Five Burning Questions: Steelers 'Down But Not Defeated' Edition

1. NO I wish we were still in the fight.

2. Smith, Hampton, Ward, Batch should all stay home next year.

3. Big money. No Way. His main job is to keep Brown from being double teamed. I’m not going to be popular for this but he is the most overrated WR in the league. His game is speed, period. His routes suck and he can’t block. Just like Plax and Holmes he will be gone as soon as his contract is up.

4. Pleasent surprise, Keisel. Every year I think he may slow down but he keeps going. Dissapointment, Ike Taylor on Sunday. But only because his played so drastically different from the rest of the season.

5. If I were Rooney or Tomlin I would tell BA he can pass as much as he wants as long as he does it as part of a play action package.

The one thing I would have done different was resigning Willie Colon. He got hurt again and that money could have been saved and spent this year on an elite guard like Carl Nicks

1 – Yes and No. Yes in the fact that given how battered the team was it’s unlikely they would’ve won even 1 more game let alone 3 to win it all, and losing earlier gets us a better draft choice. But No in that it’s never fun to lose, and we’ve all seen crazier things happen in the NFL than a depleted team winning the Super Bowl so you never know what would’ve happened.

2 – Returning for sure – Ward(his leadership is worth keeping around), Starks(helped stabilize that very inconsistent O-line), Hampton(assuming his ACL is not injured too badly).
Returning if cost can be reduced- Hoke(solid, if unspectacular), Farrior(not a top LB anymore but his leadership is worth retaining for the younger LBs), McFadden(hope he can return to old form), Foote(same as Farrior), Colon(hope that he can finally stay healthy after going from awful to decent 2 years ago).
Should be released/Should retire – Smith(retire, enter coaching), Essex(released, assuming we draft a couple replacements), Batch(retire, should join us as a coach).

3 – Yes, he absolutely deserves a bigger deal. His numbers declined later in the year not because of poor play by him, but because of Brown’s emergence as a potential star. He may not be on the Larry Fitz/Andre Johnson/Megatron level of stardom but Wallace remains easily a top-10 WR and deserves to be paid as such.

4 – Surprise – Antonio Brown by far. He showed a lot of raw potential last season but no one was expecting a breakout like this.
Disappointment – Shaun Suisham. After his excellent regular season with us last year, I had high hopes for him overcoming a poor postseason, but he simply hasn’t shown any consistent kicking from beyond the 40. I feel like spending a draft pick on a top kicker may be worth it this year.

5 – I would be Colbert and I would have worked a lot harder to improve that O-line. It’s wonderful to have possibly the league’s best WR corps for Ben to throw to but it doesn’t matter if he can’t stay up long enough to throw to them. (On a separate but related note, who would love to see Tom Brady play a few games behind our O-line? He’s got a one of the quicker releases in the game but I wouldn’t expect to see him running around making plays the way Ben does game after game).

1) Stay in it. We beat them once, as everyone seemed to forget. I would’ve wanted a shot to do it again.

2) Farrior Hampton and Starks should be back. All three I feel are and have been very underrated, and have another great season. I’d love to see Ward go at it another year, but that’s up in the air, he’d need a contract reduction. Others are expendable at this point.

3) Very very tough situation. I say yes though. His numbers have dropped and I’m not sold on his commitment to the team, but I really feel that he just wants to play and help the team any way he can. I say yes, we give him one and keep him, Brown and Sanders together as the next generation.

4) Surprise: Antonio Brown. People who don’t say him are lying. On the message boards people were questioning everything about him in camp, as put him as #4, possibly even behind Limas Sweed. But now I feel like he’ll be the next Hines Ward by the way he plays.
Dissapointment: At first I though Mendenhall, but I feel like he’ll be back. For me though, its Suisham. He had an absolutely terrible season, and made me actually miss Jeff Reed.

