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Big Ben is back - Steelers AFC North favorite?


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26 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Not sure what point you're trying to make here?  That some members go postal during games?

I’m saying the game was very much in doubt.  Pittsburgh has a 72% expected win rate at one point. 

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Without Bell or Brown, missing an entire season, and getting close to 40, I don't see Ben being very effective anymore.  Ravens may take a small step back but they'll still be one of the best teams in the AFC and probably the entire league.

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16 hours ago, machine gun kelly said:

Taking Big Ben lightly is a mistake.  He’s always been stout to be polite, but he still can hang in the pocket and make the tough throws, when others would go down.  They were 5th in defense and 28th in offense.  With Ben back, that offense will improve.  We’ll see.  A lot of pride on this board and that is fine.  How about we win a bunch before as Parcells said, we crown them.  My phrase as I’ve said before is cautiously optimistic.


I agree. People here are viewing Ben as injury prone. Last year was really the only major injury of his career. It’s not like he has been on the decline either— just 2 years ago he threw for 5100 yards. 
 

if he had been healthy last year, they were easily a 12-13 win team. 

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Im just not sure they can replicate the turnovers they created last year.  That was a huge reason they were 8-8 and I would bet on a regression to the mean there. 

 

As for when we played them, it was classic comedy of errors from our offense.  Cover 1 recently did all our offensive plays against them on youtube and it was ugly pretty much across the board.  You got a drop from brown that wouldve been a first but becomes 3rd and very long outside FG territory, a drop from Beasley in FG territory that becomes a pick again (his drops had to have huge EPA over the season), Frank Gore trying to bounce plays to the outside, Singeltary having super inopportune fumbles (lost one after a 20 yard run).  Think there were probably some costly penalties in there too.  Josh made a couple rough plays too but the plays above really hurt as it was 5 explosive play swing to them.  

 

 

Edited by YattaOkasan
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10 hours ago, Talley56 said:

Without Bell or Brown, missing an entire season, and getting close to 40, I don't see Ben being very effective anymore.  Ravens may take a small step back but they'll still be one of the best teams in the AFC and probably the entire league.

 

Because QBs are more important to the success of a WR than the WR making the QB. His last playoff game he threw for almost 500 yards and a bunch of TDs. He's got the mental part of it, I doubt he'll have a major regression unless he gets injured.

 

If he plays this year he'll be good for 4200+ yards and 25 TDs minimum. If that was Allen we would be having a heart-attack in excitement.

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1 hour ago, BigBillsFan said:

 

Because QBs are more important to the success of a WR than the WR making the QB. His last playoff game he threw for almost 500 yards and a bunch of TDs. He's got the mental part of it, I doubt he'll have a major regression unless he gets injured.

 

If he plays this year he'll be good for 4200+ yards and 25 TDs minimum. If that was Allen we would be having a heart-attack in excitement.

I don't know what the stats of his last playoff game, from over two years ago, have to do with how he'll do this year (btw, Bell and Brown accounted for over 200 of those yards) but I never said QBs weren't more important. I'm just saying you cannot deny that not having Bell/Brown will be a huge detriment.  You're on a board where people are constantly talking about Allen being held back by a lack of good WR options.  I would be really surprised if Ben puts up those numbers this year.

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I would not put the Steelers as the favorite over the Ravens. The Steelers lost Jason Hargrave in free agency who I think will be a significant loss on defense and there is no guarantee that they will be a top offense with Big Ben. The Steelers offense was struggling with Big Ben. Ju Ju as a number one receiver might not work and Connor as Lev Bell's replacement isn't working as planned. Yes they still won 8 games and were sitting at 8-5 before losing their last 3 games without Big Ben and riding on a great defense. But the defense lost one of its best players and there is no guarantee Big Ben turns around that offense enough or stays healthy. 

 

I would give the Steelers a good chance to nab a wildcard spot but not to compete with the Raven's for the division. 

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On 5/18/2020 at 10:16 AM, C.Biscuit97 said:

They went 8-8 a year after losing Bell, Brown,  and Big Ben starting a guy named duck and terrible Mason.  The AfC north is going to be a beast this year. 

A beast of burden.

 

Baltimore wins the division and after that an 8-8 Pittsburgh or Cleveland will have a shot at the 7 seed.

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