and Ricardo Colclough is a rookie. That combined with two first-year starters at the safeties makes me more concerned about the corner. The good news is that Chad Scott wasn't that good anyway, so the dropoff may not be that noticable.
Pats fans are loving this logic! :rotflmao:
Gee, how many big games did Cowher's teams win in order to get to the Conference championship/Super Bowl games they lost? Your first playoff game isn't the Conference championship game, you have to win "big games" in order to get there. Of course, since BGP is a Browns' homer, he has no way of knowing that. In the unusual event that they make it to the playoffs, they don't expect to win, so that when they lose home playoff games to the Steelers it doesn't count as a "big game".I'm not disagreeing with your overall point....but your using their 1995 AFC Championship WIN as a reason that Cowher is not a big game coach??
I'll be the first to admit I have not seen many Steelers games this year. But I can tell you I was @ the Pats-Pitt game in 2002. The patriots went 4 and 5 wide all night long and destroyed the Pitt secondary. Now it's been a few years and I am sure lots have changed since that game - But I guess it would not shock me to see Bill come out with the same game plan untill Pitt can stop it.Steelers fans are loving your logic of the Pats going to 5 wr sets and getting Brady killed and knocked out of the game by LeBeau's blitzes and there is no Bledsoe to bail you out this time.
They might -- the Steelers CBs have a tendency to give a BIG cushion -- so it would likely be very effective. On the other hand NE has a tendency to do exactly the opposite of what you expect them to do and the Pats WRs are a little banged up.Add to the fact that the Steelers all-pro NT Casey Hampton was lost for the season in their last game and I think the Pats will start with Dillon running.I think the Steelers can win but it is going to be a very tough game. Turnovers and penalties are going to be HUGE.I'll be the first to admit I have not seen many Steelers games this year. But I can tell you I was @ the Pats-Pitt game in 2002. The patriots went 4 and 5 wide all night long and destroyed the Pitt secondary. Now it's been a few years and I am sure lots have changed since that game - But I guess it would not shock me to see Bill come out with the same game plan untill Pitt can stop it.Steelers fans are loving your logic of the Pats going to 5 wr sets and getting Brady killed and knocked out of the game by LeBeau's blitzes and there is no Bledsoe to bail you out this time.
Let me define my point a little more. Despite the streak, I wouldn't be surprised if the Patriots lose in any given week. The streak is amazing because of their LACK of dominance. Fast forward to this years playoffs. Even if the Pats go undefeated, I could see them losing to the Colts or even Jags, Broncos or Jets. The 92-93 Cowboys lost a handful of meaningless regular season games, but there was no doubt at playoff time they were going to pummel their opponets.Everyone will lose eventually.However, when you are "very good, methodical, and well coached" you win most of your games, including the close ones. Anything can happen but the Pats don't make mistakes that lose games. Maybe that will happen this week, but I believe it will happen later rather than sooner.
Any team on any given Sunday has a better than 10% chance of winning. Looking back, the 95 Steeler team was pretty darn good and dominated the great Cowboys team in the Superbowl but lost on a couple of turnovers and that proves that turnovers dictate games more than who is the better team most of the time.
This is ridiculous. Any Steelers fan will tell you that if anything, the Steelers play their best during the regular season against the better teams and tend to "play down" to the level of the lesser teams. This year, they have been winning those games against lesser teams, and that's why they're 5-1.In MANY years, you'll see a Steelers team that finishes 8-8 beat a 10-3 Oakland team 17-14 and then lose the following week to a 4-10 Bengals team....
I'm not so sure about this either. If you were to look up the Steelers' overall record over the last 10 years, I'd be willing to bet they're pretty far up the list compared to the rest of the league.
The Patriots have beaten the second and third best teams in the AFC, the Colts and Jets, three times each, and beat Jacksonville and Denver once apiece during the process. They're 7-0 against the teams you mentioned during their current consecutive games winning streak, and 8-0 in the last two years, with a combined score of 165-116 - which averages out to about a 21-14 win per game. They also beat the team that this year's Jags most resemble - last year's Panthers - in the Superbowl. They beat last year's Eagles 31-10, although the additions of Owens and Kearse might make up that three touchdown gap. They also beat last year's Titans twice. So when you say LACK of dominance, do you mean they're not winning by enough points? That they're not winning by as many points as the Cowboy dynasty teams? Because unlike those teams, all the possible San Franciscos to these Pats have been beaten along the way.
Wicked decent post!
Mr. Levin... your reputation is intact. VERY astute - let me be the first to pimp your prediction.Yes, I AM giddy right now...