5) Probably be Colbert and work on the kicking game. If Suisham showed any promise, Tomlin would’ve sent him in for the 47 yarded vs Baltimore round 2. He also missed badly in the Texans game and 49ers game

1. I live in CT and work in MA, so I see every Pat’s game, not just highlights. Without Hampton and Keisel disrupting the pocket so our LB’s could play, Brady would slaughter us. Plus, I’d have to wear a pink Brady jersey to my next district meeting.
2. “either because of age, salary cap value, injury, diminishing or skills or a combination of the THREE” Sorry, I’m not good at trick questions. But I want Big Snack back, ACL-willing.
3. I’d re-sign him to a bigger deal.
4. When the homers on the Boston sports radio station glow about a player not on the Pats (or Bruins or Red Sox or Celtics), he’s good. Antonio Brown is that man. Our PK disappointed me.
5 I’d be Mike Tomlin and I’d say "Hey 51, call heads!!!

1. The only reason we are lucky is that we wont see a beat down like West Virginia put on Clemson
2.A. Smith- cut him, Big Snack- resign league min., James Farrior- cut or sign as coach, Ward- resign league minimum or part of organization, Hoke- cut, Essex-cut or have him be a bull fighter, Starks-resign, Foote-sign minimum, Mcfadden-resign for minimum(depth in DB), Colon- cut please. kemo – restructure as backup
3. Sign him but not top dollar………or check on trades
4.surprise Gay-but is it a surprise he is a free agent this year, disappointment Timmons-where were the splash plays, he disappeared too often
5. Mike Tomlin going back 4 weeks ago and sitting Ben for SF , St. Louis, and cleveland and if its still not good sit him for the Denver Game….it does no good if he would have broke his leg and never played again ie…….. Thiesman(because he cannot avoid a pass rush. (grow some cajones and sit your franchise player so he can play again

1. No. Take a deep breath but, No one on that list on defense is REALLY that much better than their backups. Our D-Line is deeeeeep. Those young guys are going to OWN the afc for a loooong time. Watch the film, they are beasts. As for the O-Line, well, they suck anyway. Ben, not being able to scramble, kills this team. Not the O-Line.

2. Hines Ward should be the only one kept, if any. I’m not convinced that he should have rode the bench during thelast half of the season and especially the playoffs either. He’s never been fast. He’s never run clean routes. He’s never been solid 1 on 1. But he’s clutch. He doesn’t drop the ball in the playoffs > WALLACE! BROWN! SANDERS! CROTCH!!! < hold onto the freaking ball like hines!!!

3. I wouldn’t cut a 2nd string linebacker or backup Running back for Wallace.

4. Which Steeler gave you the biggest pleasant surprise, and which gave you the biggest disappointment of 2011?
Mclendon as the suprise, watch, that kid is going to be freaking good. Timmons. Not sure WTF is wrong with that guy. Again WTF? The guy is a physical beast. WTF? I can’t figure it out. He should be killing it but isn’t.

5. I would have kidnapped Dixon during the offseason and fed him obscene ammounts of food followed by 2 hours in the weight room repeatedly 24 X 7 until he is capable of being a viable backup who can take a pounding like Ben. But I would rather pass on this “fantasy” question and next year draft a QB with a pair of nads like ben. They need a mobile QB to run that offense. I would prefer that the ben clone doesn’t whip out his junk at every drunk chick he sees tho.

1. I’ll take a chance over no chance.
2. Keep Hampton, Foote, Starks, Colon, and Ward if he wants.
3. Yes, but not too big. He commands so much attention from defenses.
4. Other than AB, biggest surprise is C. Allen. Biggest bummer is J. Scott/Kemo.
5. With hindsight- rest the wounded in week 17. Without hindsight- improve O-line sooner.

Dont be surprised if the Steelers keep more if not most of these guys. Every year they seem to do something that all of us are like; WTF are they doing. Farrior, Sepulveda, and Smith should of been gone this year so I am sure we will be surprised in this off season.

