Wildcard Watch

[3rivers]

58 minutes ago, AlanFanecaFan said:

I’m far from Tomlins biggest fan...truth is he’s done a great job this year no matter how you shake it.

maybe because he is 'allowed' to coach the team this year for a change. No diva or other big personalities getting in the way. For this reason alone, I would really like it if he could win the SB this year because it's not with Cowhers players and the team dealt with many injuries especially at QB . It also once again proved how defence can carry a team, something the killer B era erased as we watched a mediocre to  terrible defence for years while the offence could score but seemed not enough and was ultimately a waste.

 

2 hours ago, Dcash4 said:

Then the 5th and 6th is also interesting. The Bills have a rough stretch here (Ravens, @ Steelers, @ Patriots). IF they go 0-3 there, and we can end 10-6, that puts us in the 5th seed. 

That would mean Steelers at Chiefs....which, I dont feel great about. I dont feel great about any playoff match up, but I would feel much better about a Steelers at Houston match up. 

Not sure who I would want to play, these teams are all legit, but I would think the Bills could match up well with KC if their defence is as advertised. Our defence has been good, but KC still is formidable and why not let someone else have a try first .  

 

2 hours ago, August4th said:

here we are talking about playoffs after being 1-4 and losing ben for yr

maybe this team is better with a legit top tier defence and more balanced offensive play calling. At least now they try to have a rushing attack, Snell could be a RB that wears down the other team.  Fichner isn't getting a pass, but just saying the honest attempt at a rushing attack helps. Now if only the OL could play better and if Connor gets healthy it should get better and help the offence.

 

1 hour ago, jebrick said:

If Tomlin can get 8 wins out of this team before the end of the season, he should be coach of the year.  I fully expected 6-10 or 7-9 after Ben went down.

I will say that they have won a game that was an expected loss with the Rams.  They could still lose a game that they are expected to win.  I think because they need to rely on a 3rd string QB, the team will be focused.

exactly. All the years of playing down to competition might have been more of some players taking the other team lightly. Duck technically is the 4th string QB if you remember dobbs, so that really adds to it especially since he was undrafted .  The team had a bad game vs the browns the first time around but the team looked tired and the qb play was really lacking.  

For the rest of this season, with Duck at QB, I am expecting this team to be ready to play near their best with the players they have, call it focussed  but that's what I expect.  Good play calling, that's another issue, we can only hope

[3rivers]

24 minutes ago, wwhickok said:

No, but he will. Same as Lamar Jackson winning the MVP as a QB for leading the league in rushing....

what if we eliminate the Ravens in a game we play them in their home field ? Will that change the votes in Tomlin's favour? I was a Tomlin critic like others here  in the past, but once he was allowed control of the team, it appears he wasn't the problem.  I'm glad the killer b's is history, because we never had a good defence with them. Now the defence is legit , the team has a chance and no divas or other egomaniacs from what I can tell. It also help when a playmaker on D gets the FF/FR when we need it, lately it's been Dupree but the TO total is so much better than in recent years.   This team looks to have the highest TO count for a steelers team in a few decades. TO's are a legit stat that shows the defence is helping win. 

1992 was the last year that had more than 40 TO's with 42

Edited December 2, 2019 by 3rivers

[VigilantZombie]

Just now, 3rivers said:

what if we eliminate the Ravens in a game we play them in their home field ? Will that change the votes in Tomlin's favour? I was a Tomlin critic like others here  in the past, but once he was allowed control of the team, it appears he wasn't the problem.  I'm glad the killer b's is history, because we never had a good defence with them. Now the defence is legit , the team has a chance and no divas or other egomaniacs from what I can tell. It also help when a playmaker on D gets the FF/FR when we need it, lately it's been Dupree but the TO total is so much better than in recent years.   This team looks to have the highest TO count for a steelers team in a few decades. TO's are a legit stat that shows the defence is helping win. 

Right now, only way that happens is the Divisional round at earliest. I think there is a real chance however that Baltimore and Pittsburgh could meet in the playoffs and IF NE were to get eliminated in the playoffs...all bets are off

[3rivers]

12 minutes ago, wwhickok said:

Right now, only way that happens is the Divisional round at earliest. I think there is a real chance however that Baltimore and Pittsburgh could meet in the playoffs and IF NE were to get eliminated in the playoffs...all bets are off

I don't know what to make of all this, both coaches have had good seasons.  I am good with either winning it, but Tomlin had more adversity to deal with which in turn challenged his coaching more.  Just make it easy for the voters and win the SB and then Tomlin is the coach of the year, sound good?

[Chieferific]

3 hours ago, Dcash4 said:

Dug into the playoff scenarios -- Looks like the 2-4 seed in the AFC is going to be interesting. I could see the Pats, Chiefs, and Texans ending at 12-4, but I think more likely its Pats 13-3, Houston 12-4, Chiefs 12-4. 

Then the 5th and 6th is also interesting. The Bills have a rough stretch here (Ravens, @ Steelers, @ Patriots). IF they go 0-3 there, and we can end 10-6, that puts us in the 5th seed. 

That would mean Steelers at Chiefs....which, I dont feel great about. I dont feel great about any playoff match up, but I would feel much better about a Steelers at Houston match up. 

Strangely enough, I think the best matchup is against the Ravens. I know it's been forever ago but the Steeler Defense played them really well.