Are the Steelers a top tier team now?

I think everyone within Steelers nation or anyone who follows the team knows we could easily be 8-2 or better at this point if it weren't for injuries, suspensions and bad luck in the first half. We were lucky to win 2 must win games and go into the bye on a positive note.

If we stay healthy, Even with out Bell out. I mean if we get healthy who are we really missing Pouncey, Beechum and Bell. I know this Isn't what we expected when the season started. However if Ben and Brown and Bryant can keep up the shenanigans. I could see us making  run down the stretch like we did last year.  

Since the division looks out of reach (Bengles could still collapse), Going in as a wild card do we have what it takes to beat team like the Broncos and Bengles and Patriots** on the road? This team has shown so much resilience this season, one injury after another. We have also showed the ability to put points on the board fast with a great long passing game, Bryant has come so far he is going to start coming up in top 5 discussions. He just needs to iron things out a little, that fumbled long pass could have killed us in a close game.

A healthy steelers team and much improved defense could do this

@ Seattle W
vs Indy W
@cinci W
vs Denver W
@ Ravens W
@ Browns W

That's right I just predicted we run the table and go 12-4 or 11-5 if we drop a game. Its going to take a really good team to stop us if we get on a roll, which may have been ignited by that huge win over oakland.

This could all go the other way too but at worst I see us splitting the last 6 games making us 9-7 and lucky to get in.

No....they're on that level below...

For these reasons
offensive line is way too inconsistent....Even when healthy....I still had major concerns about our tackles ability to pass protect. Bell going down really hurts, because teams have to be extremely alert for his ability to catch and hurt them on the dump off, thus taking a chunk of steam out of their pass rush.

Defensive backfield still way too suspect....They bleed too much yardage...It works against the Browns of the league but to compete against the best...they still have some growing to do.

They need to raise their game up another level.....that may be possible...if injuries can keep the hell away from them

SteelerSpartan wrote:

No....they're on that level below...

For these reasons
offensive line is way too inconsistent....Even when healthy....I still had major concerns about our tackles ability to pass protect. Bell going down really hurts, because teams have to be extremely alert for his ability to catch and hurt them on the dump off, thus taking a bit out of their steam in the pass rush.

Defensive backfield still way too suspect....They bleed too much yardage...It works against the Browns of the league but to compete against the best...they still have some growing to do.

They need to raise their game up another level.....that may be possible...if injuries can keep the hell away from them

I get what you're saying, but if we can stay healthy and keep the essential people on the field on a consistent basis (starting with Ben), we can easily rise to "Top Tier" level and stay there.

I have tremendous faith that The Steelers can be in the playoffs and once in the playoffs will be a team no other team would happily face. However even after this 2 win stack, I'm hesitant to use the term top tier. The game against Browns was the only game since the SF game where any of us could relax and not be too concerned that were gonna give away the win in the final few minutes. We still don't know for sure that we can enjoy the luxury that the Cheats enjoy (Giants game not included), of handling teams with ease. This was a good win, but it was The Browns.

While "Bend but don't break" defense does win games, those wins are never certain. Our secondary still show signs of being suspect. Enough so that, looking at the present, I can't say that this 'current' team is a top tier talent capable of going all the way through the playoffs. I can say that this current team is definitely, definitely moving in the right direction, and isn't far off. The Seattle game will be a better indicator of what The Steelers can do and will have to do in a playoff setting.

I know this though. There is not much this team has to address. Almost every position save the CB and SS positions is comparable to the best teams in the league. Mike Munchak can turn burger flippers into above the NFL average O Lineman it seems so I'm not even that concerned with that unit. I'm not only hopeful about this season, but for several seasons after this one.

playoffs? don't talk about playoffs! you kidding me? playoffs? i just hope we can win a game, another game

If there are more significant injuries to the Broncos and Bengals and Patriots*, and we stay healthy there might be a greater chance we can win against them in the playoffs.

Bengals have an easy remainder of their season and will win the division. Patriots*** lost Edelman which is a big blow and it will be interesting to see how they play the rest of their games. You can never rule them out as Belichick loves to bend the rules.