LOL!!Didn't bump it for that reason specifically - just wanted to bust B-Fred's chaps. (kidding).Although, I have been very vocal for a few weeks now that the Steeler's game would be the week the streak would end, so that probably prompted the bump.ON another note, if Jeff Reed is still unclaimed in your league, and you are a bit hurting at K - go get him.Mr. Levin... your reputation is intact. VERY astute - let me be the first to pimp your prediction.Yes, I AM giddy right now...
Paging Jayhawk.......
I went back to your post where you named the class teams in the AFC, but couldn't find where you said the Steelers. Can you go back and point that out for me? Or are you just trying to take credit for saying that the Patriots were capable of losing?
He kicked your tails, just suck it up and admit it.
This is how the Patriots talk after every game. That's higher praise than Belichick gives Brady.
cowher choked here??? ahhhh//no.... cowher cant help it if QB over throws WR and some door knob intercepts 2 passes and brings them back to the 2 and 7 yd line..and proceeds to be super bowl MVP and than goes free agency to raiders and never heard of again... hard to stop a team om that short field.. it was the master mind of cowher that called for the onside kick to start 2nd half that turned game around FOR pitt... they outgained dallas nearly 2-1 on the ground....cant help QBs overthrows...in 1994 afc championship.. was it cowher on the field when odonnells pass from the 3 was deflected?? no.. cowher and co. led pitt back down the field for a chance to win that game.. and on 4th down odonnell s pass got tipped and fell incomplete..aand in 200 afc championship.. i believe NE had only 1 offensive TD.. cant blame that on cowher... kordell threw 2 ints with less than 3 minutes to go in game after pitt came back from a 21-3 deficit... say whay ya want.. but cowher is an awesome coach who LOSES many players a year to free agency.. AND O BY THE WAY.... when these awesome playeres leave, you never hardly hear from them again...... look at all the free agents that left and most did crap where they went..havent heard much bout chad brown,kirkland,or woodson..again proving it was cowher who did the job on those guys.... cowher rules.. and it showed sunday when he BLEW NEW ENGLAND RIGHT OUT OF THE STADIUM,, no talk about cowhers game plan there except it was FLAWLESS.. man he rocks..cant stand seeing people knock the coach when the game comes down to just a couple plays that the player messed up..not the coach....just my 2 centsAND ALSO.. SF LOST ALOT IF FREE AGENCY THIS YEAR..AND IT SHOWS!! YOU DONT SEE COWHER FALLING.. HE GOES OUT AND DRAFTS MORE AWESOME KIDS AND THEY KEEP RIGHT ON GOING..next step.. attempt to slow down might philly..GO BIG BEN
Woodrow, I think that he's done enough. The last knock on Roethlisberger was the whole : "let's see how he does against a good team in a big game..... let's see if he can handle a Belichick-designed defensive scheme, etc."With that firmly out the window, I think even the biggest naysayers have to finally admit that the guy can flat-out play. With the arm he has, the size, and the mobility, it's the POISE and INTELLIGENCE that are making him a winner. The biggest knocks on Roethlisberger coming out of college were that he couldn't handle the speed of the pro game, had trouble making reads, tried to force the ball too much and would turn it over a lot, etc. The guy has gone out, played within the confines of the offense, doesn't turn the ball over, and makes enough plays to win every game. This, coupled with the physical ability to win a game with his arm if called upon, is what makes him a very good NFL QB right now, IMHO.That said, the Eagles will be a tough task next week. Anyone seen a line yet?Congrats to the Steel City, I didn't think the Patriots would roll over so easily but obviously we're seeing something special in Pittsburgh this year in the form of Big Ben. Not sure how much longer he has to play like this before he's no longer considered "on a hot streak" rather than just "darn good." Looking forward to a spirited Pennsy Bowl next weekend!
I would guess Steelers by 2.5, but that's totally a gut reaction.Woodrow, I think that he's done enough. The last knock on Roethlisberger was the whole : "let's see how he does against a good team in a big game..... let's see if he can handle a Belichick-designed defensive scheme, etc."With that firmly out the window, I think even the biggest naysayers have to finally admit that the guy can flat-out play. With the arm he has, the size, and the mobility, it's the POISE and INTELLIGENCE that are making him a winner. The biggest knocks on Roethlisberger coming out of college were that he couldn't handle the speed of the pro game, had trouble making reads, tried to force the ball too much and would turn it over a lot, etc. The guy has gone out, played within the confines of the offense, doesn't turn the ball over, and makes enough plays to win every game. This, coupled with the physical ability to win a game with his arm if called upon, is what makes him a very good NFL QB right now, IMHO.That said, the Eagles will be a tough task next week. Anyone seen a line yet?Congrats to the Steel City, I didn't think the Patriots would roll over so easily but obviously we're seeing something special in Pittsburgh this year in the form of Big Ben. Not sure how much longer he has to play like this before he's no longer considered "on a hot streak" rather than just "darn good." Looking forward to a spirited Pennsy Bowl next weekend!
