2021 GDT Week #18 Steelers at The Ravens

[Steeler Hitman]

First Things First! Thanks #7!

Thank you for a great career and all that you have done for the Pittsburgh Steelers!

Steelers visit M& T Stadium to battle the always feisty and tough Baltimore Ravens. The 8-7-1 Steelers vs. 8-8 Ravens

The exclamation point and end of several eras in Pittsburgh. Oh what could have been if things were different. 

What woulda, coulda, and shoulda been in da burg!

 

Has CB Ahkello Witherspoon become what we had hoped James Pierre would have in 2022?

 

Two of the best in the business will most likely be watching the play-offs and not adding to their coaching legacies.  Undefeated pre-season's and no losing regular season records aside, neither of these guys expected to be in the middle of the pack. 

Who wins...... Does it really matter?

You always want to beat the Ravens, but I just wanna see TJ Watt get two or three sacks to set an NFL sack record despite missing a few games and the majority of two or three others. 

Introducing the 2022 DPOY and all time leading sack record holder for a single season! No disrespect to anyone else or jumping the gun, but well deserved! Watt's up!!!!!

 

I am looking forward to the free agent frenzy and hearing, "With the ..... pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers select......"

 

 

[MOSteelers56]

Keith Butler and Joe Haden have entered protocols. They may have played/coached their last game as Steelers Monday night. 

[43M]

1 hour ago, MOSteelers56 said:

Keith Butler and Joe Haden have entered protocols. They may have played/coached their last game as Steelers Monday night. 

I doubt Butler gets fired.    If he goes, so should Tomlin.

Haden could get a 1 year deal....depends how they choose to address DB this offseason.

[DR43]

I'm thinking Rudolph, Haskins, and Dobbs will be the three QBs next year.  Either that or Rudolph, a backup QB free agent, and let Haskins/Dobbs fight it out for third string.

[DR43]

Here is my current mock draft: 

1. Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State
2. Jordan Battle, Safety, Alabama
3. Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
4. Terrel Bernard, ILB, Baylor - This is the pick for Budd Dupree
6. Ali Gaye, EDGE, LSU
7. Reggie Roberson Jr., WR, SMU

[jebrick]

14 hours ago, DR43 said:

I'm thinking Rudolph, Haskins, and Dobbs will be the three QBs next year.  Either that or Rudolph, a backup QB free agent, and let Haskins/Dobbs fight it out for third string.

I think they bring in Winston, Bridgewater or Marriota and hire Dobbs as an offensive assistant or let him get on with being a rocket scientist.

[MOSteelers56]

17 hours ago, 43M said:

I doubt Butler gets fired.    If he goes, so should Tomlin.

Haden could get a 1 year deal....depends how they choose to address DB this offseason.

I think they might retire.

[43M]

47 minutes ago, jebrick said:

I think they bring in Winston, Bridgewater or Marriota and hire Dobbs as an offensive assistant or let him get on with being a rocket scientist.

Winston is possible, but doesnt have the mobility Tomlin wants.

Bridgewater needs to retire.   Even if we improve our line, I would hold my breath every time he'd drop back.

Mariota is the most likely, but doesn't offer much.

Tyrod and Jimmy G are possible.

Holding out hope Derek Carr gets released, but doubtful.

[AFF]

Diontae Johnson on Covid list, as is Green.

[cjfollett]

Johnson looks like he'll play. I am not sure about Green, but my guess is he won't.

[August4th]

Lamar is out

[Dcash4]

Quote

 

- Our Division: Beat the Bengals twice, split to the Ravens and Browns (4 wins, 3 home games)
- Beat Low Divisions Teams: Raiders, Broncos, Bears and Lions (4 wins, and all home games)
- Lose to top teams: Packers, Chiefs

That's 8-4 with games against the, Vikings, Chargers, Titans, Seahawks, and Bills.

8 Wins is my baseline. 

Those are the 5 games that will really determine the record. The Bills are the only team I would feel very comfortable betting money we lose on all the others I think are at least on the same level. So consider we lose the Bills and split the last four (going 2-3 against the 5, with 2 of them being home games) -- its 10 wins. 

 

Im gonna be a really stupid tie away from being right....damn 'Muth and DJ fumbles and Ben's late Saturday night covid!

[43M]

This is absolutely hilarious, but at the same time pretty insightful and on point....

 

[43M]

Honestly, this season has gone about as bad as it possibly could have gone, all things considered.

Maybe not record-wise....but it was such a predictable complete waste of a season for everyone involved.

Ben came back, and I said from the beginning of last offseason that this is about what would happen with him....he would be just good enough to get us in the 8-10 win range and, at best, another early playoff loss.      I mean, aside from padding his career stats and making some more money, this season was a complete wash for Ben, and obviously the team around him didnt benefit in any notable way aside from getting to say they got to waste....I mean SPEND one more season with number 7.

Yes, with Rudolph we likely lose another 2 to 4 games, but....would that have been such a bad thing?      If nothing else, it wouldve given us a shot at a blue chip player to build our offensive line or secondary around.   

It almost reminds me of 2006-2007.      Ben had gotten in his motorcycle accident before the 2006 season, and it wasnt until at least midway through the season that he looked even remotely ready to be on the field.    THEN, he got a concussion, which set him back once again...but despite all of this, Cowher kept Ben in.    Sure, he got us more wins than the backups likely would have....but a) Ben clearly wasnt in condition to take us very far at any point that season, and b) all it really accomplished was keeping us from getting guys like Patrick Willis and Darrelle Revis.

Its not so much that I wanted the Steelers to lose more games, but sometimes in order to move forward, you have to take a step backward.      That part is still coming....but a we wasted a year for no real reason.

And no....this isnt meant to bash on Ben.      While I believe he shouldve retired, I would be lying if I said Id walk away from one last giant payday, even if it was to the detriment of my team.   However, the front office shouldve done its job and said "Thanks, but no thanks" to Ben returning.    Anyone with eyes could see this team wasnt going to do much this year, with or without Ben.

Im just happy this season is coming to and end.    The only thing that will make it not a complete waste if if TJ breaks the sack record and wins the DPOY he deserved to win twice before.      He gets screwed a 3rd time....I doubt he ever gets it.

[warfelg]

Good points @43M and makes you wonder how many moves were done to appease Ben in one last year.

Makes you wonder too of the "take a step back" thing:  Ben's contract doesn't get redone, Juju likely isn't back, Ebron's contract likely doesn't get redone.  That's $20mil cap savings for 2022 right there.  They also likely let Haden go over Nelson, cut DeCastro much sooner, don't bring back VWill in the first place.

Then in the draft maybe you still take Najee in the 1st, but instead of taking the TE to appease Ben (Don't get me wrong, I like Muth) you take the C you need in Creed Humphrey (also not the 1st C taken in the draft).  Then in the 3rd instead of taking Green, you look at another part of the OL in Quinn Meinerz.  (I say this because I do think it was Najee or bust in the 1st).

Hell I would have gone ultra aggressive here without Ben around anymore:

1st, 3rd, 2022 2nd for 8 or 9.  Take Slater.  Use the 2nd round pick on Humphrey.  Move up to mid-4 for Jabril Cox.  Use the 4th compensatory pick on Kenneth Gainwell (I liked him pre draft and he's playing well).

In either case you took the step back, but you comfortably say either the IOL or Left Side is set for a decade plus.  Instead we got a RB who likely walks at the end of his 1st contract, a TE who's gonna look average and likely walk somewhere, and a C who should be a C and maybe not even a starter.