AFCN Hate Guide

[Pure Steel]

Watching Blade Runner 2049, hopefully the Steelers win a playoff game by then…….

 

[cincygrad]

We can go back and forth all day on this, but Ben's play was more elite in the early to mid '10s than he was in the mid to late 00s when the team had much more postseason success. I still say it has much more to do with the coaching, and I'm not just talking about Tomlin.

I can accept this point. The coordinator choices under Tomlin are curious at best. I never thought I'd see Teryl Austin get another job after watching his work in Cincinnati. The Matt Canada years were high comedy if you weren't a Steeler fan. I think they actually got it right with Arthur Smith but he's had to do a lot in year 1 to put together an offense (qb uncertainty coming in, moving parts on the line, etc).

 

[cincygrad]

So here's the question. If the Ravens take care of business on Saturday afternoon, does this change the strategy for Pittsburgh on Saturday night? To me, there is a good argument that they should do everything possible to secure the 5 seed. If you watched Houston play on Christmas, it's impossible to not want them to be your first round opponent if you're hoping to win a game in the postseason. They looked done. If you lose, you're looking at the Ravens in Baltimore. Pittsburgh has had their number but the Ravens are rolling right now and I'd rather have the Texans.

 

[Ojb81]

So here's the question. If the Ravens take care of business on Saturday afternoon, does this change the strategy for Pittsburgh on Saturday night? To me, there is a good argument that they should do everything possible to secure the 5 seed. If you watched Houston play on Christmas, it's impossible to not want them to be your first round opponent if you're hoping to win a game in the postseason. They looked done. If you lose, you're looking at the Ravens in Baltimore. Pittsburgh has had their number but the Ravens are rolling right now and I'd rather have the Texans.

Agree 100%. If Pittsburgh has to go back to Baltimore for a playoff game, they are going to get smoked, it will be ugly

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Agree 100%. If Pittsburgh has to go back to Baltimore for a playoff game, they are going to get smoked, it will be ugly

What is pitt gonna do with Fields

 

[thedddd]

So here's the question. If the Ravens take care of business on Saturday afternoon, does this change the strategy for Pittsburgh on Saturday night? To me, there is a good argument that they should do everything possible to secure the 5 seed. If you watched Houston play on Christmas, it's impossible to not want them to be your first round opponent if you're hoping to win a game in the postseason. They looked done. If you lose, you're looking at the Ravens in Baltimore. Pittsburgh has had their number but the Ravens are rolling right now and I'd rather have the Texans.

Totally the goal now is to be the 5th seed and play the Texans. Even then there is no guarantee of a playoff win but will be their best hope.

Anything else will be ugly like the first round of the college football playoffs.

 

[thedddd]

As for Austin as d-coordinator, what pissed me off they had a very easy transition to Flores but Tomlin being who he is didn’t move on from the Matt Canada of d coordinators.

Seriously if there was no TJ Watt saving him, he would be the worst coordinator in history.

 

[Superbelt]

So here's the question. If the Ravens take care of business on Saturday afternoon, does this change the strategy for Pittsburgh on Saturday night? To me, there is a good argument that they should do everything possible to secure the 5 seed. If you watched Houston play on Christmas, it's impossible to not want them to be your first round opponent if you're hoping to win a game in the postseason. They looked done. If you lose, you're looking at the Ravens in Baltimore. Pittsburgh has had their number but the Ravens are rolling right now and I'd rather have the Texans.

Texans are their best shot for a win.

But potentially losing to the Texans will cause a riot, after how other teams have manhandled them recently. So it's dangerous to pull them for the flat and underachieving Steelers.

Losing to the Ravens would be easier to rationalize.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Texans are their best shot for a win.

But potentially losing to the Texans will cause a riot, after how other teams have manhandled them recently. So it's dangerous to pull them for the flat and underachieving Steelers.

Losing to the Ravens would be easier to rationalize.

It's all about odds. I would definitely be aiming for the Texans if the Ravens win Saturday afternoon. The Chiefs are going to lay an egg on purpose because they do not want Cincinnati in the playoffs, so you have nothing to worry about there.

Our game may be worthless when it comes down to it.

 

[Ojb81]

What is pitt gonna do with Fields

have him help serve lunch/dinner in the team facility cafeteria?

 

[Ojb81]

It's all about odds. I would definitely be aiming for the Texans if the Ravens win Saturday afternoon. The Chiefs are going to lay an egg on purpose because they do not want Cincinnati in the playoffs, so you have nothing to worry about there.

Our game may be worthless when it comes down to it.

I can assure you that the Chiefs are not the least bit worried about the Bengals being in the playoffs lol

 

[Cincyfan78]

As for Austin as d-coordinator, what pissed me off they had a very easy transition to Flores but Tomlin being who he is didn’t move on from the Matt Canada of d coordinators.

Seriously if there was no TJ Watt saving him, he would be the worst coordinator in history.

I feel this way about Taylor as a play-caller. If not for Burrow - Taylor would have been fired years ago. His scheme sucks. Burrow/Chase/Higgins make it work.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I can assure you that the Chiefs are not the least bit worried about the Bengals being in the playoffs lol

Worried may not be the right word, but don't think KC doesn't know Burrow and the Bengals D (even earlier this year) have had a good matchup with KC.

I'd be willing to bet they would prefer not to see Cincinnati make the playoffs...but I don't think that makes any difference in their approach to either play, or sit, their guys next week.

Personally - seeing how long the layoff is for KC - I would like to get them at least a series or 2 with the starters. Kind of like a late pre-season game. Certainly not a full game - but I think *some* reps would be beneficial here. I'm not sure you want to be coming off such a long-layoff if you are KC. But who knows.

 

[Ojb81]

Worried may not be the right word, but don't think KC doesn't know Burrow and the Bengals D (even earlier this year) have had a good matchup with KC.

I'd be willing to bet they would prefer not to see Cincinnati make the playoffs...but I don't think that makes any difference in their approach to either play, or sit, their guys next week.

Personally - seeing how long the layoff is for KC - I would like to get them at least a series or 2 with the starters. Kind of like a late pre-season game. Certainly not a full game - but I think *some* reps would be beneficial here. I'm not sure you want to be coming off such a long-layoff if you are KC. But who knows.

agreed, if I were a head coach, I would never give an entire game off to my key starters during the last week of the season, unless a player had some sort of lingering injury that could use a bit of extra rest. Otherwise, they need to play at LEAST for a half to stay sharp. And it's not just even about staying physically sharp/non-rusty, but the mindset that goes with it. Once you start to mentally "relax", it can become very difficult to get back into game-mode, let alone playoff game mode, which is a different animal altogether.

 

[thedddd]

LOL..

 

[thedddd]

Big white Mike tells it like it is.

 

[dtgold88]

I can appreciate you playing devil's advocate on Tomlin's behalf, but I and most Steeler fans can assure you, it's time to move on, for both the franchise and for Tomlin. The Steelers arent breaking any trends and busting through to conf. championship games and Superbowls with him leading the charge.

I think this is because that's how fans are, especially in forums like this. Lose and it's the coach. Not sure many teams would have gotten as far or especially further than them if they had Ben near the end or all the guys since at QB.

 

[dtgold88]

Omg DTR is so bad.

spurgeon wynn level bad yesterday...with better players around him.

 

[dtgold88]

Thats why hes in

If they wanted to try to win Jameis would be playing.

Yep...probably do win with winston yesterday. Good call by them (and have not been many this year).

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Yep...probably do win with winston yesterday. Good call by them (and have not been many this year).

Yep

No point winning