I'd be willing to bet that you're pretty close there. Had this game happened yesterday, I think the Eagles would have been favored, but after the Patriots win, the oddsmakers are going to be very wary of giving the Steelers points at home. Pittsburgh by 1.5 - 2.5 seems like it might be where it lands.I would guess Steelers by 2.5, but that's totally a gut reaction.Woodrow, I think that he's done enough. The last knock on Roethlisberger was the whole : "let's see how he does against a good team in a big game..... let's see if he can handle a Belichick-designed defensive scheme, etc."With that firmly out the window, I think even the biggest naysayers have to finally admit that the guy can flat-out play. With the arm he has, the size, and the mobility, it's the POISE and INTELLIGENCE that are making him a winner. The biggest knocks on Roethlisberger coming out of college were that he couldn't handle the speed of the pro game, had trouble making reads, tried to force the ball too much and would turn it over a lot, etc. The guy has gone out, played within the confines of the offense, doesn't turn the ball over, and makes enough plays to win every game. This, coupled with the physical ability to win a game with his arm if called upon, is what makes him a very good NFL QB right now, IMHO.That said, the Eagles will be a tough task next week. Anyone seen a line yet?Congrats to the Steel City, I didn't think the Patriots would roll over so easily but obviously we're seeing something special in Pittsburgh this year in the form of Big Ben. Not sure how much longer he has to play like this before he's no longer considered "on a hot streak" rather than just "darn good." Looking forward to a spirited Pennsy Bowl next weekend!
NO doubt - the Patriots almost NEVER talk about their opponents - that's why they win. They are confident that if they make the plays they are supposed to, and do what they are supoposed to, they will win the game or at least be there in the end, regardless of how many good plays the other team makes. They simply don't heap praise, or criticism, on their opponents.
Without Westbrook I doubt that Philly will be able to run against the Steelers defense. The game is going to come down to what Owens and McNabb can do against the Steelers passing defense. Given what I saw against the Patriots, I am definitely encouraged.On the other side of the coin, the Philly defense has looked awful against the run the past 2 weeks. Duce Staley is going to have a HUGE game.
Philly came off their bye week and crushed Carolina, then almost lost to Cleveland. Pittsburgh came off their bye week and crushed the Patriots, then plays Philly. Looking closer, in the Cleveland game, Philly jumped out to a 21-10 lead early, scoring on three of their first four possessions, but got themselves in trouble when Garcia, TO's former QB, went on a tear.The Ravens are letting up 13 points per game, 27 of which came from KC. The Eagles scored 15 against them, which is above that average. I'm not a Philly apologist; they shouldn't have let Kyle Boller score at all. But they still had a good game. I'm also not a Pittsburgh hater. The Pats-Steelers rivalry has been pretty one sided until yesterday, especially during the Kordell era, so I don't really hate them, although their fans certainly hate the Pats and Patriots fans. And I'm not bitter about yesterday - you won't find many unhappy fans in New England right now. I'm just not sold on them. Pittsburgh has beaten Oakland, Miami, Cinci, Cleveland, Dallas - none of which is a great team. They came off their bye to crush a beaten up Pats team that lost both their starting corners, both their starting offensive tackles, their best WR, and their starting running back. I'm not taking anything away from that win - Pittsburgh did everything they were supposed to do, and did it exceptionally well - but the Patriots couldn't put up their best competition. They're coming off a huge win after a bye week. I see a big letdown here. Someone else will end Philly's win streak.
Don't say you aren't taking anything away from that win and then bring up all of the Patriots injuires.Don't forget that the Steelers were also playing without their starting CB, RG, NT and LB. Not to mention starting a rookie QB with a total of 5 starts to his credit.It looked to me that the Steelers were the more physical team yesterday.
Injuries are part of life in the NFL. The Steelers are missing their top 2 QBs from the preseason, their starting RG, their top CB, a Pro Bowl ILB and NT. The Steelers had the quality depth to replace these guys, it appears the Pats do not.
There it is folks.
You can't win them all.I give the Steelers credit today.
