Steelers

[Valuist]

On Chad Milman's "Behind the Bets" podcast last week, he was talking to a gambler who warned anyone who wanted to bet the Steelers this past week.

The gambler pointed out the Yards per point stat; a stat which measures not only offensive efficiency but is a good overall team stat that factors in special teams and turnovers. The Steelers were ranked 29th in the NFL in yards per point at 29 yards/point. They were the first team since 2002 to make the playoffs with a yards/point number worse than 22 yards/point.

The real problem w/the Steelers D is forcing turnovers. At 15 turnovers forced, that ranked dead last in the NFL. Just not doing your offense enough favors w/good field position and not "flipping the field" enough.

Still some good players on that D but one has to wonder if they are getting too long in the tooth. Maybe Harrison has used that helmet to tackle one time to many.

[ldiatone]

many changes coming for that D

[BetHorses!]

On Chad Milman's "Behind the Bets" podcast last week, he was talking to a gambler who warned anyone who wanted to bet the Steelers this past week.

The gambler pointed out the Yards per point stat; a stat which measures not only offensive efficiency but is a good overall team stat that factors in special teams and turnovers. The Steelers were ranked 29th in the NFL in yards per point at 29 yards/point. They were the first team since 2002 to make the playoffs with a yards/point number worse than 22 yards/point.

The real problem w/the Steelers D is forcing turnovers. At 15 turnovers forced, that ranked dead last in the NFL. Just not doing your offense enough favors w/good field position and not "flipping the field" enough.

Still some good players on that D but one has to wonder if they are getting too long in the tooth. Maybe Harrison has used that helmet to tackle one time to many.


Steelers

Net total yards season 5957
Points scored 325

18.3

Do you know what else they factor?

[PhantomOnTour]

What got the Steelers beat was letting Tebow get a foot in the door(settling for two early FG's instead of punching in the TD's). He's a contagious spirit and when he gets things going it can really take off. Good job by the Broncos.
Tebow played very well yesterday and they really exploited Ike Taylor...he had a horrible game.

As a lifelong fan of the Steelers I fear we may have seen the last of James Farrior and my man hero Hines Ward (boy did he look lost on the sidelines).

There's all kinds of funny stats you can throw up, like the yards per point thing, but the lack of turnovers is most telling imo....you do know the Steelers and Saints were the two worst takeaway teams in the NFL this year with 15 and 16 respectively. Pitt's turnover margin this year was -13...how the hell do you go 12-4 with a minus 13 turnover margin?

Other stats:
Steelers were only NFL team to not allow a 100yd receiver this year (until the 2nd quarter yesterday)
Steelers hadn't allowed a TD pass in 5 games (until the 2nd quarter yesterday)
Steelers finished with the #1 ranked D in the NFL (uhhhhh, until the 2nd quarter yesterday).

I have been underwhelmed by this season and this game just reinforces that. Anyone can be taken down anywhere if they don't bring it...and my Steelers must have dropped it off somewhere before arriving in Denver.
I firmly believe the Steelers would have been beaten next week had they pulled this game out....that Denver game was a crushing defeat, but it would have been a crushing victory if they had won (a pyrrhic win, if you will)with all the casualties they suffered.

All i got left is those LSU Tigers tonight to save me from the weekend of football hell.

[BetHorses!]

side note: John 3:16

Tebow passes for 316 yds yesterday

his avg pass was 31.6

spooky!

[Valuist]

Steelers

Net total yards season 5957
Points scored 325

18.3

Do you know what else they factor?

You are correct. 18.3 is the right number. He may have just said the wrong number. 18.3 isn't good for a playoff team. Compare that to these teams;

Green Bay 11.6
New England 13.3
Detroit 13.3
New Orleans 13.7

It still comes down to a lack of forced turnovers. The real shocker is a grand total of 4 fumble recoveries. Now one can argue that fumble recoveries is more luck than INTs, but if you force enough, you will eventually get some. When you consider they have turnover machines like Polamalu and Harrison on that D, its pretty shocking.

[Robert Goren]

There is nothing wrong with the steeler defense that an off season to heal up won't cure. The offense on the other hand has some problems that need to addressed. I don't think Big Ben is the kind of QB that carry a team to the super bowl without a strong running game. Lets face it, the steeler running game was not all that good this year for whatever reason.

