2023 Steelers: Watt Do Y'all Think?

mr_smith02

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I know none of the players selected in the draft have played a single snap in the NFL, but the overwhelming response from the "experts" is that the Steelers (Omar) did a fantastic job filling some holes. It truly felt like they drafted with the intention of making life easier for Pickett.
 

j-man

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Dec 19, 2012
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my dad is a pitt fan

its all up to pickett if he takes a leap u guys couild win 10-11 games but if not they are a 9-8 type of team
 

luckiestman

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Good draft, AFC has so many good or potentially good QBs. You have a favorable schedule:

64243

I see the potential for 10 wins.

home: all but birds, bengals, 9ers so 6
Away: Texans, Colts, Raiders, Rams (Rams are a big ? for me ). That’s 4

So 10-7.
 

McBride11

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Not much content - but it should be yinz not yall

Depends how much Pickett continues to improve. Like the Pats, Stillers clearly have several divisional opponents that are more talented. Gonna be uphill fight for both teams.
 

Rudy's Curve

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Good draft, AFC has so many good or potentially good QBs. You have a favorable schedule:

View attachment 64243

I see the potential for 10 wins.

home: all but birds, bengals, 9ers so 6
Away: Texans, Colts, Raiders, Rams (Rams are a big ? for me ). That’s 4

So 10-7.
The Steelers always seem to play to their competition anyways, so any of these games could go either way. Unfortunately, it feels like they'll never be out of it as long as Tomlin is there. He's dragged the corpse of Ben and rookie Pickett to nine wins each of the last two years, and it's hard to see how they'll be worse. Hopefully they'll start from their Pythag. baseline of 7-7.5 wins, but they always seem to win games they have no business winning. Their draft class seems to be pretty widely praised (thanks Bears giving up #32 for Chase Claypool where he put up 14-140-0 in seven games) so as long as Pickett can take the next step, I think they're a playoff team.
 

luckiestman

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The Steelers always seem to play to their competition anyways, so any of these games could go either way. Unfortunately, it feels like they'll never be out of it as long as Tomlin is there. He's dragged the corpse of Ben and rookie Pickett to nine wins each of the last two years, and it's hard to see how they'll be worse. Hopefully they'll start from their Pythag. baseline of 7-7.5 wins, but they always seem to win games they have no business winning. Their draft class seems to be pretty widely praised (thanks Bears giving up #32 for Chase Claypool where he put up 14-140-0 in seven games) so as long as Pickett can take the next step, I think they're a playoff team.
They could win 10 and miss the playoffs. The AFC is more stacked (on paper, injuries happen) than I can ever recall. 7 teams make it, let’s put in:

1. Chiefs
2. Bengals
3. Bills
4. Jags

Now we have 3 slots for

Jets
Dolphins
Chargers
Ravens
Steelers

reclamation but upside exists:
Denver
Browns

Pats (I dont see it this year but BB is BB)

Raiders (should be competitive but conference hard for them)

Colts
Texans
Titans
 

Rudy's Curve

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They could win 10 and miss the playoffs. The AFC is more stacked (on paper, injuries happen) than I can ever recall. 7 teams make it, let’s put in:

1. Chiefs
2. Bengals
3. Bills
4. Jags

Now we have 3 slots for

Jets
Dolphins
Chargers
Ravens
Steelers

reclamation but upside exists:
Denver
Browns

Pats (I dont see it this year but BB is BB)

Raiders (should be competitive but conference hard for them)

Colts
Texans
Titans
For as stacked as people claimed the AFC was last year, the NFC won interconference play by two games. It's going to be very tough for a 10-win team to miss a seven-team playoff.
 

luckiestman

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For as stacked as people claimed the AFC was last year, the NFC won interconference play by two games. It's going to be very tough for a 10-win team to miss a seven-team playoff.
Not really, a 10-7 team could easily lose out on a tiebreaker.
 

Mystic Merlin

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A 10-win team hasn't even been the 7-seed yet three years into this. I think it would take a 2008 Pats kind of thing for one to miss the playoffs now.
The 2020 Dolphins missed the playoffs at 10-6.

I agree that it is unlikely a 10 win team will miss the playoffs in a 7-seed format, but it has, and realistically can, happen.
 

Rudy's Curve

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The 2020 Dolphins missed the playoffs at 10-6.

I agree that it is unlikely a 10 win team will miss the playoffs in a 7-seed format, but it has, and realistically can, happen.
Yeesh, that's a terrible miss on my part especially since it wasn't even via tiebreaker. The extra game from then creates a little less of a jumble, but it is possible. The AFC won interconference play by seven games that year while also having by far the two worst teams in the league - there's your recipe for a 10-win team missing by a full game.
 

johnmd20

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The 2020 Dolphins missed the playoffs at 10-6.

I agree that it is unlikely a 10 win team will miss the playoffs in a 7-seed format, but it has, and realistically can, happen.
And the Bears made the playoffs that same year with 8 wins. That is actually kind of funny.
 

Future Sox Doc

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Not much content - but it should be yinz not yall

Depends how much Pickett continues to improve. Like the Pats, Stillers clearly have several divisional opponents that are more talented. Gonna be uphill fight for both teams.
Bravo. I came here to say exactly this.

Feels like PGH and the Pats are both stuck in purgatory for the next few years.
 

McBride11

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Bravo. I came here to say exactly this.

Feels like PGH and the Pats are both stuck in purgatory for the next few years.
You spend time at agh or upmc or pitt med?

