this is why i have some optimism. i know it's only one game but i havent seen something like this since pre-china virus days in 2019.
Justin Fields is BACK and going to lead the Steelers to the promised land!
- Thread starter HailtoPitt
- Start date
He certainly played the best (but as you said and I agree) but could have been a heater. We’ll never really know.
Oh boy three hole passes longer than 10 yards over or near the middle of the field
Rudolph isn't playing because most NFL teams don't want merely competent QB play that gets you 9 wins. You do that 3 times and you get fired.
Unless you're in Pittsburgh where it makes you the 2nd highest paid coach in the league.
sitting out, refusing to dress even though he was healthy, telling media that he isnt learning anything by being on sidelines, asking for a trade over competing for job. poor play..
you mean besides that?
He won with Canada., a shitty OL and the same conservative approach
The refusing to dress crap has been debunked Yeah the not learning anything was flat out dumb even if it was true
And I think he made the right choice asking for a trade. The well was poisoned here and the team clearly wanted to move on. He saw how the lied to Rudy (he was ready to sign a contact and the Steelers pulled it).
I recall games where he threw down field to muth with the same frequency.
i think both the steelers and pickett are better off without each other and in better situations. That's why i dont hold this anger that alot of you guys do.. it was a bad pick, it was rectified, both sides are better off..
multiple passes thrown mid range to crossing patterns, accurately too. two to CA 3 for big gains, one leading to a TD. also a few great passes that were dropped in the middle of field, one by Muth and other by pickens. this gives me optimism..
if last week's QB performance didnt give you guys any optimism then it's obvious that you are still actively rooting for the steelers and fields to fail out of spite. That's fine, it's your choice.
I don’t disagree but it’s way early. We still need to see what happens against a good team and/ or if they get down big. And let’s not BS one another. Losing Herbert changed that game tremendously.
We need to see what he does when he needs to sling it. Most notably if he holds the ball too long (has improved a lot so far) and turns it over.
That makes more sense, I was reading "of the last" to mean "over the last" and thought you were making an argument about historical average defensive performance over the past three decades.
But I don't place much stock in a 3-game deep DVOA rating, although it's certainly possible that all of the Steelers' opponents drop moving forward. I still don't buy that the schedule has been cake, especially considering what ATL did against PHI and KC, and what Denver did against TB.
I think the biggest difference in attitudes is expectation. Kenny was a 1st round pick, local kid, and Heisman finalist following up a future HOF QB that was the previous 1st round pick by the Steelers. He got a raw deal with Canada and it didn't help that the 3rd string QB was praised by players and pundits for his performance after Kenny was injured. He had the expectation to carry this team into the new decade. I have zero doubt the Kenny would be getting this same type of praise and calls for full-time starter if he stuck around and was playing the Fields role right now and performing the same (Just like people were calling for Mason to remain the starter last season).
Fields came in with everyone knowing that he was a deeply flawed QB with highlight reel legs for a 6th round pick. He wasn't expected to start and lead the team, but to try and soak up some of the poise and leadership of a former All-Pro to hopefully serve this season learning.
oh man, it's WAY early and fields could absolutely STB, no doubt or argument whatsoever. herbert out, bosa out, of course matters. and we've played some poor teams so far and i dont think the colts are much better. the back end of the season will be much tougher, that's why i love seeing us stack some wins now.
honestly, being a steeler fan, and watching the qb play and the passing game over the last few years, i have the bar SOOO low that a few crossing pattern completions have me excited.
but yes, it's a long season, hills and valleys, ups and downs. it wont be 17 games of joy and happiness, i know that. catch me in a week or two and im sure i'll be MF'in Fields and Arthur smith after a bad loss.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
The whole Pickett thing was weird. Dude was 14-10 as a starter and the fan base turned on him. But that's over and this has nothing to do with Fields.
Steelers aren't scoring points. Fields had a couple of nice balls down field but hasn't been allowed to run (which I find mind boggling) and the passing scheme is almost completely limited to under 10-yards. It's not all his fault because there just isn't much talent on that side of the ball but that's been true for a while on a team that blows the back on defense every year. But it will become his fault because nobody in town will point the finger at Tomlin (Kaboly made it sound like genius that they're trying to win with defense like it's something new they're trying) so it will eventually fall back on Fields. That's how it works in Pittsburgh. Just a matter of how long it takes.
The fascinating part of this is that Fields will likely play his way into a long term contract with Pittsburgh and he won't even have to be great to do it because there really won't be many other options.
I wouldn't say that I have optimism about Fields being the long term answer or for the Steelers' season given their opponents are likely to get much harder and I don't think that our scheme or his abilities will allow us to keep up with them.
But he seems like a good dude and has played ok. I'm happy that he's helping to turn his career around and the Steelers are 3-0 even if I'm skeptical that either really lasts.
i think there are about 4 - 5 qbs in the NFL that can take their team to the promised land, beat teams in the playoffs on their skills and talent around them. and Fields isnt one of them.
