WE IN!!!!!

I JUST SAW A PIG FLY OVER MY HOUSE. I guess we'll play the early game on Saturday but who will we play?

BUFFALO in Buffalo of they beat Miami.
KC in KC if Miami beats Buffalo.

Really happy we are in... also surprised. Hoping for good results....If you'd told me before the season we'd be 5-1 in division and need to win and get help to make it as a wild card I wouldn't have believed. Also, wouldn't have believed Mason leading the way. Jacksonville feels the cure for disrespecting the Towell    Terell Edmunds with a pick to help the Titans..and us. Respect for Vrable for playing to win.

Man, I hope the game isn't the game on Peacock. I have it, but Prime and all those apps suck for NFL watching.

Hoping we can win at least one playoff game and give TJ a shot at coming back for the next round. Nice win by the Titans. It was great watching those douchebags lose.

The clowns over at PFF are still trying to annoint Garrett for DPOY even though he sat out this last game and is statistically behind TJ in almost every statistical category. They are inventing metrics to try and justify it.

SteelerFreak58 wrote:

BUFFALO in Buffalo of they beat Miami.
KC in KC if Miami beats Buffalo.

Yep. Gerry Dulac in an article at Post Gazette:

Quote :

If the Dolphins beat the Bills to clinch the AFC East title, the Steelers will be the No. 6 seed and play in Kansas City next weekend. If the Bills beat the Dolphins to win the division, the Steelers will be the No. 7 seed and play in Buffalo.

If the Dolphins and Bills tie, the Steelers would be the No. 7 seed and play in Miami.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2024/01/07/afc-playoff-picture-wild-card-nfl/stories/202401060063

Every year at playoff time you hear about scenarios if a game ends in a tie. Does anyone ever remember a tie effecting playoffs?

Happy to be in!
But I fear another one and done in the play-offs, certainly without TJ. We're 1-10 without him so that doesn't bode well.
I hope that can put up at least a good game.

The way I see it is we're playing with house money now. Let er' rip Mason. We know we'll get no respect and we can make that work to our advantage.
Somehow Alex,Nick and company need to bounce Allen around while keeping him from scrambling.
We need to run the ball down their throats. They're giving up an average of 4.6 ypc.
I think the defense will have to play their best game in order to beat these guys.
The Oline has done pretty well run blocking these last few games but now they HAVE to give Mason more time in the pocket. If they do that I like our chances.
I actually feel like we can go in there and pull this one out. I also am a realist and think it's just as likely that WE SHIT THE BED.
So we either go in looking like "mean Joe" is still playing or like "sleepy Joe" looking for a dead senator. you know the thing.

If Allen keeps turning the ball over it'll come back to bite him. Hopefully he keeps it up sunday

solardave wrote:

The way I see it is we're playing with house money now. Let er' rip Mason. We know we'll get no respect and we can make that work to our advantage.
Somehow Alex,Nick and company need to bounce Allen around while keeping him from scrambling.
We need to run the ball down their throats. They're giving up an average of 4.6 ypc.
I think the defense will have to play their best game in order to beat these guys.
The Oline has done pretty well run blocking these last few games but now they HAVE to give Mason more time in the pocket. If they do that I like our chances.
I actually feel like we can go in there and pull this one out. I also am a realist and think it's just as likely that WE SHIT THE BED.
So we either go in looking like "mean Joe" is still playing or like "sleepy Joe" looking for a dead senator. you know the thing.

That "dead
Senator", wonder how many people remember that one? I do.

Did you guys know we have Kazee back for the playoffs? Just found that out a couple hours ago.

Great Randino wrote:

solardave wrote:

The way I see it is we're playing with house money now. Let er' rip Mason. We know we'll get no respect and we can make that work to our advantage.
Somehow Alex,Nick and company need to bounce Allen around while keeping him from scrambling.
We need to run the ball down their throats. They're giving up an average of 4.6 ypc.
I think the defense will have to play their best game in order to beat these guys.
The Oline has done pretty well run blocking these last few games but now they HAVE to give Mason more time in the pocket. If they do that I like our chances.
I actually feel like we can go in there and pull this one out. I also am a realist and think it's just as likely that WE SHIT THE BED.
So we either go in looking like "mean Joe" is still playing or like "sleepy Joe" looking for a dead senator. you know the thing.