Ya. Both had 20 good years with the top qb in their division. Nowww, likely 4th best unless they develop rapidly
Depends on Tuas brain and honestly i think lamar is wayyy overrrated but here we are.
 

mr_smith02

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Steelers move to 3-0 in the preseason tonight after 24-0 performance against the Falcons.

This crew has looked good on both sides of the ball so far. My optimism remains intact heading toward the games that count.
 

mr_smith02

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I won't hit the panic button. The 49ers are so clearly going to be in the Super Bowl conversation all season long, so it was not overly surprising to see a very good team play very well.

Next Monday will be a true test of these Steelers and Kenny Pickett.
 

NYCSox

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I don't know about panic but that was a disgrace. They made friggin Purdy look like Brady.

Also made Peterson should STFU and play some actual defense.
 

54thMA

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So I guess Pickett had a rough day yesterday; seems like a trend that guys with last name Pickett don't do well in PA.
 

mr_smith02

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I've pretty much had it with Harris and Pickett.

And both coordinators. And Tomlin.
This team rarely looks prepared for games. They then make a few adjustments at halftime, but against the good teams it is way too little too late.

Warren is more productive than Harris.

The schedule is not kind to this team too.
 

NYCSox

chris hansen of goats
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The next step in this kabuki dance is Canada getting excused by Tomlin because of Pickett's injury.

Nothing is going to change. Nothing.
 

mr_smith02

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This team has a premiere defense and it has absolutely won two of their three games for them. Not sure how that possibly holds up for an entire season.

The offense just seems lost. Right now, Pickens and Warren are their greatest weapons, so Canada best find a way to capitalize on those two. The only time they looked good on O today was when those two were featured.
 

luckiestman

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That’s an epic win for Steelers’ fans. Divisional rival, block punt safety, int, strip sack. I’m jealous.
 

Vinho Tinto

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The offense just seems lost. Right now, Pickens and Warren are their greatest weapons, so Canada best find a way to capitalize on those two. The only time they looked good on O today was when those two were featured.
Diontae Johnson and Freiermuth aren't great, but they are expected back after the bye. They need bodies, but not Olszewski's. He is a total disaster and needs to he launched into outer space.
 

mr_smith02

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Well, it is ugly but this team is finding ways to win...and got some help from the refs yesterday too.

Pickett to Pickens is lethal and, hopefully, the return of Johnson and Najee running better yesterday opens this connection up a bit more.

T.J. Watt is a beast!
 

mr_smith02

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It is so sad that this once proud franchise basically seems satisfied with finishing .500 or a little better each season.

The offense is so woefully inept and forces the defense to be next level on nearly every series..that does not translate into a successful postseason team.
 

Vinho Tinto

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The offense is so woefully inept and forces the defense to be next level on nearly every series..that does not translate into a successful postseason team.
They have two skill position players who are in their top 10 for salaries (Diontae and Tribusky). They are getting what they pay for. Pickett at least allowed them to reset the salary cap. I hope Khan will break from Colbert's aversion to offer his skill guys a 2nd contract in order to keep the defense well paid.

EDIT: i expect the fans will blow a gasket this week. Will be a good test for Pickett to see how he responds to voices growing loud that he is not up for the job.
 
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mr_smith02

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I expect the fans will blow a gasket this week. Will be a good test for Pickett to see how he responds to voices growing loud that he is not up for the job.
I cannot tell if he's up for the job or if it is a horrible offensive system that does not allow him to grow. I fully get that defenses are keying on Pickens, but they have to find a way to make him more of a contributor to the offense. Maybe it is Pickett who just isn't capable of doing that.

I still cannot really tell.

Warren and TJ Watt are the only consistently good parts of this team right now.
 

koufax32

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SNF said at halftime that Pickett is having ankle surgery tomorrow and will be out multiple games. Does Trubisky have it in him to lead PIT to 15 points so they can blow out NE Thursday?
 

Cellar-Door

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SNF said at halftime that Pickett is having ankle surgery tomorrow and will be out multiple games. Does Trubisky have it in him to lead PIT to 15 points so they can blow out NE Thursday?
Honestly... Trubiscuit might be a better QB.
 

mr_smith02

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If I coached a team that fully controlled its playoff hopes and we had back-to-back home games against two 2-10 teams, and lost them both, that would be 100% on me.
 

Cellar-Door

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Basically all the advanced stats said this team were frauds (Expected win loss was 5-7 with rounding up, 4-8 rounding down, SRS said 11th best team in the AFC, etc.) Not surprising it's caught up with them.
 

Mystic Merlin

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Basically all the advanced stats said this team were frauds (Expected win loss was 5-7 with rounding up, 4-8 rounding down, SRS said 11th best team in the AFC, etc.) Not surprising it's caught up with them.
They had the ‘they simply find ways to win games at the end with moxie what’s wrong with that?!’ defenders out in force, that is generally not a good sign.
 

Helmet Head

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I am legitimately interested as to what the future of the Steelers is. Don’t think they are that dissimilar to the pats current position. Better record but have real issues offensively. Trading watt should be in the cards.
 

mr_smith02

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I am legitimately interested as to what the future of the Steelers is. Don’t think they are that dissimilar to the pats current position. Better record but have real issues offensively. Trading watt should be in the cards.
Watt is the only true star on this team right now and trading him will not solve any of the problems the Steelers have.

It is time for a culture change. The team is not responding to Tomlin's leadership any longer. There's plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, but this team has been woefully unprepared for multiple games this season. That falls on Tomlin and the coaching staff.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-george-pickens-i-didnt-block-for-jaylen-warren-vs-colts-because-i-didnt-want-to-get-injured/

^ Tomlin should bench Pickens for this play...but he will not.
 
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