Why are the Steelers so badly overrated?

[SBR Lou]

They are the Baltimore of old.

Great defense, incompetent head coach, and no offense. Their offensive line is also the worst in the league.

Their QB holds the ball far too long, and just because he'll occasionally scramble and make a big play, and because his running game won him a SuperBowl he's regarded as some kind of "great QB". He's average with flashes of being above average, but still very much average.

[fiveteamer]

The Baltimore of old won a superbowl.

unreal.

[SBR Lou]

The Baltimore of old won a superbowl.

unreal.

They're also in a much more realistic position to do the same again. They are better than Pittsburgh in just about every way- coaching, defense (gasps- yes, their playmakers are far more talented), offensive line, Quarterback, etc.

[Bread]

No offense, but you have no offense. That hurt my head typing that.

Pittsburgh in the SuperBowl. Mark it down.

[SBR Lou]

Pittsburgh in the SuperBowl. Mark it down.

I really hope you buy Robyn a nice gift rather than bet that, because it has absolutely no shot at happening. I don't even like Pittsburgh to advance to the next round.

[Bread]

What???? San Diego??

I think my Lou gone cra-zay!!

[fiveteamer]

unreal.

Rivers has 0% chance winning at Pitssburgh.

[SBR Lou]

What???? San Diego??

I think my Lou gone cra-zay!!

I snatched them at +650 to win the AFC just before the 2nd half of the Indy game. That sailed down to +425 at TheGreek.

[SBR Lou]

unreal.

Rivers has 0% chance winning at Pitssburgh.

The game won't be on his shoulders, but even if it was he's playing well enough lately that it wouldn't bother me. His decision making, minus a pair of poor throws versus Indianapolis (whom couldn't capitalize), has been much improved since this time last year.

Can you imagine those big bodies on Pittsburgh trying to find Darren Sproles? He is small as can be, has an extremely low center of gravity, and runs much faster than LT does lately. If LT were to get most of the snaps I'd like Pittsburgh more, Sproles is a monster and could start on any team in the league.

[Bread]

Well that is indeed a nice price, but I think you would've been better served buying Robyn a nice gift with that cash, because the only gift I'm buying her is a nice box of getmeanotherbeerwoman!!!

[rookie]

I snatched them at +650 to win the AFC just before the 2nd half of the Indy game. That sailed down to +425 at TheGreek.

Are you saying some book left the future lines open during a game and they haven't canceled the bet ?

[LT Profits]

Are you saying some book left the future lines open during a game and they haven't canceled the bet ?

Matchbook

[SBR Lou]

Matchbook

[topgame85]

They're also in a much more realistic position to do the same again. They are better than Pittsburgh in just about every way- coaching, defense (gasps- yes, their playmakers are far more talented), offensive line, Quarterback, etc.

Oh yah have you forgotten we are in the same divison and beat those scrubs twice this season alone already

[rookie]

Ah sometimes, matchbook bettors are in some serious donation mode when it comes to futures.

[WileOut]

Ah sometimes, matchbook bettors are in some serious donation mode when it comes to futures.

Shhhhhhhh

[Chi_archie]

hype and a huge loyal fan base....

Steelers prob have one of the best if not the best record this decade... and they had on of the best records in the '90's... skip the 80's and the had the best record in the 70's.... 5 super bowl rings, 6 super bowl appearances that stuff sticks in peoples' minds and makes them a very PUBLICLY KNOWN team.... that is assumed to be good.. ask the avg joe that kinda follows football, but only knows a handful of football players not on HIS hometeam... and he'll tell ya the Steelers, and Giants are favs for the super bowl this year.....tradition



now about this team.... how is it that the Steelers ALWAYS have a top defense, year in and year out? it kind of befuddles me.. its like how Penn State is "line-backer" University. players and coaches change but the result stays the same... the same could be said for a great running game.. but for some reason, that didn't work out for the Steelers....worst running game for them except one tommy "gun" Maddux era team like in 2002..since they were the Squeelers back before cowher in the 80's.


IF the steelers find a way to get willie parker, or moore, or davis or whomever a combined 25+ carries and 110+ yards and not turn the ball over....they win.... forget Ben Roethlisberger in that situation.....the defense wins a game for pittsburgh 85% of the time when it is scripted like that... .early lead, grind the clock out with good running, a few 3rd down's by Ben to Hines. Defense comes up with a big play/turnover and 2 hrs later you have a Steeler victory.

I just don't think the steelers are gonna be firing on half cylinders let alone full cylinders in their playoff game. they might get by the Chargers but they lose in the AFC championship game...even if it were to end up in Pittsburgh by the Titans losing.

Pittsburgh hasn't clicked or been on synch all year on offense...you can't hide a bad offensive line..it is prob the most important thing to an nfl football team. and now with Ben's decision making and reaction time slowed and slurred... It's gonna bring a 3 int 7 sack 2 fumble result and maybe brain damage for Ben.


Go Steelers

[Sinister Cat]

San Diego beat your Colts, therefore they should be favored against any team, right Lou? It couldn't have just been that the Colts stink?

[SBR Lou]

San Diego beat your Colts, therefore they should be favored against any team, right Lou? It couldn't have just been that the Colts stink?

The Chargers are playing like a team and have essentially been playing in elimination games the past month.