1. I say they had a shot at winning. Over the years this team has had an ebb and flow. When they are riding high, a fall is coming when it seems they hit bottom, they rebound. The second half against Denver looked to me as if they were adjusting to their injury depleted state and starting to perform at a high level again. Still not having Clark really hurt. Ben was starting to move better late in the game. This team never seems to respond well in pressure games they are supposed to win. Humble lambs going into foxboro to get slaughtered could have been very interesting because injuries and all, there’s still plenty of talent to beat the patriots. Clark would be back and Harrison. Maybe Woodley starts to get his legs back. No Keisel would hurt. OL would have been a mess but I’d go into the game with no expectations and just enjoy watching with nothing to lose.
2. I’d like to see them keep Hampton and Starks. Ward if price is right.
3. Considering today’s NFL I think they need to do whatever is necessary to lock up Brown and Wallace long term. I have confidence this system can breed new all pros on defense but having this level of WRs who have proven clutch is crucial. I’d love to see Ben get enough protection and continue to build chemistry with these three and Miller. Keep that stable, replenish the OL and they can win games while the youth on D grows into the system.
4. Heyward, Gilbert and young DBs were pleasant surprises. I’m loving that 2011 draft. Mendenhall was most disappointing. He’s so gifted and last year in the playoff run seemed to finally get it. I hoped to see that guy in 2011 but instead regressed back to trying to be A.Peterson. I hated to see him hurt but the run game is so much better with Redman attacking the holes.
5. The do-over. Its easy to look back and say this now but at 10-3, give Ben and Pouncey 3 weeks off. Since they sat Ben for the rams, worst case they go 11-5 but I’m thinking they go 12-4 anyway. When I saw Ben go down in the clev game my first thought, like most, was we just saw the end of the season. It did turn out that way but I’m not sure it had to. It became time to praise Ben’s toughness and let him dictate what he wants to do. This team’s success at playing this style was based on a mobile and accurate Ben. Without that part, they adjust. and can play well enough to beat inferior teams with a run game, Batch and talented receivers. Was it really Tomlin’s first choice to send the immobile Ben out there? And what’s with Dixon? He looked so promising in 2010 preseason then he disappears. Again its easy in hindsight but would’ve been fun to roll the dice like this. Sit Ben final 3 weeks, if he’s not 90% in practice sit him against Denver. If they beat Denver then play him against the Patriots but keep his status quiet. Keep this team in the underdog role and give the superbowl run the best chance with a healthier Ben. The super bowl aspirations ended vs clev so there was nothing to lose play it this way in my opinion.

Still that’s not to end the post with sour grapes. Forever loyal Steelers fan looking forward to pick 24 of the draft. I expect they will continue to play top 5 defense, hopefully improving against the run next year. But what’s got me excited is that this offense could easily be among the NFL’s best if they can improve their offensive line. They’ve got some age on D but this season gave me confidence that they’ve got some players ready to step in.

1 how is losing a welcomed reprieve? Losing- what a relief! I don’t think so. That sounds like a jet fan talking

Wallace is my biggest disappointment alongside the oline

I would get rid of all of them. Sorry, no takers

5- I need to redo my oline. We reaped what we sow. Benz injury put us o. A short leash tha is to a suspect o line. 5 years a d counting

Tomlin said at the start of the year that we needed to see if Mike Wallace was a “one trick pony”. It turns out he will be as long as he (apparently) plays without heart. I don’t see the downfield coverage as it develops but when the ball does come his way I don’t see fight. He gives up on balls that aren’t thrown to him and as near as I can tell he’s never fought a DB when covered or underthrown. I also can’t recall him ever chasing down a DB after a pick and he’s the self-proclaimed fastest man on the field! I’m not in his head so I can’t definitively say he has no heart. But his actions speak otherwise. As an RFA, I’d offer him a one-year contract. Let him shop. I’m not concerned about his having bad feelings. I don’t like what I see. If Wallace had Antonio Brown’s heart, he’d be Steve Smith (CAR).

1. Felt like every player on our team was injuried at one point this season. Tough. They were going to win or los close. We all new it.

2. Keep Legs, Max maybe Farrior but he is foote now

Forget what players will be back next season. It’s more of the same for the offense with Bruce Arians returning. Giv me a Break!

Tomlin or Whomever: I would check into our conditioning program and see what is going wrong because I think we may have set a record for injuries in the last 2 years.

