Still proud of this team.

Started 3 qbs
Lost 2 starting rb's
Lost starting center and LT
4 kickers
Horrid pass defense

...and lost in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Heartbreaking loss cuz the steelers were the better team but...they never gave up

We'll be back. I'm disappcbut not angry.

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

We'll be back. I'm disappcbut not angry.

Also drunk too, I see.

Considering all of the injuries this team was subjected to I am damn proud of what they accomplished.

schillah wrote:

Started 3 qbs
Lost 2 starting rb's
Lost starting center and LT
4 kickers
Horrid pass defense

...and lost in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Heartbreaking loss cuz the steelers were the better team but...they never gave up

I agree with you.

The offense has been a combination of Musical Chairs and a Chinese Fire Drill all year and the defense needed time to jell.

But like you say, all things considered with the kind of year we've had, losing in the 2nd round of the playoffs isn't too shabby.

A lot of people thought this team would be 8-8. I have to give the team credit. I'm excited about next year. It just wasn't in the cards. How many teams have played a road playoff game down to the wire without their starting RB, WR, LT, and C and their QB not at 100%?

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

A lot of people thought this team would be 8-8. I have to give the team credit. I'm excited about next year. It just wasn't in the cards. How many teams have played a road playoff game down to the wire without their starting RB, WR, LT, and C and their QB not at 100%?

Kinda like the one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.

Denver knows damned well that if Brown was healthy they would have been down 14-0 early in the 1st quarter.

But hey...it is what it is.

Very proud of this team-the game was just given away and I honestly don't think Denver deserved it at all.

Keep this in mind: the Bungles had their best team in years. We contributed to them losing a bye week and took out their QB then we handed the Bungles a loss in the playoffs they may never recover from emotionally. That is worth a Super Bowl in my eyes.

Agreed

This was a successful season courtesy of the Buffalo Bills

First playoff win since the 2010 season and an epic playoff win over a division rival

If Ben stays healthy for a full season with everyone back next season should be entertaining - I think Bryant grew up a lot the last 2 weeks and Coates shows promise

Atlanta Dan wrote:

Agreed

This was a successful season courtesy of the Buffalo Bills

First playoff win since the 2010 season and an epic playoff win over a division rival

If Ben stays healthy for a full season with everyone back next season should be entertaining  - I think Bryant grew up a lot the last 2 weeks and Coates shows promise

Agreed on all counts. Ben called out Bryant and he responded. Liked what I saw out of Coates too. I can see why they liked him now. I also liked what I saw out of the defense this year. We're creating turnovers and sacks again. We need to improve in the secondary but the Butler hire looks like it was the right one and with a second year of Butler coaching the D, they should be better.

It's a shame those Cheatriots are for like 95% to go to the Super Bowl.

Atlanta Dan wrote:

I think Bryant grew up a lot the last 2 weeks and Coates shows promise

I was thinking the same thing.

KeepHarrisonTilHes92 wrote:

It's a shame those Cheatriots are for like 95% to go to the Super Bowl.

I hate that so much. Honestly if KC had won yesterday, I'd feel fine but the thought of Brady and Hoodie having a chance to surpass Terry and Coach Noll for the most SB wins by a QB and coach makes me ill. I do think Denver has a strong enough defense to beat them but Denver's offense really doesn't inspire confidence either but then again they should be able to run on NE better than they did on us.

I actually am as tired of Nantz and Simms explaining away how nothing is Peyton's fault (it's the wind, it's the drops, it's wily Peyton being conservative) as I am of the Pats*

Peyton can no longer play and I do not want the 2 week run up to the Super Bowl being excuses for why the old man can really still play despite what you see on the field

This was a good season and I'm proud of my boys, even not at full strength we gave the #1 seed all they could handle. We'll be back next year bank on it

Atlanta Dan wrote:

I actually am as tired of Nantz and Simms explaining away how nothing is Peyton's fault (it's the wind, it's the drops, it's wily Peyton being conservative) as I am of the Pats**

Peyton can no longer play and I do not want the 2 week run up to the Super Bowl being excuses for why the old man can really still play despite what you see on the field

Seriously. These are the last QBs I wanted to see. Instead we have to hear about Peyton-Brady again. At least Palmer-Newton is a neat story, two different types of QBs and one older franchise and one sort of newish franchise. I mean I get that it's hypocritical since I imagine a lot of fans are tired of us too but when we don't make it, I always root for teams that den't make it that often so I'm rooting for the NFC all the way from this point out.

Fire Arians wrote:

This was a good season and I'm proud of my boys, even not at full strength we gave the #1 seed all they could handle. We'll be back next year bank on it

IMO this was some of Tomlin's best coaching. I really hope this shuts up those who think he can only win with Cowher's players but I really think that one will persist since the biggest piece of all Ben was drafted by Cowher nevermind with all respect to Bill that he prefered the OT Andrews over Ben.

