OFFICIAL NFL 2014-2015 Thread

[YoungJRNYfan]

[Jonny B]

Steelers at 4-12? Good God. Not only is Haley's system coming around, but he's doing what big bad Bruce Arians NEVER did for his best friend at quarterback and that's give Big Ben keys to the no huddle attack (something Ben has pleaded and pleaded for since his 3rd year in the NFL) which the Steelers will use practically as one of their base offense's.

They installed the no huddle only within' the second half of the 2013 season and the Steelers, as a team, started piling up wins, yards and points, tying the AFC's best second half record at 6-2.

The defense is in full transition and the entire team upgraded with youth and speed practically all over the place. The defense may need time to come around but the Steelers as an offense has a chance to be tops in the league and score with anybody.

I have the Steelers at 9-7 but remain skeptical in how they come out of the gates this season. 4-12 is insane to me. With the talent they have and with Roethlisberger still playing at a high level, the Steelers are good for 8 wins at their worst. Bell and Blount may not get suspended from the NFL, but I know Tomlin probably will enforce one and it will probably be only a game apiece. No big deal.

You're giving Brian Hoyer and a bunch of nobodies (no Josh Gordon; No Nate Burleson) 3 more wins over a potent Roethlisberger/Antonio Brown connection, which could be a top 3 quarterback/receiver tandem in not only the AFC North, but the NFL as well.

For me, it's all about defense in the AFC North, and while I agree the Steelers defense is turning around, I just think the other teams are already there. Maybe my win total is low, but I still think they'll finish last in the division. The length of the Bell/Blount suspensions will play a huge role on their finishing record. What's a Steeler team without a running game? Big Ben can't carry the team by himself.

[Enigma869]

What's a Steeler team without a running game? Big Ben can't carry the team by himself.

Hmmmm. Really? The Steelers haven't had a running game since Bettis retired, and that was a long time ago!

[YoungJRNYfan]

For me, it's all about defense in the AFC North, and while I agree the Steelers defense is turning around, I just think the other teams are already there.

This is my lone worry for my Steelers, atleast coming out of the gate. They've had massive young turnover this offseason and while the potential is there to have another boom period defensively, there's a lot of question marks in key spots.

People always want to shit all over the Steelers secondary but that's not LeBeau's system. The OLB's and the dominance upfront is where the Steelers work best in their system and I'm worried about that. They'll need a few games to gel, but the talent is there to build.

Cleveland has a strong defense, probably the best in the NORTH right now but that is basically the biggest waste of space since Cleveland practically has shit around it. You can say the same thing about Baltimore as you can Pittsburgh with young turnover and Cincinnati lost Zimmer. At this point, it comes down to riding the best QB and Big Ben, I still think, is heavens above the best in the division.

The length of the Bell/Blount suspensions will play a huge role on their finishing record.

You're making this out to be more than what it actually is. I bet they'll get fined by the league and only serve 1 game suspension apiece from the top of the Steelers organization. They won't miss much playing time in the slightest.

What's a Steeler team without a running game?

The Steelers want to put more emphasis on running the ball better, not necessarily more. Bell will see about 20 some touch's a game, but not all of it will be in the backfield. This offense is Ben's no-huddle now and Bell is going to be just as a force split out on the perimeter in the passing game than he will lining up in the backfield. Blount is a perfect compliment to give the team some mean looks in short yardage and redzone offense. The addition of Di Archer as well is going to be crazy. That boy can RUN.

Big Ben can't carry the team by himself.

That's what he's been doing for years. The past two seasons, the Steelers have had awful football teams. They were old and running in quick-sand while the offense totally went into a new direction under Haley. With older players that were slow to begin with, the Steelers were one Big Ben injury away from being a 4-12 football team. Ben has survived behind the most putrid offensive line play the league has ever seen (they are finally coming around up front and should be the teams toughest unit) and was the only player on the team since 2011 that kept the team respected and competitive.

Hopefully, for my sake, all that cliched stuff in football is real because if teams build on things from the prior season with momentum, then the Steelers have a chance to build on their 6-2 finish. That's not regressing.... that's progressing.

[AR]

Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker suspended 4 games for use of amphetamines - @SportsCenter

He should have smacked his wife around instead and taken the 2 gamer.

[YoungJRNYfan]

Even when Seattle was in their 7-9 days back when the NFC West was the NFL's worst and most embarrassing division, I always couldn't wait to watch Seattle in Prime-Time, at home. They were unbeatable then in that stadium and now, their team is full of amazing next generation maniacs.

I went against them ONE time and vouced never to do it again. I guess I lied and I'm probably an idiot once again for going against Seattle, at home, in that stadium celebrating a Super Bowl championship. But, my gut is telling me something and it's the Packers. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong on this one.

Packers 23
Seahawks 21

[Memorex]

On Minnesota TV this weekend, we get all 4 NFC West Games. Most of the country will get at least 3 (SEA-GB (TNF)/SF-DAL (Fox Game of the Week)/AZ-SD (MNF)). Not sure how much of the country will get MIN-STL, but probably not much.