That "dead
Senator", wonder how many people remember that one?  I do.

Did you guys know we have Kazee back for the playoffs?  Just found that out a couple hours ago.

Minkah too. I like our chances if we play like we have the last 3 games and I feel comfortable knowing we're playing the Bills. Allen has a cannon and can kill you with his legs but he can also throw picks as well as anyone. If our offense stays true to the last few games and we pick him once or twice it's our game to lose.

Here are the teams the Bills lost to this year:
Jets-16/22
Jaguars-20/25
Patriots*-25/29
Bengals-18/24
Broncos-22/24
Eagles-34/37

Like us they have at least 4 more they should have won. Don't get me wrong they are the better team here but they also shit themselves at times.
If you would have told me before Canada was fired that not only would we make the play offs but be playing well enough to steal a game away I'd have suggested a drug test.

Yeah you know with Allen, he's going to make huge plays but he's also going to gift you a turnover or two. Last week they turned it over 3 times but still won. So if we're the team that handles the ball, and RUNS the ball successfully, we've got a chance.

How weird is it that we're even thinking this way? In a playoff game?

Run the rock... when the Safeties step up to help stuff the run beat them deep with Rudolph's arm to Pickens, Muth, or DJ... keep running the rock and keep Allen off the field as much as possible. Don't settle for 3s.


That's what will beat Buffalo.

Stella Nation wrote:

Happy to be in!
But I fear another one and done in the play-offs, certainly without TJ. We're 1-10 without him so that doesn't bode well.
I hope that can put up at least a good game.

Yeah, I am hoping for 1989-like Wild Card results but reality has my thinking along the lines you are. I do feel like maybe there are better backups than in the past, but you don't replace Watt. He is the DPOY regardless if they decide to gift it to Garrett.

I found this interesting from an article at Post Gazette from Dulac. I didn't realize we had played them so well there:

Quote :

The Steelers have not played the Bills in the postseason since a 40-21 victory on Jan. 6, 1996 on their way to Super Bowl XXX. But they have won five of their past seven regular season meetings in Buffalo and are 2-1 against the Bills in the postseason. Curiously, both of their victories came in seasons (1974, 1995) when the Steelers went on to the Super Bowl.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2024/01/08/afc-playoffs-buffalo-bills-mason-rudolph-patrick-peterson-minkah-fitzpatrick/stories/202401080052

I just want it to look like that preseason game we played against them. We completely physically beat them up, our line dominated - and that was against their first string. Allen couldn't do anything against us that game.

I know I know - preseason - but I can dream, can't I?

Great Randino wrote:

I just want it to look like that preseason game we played against them.  We completely physically beat them up, our line dominated - and that was against their first string.  Allen couldn't do anything against us that game.

I know I know - preseason - but I can dream, can't I?

The one difference is some of our guys who didn't see time until the second half of the first game will be starting this one,and not because they took the job away. I do think Rowe played well and Robinson's stock is going up. We have Minah and Kazee back. I think Alex and Nick need to be difference makers on Sunday. We need to pressure Allen into throwing picks. If we do that and our Oline continues to run block effectively while improving the protection for Mason we have a shot. For once Tomlin needs to COACH these guys up.

I really like the progression of Nick Herbig. That is turning out to be a Great draft pick!

Great Randino wrote:

I really like the progression of Nick Herbig.  That is turning out to be a Great draft pick!

Really this last draft class has been productive with Benton,Herbig,JP Jr, and Trice played well before the injury. Washington should be used more in the passing game IMO but he has contributed in the blocking game. We don't have anything to complain about with this class.

solardave wrote:

Great Randino wrote:

I really like the progression of Nick Herbig.  That is turning out to be a Great draft pick!

Really this last draft class has been productive with Benton,Herbig,JP Jr, and Trice played well before the injury. Washington should be used more in the passing game IMO but he has contributed in the blocking game. We don't have anything to complain about with this class.

I agree on all fronts! Great class!

Yeah, JPjr. has been an absolute stud back there. Benton is playing better every week. Broderick Jones is a Mauler. Washington needs more opportunities (probably see him worked in more next year).