[BetHorses!]

You are correct. 18.3 is the right number. He may have just said the wrong number. 18.3 isn't good for a playoff team. Compare that to these teams;

Green Bay 11.6
New England 13.3
Detroit 13.3
New Orleans 13.7

It still comes down to a lack of forced turnovers. The real shocker is a grand total of 4 fumble recoveries. Now one can argue that fumble recoveries is more luck than INTs, but if you force enough, you will eventually get some. When you consider they have turnover machines like Polamalu and Harrison on that D, its pretty shocking.


Yes. The gambler might have his own formula which includes turnovers to avg turnovers included in the yards per point. And he might reward for no turnovers and penalize for too much. Or he misspoke.

Thought 3 fumble recoveries yesterday?

Anyway its a powerful stat and I weigh it heavily in my numbers.

[PhantomOnTour]

We got Raptured!
:bang:

[horses4courses]

I don't think Big Ben is the kind of QB that carry a team to the super bowl without a strong running game.

Agreed....and he needs to take better care of himself.

A gifted quarterback? Certainly.
Is he in optimal condition to perform at his best? Doubtful.

It's one thing to get by in your younger years carrying an extra few pounds.
Looking at recent pictures of Ben, though, makes me wonder.
His face looks bloated with plenty of zits - hardly a good image for a top athlete.

It's not going to get easier for him as he gets older.
I'm thinking it's time for Big Ben to have a reality check.

(P.S. re-reading this post - makes me sound like Dr. Oz)

[PhantomOnTour]

I think all the Steeler offense needs is it's health...

Ben hobbled (he must have gotten a shot of something at halftime cuz he was moving MUCH better in the 2nd half)
Pouncey (All Pro center) - out
Mendenhall - out
Willie Colon - starting OL missed all season

Doug Legursky (backup to Pouncey) had a very bad game snapping the ball.

[horses4courses]

Mendenhall - out

I agree that they were pretty banged up.
I thought they really missed Mendenhall in particular, though.
He does loads for that Steeler offense.

[cj's dad]

On Chad Milman's "Behind the Bets" podcast last week, he was talking to a gambler who warned anyone who wanted to bet the Steelers this past week.

The gambler pointed out the Yards per point stat; a stat which measures not only offensive efficiency but is a good overall team stat that factors in special teams and turnovers. The Steelers were ranked 29th in the NFL in yards per point at 29 yards/point. They were the first team since 2002 to make the playoffs with a yards/point number worse than 22 yards/point.

The real problem w/the Steelers D is forcing turnovers. At 15 turnovers forced, that ranked dead last in the NFL. Just not doing your offense enough favors w/good field position and not "flipping the field" enough.

Still some good players on that D but one has to wonder if they are getting too long in the tooth. Maybe Harrison has used that helmet to tackle one time to many.

Maybe this is where he got his reference to 29 ?

[Valuist]

There is nothing wrong with the steeler defense that an off season to heal up won't cure. The offense on the other hand has some problems that need to addressed. I don't think Big Ben is the kind of QB that carry a team to the super bowl without a strong running game. Lets face it, the steeler running game was not all that good this year for whatever reason.

Until they figure out a way to reverse the aging process, the defense IS going to have questions.

James Farrior 37, James Harrison 33, Ike Taylor 31 and Troy Polamalu 30.

The Steelers aren't the only highly regarded defense that is getting old. The Ravens and Bears are in the same boat.

There isn't a sport where guys get old quicker than in the NFL.

[Robert Goren]

Agreed....and he needs to take better care of himself.

A gifted quarterback? Certainly.
Is he in optimal condition to perform at his best? Doubtful.

It's one thing to get by in your younger years carrying an extra few pounds.
Looking at recent pictures of Ben, though, makes me wonder.
His face looks bloated with plenty of zits - hardly a good image for a top athlete.

It's not going to get easier for him as he gets older.
I'm thinking it's time for Big Ben to have a reality check.

(P.S. re-reading this post - makes me sound like Dr. Oz)I was thinking as I was watching him yesterday than he had developed a Sonny Jurgensen gut.

[Robert Fischer]

Steelers are in big trouble.


I don't see them scrapping the 3-4 and going to nickel base , while bringing in a shut-down corner and 3 more receiving weapons.