As a fan of the entire NFC West, this is a stellar opening week on TV. I hope all four teams win. Although part of me does wish for a small Richard "Dick" Sherman injury. Maybe just a finger to the eye in the first quarter.

[conversationpc]

What's a Steeler team without a running game? Big Ben can't carry the team by himself.

Hmmmm. Really? The Steelers haven't had a running game since Bettis retired, and that was a long time ago!

Willie Parker was an outstanding back for the three years immediately after Bettis retired, having at least 1200 yards in each of those three seasons, including nearly 1500 in 2006. He wasn't much of a TD machine with only 4 rushing TDs in 2005 and just 2 in 2007 but he did have 13 in 2006. In those three years, the Steelers were 5th, 16th, and 9th in rushing offense.

[YoungJRNYfan]

Whatta douchey pick

[conversationpc]

Whatta douchey pick

Ummm...What pick are you referring to?

[YoungJRNYfan]

What's a Steeler team without a running game? Big Ben can't carry the team by himself.

Hmmmm. Really? The Steelers haven't had a running game since Bettis retired, and that was a long time ago!

Willie Parker was an outstanding back for the three years immediately after Bettis retired.

Yeah, Willie was tough. He was actually the NFL's leading rusher in 2007 until he broke his leg in St.Louis week 16 of that season. He was never the same after that and Mendenhall never lived up to his full potential even though he had a few 1,000 yard seasons in between. His very first carry of his career, Ray Lewis snapped his shoulder in 2 haha but the Steelers haven't had a reliable and consistent runner since Fast Willie.

[YoungJRNYfan]

Whatta douchey pick

Ummm...What pick are you referring to?

Uhh, my Packers pick above? Lol

[Memorex]

Going to be a tough year in the West. But I wouldn't want it any other way.

[slucero]

Seatlle looked pretty mean against Greenbay..

[YoungJRNYfan]

Seatlle looked pretty mean against Greenbay..

They're fucking relentless. Absolutely relentless. They are the new-age NFL. You really have to dig at them, nit-pick if you will to find any kind of weakness. I really don't see one and that's just insanity. They ball-out man.

[slucero]

just when one thinks Romo couldn't play any worse...

wow.

[Memorex]

just when one thinks Romo couldn't play any worse...

wow.

Romo played excellent. And I'm sure whoever it is in the Niner organization that is paying his salary this year agrees.

[AR]

Congrats to Fact Finder's team. Mine sucked. LOL

[AR]

Buying one of these for my wife.

[RedWingFan]

Buying one of these for my wife.

They say you learn something everyday. The thing I learned was Rice's wife has a glass chin.

[Jonny B]

This whole 'come back from behind' is becoming very familiar to me.

Argh. I have nothing more to say.

[Memorex]

Ray RIce released from Ravens.

[Memorex]

I was thinking to myself, just because the NFL suspended him for 2 games doesn't mean the team can't do more. I was thinking 5 or 6 more games. But after that video, the PR would be terrible for them.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000391538/article/ray-rice-released-by-baltimore-ravens

[AR]

Good riddance!

[RPM]

So what did they think happened before that's different from the video? Seems hypocritical to me, they knew she was flat knocked out by a punch from him...oh but now that we can actually see it that makes it worse? .... This thug should be in jail.
How is it that TMZ can get this footage but a multimillion dollar industry can't? .....Ravens finally did the right thing , but he should have cut in the first place.

[Memorex]

So what did they think happened before that's different from the video? Seems hypocritical to me, they knew she was flat knocked out by a punch from him...oh but now that we can actually see it that makes it worse? .... This thug should be in jail.
How is it that TMZ can get this footage but a multimillion dollar industry can't? .....Ravens finally did the right thing , but he should have cut in the first place.

The NFL probably doesn't pay the evidence room clerk in cash, hookers, and blow.

[Journey/Survivor]

So what did they think happened before that's different from the video? Seems hypocritical to me, they knew she was flat knocked out by a punch from him...oh but now that we can actually see it that makes it worse?

The only thing that changed was the amount of publicity with the new video clip being released.

[Journey/Survivor]

On a number of the sports websites that I frequent there were Ravens fans saying that Rice shouldn't have been suspended at all, but that Josh Gordon should be banned for at least one full season because he just barely failed a drug test for pot.

[slucero]

the suspension is a day late and a dollar short... especially considering that it's starting to look more and more like the NFL (meaning Goodell) had already seen the whole tape....

...this will not go well for Goodell... he'll be made the sacrificial scapegoat..

[RPM]

So what did they think happened before that's different from the video? Seems hypocritical to me, they knew she was flat knocked out by a punch from him...oh but now that we can actually see it that makes it worse?

The only thing that changed was the amount of publicity with the new video clip being released.

Exactly. that doesn't make it right. She was even blaming herself partly for it....pathetic...I have zero tolerance for this, seems that they should as well. IMHO there is nothing shown in that video that wasn't already known.