1. The most embarrassing thing to happen is to have our #1 pass defense get beat by TEBOW, possibly one of the top 5 worst quarterbacks in the league this year. I’d rather limp into round 2 and get beat by 50 to Brady than to lose to Tebow by 1. Being a Ohio State Buckeyes and a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, I REALLY hate the guy now…lol.

2. Let’s review the veterans, because let’s face it, given the cap situation, there’s big changes on the horizon….

Aaron Smith – Too many injuries the last few years. Let him retire. DL Coach position?
Chris Hoke – A backup that’s older than the starter, bad injury, he’s gotta go.
Casey Hampton – Isn’t getting younger. No real other options. Draft 3-4 DT = 1 more year!
Hines Ward – Says he’ll take a pay cut, doesn’t mind being a 4 at best. Keep him 1 more.
James Farrior – Liability in coverage. F.O. gotta get ILB by draft or FA, it’s him or Foote.
Max Starks – I would say if Max stays in shape in the offseason, give him 2-year deal.
Bryant McFadden – He’s gotta go, time to cut cord with young DB’s, survival of the fittest.
Larry Foote – I believe Foote or Farrior will be gone. Possibly both. F.O. will address ILB
Willie Colon – Some say he’s a top 5 RT. I dunno. 2/3 years on IR, pay cut or gone
Trai Essex – “Essux” The only guy who can play all 5 line positions. BADLY. Please cut!
Charlie Batch – Old & slow. Lefty = backup, but still need 3rd, but one without arthritis.

So: Hines, Hampton, and Starks fo sure. Farrior/Foote (both/neither) depending on what F.O. does, Colon ONLY if he takes BIG cut.

The important thing to remember here is that Smith, Hampton, Ward, Farrior, and Colon will have higher cap numbers than the others (If I remember correctly). This is going to be a huge factor.

ALSO***** Sepulveda, Susiham, Kemoateau should be GONE.

3: Do what the Steelers do. Offer Mike a fair deal. Mike is the real deal in terms of a #1. Brown is our new Hines, a possession receiver. You can’t compare, it’s not apples to apples. I don’t think Sanders could be a #1 or #2 yet. Give Mike a fair deal, then offer Brown one very similar. If Mike wants astronomical money, let him go. If he wants championships, he’ll stay, Sanders could be odd man out…or get designated as “restricted FA”. Brown is the only one they cannot afford to lose.

4: Biggest surprise(s) Offense: Starks, Defense: Gay, ST: Curtis Brown
Biggest disappointment(s) Offense: all Guards, Defense: Worilds, ST: Suisham

5: Mike Tomlin. I take a course in clock management. Seems like that was one of his biggest weaknesses this season.

This was a season that I hope will be a transformational one. There are three things that deserve attention and correlate with the five burning questions.

(1). Inflexibility of the Defense. Having the #1 Defense in the NFL doesn’t equate to much if you have weaknesses that can easily be exploited by opponents. The Steelers were great with run defense and holding opponents to low points. What happened to our ability to make turnovers? How could we be beat in critical moments by supposedly less inferior teams? Our defensive line has been built to stop the run, but the elite teams aren’t running the football. It’s time to move away from the veterans and start to build the next generation. Why was it that we failed to adjust to the Broncos passing attack after shutting down the run? Our inability to sack the QB is why we lost the close ones. How could we get blown out by the Ravens? Is the defensive scheme becoming too predictable?

(2). Offensive Weaknesses. Stop and look at the successful offensive teams around the league. While a part of it is the player’s abilities, another key and primary element is the system being implmented. The offensive scheme is again too predictable. Rarely do you see the quarterbacks of great teams holding onto the ball. I like Ben’s style but he doesn’t have the offensive line to give him the time to do his thing. Steelers need more backs coming out of the backfield and start to create more opportunities to exploit mis-matches like tight ends and running backs going against linebackers. Again this area requires a significant redo and it should probably start with BA.

