Week 17 vs Bengals

[ATL96Steeler]

Well crew...it was a long and unpredictable ride thru 15 games. The Steelers arrive at the final week of the regular season in a much better position than last year. Most of us that watch this team on a regular basis felt at the beginning of the year that the OFC would have to carry the team while the DEF worked in some young players.

It didn't quite work out that way in terms of the young players on DEF playing a lot...Keisel and especially Harrison made huge contributions...Shark rarely saw the field, C. Allen was benched, Tuitt played sparingly...JJ & Shazier spent a great deal of time injured. Spence improved a great deal imo from the beginning of the year and V. Williams looked considerably better in his pkg role. The vet SS/FS combo of Will Allen and Mitchell actually looked pretty good vs KC, but part of that could be that KC didn't really put much pressure on them.

Game 16...the final DIV rematch. I have to say...the Bengals held up very well thru a really injury plagued year.

This one is pretty simple...WC round...win and the Steelers will host the 6th seed...lose and they will travel back to CIN as the 5th seed.

Whose hurting...the early reports I've found...Ike and Troy have been limited in practice...that's the extent of it.

Week 14 was a close game for 3 Qtrs...PIT got a short field on a turnover and that ignited a big 4th Q explosion.

I don't expect that kind of a result, but the way the OL is playing I do like the Steelers to win this game. With Wheaton's improvement and the emergence of Bryant to go with pro bowler, A. Brown and Bell, the Steelers have the weapons to match any team on OFC....the DEF...they have picked their spots, gotten some turnovers, and some key stops.

PIT...27-20

What say you?

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

Steelers have worked out the bugs at just the right time. Even Haley's play-calling has improved.

Our boys beat Cinci in their house...no reason not to whip them in ours.

My best guess: Steelers by 14 pts...maybe 17.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

It has been a wild ride indeed. Their record could end up being exactly what we all thought it was going to be @11 wins, so kudos to all that predicted that! Tomorrow's game is going to be a slugfest IMO. Both teams want this win bad. I see it coming down to the 4th quarter, which is when the Steelers have been excelling lately. Look for the Bungals to put all their will into shutting down the run, which will force Ben into throwing more on 3rd downs. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another solid defensive performance from PIT. Taylor might be playing, so Aj Green is going to have another good game lol.

Sticking with my prior reverse psychology... Bengals 28 - Steelers 20

 

[ATL96Steeler]

It has been a wild ride indeed. Their record could end up being exactly what we all thought it was going to be @11 wins, so kudos to all that predicted that! Tomorrow's game is going to be a slugfest IMO. Both teams want this win bad. I see it coming down to the 4th quarter, which is when the Steelers have been excelling lately. Look for the Bungals to put all their will into shutting down the run, which will force Ben into throwing more on 3rd downs. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another solid defensive performance from PIT. Taylor might be playing, so Aj Green is going to have another good game lol.

Sticking with my prior reverse psychology... Bengals 28 - Steelers 20

Yep...I was in the 10-6, to 11-5 window too...knock on wood it continues, but I think a big part of the reason for that is two fold...the starting 5 has played the vast majority of the snaps, and the guys plugged in when needed have performed pretty well...secondly, #7 has played every game and he has found some timing with Wheaton/Bryant/Moore to take some pressure off A. Brown....at the beginning of the season I liked CIN OFC weapons better, but as the season progressed...Steelers have pulled even at the very least imo

Bengals...yeah...they're hurting @ LB though...as long as Haley doesn't try to jam it down their throats...Bell should get 20+ touches today...maybe a tad more receiving today....Unless Atkins just turns back the clock on us...I like the OL vs CIN DL matchup....would love to see that pulling G power play run at Dunlap a few times to put him on his heels a little.

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

Hey...is this game on at 1:00 or 8:30 tonight?

Our schedule here on he Hoop says one thing, newspaper says the other.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

NCSF...I think the game was flexed to the SNF game...8p maybe 8:30 kickoff.

I'm off tomorrow so I won't mind the late night.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Quick recap...

O... A shaky performance with its highs and lows. But all around solid performance. The run blocking wasn't as sharp, but I think the Bengals keyed on the run more this time around. Ben's accuracy was still somewhat suspect, but i'll take the performance he gave. Some bad drops by receivers in the first half were pitiful... glad they stuck it out. Scary seeing Bell hit the way he was. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed!

