It may just be Jerome Bettis's absence, but what else is causing them to do so badly?
2006-12-19 03:14:26 · 11 answers · asked by NY Fan 3 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
They haven't been good all year. Lucky to win 7 games , the only reason they are in third place is because the Browns are in their division.
2006-12-19 09:30:53 · answer #1 · answered by tim b 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I respectfully disagree that they're slipping.
Their last three games:
W 20-3 vs. Tampa Bay
W 27-7 vs. Cleveland
W 37-3 @ Carolina
While those teams aren't very good, the Steelers managed to correct their biggest problems: bad offensive line play and turnovers. The defense has come alive (finally!) as well.
In these last three games, the Steelers' defense has 6 INTs, 2 fumbles and 8 sacks. The Steelers' offense has allowed 1 INT, 1 fumble and 4 sacks (in the last game against the Ravens, Big Ben was sacked nine times!)
The Steelers also have been a traditionally slow-starting team under Cowher. Here are the Steelers' records over the past five seasons by month:
Sept.: 8-8
Oct.: 11-8
Nov.: 12-8-1 (Remember that tie game against Atlanta in 2002?)
Dec.: 16-4
The Steelers probably had a Super Bowl hangover that made their slow start last longer. But over the last three games, they've started to look like the team that went from 6th seed to Super Bowl champions last season. I doubt they can repeat, but right now I'd say they're improving, not slipping.
2006-12-19 11:39:40 · answer #2 · answered by Dave of the Hill People 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They acutally are playing really well right now. Is it too little too late? Probally, but there is still a slim hope for the playoffs.
There troubles earlier in the season had nothing to do with Bettis or "heart"! It was two simple problems that they couldn't seem to fix.
1) TURNOVERS!!! They couldn't hold onto the damn ball
2) Horrible special teams play
Those are the two biggest reasons for the Steelers choking out of the gate this year...
2006-12-19 11:28:26 · answer #3 · answered by hockeydude25 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Part of is it due to some rebuilding after the loss of Bettis and Randle-El, along with integrating rookies like Holmes. However, I think the absolute biggest factor was Roethlisberger's health. Cowher should have held him out two more weeks after the second concussion.
Ben's body suffered multiple major traumas starting with the motorcycle accident and first concussion, subsequent surgeries, the emergency appendectomy, then the second concussion on the field. It was all too much for such a short period of time and he pushed himself too fast.
I think Ben pressured Cowher to put him back on the field and Cowher made a poor management decision by allowing it. Even though he may have "felt fine," Ben needed more time for the post-anesthesia effects to wear off, sleep to allow his body to recover and rebuild, and physical rehabilitation to get back into professional condition.
They're looking great now and I think next year will be amazing.
HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO! ;-)
2006-12-19 11:34:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
just in case you haven't noticed the steelers are on a roll, no one will ever replace bettis but porter is doing him justice ,everybody forgets last year too our record was just as bad but we went all the way and it wasn't just bettis that got us there everybody said the panthers were gonna kill us and we had no chance but wait we won so don't count us out yet especially because the bengals lost so with all that said they were off to a shaky start but that was as much cowers fault as Ben's ben had his brains scrambled (his fault stupid on his part) and than the appendicitis which just happened bill could have put in batch who is a great back up QB but he didn't so there is nothing we can do about that but it all comes down to the fact that with the brain scrambling and the surgery ben's confidence went to hell in a hand bag but it looks as if it's now back so watch out were not out yet and even if we were us steeler fans love our team no matter what so lets all remember that last year sucked we won the bowl and i am sure that bettis would agree that he wasn't a solo act in the sb last year so get off the steelers backs until we either are or are not in the wild card play offs, let me end with WE DEY!!!!HERE WE GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!
2006-12-19 11:36:40 · answer #5 · answered by auntie s 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
quite a few setbacks during the off season with big bens wreck, the loss of free agents von olhoffen and randle el and a few others with other injuries. also, after you win a superbowl every team watches all your tapes and tries to figure out your plays and what yoou are gonna do. they didnt rearrange their play calling enough to offset that either. good team only gonna get better next year. go steelers!!!
2006-12-19 12:19:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Slipping?? if you have not noticed we have won our past few games and Big Ben is feeling really well right now. I really think we are getting back to our old selves. And I pray we still can make into the play offs because we have a small chance of doing so.
2006-12-20 00:06:48 · answer #7 · answered by 412 KiD 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What slipping? They are up to 7-7. They had an INJURED QB at the start of the season. They had other injuries.
2006-12-19 11:54:57 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The various injuries that its quarterback had early in the season affected them greatly. He appears to be much more healthy at this point and the team has looked pretty good lately. I expect them to beat the Ravens this Sunday.
2006-12-19 11:25:38 · answer #9 · answered by turkey 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I don't know if you have watched them the last couple of weeks but they look great again. For whatever reason, they had no heart earlier in the year. Playoff hopes are slim though.
2006-12-19 11:19:18 · answer #10 · answered by gitrdone281 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