The Colts had them on the ropes and failed to close it out, 3rd and 2 with 2:00 left and SD having no timeouts, it's ball game over with a new set of downs.

Nonetheless, San Diego is playing inspired football on both sides of the ball and I fail to see Pittsburgh matching them tit for tat if San Diego can establish some balance offensively.

[Scorpion]

Maybe the steelers OL is not that bad
Maybe it has something to do with having the toughest schedule ever in the NFL
I thin their OL will be alright

[Chi_archie]

sched was toughest...before the season started...but was it still toughest after?

I'll take any sched that gives me 4 almost automatic wins and take my chances with 6-6 against a tough line up...

but remember the browns and bengals were expected to do good and did alot better last year..that factored into the hoopla about the "toughest schedule ever"

[SBR Lou]

Maybe the steelers OL is not that bad
Maybe it has something to do with having the toughest schedule ever in the NFL
I thin their OL will be alright

No, the Steelers offensive line is that bad.

Remember their best OL-man is on the Jets now, Alan Faneca.

[Chi_archie]

just about every team that steelers faced this year... had a WORSE record this year then they did the previous year... except off the top of my head balty, philly, giants... prob 2 more go in there... houston same record...

so 10 out of 16 games roughly were against teams that were fading..and not what they were or expected to be...

[Chi_archie]

i'll look up the exact stats..and w/l records of opponents later......

still a very tough sched when you have balty twince, NYG, Tenn, Indy, NE, ect... no doubt

also... big big reason that steelers line sucks... CENTER..

over the past 50 years steelers have always had one of the best if not THE best centers in the leauge..

mansfield, webster, Dawson (one of greatest all time), Hartings (not great but under-rated)... and now they suck their... the center position was an anchor for them like no other position or team ever I would think..

[SBR Lou]

just about every team that steelers faced this year... had a WORSE record this year then they did the previous year... except off the top of my head balty, philly, giants... prob 2 more go in there... houston same record...

so 10 out of 16 games roughly were against teams that were fading..and not what they were or expected to be...

And not the toughest schedule in NFL history?

Odds on where Scorpion lives?

[james4512]

chargers ML. big ben will be worse than usual and chargers are hot. Sporles > lt

[slacker00]

Steelers still had a damn tough schedule, looking after the fact. Before the season started the numbers were clear that they had the toughest schedule.

This year, 7 of their games were against teams that made the playoffs. They only played 3 teams that finished below .500: Browns, Bengals, Jags. I'd also make the case that any of these three teams could've won the NFC West, if not the AFC West.

Bottom line, the Steelers are battle tested and are not pretenders. The Chargers are also battle tested, IMHO, especially based on their playoff success from last season. The deciding factor for me is simply that the Chargers are making that soul sucking West-East road trip that no team seems to be able to handle. Not to mention a warm weather team going to a cold weather city. Nevermind this particular city is Steel City, where the fans will actually cheer for their team intelligently, as opposed to some other venues where the fans are of negligible help.

[element1286]

The offensive line is poor, but they are not overrated.

[jjgold]

Big Ben is the weakness in Pitt, he is just not a real talented QB

Pitt does have a very good D and probably just as good as Balt which will keep them in game

[fiveteamer]

Big Ben is a great QB, stop the nonsense.

[SBR Lou]

Big Ben is a great QB, stop the nonsense.

Depends how you measure greatness. If you look at at his body of work, what he's accomplished in such short time is amazing sure, but is his Super Bowl ring reflective of him or the fact that he fell into a good situation?

Is he a Quarterback that could take a team with an average defense and no running game to the Super Bowl and win it? (A la Peyton Manning).

He's a guy that you want to "manage games", and the only reason it looks like he creates plays aside from that is his offensive line always has the guy running for the hills so he's constantly in Brett Favre play mode. He's not a guy that's going to sit back there and dissect your coverages, picking you apart like a Brady or Manning. He's a top 15 QB, not elite by any stretch of the imagination.

[element1286]

Who is elite then?

[Chi_archie]

if you talk about the top ten Qb's of all time... Terry Bradshaw's name will prob come up..


look at his stats...he was nothing special.. the fans almost booed him out of pittsburgh he stunk so bad at times...

but what stat do people remember? 4 super bowl rings... people remember winners not the guy with the highest qb rating... AND Dan Marino but that's only because Pitt produced him lol.... and Pittsburgh/western Pa has more ties with more elite qb's then all other states combined practically.

anywho... big Ben DOES have the winner gene.... i'm not always his biggest fan but that draft choice was one of the best they have made... he fits perfectly with this type of team.. he is and can be a game manager at times..but he also can win a game on the last drive when tied or behind just as good as anyone, including Manning.

not too shabby last drive against the baltimore Defense a few weeks back... How many QB's could do that with Pitts offense... but he dug down and found somthing when the chips were down

In Baltimore... down a TD...hasn't been a TD all game.... on the their own 8 yard line..only had about 200 yards all game.. now you have a few mins to go 92 yards... who did he respond?

92 yards in 13 plays to score the game's lone touchdown with 40 some secs left and take the lead for the first time. Roethlisberger went 7-for-11 for 89 yards on the drive.

Big Ben is a winner..

[Bread]

Been reading every post in here....Still sticking with Steelers to represent AFC in Super Bowl. Sorry.

[fiveteamer]

Plus, his sister is HOT.