A lesser team would have crumbled....from the amount of injuries we had. Glad they rallied enough to beat the bengals.

There is still a good bit of stuff that needs to be corrected from top to bottom from coaching.special teams..offense..defense.....the biggest finding better players at the corner and safety spot.
But if they all put their heart into in the off season. And injuries/ self inflicted suspensions don't derail our team....we should have the tools to win a championship next year.

Hope someone beats those cheating bastards in the meantime.

I look at it this way:

We've all been asking a zillion questions about how we'd play without Brown and Williams, or whether Bryant or the other receivers can step up, or whether the Defense can rise to the occasion or if the Secondary can tighten up and many other things.

If we truly believed we had a SB caliber team, none of those things should matter because we'd know that whoever stepped up to fill in for injured players would do so and the Defense would take care of business and most (if not all) of those questions never even get asked.

We're not there yet.
We're close but we're not at the point yet where we can stop referring to certain players as "key players".  When a team is truly a championship caliber team, there really are no "key players" but rather the whole team gets the job done.

I think next season will be different because THIS year many players learned some valuable things and instead of Brown (for example) being the linchpin of the passing game, I think Bryant, Wheaton, Coates and even Heyward-Bey will all be part of the formula.

I think too that the Defense learned something about itself this year and I think we can build on that as well.

And as long as Ben is healthy (the only true "key" player we ought to have) I think we'll be tough to beat and I think we'd be a true championship team instead of just a team that makes the playoffs.

Anyone want to bet against that?

I'm very proud of this team. I'm listening to coach Tomlin and Ben in the post-game press conferences. Couldn't be happier about the way the talk about the loss. Particularly Ben, who praised all the young guys for stepping up and really playing well. He didn't point any fingers. They asked him about the fumble, but wouldn't even go there in a negative way. He went out of his way to praise Toussaint, all the receivers, and the entire offense for how hard and how well they played.

Ben has become a great leader.

I've got a good feeling going forward with this team. At full strength, I would like this team's chances against anybody. The defense really made strides down the stretch, and some of the young talent is emerging as future stars.

Let's get healthy, draft well, sign a free agent or two to solidify things, and this team is a potential juggernaut.

And please, for the love of God, let us have a relatively mild injury year next year. They are so overdue for a light year with injuries.

I can't wait for next year already.

FanSince72 wrote:

I look at it this way:

We've all been asking a zillion questions about how we'd play without Brown and Williams, or whether Bryant or the other receivers can step up, or whether the Defense can rise to the occasion or if the Secondary can tighten up and many other things.

If we truly believed we had a SB caliber team, none of those things should matter because we'd know that whoever stepped up to fill in for injured players would do so and the Defense would take care of business and most (if not all) of those questions never even get asked.

We're not there yet.
We're close but we're not at the point yet where we can stop referring to certain players as "key players".  When a team is truly a championship caliber team, there really are no "key players" but rather the whole team gets the job done.

I think next season will be different because THIS year many players learned some valuable things and instead of Brown (for example) being the linchpin of the passing game, I think Bryant, Wheaton, Coates and even Heyward-Bey will all be part of the formula.

I think too that the Defense learned something about itself this year and I think we can build on that as well.

And as long as Ben is healthy (the only true "key" player we ought to have) I think we'll be tough to beat and I think we'd be a true championship team instead of just a team that makes the playoffs.

Anyone want to bet against that?

I like the sound of that. Honestly, I'm looking forward to the draft. I think we're slowly seeing the vision that Tomlin and Butler have for the defense. Although we still allowed a good amount of yards, we did allow three points less per game than last year and we had more sacks and turnovers than we had in a while too. A healthy Golson and a Grant that has learned the defense along with some new draftees could really transform the defense. The offense shows how much heart they had even without AB. Bryant looked good. Coates showed promise today. I even think James could be a key part. Ben just makes these guys that much better.

Ben hasn't been a clutch 3 min QB in several yrs (since the S. Holmes days). So I didn't expect a W on that last drive, and it didn't happen...again.

But I fully expect a step up and a MUCH better chance next yr !

It was a good year. I'm happy. Besides, if Ben and Deebo can be joking and laughing on the field right after the game, why am I gonna lose any sleep.

I just hope the Patriots* don't win again.

Yeah, it's been said but I'm proud of this team. So many injuries, so many close games, a few dud performances, namely the Ravens.

At which point, I thought we were pretty much done. But we went to the 2nd round and we, kind of, shut the Bengals up. Made them look real stupid.

There's plenty to build on. It's always a heartbreaker when it comes down to the bitter end and the team loses control. No AB, LB, the lineman, DW. It was an uphill battle until the end. Would've loved to make up for it and make it another week, but fate has its ways.

I just don't wanna hear a peep out of Bengals fans. My roommates work at Kroger and they say their fans are still bitching about that game.

It's a long ways off but here's to next year. And to that, I drink!