Broncos are toast unless their defense can be SB-caliber in the playoffs and Osweiller can play somewhat average. I have Peyton ruled out, his career is finished. I don't really see the Broncos doing much.

I don't think we are going to beat Cincy in the regular season, unless we can execute a really good game plan by Tomlin and Co.

KeepHarrisonTilHes92 wrote:

Mike Munchak can turn burger flippers into above the NFL average O Lineman it seems so I'm not even that concerned with that unit. I'm not only hopeful about this season, but for several seasons after this one.

What does that say about Mike Adams? I guess he has been relegated to just a fry cook

Hard to define as top tier a team with a 6-4 record that has lost its All Pro running back and All Pro center for the season while having a secondary that is a sieve

But the four AFC division winners are going to be a mediocre AFC South team, the Bengals and their playoff history, Denver with a broken down QB, and a Pats* team with a secondary Eli shredded that has injuries mounting on offense

Even the top tier teams are not great teams this season

So this may be a season where a team can have playoff success without being top tier - Cris Collinsworth said last night the Steelers are one team nobody wants to play in the playoffs

Whoever has the least impactful injuries wins. Oh and miracles.

We cannot afford for Ben to get hurt AGAIN this season.

Williams, tho he had a bad game yesterday, is a vet and the best 2nd string back in the league.

All our WR's and TE's are healthy.

We have a decent run stop defense.

The secondary is awful in every category except getting turnovers. Their good at that.

We have a good FG kicker and punter.

We're battle-tested with the most difficult schedule in the league. If we do make the playoffs, we'll be the "toughest" team there.
All the undefeated teams have very weak schedules.
It is "reasonable" that we have what it takes to go all the way.

ImperialFan wrote:

I think everyone within Steelers nation or anyone who follows the team knows we could easily be 8-2 or better at this point if it weren't for injuries, suspensions and bad luck in the first half. We were lucky to win 2 must win games and go into the bye on a positive note.

If we stay healthy, Even with out Bell out. I mean if we get healthy who are we really missing Pouncey, Beechum and Bell. I know this Isn't what we expected when the season started. However if Ben and Brown and Bryant can keep up the shenanigans. I could see us making  run down the stretch like we did last year.  

Since the division looks out of reach (Bengles could still collapse), Going in as a wild card do we have what it takes to beat team like the Broncos and Bengles and Patriots**** on the road? This team has shown so much resilience this season, one injury after another. We have also showed the ability to put points on the board fast with a great long passing game, Bryant has come so far he is going to start coming up in top 5 discussions. He just needs to iron things out a little, that fumbled long pass could have killed us in a close game.

A healthy steelers team and much improved defense could do this

@ Seattle W
vs Indy W
@cinci W
vs Denver W
@ Ravens W
@ Browns W

That's right I just predicted we run the table and go 12-4 or 11-5 if we drop a game. Its going to take a really good team to stop us if we get on a roll, which may have been ignited by that huge win over oakland.

This could all go the other way too but at worst I see us splitting the last 6 games making us 9-7 and lucky to get in.

That's a very optimistic prediction. Here is my counter (with * indicating that the game could go the other way):

@ Seattle L* - Seattle isn't the same team as they have been, but they are not a bottom barrel team. Home field advantage gives them the win.
vs Indy W - Indy is a train wreck right now, especially if Luck is out.
@cinci W* - It's going to be a close, hard fought game. I think more injuries will be coming out of this game. Both sides.
vs Denver L* - Denver's O is reeling right now, but the D is sound.
@ Ravens W - Stick a fork in 'em. They'll be playing for a draft pick...unless they are playing to knock us out.
@ Browns W - They gave us a better game then the final score indicated, but the Browns are the Browns.

This puts us at 4-2 for a 10-6 finish and in playoffs. Pouncey should be back sometime soon. I think the loss of Bell is going to start showing down the stretch. There are some times yesterday that Williams looked completely gassed getting up. As good as he has been in relief, I don't know if he is going to hold up to 20-25 carries per game from here out.

