AFCN Hate Guide

[CrashDavisSports]

No matter how bad your team could get, you will never be the trap game to anyone in this division after two decades of whipping everyones ass. But good try.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

No matter how bad your team could get, you will never be the trap game to anyone in this division after two decades of whipping everyones ass. But good try.

Well the Steelers have a crap OL & suspect coordinators. Even the defense scares me given its propensity to give up possession downs. So long as the opposing offense controls the TOP the Steelers are going to struggle. They may have a better chance at beating divisional rivals simply because they know these teams better.

I think it will take some time for the Steelers to find their stride. Definitely don't see them winning more than 8 or 9 games right now. Need to see what this offense is before I sign up for more.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Not enough hate going on in here... IT'S BENGALS WEEK

 

[blue_suns]

 

[Cincyfan78]

McTitties it is!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

McTitties it is!

Genuinely concerned about Trey Hendrickson going against this OL... Dude is fixin to feast

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

McTitties it is!

 

[Cincyfan78]

Genuinely concerned about Trey Hendrickson going against this OL... Dude is fixin to feast

So - tell me about the OL this year. Did Pitt upgrade? Last year, we all saw it coming - and the OL really struggled. Likely negating a bigger impact from Harris, not to mention the statue of Big Ben...Bengals got lucky that Burrow is a tough SOB - because most QB's would have wilted by week 8 under the pressure he saw, especially with the defenses in this division.

Speaking of defenses: Everyone has focused on the Bengals and their offense, and OL, for who far this team can go - but they return nearly everyone on that defense, and the DL got deeper with Ossai returning this year at edge, and the Carter kid drafted in the 3rd round at 3T. Their LB's, after years of being a decade behind in the NFL, look to be really solid. Secondary is good - but still not sold on Apple to repeat last year - we'll see...but Dax and Bates being used in the same secondary is...scary for other teams, or should be with how the Dcord moves people around and plays matchup in schemes like Ocords do. Bottom line - the Bengals defense is quietly living in the shadows of Burrow and the offense - and will be just as important in this team winning games as the improved OL/Offense - many seem to overlook them, and I think will be shocked when the find out hard it is to drive/score consistently on this team.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

So - tell me about the OL this year. Did Pitt upgrade? Last year, we all saw it coming - and the OL really struggled. Likely negating a bigger impact from Harris, not to mention the statue of Big Ben...Bengals got lucky that Burrow is a tough SOB - because most QB's would have wilted by week 8 under the pressure he saw, especially with the defenses in this division.

Speaking of defenses: Everyone has focused on the Bengals and their offense, and OL, for who far this team can go - but they return nearly everyone on that defense, and the DL got deeper with Ossai returning this year at edge, and the Carter kid drafted in the 3rd round at 3T. Their LB's, after years of being a decade behind in the NFL, look to be really solid. Secondary is good - but still not sold on Apple to repeat last year - we'll see...but Dax and Bates being used in the same secondary is...scary for other teams, or should be with how the Dcord moves people around and plays matchup in schemes like Ocords do. Bottom line - the Bengals defense is quietly living in the shadows of Burrow and the offense - and will be just as important in this team winning games as the improved OL/Offense - many seem to overlook them, and I think will be shocked when the find out hard it is to drive/score consistently on this team.

PIT OL... $70m was invested into the OL this offseason. However, they only acquired 2 new players. C Mason Cole & RG James Daniels. Neither has really inspired much confidence this offseason. The acquisition of Daniels was promising, but looks like a square peg forced into a round hole right now. He finally showed a bit of promise in the final preseason game, but has largely been disappointing this offseason. The rest of the money went into extending RT Chuks Okorafor, who has been 'ok' at best during his short career. LT Moore Jr showed promise in his rookie season last year... But this year has looked pretty damn bad lol. I attribute some of that struggle to piss poor LG play though. They tried to transition Kendrick Green from C to LG, and he is just flat out terrible (no effing clue how he made the final 53). Kevin Dotson has struggled to stay healthy, but he SHOULD be the starter at LG. I'll admit the bar is pretty low, but he has been the best they have at that position. And OT/IOL depth is a pretty big concern right now.

IMO, they got better on paper along the interior but it may take some time to gel together. Luckily they have 2 very mobile QBs that are pretty good at 'creating' on the move. I still think the offensive coordinator is suspect as hell though... But that's a completely different conversation altogether lol.

CIN D... I was beating that drum in 2021! I knew that defense was going to be formidable, and they were largely being slept on. I also agree that it is being slept on once again. I think we've discussed it a few times prior, but I think a few missteps last season showed that the defense CAN be exposed so nobody wants to give them the credit they should have been getting for the vast majority of the rest of the 2021 season. If they can become a more consistent group then they'll be top 5 easy. Their SOS is unfavorable though.

 

[Manster7588]

PIT OL... $70m was invested into the OL this offseason. However, they only acquired 2 new players. C Mason Cole & RG James Daniels. Neither has really inspired much confidence this offseason. The acquisition of Daniels was promising, but looks like a square peg forced into a round hole right now. He finally showed a bit of promise in the final preseason game, but has largely been disappointing this offseason. The rest of the money went into extending RT Chuks Okorafor, who has been 'ok' at best during his short career. LT Moore Jr showed promise in his rookie season last year... But this year has looked pretty damn bad lol. I attribute some of that struggle to piss poor LG play though. They tried to transition Kendrick Green from C to LG, and he is just flat out terrible. Kevin Dotson has struggled to stay healthy, but he SHOULD be the starter at LG. I'll admit the bar is pretty low, but he has been the best they have at that position. And OT/IOL depth is a pretty big concern right now.