Agreed on this but it also doesn't make sense to me. Fields was a far superior prospect, both going into college and into the NFL. He was drafted higher. He started more games. He has a bazooka arm. He's one of the best rushing QBs of all time. By every right he should be far more productive than Kenny and yet he just never has been. Still isn't. And no matter how bad it gets here I have a sneaky suspicion that there will never be dozens of Twitter accounts named "Minkahburg" or "Sixburgh" or whatever who still post clips of him getting injured 9 months after he left the team. Because I still see those accounts doing that on Kenny. It's just a very different narrative in the public space and I think the only reasonable explanation is that there are a lot of Steelers fans who hate Pitt and couldn't stomach a Pitt QB succeeding on the Steelers.
I don’t disagree with much of what you said. For me I just don’t get excited about the Steelers anymore. I’d rather go out golfing than watch them.
And despite the 30 years of mediocrity to down right bad football I’m more interested in Pitt. This year especially because Bell has brought some energy and excitement on offense. But in general Pitt football is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.
The Steelers for the last 10 years or so are meh. Near 500 and if they get in a first round loss.
Fields is 22nd in YPA, so you are right, kind of but many qbs below him with throwing the ball downfield. but again, 22nd is closer to last than first. But staying with this point, i am seeing alot of offenses go conservative with what i see is very bad qb play in the nfl recently.
Some systems like San fran still winging it down field, Josh Allen is fun as hell to watch but for the most part, if you dont have one of those 1/2 dozen elite qbs, this is the way to go. you have to play conservative, all the cliches we hate, manage the game, dont turn it over, play field position, dont lose the game, blah blah blah..
WIth our defense, this makes sense. with our lack of any real talent at the skill positions, this makes sense. you can blame Khan and tomlin for this roster being what it is, and deservedly so but with what we have, this is how you win. and im seeing fields running it a bit, the td run was nice but i agree with you, need to utilize it more.
im not going to disagree with you about tomlin not being held accountable. i've brought this up many times before and mentioned why and we all know it, even if no one else but me says it out loud..
funny you say that, im hitting up totterridge on sunday morning and really not too worried about not being back in front of my tv at 1pm.
everything in this post i agree with:
Golf on sundays over steelers
more excited about pitt with their new OC
steelers last decade have been "meh"
Intersting what the right situation can do for a qb. See Sam Darnold. Would be intersting to see what a guy like Purdy would do with the Steelers and Mediocre Mikes offense
And Fields already got that backlash in Chicago where the team and fans had those lofty expectations invested in his performance. But everyone loves a comeback story, especially if your team goes down in history as pulling off a steal to get a franchise QB for pennies. If Fields plays the entire season and ends up with a 9-8 team with Pickett-like stats do you really think he will get treated more kindly by Steelers' fans than Kenny?
Everything that happened here in Pittsburgh with Kenny played out the same in Chicago, but probably to a greater degree because of his expectations.
Totally disagree. I don't think that Fields faced the level of criticism that Kenny faced here. Not even close. And I say that as someone who had Fields on his dynasty team and watched every Fields snap and the analysis that went with it. Certainly Fields was not the subject of leaked media hit pieces that were materially false.
Certainly helped that the team's consolation prize was Caleb Williams. But Bears fans were not straight up celebrating Fields' injuries because they didn't like him. They did that to Kenny even though he was the winningest QB on the roster. They're still doing it today almost a year after he last took a snap here.
Again, I think it's an established fact that there was a huge contingent of Steelers fans who actively rooted against Kenny no matter the cost. And it's because there are WVU/PSU fans who couldn't let it go that he was a Pitt guy. It was a unique circumstance that just doesn't really happen with other pro teams because there aren't a lot of out of town colleges who own the local NFL team market they way that there is in Pittsburgh.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
This defense is going to win you enough games to get by but not beat better teams. Good offensive teams tend to put 24 or more points up most weeks regardless of who they're playing.
The good thing is you can get to 10 wins by beating bad and mediocre teams with this defense.
but I agree, elite and putting up 24+ on us, we are in trouble.
What’s funny is that you and I are really saying the same thing. The difference is, my expectations of this team is so low that what I’m seeing is making me happy.
After watching this team the last few years, im done with the Super Bowl or bust. I’m ecstatic with going 500
Says “i don’t get it” then posts stats that are better. Can’t underestimate comp % and rushing yards.
Also Justin several big plays wiped out and isn’t taking as many sacks. Also - no one is saying Justin has played like a star. But he looks like a legit NFL starter
I loved KP at Pitt. But he just wasn’t good as a pro. I think he has a chance to turn back up in a couple years and have a run as a starter. Not there right now.
But it’s a waste of energy to try to frame it as some team, fan or media bias.
It seems obvious to me that the Steelers had a narrative they wanted pushed and their media cronies were ok spouting it as gospel. Not all that different from the Democratic Party pushing a narrative and using the media to sell it in an attempt at character assassination.
