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The Steelers underachieved last year, yes, and the yinzers will say that they were only a few plays away from making the playoffs, or even making it to the Super Bowl. Playoffs? Ok I can see that, but Super Bowl, put down the Iron City, or in this case, the crack pipe.
The Steelers were about as close to making it to the Super Bowl last year as I was of nailing Kate Upton. They had a ton of injuries, a dismal run game, no big plays on defense, terrible coaching, and enough turnovers for every bakery in Pittsburgh for a Sunday morning.
Going 8-8 is not a few plays from going to the Super Bowl. Put down the kool-aid, you sheep. Now I'm still a fan, just not a fan-boy, and I still want this team to succeed and compete for championships. But I call it like it is and the Steelers arrow is pointing way down right now.
I'm reading lots of articles that keep saying that the Steelers will be fine and that they actually got better. How? I have yet to have someone actually prove that they improved their football team. They lost a lot of talent and production. Granted, some of the players they lost are assholes and I even talked a bunch of shit on them on the Internet, but talent is talent and production is production.
Let's take a look at some of the moves they have made to "improve" their football team.
They lost: Rashard Mendenhall, James Harrison, Keenan Lewis, Willie Colon, Mike Wallace, and Ryan Mundy.
They added: Bruce Gradkowski, William Gay, Matt Spaeth.
They re-signed: Plaxico Burress, Jonathan Dwyer, Ramon Foster, and Larry Foote.
Cornerback:
So just by looking at that, did the Steelers upgrade or downgrade their team's talent?
Please go ahead and explain to me how William Gay is good and that he's better than Keenan Lewis....I'm waiting. Here are some big time William Gay highlights for you. Gay was so good for the Arizona Cardinals that they got rid of him in one year. Keenan Lewis got a PHAT new contract with the New Orleans Saints.
Didn't the Steeler's ask all of their players like LaMarr Woodley, Ben Roethlisberger, and Lawrence Timmons to restructure their contracts to help the cap so the Steelers could make good signings for the team? Replacing Lewis with Gay is a huge downgrade.
The Running Game
Osama Bin Spindenhall, aka Rashard Mendenhall, is gone and everyone is glad. Why? I know he's a bit of a moron and him not showing up for a game was a big douche-bag move, but he was still their best option at running back. It's not like he got a ton of money on the open market, he got a one-year deal with Arizona for $2.5 million. The Steelers couldn't match that?
Mendenhall wasn't a great running back but he was a first round pick who ran for 1,108 yards in 2009, followed by a 1,273 yard performance in 2010. Mendenhall has a 4.1 ypc average in his career which isn't great but his total production was damn good.
Last year the Steelers used Jonathan Dwyer as their main starter last year but used a running back by committee approach. They went from the 10th best rushing team in 2010, making to the Super Bowl, to going 21st in the NFL in rushing last year. Dwyer isn't as good as Mendenhall, he's not a number one running back. He's a good backup at best.
So what do the Steelers do? Do they draft a running back in the first round? They didn't try to sign Steven Jackson that's for damn sure. The Atlanta Falcons did though and they were one play away from the Super Bowl. They might try and sign Ahmad Bradshaw but they probably won't. And if you think Mendenhall had fumbling problems, Bradshaw has FIVE MORE fumbles since 2008 than Mendenhall. Just saying. Based on how this offseason has gone they'll probably sign Willie Parker back and let Bradshaw go to another contender. Again, upgrade or downgrade....Big downgrade so far.
Wide Receiver
Steelers lost Mike Wallace. No way were they going to or should have signed Wallace to the huge contract he got in Miami. But let's no sell what Wallace did in his first four years in Pittsburgh. Wallace had more yards in his two best seasons (2010,2011) than Antonio Brown has had in his first THREE seasons. Wallace made the Pro Bowl and had over 4,000 yards in his first four years in Pittsburgh. Wallace averaged eight touchdowns a season the last four years in Pittsburgh, Brown has seven receiving touchdowns in the last three years.
Also think about this, Ben Roethlisberger's biggest strength is throwing the ball down the field making big plays. They just got rid of one of the most productive deep-threats in the NFL and completely redid the offense, which reduced the down the field throws, which is moronic. Great job Art.
Brown is a good player but he's not an ideal number one receiver. Wallace may have been a one-trick pony, but that was a pretty damn good trick. Once again the Steelers let their biggest playmaker on the offensive side of the ball yet again. Now Emmanuel Sanders is probably going to get signed away by either the New England Patriots or Indianapolis Colts. That would leave the Steelers with Brown, Cotchery, and Burress. Yikes. That would almost force the Steelers to draft two receivers if they fail to sign anyone, anyone at all. Upgrade or downgrade? Huge downgrade....
I'll give backup quarterback an upgrade because Bruce Gradkowski is a big upgrade over Byron Leftwich. Gradkowski is a "Steeler-Killer" so him being the backup in his hometown is a good thing. Maybe he and Charlie Batch can play a Seton Le-Salle vs Steel Valley alumni game at the "A" Field in Munhall.
Tight end
There's a realistic chance that Heath Miller won't play at all next season. Miller is probably the Steeler's most consistent player and was the team MVP last year. That's a huge loss to the team, the locker room, and the offense. So with the Steelers needing a new tight end to add depth, they went out and signed......Matt Speath. Huh? Spaeth caught 13 passes and just THREE touchdowns in two seasons in Chicago. I think the Steelers need to draft another tight end with more talent. Downgrade
Outside Linebacker
James Harrison didn't want to take a pay cut, hey who the Hell would? You wouldn't take one at your job. Now Harrison is gone and apparently no team wants to sign him. Harrison is in his mid 30's and has had some serious injuries to his body over the last few years. That being said, Harrison still led the team in sacks last year, despite missing three games and playing injured.
Is Jason Worilds ready? He has TEN sacks in three years, playing primarily as a backup. Worilds was a second round pick and has shown that he's ready to take the reins. I go with Worilds as my starter for next season. You have to give him a shot. The Steelers should not draft a linebacker in the first round. Cornerback, wide receiver, and running back are all bigger needs right now. I think this one is a PUSH.
Overall the Steelers have downgraded their talent big time. Right now other teams are making great moves trying to win a Super Bowl. Are the Steelers rebuilding? It sure seems like it. But they have one of the six best quarterbacks in the NFL, in his prime, now is the time to win. The window is closing and fast. If you think the Steelers can fix all of their problems in the draft please tell me why. Because based on the drafting under Mike Tomlin that isn't too likely. The Steelers have ZERO players left from the 2008 draft class and 2011s draft class was a big swing and a miss.
I honestly have no idea what the Steelers are doing. I know they don't sign big name free agents and that some of the guys they got rid of were assholes. But you still have to replace the production that those guys had. They are also not helping their quarterback out at all. Look how the other teams surround their qbs with as much talent as possible. The Steelers do the opposite.
Big Ben is the Steeler's only hope. He can put the team on his back and lead them to the promise land but it's not looking too good. You can still be a fan and criticize awful or questionable decisions of the team you root for. It doesn't make you a bad fan, it makes you realistic and not a brainwashed sheep.
Bottom line for the Steelers is this... If the draft class isn't a huge success this year, 8-8 might end up being their best bet. But right now it's just 8-8 & Heartbreak.
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