D... BIG shoutout to the secondary tonight. McCain, Gay & Blake were superb! They showed the resiliency that was missing with that group. McCain should gain a TON of confidence from last nights game, as should Blake. Both made key contributions. Needless to say I do NOT want to see Taylor back out there anytime soon. Would have liked to have seen better play out of Harrison, but he was going up against a pro-bowl caliber player (snubbed) in Whitworth. He won't be the last person shut down by that big man.

It was the usual physical AFCN battle. Thanks to Dalton yet again for a few key turnovers, because without them it could have been a very different outcome.

Hopefully Bell comes back, or else next week's matchup is going to be a lot harder than we think. I hope Haley & Co. have something up their sleeves.

 

[3riverbabe]

Great job by the secondary!


Any news on Bell's injury?

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Great job by the secondary!


Any news on Bell's injury?

Nothing other than what Tomlin said in the postgame presser... The knee is "structurally ok" but they are awaiting an MRI which should be done this morning. Stay tuned!

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Result...ACFN Champs!! Been a long time...fitting we get to split the tie with BAL in the WC round...I saw that unfolding as I was watching the SD vs KC game...and kept peaking in on CLE vs BAL.

CIN...it was another good effort from the DEF...again aided by Dalton...The DEF again had splash plays all over..DL/LB...great strip on AJ by Blake...good tackling by the ILBs in space in coverage...I think Lebeau has found the right balance for Spence/Williams/Shazier.

OFC did enough to get the win.

Bell...needless to say I'm concerned...it was clean...just football...the fact that he did jog off leads me to think that Tomlin is right about the severity.

I did pay attention to the play calls post Bell and I think Haley will be forced to use Archer more if Bell is not ready by next week.

 

[element1286]

Doesn't Nelson have an unusually high rate of taking out knees, not making any judgements because it's a legal hit, but I read yesterday he has a few big time knee takeouts to his name, Heath came to mind immediately.

 

[element1286]

Nothing other than what Tomlin said in the postgame presser... The knee is "structurally ok" but they are awaiting an MRI which should be done this morning. Stay tuned!

Still worried, you can't really tell if it's structurally sound until after the MRI.

 

[NorthCoastSteelersFan]

Gotta hand it to Ben...over 300 passing yds and 2 TDs, while fighting the stomach flu! I don't know if he'll be remembered as the greatest QB of all time, but he is EASILY the toughest.

Hopefully, Bell will be back on Saturday...I've seen much worse hyperextensions. But even if he can't play, our boys can beat the Ratbirds in the Burgh without him. The Dirty Birdies are past their peak, and limped into the playoffs. Our boys stomped in with their chins up.

And I'm confident that Bell will be back for the next round.

 

[Psych-Ward]

I wanna know where all the Tomlin shit talkers are now???

We made the playoffs, we won the division, How much more do you shit talkers want now??

And to top it all off, this man Deserves respect!!! How many coaches at the end of the game are going to go straight to the player that just took the knees of your star running back and tell him.... "That was a cheap shot!" Tomlin took up for Bell and did the job that a few thought he couldn't!!!!

We-Dey!!!

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Still worried, you can't really tell if it's structurally sound until after the MRI.

Too lazy to provide the link, but there are post MRI reports out there stating no ligament damage...if I had to guess, the Steelers may err on the side of caution and sit him this week...he's gonna have to show a lot in practice to convince them he can play.

 

[Psych-Ward]

2015 NFL playoffs -- Le'Veon Bell of Pittsburgh Steelers avoids ligament damage in knee - ESPN


Gotcha covered ALT!!!

 

[Psych-Ward]

AND.......

No ligament damage for Le?Veon Bell, but may miss Saturday | ProFootballTalk

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Good news on the Bell front! I agree that he is going to have to show a lot this week or else I would just be cautious and sit him. Ben & AB can carry the load. The only thing that worries me is the pass protection from Harris/Archer. I wonder if we might see some Adams & Spaeth in 2 TE sets for more protection this week. Or dropping Heath into motion behind the line. Seen it all before when they've had protection issues from their RBs. But I expect Ben to go crazy on the Ravens secondary again. Their DBs are pitiful. That should do enough to keep them from blitzing every down.

 

[MISKO]

who was the other back that we had in there besides archer... that guy looked bigger and didnt do too bad either

 

[Psych-Ward]

who was the other back that we had in there besides archer... that guy looked bigger and didnt do too bad either

Josh Harris!!!!

I think he is better than Archer!!!


Pittsburgh Steelers: Josh Harris


Had a damn good run of 59 yards till a holding call screwed it up for him!!!!