Most Steelers fans (including many here) take the bait and they themselves because part of the narrative machine. Some of us are smart enough to see through it all, but many of you will never allow yourself to exit the bubble.
Most Steelers fans (including many here) take the bait and they themselves because part of the narrative machine. Some of us are smart enough to see through it all, but many of you will never allow yourself to exit the bubble.
I’ll always be a Kenny Pickett fan. Justin Fields is a better NFL QB. He has the upside that KP doesn’t have. He has the legs and the arm too.
another thing to keep in mind. I dont see many elite teams in the afc this year. Chiefs, bills are elite but after that, some good BUT FAR FROM GREAT teams. maybe houston but they just got shlacked. Jets i guess would be in the mix. Bungles are way down, ravens look like garbage. We just saw the chargers
So again, a decent qb who doesnt make mistakes, with an elite defense, that puts you in the category of fighting for 3rd in AFC in the subjective "Power rankings" list.
Agree. If there's any year where playing great defense and running the ball well will pay off, it's this year. Because offense is down so much across the league, the Steelers are now in position to win a lot of games 16-10. There's a reason why only one other team in the last 35 years started 2-0 scoring only 1 TD. If it was 2020 they'd be absolutely toast but because very few QBs have caught up - yet - to the defense, things are still going pretty well.
i think i said this in another thread but besides the chiefs and bills, AFC doesnt have many really good teams. houston is good but they got destroyed last week, ravens are down (and facing another loss this week with the bills), jets are up and down with an aged Rodgers, we saw the chargers last week. Colts could be in the mix but if we beat them this week, that puts us at 3 IMO.
Again, a really good defense and a qb that doesnt turn the ball over, that puts you in contention for #3 in the AFC this year. albeit a very distant 3rd behind an elite chiefs and bills.
Agreed. I used to plan my weekends around Pitt on Saturday and the Steelers at 1PM on Sunday. Now it's Pitt on Saturday and the Steelers at 1PM if it fits into my day.... often only on the radio. Now when the weather gets crappy it will be a different story.
There is a low expectations element for sure.
Also, he has more talent, and of course the running ability.
I also would suspect KP would look better with Smith than with Canada.
But, he is who they are rolling with, so just have to hope for the best.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
I'm not unhappy, I just don't see much difference in this team than what they've had the last couple of years. They just haven't played anyone that is pretty good, yet.
True, but having elite teams in the conference doesn't really cause them much problems until they get to the playoffs where it has confounded them for a long, long time.
i saw a big difference the last two weeks, last week especially, with the absolute abortion that i witnessed the last two years with our passing game. if you cant see it, you either dont want to see it or are not watching..
too many pitt fans on this thread, rooting out of spite against them because of pickett. id say its sad but it's not, it actually kind of amuses me
I got Sunday Ticket for exactly this reason. Now I can watch cool teams that do interesting things and play at a high level like Miami (when their QB is healthy) and Houston. I sometimes don't even have the Steelers on my QuadBox anymore. I'm just not interested in spending my dwindling hours on Earth watching 40 handoffs and 5 field goals.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
Again, this isn't about Pickett. He doesn't play for the Steelers.
You can't get any worse than Matt Canada. The new OC isn't opening the offense up either. The biggest difference is that other teams apparently aren't calling out the play at the line of scrimmage and they're using innovative things like play action and pass plays on first down. Beyond that, it's still an offense that places a priority on ball control and field position over scoring. It's build for the QB who hasn't played yet and I think they're scared to death that Fields will revert to what he was last year. I don't know. I'm reserving any optimism because this just seems like a lot of the same with another disappointing playoff loss.
we dont have the players to "open up the offense." If we try to open it up and go nuts downfield with Van jefferson, scottie miller and Muth, we'll lose 38-3 every game..
i truly dont understand why you guys cant grasp this. you want the coaching staff to force the QB who has a history of high turnovers to make risky plays downfield, with wrs that wouldnt start for pitt, so they can score more even though we are 3-0..
it's such a non-sensical take. dont worry about buffalo or the chiefs in the playoffs in january. we will worry about that later, just beat the team in front of you and so far, they did that.. You guys are watching an undefeated team and bitching about them not being able to beat the bills in the playoffs..
and if you are one of those "super bowl" or bust fans, let me give you advice now. it's bust, this team isnt sniffing the superbowl, It will be the chiefs or bills out of the afc. just go ahead and make plans for sundays if you want a super bowl this year cuase it aint happening
I don't know about that. I have been Tomlin supporter but as mentioned above its been a long time since the Steelers have actually been competitive with the 1-3 seeds in the AFC. The only thing that has me interested is the transformation that Fields is trying to make or so it appears to me. He is trying to become a winning QB in the league by doing what makes the offense effective, but what about Smith's offense (that is without Derrick Henry) caught Tomlin's eye I have no clue.
P.S. Pickett has nothing to do with any of the above.