(3). Steelers have got to be ready for what’s next. We should have been 13-3 going into the playoffs and then won the game against the Broncos. That’s water under the bridge now but would like to see the Steelers get more of the Eye of the Tiger like the Ravens had this year. We just can’t show up and win games anymore. There’s a target on our backs and preparing for the unexpected is paramount. MT should re-evaluate how effective the coaching was this year and make some changes. Need to be more aggressive in short yardage situations and not settle for field goals when we’re inside the ten yard line. If you have confidence in your defense, you would never do that. Do a case study on the Saint’s coach.

the Ravens they haven’t beat us when it really counted.

1. I don’t know if “lucky” is the right word, but in retrospect I am feeling pretty relieved. Kind of had to know it was coming eventually, not so terrible to get it over with.

2. Aaron Smith, Chris Hoke, Bryant McFadden – I don’t see much value in keeping. Casey Hampton, James Farrior – are definitely getting up there, but every time I am ready to write them off, they surprise me with their next performance; maybe at a reduced price, they are still definitely worth hanging onto. Max Starks – no question, they should not have let him go the first time, I say definitely keep him now. Hines Ward, Charlie Batch – I don’t imagine BOTH of these guys staying on the roster, since they basically are filling the same role now; I’d like to see Charlie moved into some sort of assistant coaching position and then keep Hines around for just one more year.

3. Wallace has developed the same problem that star CBs (or blocking TEs/FBs) have: you don’t SEE him doing much, so you assume he isn’t doing much. But his performance is being overshadowed by the other WRs because he is as good as he is at what he does, which draws the coverage away and allows the others to shine.

4a. Biggest pleasant surprise was NOT Gay himself, but rather, the public perception of him. Ever since his rookie season pre-season, he’s been showing these glimpses of potential, and he’s finally starting to let that emerge. To the point where people have quit complaining about everything he does.

4b. Biggest disappointment was Sushi. He filled in well enough in a pinch since they got rid of the towel dispenser guy, but it’s time to find somebody more reliable and more permanent.

5. Would not have started BB against SF.

1. Being from NM losing to denver just flat sucks…much ratehr of had Brady beat us…but ys never know how far we could have gone unless you are still playing…
2. If health is not an issue and they fit in the team needs then they shouold have a chances, but Starks, Hines & Batch need to be kept…the rest need to prove a worth. Smith & Hoke have serious injuries, Hampton was off all year, Colon can nto stay healthy…
3. I remember Blount hating playing againts Branch – had to chase him down the field and could not get in the action like he wanted. If we had a healthy Ben, if hey had more than 2 seconds to look downfield then Wallace would have been 1500+ yards. He is not as clear a #1 after Brown emerged adn Sanders is not a slouch either…but the package has 3 guys that can light up any #2 & #3 CS in the league (if we have a OL!)
4. Suprise – the pass defense as a whole was a suprise, but Gay’s consistancy was probably the biggest.
Disappointment – Wallace’s second half is up there, Sushi too but Worilds was my top…lost of hope and he really struggled in both chances he had.
5. Replace Arians with….any one!

1. Thank goodness the Steelers didn’t have to send just half of their team limping into Foxboro to be slaughtered. They say you are never as good as you appear when you win, and you are never as bad as you appear when you lose. A huge loss in Boston would have tempted many to greatly underestimate the quality and potential of this roster.

3. Unless you can receive a stud offensive lineman and a a first round pick, you desperately try to make Mike a Steeler into his 30’s. He complements AB and Sanders very well. If Ben is ever given excellent protection<, Mike will be worth every penny

4. The talent shown by Cortez and Curtis, given they are 4rth and 3rd rounders is tantalizing. And this was exactly in the Steelers position of weakness. Kenan’s improvement is also very promising. The Steelers could now move either Gay or Kenan to safety and then use top 2 picks on OL and ILB..

1. As much as I’d LOVE to see the Steelers playing this weekend, I don’t think I’d want to watch the bloodbath that it would have been. Better to have watched them lose after a valiant comeback then to have seen a season ending on what would have probably happened this weekend.

