Official PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2012 Season Thread (7-5): Week 14 vs Chargers

[puglife]

Just watched an hour long recap of the crazy 2008 season we endured when we won Super Bowl XLIII. Didn't see an official thread so I decided to make one. I'll update it weekly hopefully.

We play the ******** this week and it's a huge game for us (and especially me since I live in the DC area and don't want to get ragged on for the next 4 years for losing this game). I've been frustrated with the offense so far this season. I legitimitely feel that we should have one of the top offenses in the league with the players we have. Maybe we're just getting used to the new Todd Haley system, but I questioned some of the play calling earlier this season. A lot of plays that always seemed to set us up for 3rd and long, but Ben has been carrying the offense thus far.

The last win against the Bungles hopefully gets the ball rolling and we can build off of that and make up some ground in the AFC.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Good to see another Steeler fan on NT...There was a 2012 Steeler season thread already started but it must've been deleted. Huh...

You've been frustrated with the O? I've been cool with it. Steelers have been killing it on 3rd down conversions. Matter of fact, I think the Steelers are leading the league in 3rd down conversions. The problems has been the running game but I think that's tied to the line struggling the first few games.

Sunday night was the single best performance from the line I've seen in a long time. Truth be told, it was the best effort on both sides of the ball. Loved seeing Colon mixing it up with Burfict. The o-line did well considering the Bengals have a decent d-line. Geno Atkins should be a beast for years to come. Mike Adams is also coming around a bit & Doug Legursky has been such a force for the Steelers. That man has been a swiss army knife for the o-line playing everywhere.

What's frustrating me is the defense. Aside from Sunday, Ike Taylor has been hot garbage. So has the rest of the secondary. Hope Sunday acts as coming out party for the rest of the year. Keenan Lewis finally look like what everyone in Steeler nation has been hoping for. Penalties have been pissing me off to. Steelers need to cut that ish out quick.

Looks like Pouncey is in for the Skins game & Troy & Gilbert are out...

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Kudos to Emmanuel Sanders for the fake injury Sunday night too. That was soo funny...That was emmy worthy....

 

[puglife]

well yeah...i think frustration about the defense is a given. i've just been frustrated about the offense, because i just feel like 1st and 2nd down always lead to a 3rd and long which ben has been continually bailing us out of all season.

i hope troy just stays out until he's fully ready to go. i'm starting to slowly realize he'll never be the same guy he once was.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

^ I think we're seeing what's going to be the norm for Troy from here on out. His style of play has led to him getting injured more. Hope he proves me wrong though...I think most of the problems can be tied to the o-line not being stable the first part of the season. It's the heart & soul for any offense. It looks like they're coming together more as each week passes. I hope Pouncey is fully healthy. If his MCL is still bothering him, I'd rather he sit.

 

[puglife]

the way the afc is shaping up so far, i think it'd be in our best interest to make sure we get everyone healthy right now and make sure we're ready for a late season push. we've had a couple of bad losses and could easily be 5-1 right now.

it should be an interesting matchup with rg3 this week. hopefully we can contain him on the run and shake him up to throw off his passing game as well. we've done pretty well against rookie qb's in the past, but rg3's been solid so far this season and the defense hasn't been the greatest so far this year.

 

[puglife]

GAMEDAY!!!! feels like the Super Bowl to me since everybody i know and their mama is a ******** fan. can't wait til 1:00!!!!!!

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Solid win today @ home. Just looked at the stats & saw that Ben didn't get sacked today. Also no turnovers or INTs. Nice...Special teams is still a work in progress. Those penalties are killing us. Coach Tomlin & Coach Haley also need to talk to Antonio Brown to cut down the celebrating & hot-dogging. That ish isn't the Steeler way...Leave that to the dirt bags like the ratbirds or someone else...

 

[puglife]

i didn't mind the celebration so much. he's young, just got a solid extension, and was mvp of the team last season. he's excited and i don't mind if he shows it a little during a game. the block in the back penalty on that play was bad though. unnecessary penalties like that have to stop. pretty solid win though. next week against the giants should be a good matchup as well.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Nah, the celebrating's gotta stop. It shows a lack of class & you'll get a flag thrown...Looks like Ryan Clark had his head kicked & suffered a concussion. Hope he's alright. I've been taking games so week to week I forgot about the GMen. Damn, that's going to be a scary team to face at their place...

What do you guys think of the Steelers switching to a 4-3 eventually?

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Alright so we're almost at the halfway point & proud to say this team is showing some fight. I'll be more impressed if we can get a win away against one of the NFC's upper echelon teams in the Giants.