And the pass D is concerning. We let Johnny Fucking Manzel look like a pro bowl caliber QB. The pass D looks to have regressed slightly in the past few weeks.

jak341 wrote:

We let Johnny Fucking Manzel look like a pro bowl caliber QB. .

Yes, Manziel had 372 YDS passing yesterday. IDK if elite teams allow that to happen.

Yeah more than likely Brady would pick us apart still. But who knows.

We can be, but we're not there yet. It's a young team that still has a bit to learn, but the talent level is there.

ImperialFan wrote:

Yeah more than likely Brady would pick us apart still. But who knows.

seems like our defense does better against good qb's than shitty ones lol. one week we shut down the bengals offense, another week alex smith looks like joe montana against us, and manziel goes for over 300 yards. things that make you go hmm...

Fire Arians wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Yeah more than likely Brady would pick us apart still. But who knows.

seems like our defense does better against good qb's than shitty ones lol. one week we shut down the bengals offense, another week alex smith looks like joe montana against us, and manziel goes for over 300 yards. things that make you go hmm...

IDK, Tom Brady had a good day, Carson Palmer passed for 421 YDS (even though that offense only scored 13 points....seen that somewhere before ). I think the only good QB they made look mediocre this season was Dalton.

Fire Arians wrote:

ImperialFan wrote:

Yeah more than likely Brady would pick us apart still. But who knows.

seems like our defense does better against good qb's than shitty ones lol. one week we shut down the bengals offense, another week alex smith looks like joe montana against us, and manziel goes for over 300 yards. things that make you go hmm...

Maybe so.

But a truly good defense isn't about stopping opponents all the time as much as it's about stopping opponents when they have to.

I don't care about stats.
All I want is a defense that steps up when it matters most.

The Steelers are as top tier as Joe Flacco is elite

JonM229 wrote:

The Steelers are as top tier as Joe Flacco is elite

they paid him elite money... sorry about your salary cap bro

Fire Arians wrote:

JonM229 wrote:

The Steelers are as top tier as Joe Flacco is elite

they paid him elite money... sorry about your salary cap bro

Not only that, Flacco is being coordinated by Trestman which probably sucks. How many OC has Flacco been through the past 6 years? Like 4?

JonM229 wrote:

The Steelers are as top tier as Joe Flacco is elite

So is this the difference between top tier and elite - to be top tier dumb you get egregious face mask penalties that only give the opposing team a first down but to be elite dumb you grab a face mask to set up the opposing team for a game winning field goal after the clock otherwise would have run out?

Not right now....but as close as anyone else.....if we get healthy and remain healthy.

As Dan intimated...are there really any clear cut top tier teams right now?
I would have said the Patriots** but injuries could bring them back to the pack.

How many yards passing did we give up yesterday?  Too many to be considered top-tier.  But wait...in today's NFL your defense can do that and you can still win.  Especially with our offense.

Limiting points is where it's at and yesterday was a perfect example of that.
IMO Butler's done a helluva job mixing things up, being aggressive, making big plays.....all with a weak secondary.

Remain healthy, make the playoffs, and anything could happen.
No teams will be eager to play us.

JonM229 wrote:

The Steelers are as top tier as Joe Flacco is elite

That's a low blow.......

This teams ebbs between being poor, good, and great.

It's all about when they peak. Will this bye week help them and this team comes out firing in Seattle or will it hurt them and they are duds for the final part of the season?

The Bengals have really set the bar high in the division so the Steelers have to know that every win is important.

The Steelers have the POTENTIAL to be a top tier team; they aren't quite there yet.

Maybe big passing yard numbers just tire the opposing team's offense out with all that running around

Steelers are 5-0 when giving up a 300-yard passer. 1-4 when they don't

— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib) November 16, 2015

Atlanta Dan wrote:

Maybe big passing yard numbers just tire the opposing team's offense out with all that running around

Steelers are 5-0 when giving up a 300-yard passer. 1-4 when they don't

— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib) November 16, 2015

If you can make teams one dimensional by taking away the running game, you have a good chance to get turnovers even though you're giving up some yards.


Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you wanted a serious answer!