2. I don’t think any of those should come back “no questions asked”. Any of them could be invited to training camp with some change in pay/incentives. Batch, Hampton, and Hoke – probably time to move on with life’s work. Aaron Smith – maybe on this one. Perhaps he gets invited to training camp, and if he’s able to show that he’s still got it, you allow him another season. He hasn’t played consistently in 3 years, so it’s hard to tell what he has left in the tank, if anything.

3. I’m on the fence on this one. Wallace has tremendous potential and along with Brown, will eat up attention by the opposing secondary. Having him, Brown and Sanders coming at you would be pretty intimidating to a secondary trying to cover them all. However, if I have to look at the 2nd half Wallace, I’d say he’s not worth a long-term investment.

4. Best surprise – Brown. Biggest disappointment – Harrison/Woodley (due to injury). Overall disappointment – Suisham. I hate biting my fingernails every time he is sent out to try a field goal.

5. Tomlin – and I’ll go with two do-overs. First – I’d start Batch against San Francisco, St. Louis AND Cleveland. Second – I would have insisted on a no-huddle offense more regularly.

1. First, it is not a guarantee that New England would have beaten us, which makes the Denver loss even more hurtful. New England has no defense. The only way even a depleted Steelers team lose in NE is if Brady plays out of his mind and Arians calls 50 bubble screens. The team a depleted Steelers would have definitely lost to would have been the Ravens, who are hungrier and healthy right now.

2. Only ones who should come back? Hampton at a reduced salary, Ward at the vet minimum with incentives, Batch as the 2nd QB (draft a young kid in the 5th-6th round as a 3rd QB), and Farrior at a reduced salary as well. Aaron Smith has nothing left. He should just retire and be made an assistant to John Mitchell. Chris Hoke will likely retire. I would cut Colon and save a lot of money. Remember the Steelers gave Max Starks a lot of money a couple of years ago. They cut him and then brought him back. Same thing for Colon except this time, give him a much smaller salary and kick him inside to guard. Let Foote walk and come back when he realizes no one else will want him as a starter, let Essex walk and come back when he realizes he is not a starter period, and work around the salaries of Woodley and Timmons to get under the cap.

3. I would offer Mike Wallace a 1st round tender and see if anyone in the league will bite. He is one of the five best deep threats in the league and there is always room for someone with that type of top end speed. The Steelers can find WRs later in the draft (see Hines Ward, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders). If the Steelers can get another 1st round pick, that would help to shore up the offensive line. I would make Wallace show in 2012 he can play at a top level for an entire season. I know that the dropoff can also be blamed on Arians but given Brown was constantly given single coverage, Wallace’s impact cannot be understated.

4. Surprise: Antonio Brown. I thought he was going to be a solid contributor but he was more than that. He should win Most Improved Player award, even over Victor Cruz. Disappointment: if we are talking players, Ike Taylor against Denver but all season, I would go with James Harrison.

5. Art Rooney II- I would have made Coach Tomlin sit Big Ben after the comeback versus the Browns and I would told Tomlin and Roethlisberger that Arians would not be back for 2012.

1. Yes. It would have been painful to see Brady run up the score, or the Ravens gloat.

2. Max Starks will stick around. 2012 will be Casey Hampton’s last year (what a player he has been). Colon gets a shot at RG. Everyone else is gone.

3. If you mean Top 5 money, the answer is No.

4. SAYING IT FOR THE RECORD: William Gay was the biggest pleasant surprise. But someone needs to mention the kid, Curtis Brown. How cool is it that we have fixed the kickoff game? How cool is that? How many TDs did we give up to long returns over the years?

5. I let most of the veterans from #2 above go and I buy myself some offensive line help. If I do that, we win 2 more games; get homefield advantage, our roster isn’t riddled with old man injuries, and our QB isn’t hobbled going into Denver.

ur stupid.

say it again in 2nd grade terms

When have you ever typed in anything other than second grade terms?

I think the funniest part of your comment, is that you accuse me of doing something that you do. It’s also something I don’t do. In fact, I believe my first comment directed toward you was about how you’re in no position to judge what the FO or coaches should do.

Thanks though.