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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Jul 8, 2007
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Thats a very good point FOT, but it works both ways as well. Looking through our eyes your question marks on the OL and the lack of depth on the DL, and what we percieve as little effort to improve those areas could hurt your team. I think it is reasonable to believe your OL is just as questionable as our signings of Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams.
I agree with ya.. I have said a few times i think the Steelers are rolling the dice with health this year.. Call me a homer but i think if we stay healthy we have a good shot at going all the way.. not the favorites for sure.. but have the talent none the less..as for your D-line or our O line.. your d-line could be the best in the league and our line could be the laughing stock.. or yours could be a laughing stock while ours sun bathes in hawaii.. For me though it's ST that will make the biggest difference..Steelers kick coverages were horrific.. Jags playoff game, second game Browns, Jets games.. all had huge St let downs that cost the game or almost did..
Being a fan of the Browns I've seen plenty of injuries to key players through the years. Every time the injuries came up you always heard that injuries are a part of the game.They are part of the game..I think the steelers did ok last year with em... Hoping next year is a tad more kind to us..
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:Jul 8, 2007
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I think the Steelers did ok last year with emmeant to say dealing with em..
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Reputation:95
Level:Superstar
Since:Oct 15, 2007
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And the thread goes on...
Mano, you sure got trapped into that one by lyman! I have to agree with most everything you said. The Browns are lacking very much in depth at D-Line. But, with the new additions, plus the d lineman we picked up via the draft, I think we will be OK (this year). We have 4 very capable guys in Robaire Smith, Shaun Smith, Corey Williams, and Shaun Rogers. This gives us 1 man to rotate out guys, so we will be depending on Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams to play more than they have in the past. I don't think this will be an issue, given that Shaun Rogers will be playing a much different role than he played in Detroit. He won't be needed to get a great rush on the QB (although I think he will adequately provide this at times). Instead he will be needed to eat up double and triple teams. This exerts a lot less energy than constantly trying to get into the backfield.
This depth analysis should hold true for the Steelers as well. With 3 quality starters on the field, and 1 good to average back-up to rotate guys for breathers, the front 3 should be fine. Im sure we are all in agreement that we hope neither defense stays on the field long enough to wear out our guys anyways.
Who said we failed to address our problems? For alot of us steelers fans, the problems we saw were injuries, lack of a true power back, and questionable play calling from a first year coach and new to us OC.
FOT
For starters let me add you to the list started here of respectable, and knowledgable Steeler fans. But, How can you say this and feel the it is a accurate statement? Who said we failed to address our problems? I do. Your main problem last season was protecting the QB. When did you draft an O-lineman again? And, unless you are suggesting that losing Faneca is an upgrade, I don't see how you improved. Again as I said earlier, you added Justin Hartwig...this is an upgrade. But, you saw how adjusting to the new coaches blocking schemes effected the team last year...so on top of still having to retain those blocking schemes, you now have new players to learn them, plus the task of having the new offensive lineman clicking. And as far as needing a power back...again not sure why you see this as a need. You could have easily picked up a #2 3rd down power back in the 3rd round...Jacob Hester or Michael Hart for example, who would have complimented Willie Parker great. You could have then traded down your first round pick for a few 2nd and third rounders, and picked up a good O-lineman, a good D-Lineman, and still get Limas Sweed. So again, I am not sure how you addressed your problems with the exception of drafting Limas Sweed and drafting a DB...and as far as the Dennis Dixon pick??? Don't get it. He is Kordell Stewart re-born, but with less athletic ability...not a good combination if you ask me.
Don't get me wrong FOT, I'm not saying AT ALL that you did not improve...I just think you guys could have done much more through the draft and free agency to bolster your team.
But hey we should all look at the bright side...at least our team isn't having brawls against each other in the first week of mini-camp (Ravens), there is a sign of a promising team.
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Apr 18, 2007
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Is this wher I say something like typical Browns fan or something?
Like I said, there are some on every Board. We're sorry for these "bad seeds". Just because we're rivals doesn't mean we can't be civil.
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 3, 2008
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Thank you SA Stovell. As I said yesterday we just need to distance ourselves from these "bad seeds"from every NFL fan base and respond to the fans that can hold an adult conversation.
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 17, 2006
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Steelers O-line:
Tackles: M. Smith, Colon, Starks, Essex, Hills, Capizzi, Parquet
Guards: Simmons, Kemoeatu, Mahan, Lentz
Center: Hartwig, Stapleton, Legursky
Your main problem last season was protecting the QB. When did you draft an O-lineman again? And, unless you are suggesting that losing Faneca is an upgrade, I don't see how you improved.
The Steelers had the #23 pick. The only guard on the board in Faneca's universe was Alberts and he was gone early. Replacing him wasn't going to happen in the draft. Agreed?
The next problem area for us based on last year is at center. We signed Hartwig. So how were we going to improve our line in the draft? Other than to draft backup players that we already have in our lineup?
I can speak for most of the Steelers fans when I say we don't see our O-line the same way most do. Depth at O-line is not our problem. We have numerous NFL caliber O-linemen on our team. We just don't have 3 or 4 upper echelon guys.
If there was a o-linemen available to us at #23 who we projected as a starter than chances are he would have been our pick. There wasn't. All the top linemen (and even some of the so-so ones) were gone at #23. Why draft O-linemen if they aren't any better than the guys we have on our team?
That being said we think alot of Kemoeatu. He will be a good NFL player. Pro bowler? Time will tell but he is highly regarded. Marvel when healthy is a heck of a LT and Starks performed very well there in 4 games last year. Colon was decent in his first year at RT and many think he would be a better guard. Kendall Simmons is a solid RG and we're hoping Hartwig solidifies our line with adequate Center play.
We could have drafted 5 offensive linemen in the draft. Not sure what good that would do if they can't beat out the guys already on our team.
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 17, 2006
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I've said before in this thread that 80% of our problem at O-line last year was center. Mahan was awful and he lost weight all season. He couldn't hold his position and he couldn't move anybody.
If you look at last year's O-line only difference was center. We had Hartings there in 2005 and Mahan was there last year. Colon was new at RT but only because he beat out Starks.
2005:
Smith Faneca Hartings Simmons Starks
2007:
Smith Faneca Mahan Simmons Colon
Center play killed us last year! You're only as strong as your weakest link!
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Apr 18, 2007
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FOT,
As for the Browns.. hard to say what you guys are.. Bengals looked good for 1 year.. are you guys as good as the 10-6 record or did ya just over achieve one year?
Scary. Good question, but scary. While I'm compl | |