Extremely popular team, but they are going to be a small-market type of team and worse - they will be stuck with a team based on linebackers and balanced offense for a few more years.

[PhantomOnTour]

Steelers are in big trouble.


I don't see them scrapping the 3-4 and going to nickel base , while bringing in a shut-down corner and 3 more receiving weapons.

Extremely popular team, but they are going to be a small-market type of team and worse - they will be stuck with a team based on linebackers and balanced offense for a few more years.
The silliness never ends...

They were the #1 ranked D in the league
They were without their leading tackler in Ryan Clark
Hall of Famer Casey Hampton tore up his knee early
Brett Keisel pulled a groin a little after that

As always, the D is just fine and i ain't changin a thing just because they played badly yesterday.
My only true worry about the D is that Polamalu has lost a little bit...a step, some explosiveness, whatever...but he's not the old Troy.

PS-Bama's the one in big trouble :)

[elysiantraveller]

The silliness never ends...

They were the #1 ranked D in the league
They were without their leading tackler in Ryan Clark
Hall of Famer Casey Hampton tore up his knee early
Brett Keisel pulled a groin a little after that

As always, the D is just fine and i ain't changin a thing just because they played badly yesterday.
My only true worry about the D is that Polamalu has lost a little bit...a step, some explosiveness, whatever...but he's not the old Troy.

PS-Bama's the one in big trouble :)

Agreed. The only other team tore up by key injuries as bad as the Steelers was the Bears and we all saw how that turned out.

They may be a little more long in the tooth but after a Superbowl appearance and a torn up roster its a bit early to predict a major decline.

[cj]

Everyone has injuries this time of year. Usually the Steelers fill in better than they did this year. They didn't this time, so they lost.

[PhantomOnTour]

Everyone has injuries this time of year. Usually the Steelers fill in better than they did this year. They didn't this time, so they lost.
They were terrible yesterday.
Ike Taylor got schooled
Legursky was awful playing center

There's more but i'm trying to forget.

[Robert Fischer]

these teams that throw for 400 yards and complete 70% of their passes look like super-teams right now. We have Green Bay, New Orleans, and the Pats(a-game)... that's without a healthy P.Manning(colts? jets?) or a new kid on the block like Stafford(Lions) joining the ranks.


Steelers have the "#1 defense" in the regular season and win more than they lose, but it's not necessarily the #1 get-off-the-field-pass-defense against those types.

That style seems to make linebackers worthless.


Maybe things will go their way next year...














GO BAMA

[Valuist]

No team is the top defense in the NFL when it is dead last in forced turnovers. Its isn't ALL about yardage.

[ldiatone]

gee did i miss something? the team was 12w and 4L. and i know the team lost in ot. but what if the steelers WON the coin toss!
speaking of injurys, Hampton-Stark-Keisel surgery.
but alas....bad clock mang. in the last 1min or so could have made a differance :confused:

[ldiatone]

Steelers are in big trouble.


I don't see them scrapping the 3-4 and going to nickel base , while bringing in a shut-down corner and 3 more receiving weapons.

Extremely popular team, but they are going to be a small-market type of team and worse - they will be stuck with a team based on linebackers and balanced offense for a few more years.
i don't think pittsburgh is a small market team in football. to much money from tv revenue,sharing and merchandise sales. now baseball is another topic and all i'll say is no city can be small market if the OWNER is willing to spend money on a team. Hey Cuban(from pittsburgh) from the Mavericks wanted to buy the buccos and the owner will not sell. tell me cuban wouldn't bring some free agents to the pirates.

[mountainman]

I was thinking as I was watching him yesterday than he had developed a Sonny Jurgensen gut.

I think he wears some kind of rib pads.

[Rise Over Run]

i don't think pittsburgh is a small market team in football. to much money from tv revenue,sharing and merchandise sales. now baseball is another topic and all i'll say is no city can be small market if the OWNER is willing to spend money on a team. Hey Cuban(from pittsburgh) from the Mavericks wanted to buy the buccos and the owner will not sell. tell me cuban wouldn't bring some free agents to the pirates.

It's a small market town; doesn't matter if it's baseball, hockey, football, basketball (oops, no NBA here), or the Pope visiting. Deal with it.