Some of my quick thoughts so far -

- RB Rainey is getting a lot of playing time with mixed results. He shows potential though. I wonder how much coincidence there is that Rainey was Pouncey's roommate at Florida at one time & history with him going back to their high school days. Steelers also got Gilbert Brown, one of Pouncey's best friends at Florida.

- The o-line is playing very well especially considering the injuries week in & week out. I wonder if DeCastro will make it back this year. Would it be better to let him sit this year & come back at full strength next year?

- A little disappointed the Steelers only suspended Alameda for 2 games. I mean dude tried running over police officers trying to get away...The suspension should've been for more time if not the season. I hope they make him do a lot of charity work, especially for any charities associated with the PPD...

- Secondary is playing well the last 2 games despite missing Troy who will most likely never play at the high level he used to. I honestly think we have one of the top 5 coaching staffs in the league & coach Lake is doing a solid job with the secondary-DBs. Hope we can continue this.

- Speaking of coaching, Coach Kirby is doing a solid job with the running backs. Good to see him come back from getting burned in the house fire earlier this year.

- Special teams is playing horribly, specifically the penalties. Steelers let go of long time special teams coach Al Everest before the season & that didn't improve anything.

- Lulz @ anyone especially the media saying that Haley would be a problem in Pittsburgh. I looooved the idea of him coming to the Steelers especially since his dad **** was the Director of Player Personnel from '71-'90. He grew up being a ball boy for the team & helped with coaching film. You really think he wouldn't revere coming home & do well? People have no clue.

- The receivers are doing well overall but them damn drops need to stop. For real.

- Steelers believe it or not are ranked 2nd in total defense, but we need to sack QBs more & get more turnovers...I wonder if we'll switch to a 4-3...

Can't wait to see what the second half looks like.

 

[puglife]

just read that the steelers hotel in nj has no power and they can't find a replacement hotel so they'll be flying into nj the day of the game instead of the night before. hopefully it doesn't mess with them too much. this game will really show us where we're at.

eli and ben were both in the same draft class (along with phillip rivers) and both have 2 super bowl rings (although ben also has a super bowl loss). regardless, i'm sure there's a rivalry there so it should be fun to watch.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Brown got fined $10k for the taunting. Good. Hope it stops that & Tomlin talk to the team stops that stupid ish once & for all. Take that ish to the ratbirds or some other team. It's not the Steeler way.

Looks like DeCastro likely isn't coming back this year, which is fine by me. I would like to save him & have him come back strong next year.

Mendenhall, Gilbert Brown, Dwyer, & Troy out. Redman will play while Woodley listed as probable....

This is going to be a tough game....

 

[dmxfury]

Tough game, would be a good win, Woodley will play

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Have a good feeling about today...Steelers are 16-6 against NFC teams under Tomlin, 2-0 this season. Ben is 13-7 against NFC teams. Yeah-Yuh...Regardless though, this should be a great game against two solid SB winning teams...Let's go Steelers...

 

[venom lyrix]

Definitely going to be a tough game - both teams have been completely thrown off their normal and regular schedules for a game week

 

[venom lyrix]

The Steelers have JUST touched down in New York

 

[Kimchi Papi]

We should have a lot of fun watching this game Venom & other GMen fans... Glad you guys here on NT are classy...

 

[ootherocoo]

Solid victory.  Game ball to Redman!

 

[Kimchi Papi]

View media item 126497
Yeah-Yuh!!! Got an important W on the road against one of the best NFC teams out there right now. I've been saying for the last several years that the refs have been doing a terrible job & this game was no exception. They spotted the GMen 14 points & we were still able to pull it out...

Kudo's to the o-line for doing a decent job against a scary a** d-line. Great job to Redman also. What the heck is up with Mike Wallace?!!? Hope Antonio Brown is ok. Hopefully it's a mild ankle sprain...

Wow, I can't believe we got the W....Feels good...

 

[ootherocoo]

That "hit to the head" call for Cruz was soooooo bogus...

 

[dmxfury]

Refs are just so afraid to miss one and be reprimanded by Roger anything hard and even close to the head gets flagged. Stupid and hurts the game. I hate how Clark is targeted along with James. You have to just call what happened, not what ones reputation might warrant. Great win, still can't believe they'd on, I just assumed a loss today

 

[dmxfury]

Oh and I'm happy with how the line played again, even against the real good Giants line. Could go from a liability to a strength strangely enough

 

[Kimchi Papi]

What I don't understand is that Ryan clearing hit him in in the upper chest/shoulder with his shoulder. How could that be called a foul? These refs suck. I hate them...

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Damn, Rainey had a rib injury going into half-time that was so bad the training staff had a tough time getting his shoulder pads off...Right not the Steelers are saying Brown has a mild high ankle sprain but will have to be further looked at...