IMO, they got better on paper along the interior but it may take some time to gel together. Luckily they have 2 very mobile QBs that are pretty good at 'creating' on the move. I still think the offensive coordinator is suspect as hell though... But that's a completely different conversation altogether lol.

CIN D... I was beating that drum in 2021! I knew that defense was going to be formidable, and they were largely being slept on. I also agree that it is being slept on once again. I think we've discussed it a few times prior, but I think a few missteps last season showed that the defense CAN be exposed so nobody wants to give them the credit they should have been getting for the vast majority of the rest of the 2021 season. If they can become a more consistent group then they'll be top 5 easy. Their SOS is unfavorable though.

Reading this, made me feel better about the Dallas OL, and I think their OL will cost them wins in 22.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Reading this, made me feel better about the Dallas OL, and I think their OL will cost them wins in 22.

At a time when the offense is in transition the Steelers seem more intent on stocking the offense with skill talent vs rebuilding an OL that has plagued them since 2019. I think that can be attributed to them being as lucky/fortunate as they were in finding late round guys or in UDFA over the last decade plus. That luck seems to have run out though and they keep hoping that it will return. At least this past offseason they made more of an effort.

 

[Cincyfan78]

At a time when the offense is in transition the Steelers seem more intent on stocking the offense with skill talent vs rebuilding an OL that has plagued them since 2019. I think that can be attributed to them being as lucky/fortunate as they were in finding late round guys or in UDFA over the last decade plus. That luck seems to have run out though and they keep hoping that it will return. At least this past offseason they made more of an effort.

I'll never understand why teams forgo the lines on both sides of the ball.

Have a top 10 OL - you can make a RB or QB, and by default, WR look much better than they might be.
Have a bottom 10 OL - and you can make a good RB, QB, and by default, WR look much worse than they might be.

Same on the DL - where getting after the QB is such a priority - if you have a top pass-rush, your LB's and secondary are much better having to cover for less time. Have a slow, no pressure DL, and eventually someone is going to get open because the QB has plenty of time.

Skill players are nice, and of course any team that wins has to have a QB first, and foremost - but the lines are the foundations of the teams. Skill players can't produce if their QB can't get a pass off, and DB's can't cover for 5-6-7 seconds.

 

[Manster7588]

At a time when the offense is in transition the Steelers seem more intent on stocking the offense with skill talent vs rebuilding an OL that has plagued them since 2019. I think that can be attributed to them being as lucky/fortunate as they were in finding late round guys or in UDFA over the last decade plus. That luck seems to have run out though and they keep hoping that it will return. At least this past offseason they made more of an effort.

I was looking at the 23 draft strickly at OL. Major need here.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I was looking at the 23 draft strickly at OL. Major need here.

Same. Supposedly OSU & ND have the top ranked OL's in CFB... But I watched that game this past weekend and wasn't impressed at all. Hopefully it isn't a down year for OL in next year's draft lol

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I'll never understand why teams forgo the lines on both sides of the ball.

Have a top 10 OL - you can make a RB or QB, and by default, WR look much better than they might be.
Have a bottom 10 OL - and you can make a good RB, QB, and by default, WR look much worse than they might be.

Same on the DL - where getting after the QB is such a priority - if you have a top pass-rush, your LB's and secondary are much better having to cover for less time. Have a slow, no pressure DL, and eventually someone is going to get open because the QB has plenty of time.

Skill players are nice, and of course any team that wins has to have a QB first, and foremost - but the lines are the foundations of the teams. Skill players can't produce if their QB can't get a pass off, and DB's can't cover for 5-6-7 seconds.

Preaching to the choir. I want to be excited about the skill talent, but I'm just too pessimistic about the OL & OC. We've been through this ringer for 3 straight years so I don't understand how so many fans are signing up for 10+ wins with this team. Just doesn't make any sense right now, and comes off as blind homerism.

I think just about every Steeler fan here was big on OL in the past 3 offseason while the team wasn't lol. We were excited about the possible return of Mike Munchak, who resurrected the Steelers OL and created a corps flush with talent. But instead, the Steelers hired Pat Meyer who recently coached a bottom tier OL in Carolina... yippee

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Lucky F*cks

 

[Wamu]

Lucky F*cks

The Steelers/Bengals game. I'll be watching. And hoping for a tie.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

The Steelers/Bengals game. I'll be watching. And hoping for a tie.

Start off the year with 0.5 a win against a AFC favorite/contender? Sign me up!

At this point in time that's 1/2 a win more than what I'm predicting they'll get this year...

 

[Wamu]

Start off the year with 0.5 a win against a AFC favorite/contender? Sign me up!

At this point in time that's 1/2 a win more than what I'm predicting they'll get this year...

Well I really can't root for either team since it's divisional. But if one team has to lose guess the Bengals? I think they'll have a better season than your Steelers. But Burrow should definitely be benched for both games against the Browns.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Well I really can't root for either team since it's divisional. But if one team has to lose guess the Bengals? I think they'll have a better season than your Steelers. But Burrow should definitely be benched for both games against the Browns.

Fair nuff... Other than rooting for the Steelers I'll be rooting for Flacco & Mayfield this weekend... So there's that