DaRupp

Couldn't disagree more. When you are satisfied with 8 and 8 and are comparing yourself to all the other losers, then you have already lost. What has made this organization one of the best is they never quit trying to improve and only have one goal and that is to make a run in the post-season. And if you think this organization will be fine by standing pat, you are mistaken. Whomever was responsible for letting Trestman go because he passed too much and then let Mornhinweg pass the ball even more will pay the price. Their is a lot of accountability to be had moving forward. Ok so let's play a game. Harbs is accountable for bringing in the poor staff which led to bad decisions with either personnel training or play calling. So do you fire the coordinators and Harbs? Here's where it gets interesting. Now you fire Harbs. Who are you going to replace him with? If the replacement isn't as good, do yo hold Ozzie accountable for firing Harbs? Does that mean Ozzie gets fired? So now you're replacing a HOF GM. So Steve brings in someone else. If that GM isn't as good (which they likely won't be), is Steve B now held accountable? Should he fire himself? Everyone calls for peoples' heads when we don't make the playoffs. We've gotten used to winning around here, and I have no intention of becoming complacent about it. But firing Harbaugh is an emotional decision, not a logical one. What this team needs are new coordinators that can bring in their own position staff. Pees has done some good things, but his lack of aggression is awful. Now, maybe Rex was able to be aggressive with the defense because he had Suggs in his prime, Ngata, Ray Lewis, Reed, etc. He could be aggressive because there were players who could make execute and hold their own. Harbaugh is a very good strategic coach and understands the game. I like 95% of his gameplan calls. I would rather have a coach that goes for it on 4th down when he should than a coach that punts when he shouldn't. Regarding positions, the right side of the O-line and defense line need replacement. Yes even Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan. A solid pass rush makes up for almost all defensive deficiencies. The secondary is actually in great shape, and the linebacking core is very solid. Offense is in good shape besides maybe an additional WR to help with depth. If Flacco has time, he's amazing. If he doesn't, he sucks. So get an offensive line that gives him time.

I get your point, but there are is no Monday night game Week 17. (probably because the playoffs start Saturday and that would be an even shorter week) The Sunday night game for Week 17 is a game that can be flexed on 6 days notice to guarantee it has playoff implications. also i'd prefer to avoid a guaranteed heart attack every season...

that's a main source of the different relationships with the pats and steelers. I view the steelers as a brother that you don't get along with. You fight them ruthlessly, get insanely mad and want to hurt them, but when it's all said and done, you check if they're ok. With the pats, they're that kid up the street that abuses animals. You just want to hurt them.

I meant the Eagles... Joe goes as the offensive line goes. So really, it's going to depend on the protection he gets. 4 keys to the game: 1) solid O line play - gives Joe time, improves run game 2) Flacco playing well and making good decisions 3) Contain LeVeon Bell 4) Pass rush pass rush pass rush. With Jimmy Smith likely out, we cannot give Ben all day to find Antonio Brown behind the secondary. So boiled down, it's 1 thing, good line play on both O and D.

I agree, it'll be something like this. High 20s vs. low 20s. I think think the key is do we score TDs or FGs. If Tucker is doing everything, we may have problems.

Correct me, but even if we lose to the squealers and then end up tied with bronco's (@ Ten, patsies, @KC, Oak) at 10-6, I believe we get the WC spot? Yeah all my math was based on the espn calculator which is wrong. So big nevermind for everything i've said in this thread....sigh

The ESPN playoff machine is wrong! WE win the Common Games tiebreak. I have lost all respect for ESPN's playoff machine over this. I have reported it to them, and they have done nothing to change it. Try nflplayoffpredictor.com Basically, there is no way we can lose a tiebreak to Pittsburgh. (barring any tied games--I haven't factored that in) Correct on Common Games - breakdown is below (though I dunno if it'll display correctly) Opp R S Bengals W W Bengals W W Bills W L Browns W W Browns W W Cowboys L L Dolphins W L Eagles W L Giants L W Jets L W Pats W L Redskins L W WINS 8 7 Wow...shame on espn. I always looked forward to that tool every year. never mind...

The ESPN playoff machine is wrong! WE win the Common Games tiebreak. I have lost all respect for ESPN's playoff machine over this. I have reported it to them, and they have done nothing to change it. Try nflplayoffpredictor.com Basically, there is no way we can lose a tiebreak to Pittsburgh. (barring any tied games--I haven't factored that in) Oh i saw your comment on there! I"ll check out the one you mention. Thanks for the context!

Well said. Don't forget Guy and Urban in the middle knocking down passes. I think that's going to be key if Brady is getting rid of the ball too quickly for 55/58 to do their thing.

The last 4 games is not exactly a cakewalk for the Steelers. They could lose to Buffalo next week and l hope Tyrod and the Buffalo Bills can do us a favor. I will be watching that game cheering for the Bills hard. That might be the only game l could see them losing. The Steelers got the Bengals number but they can also lose that game too. If the Steelers lose to the Bills and we win vs the Patriots, we will be in good shape. If the Steelers lose to the Bills and we win vs the Patriots, we will be in good shape. False (unless the calculator has a bug). If we lose to the steelers, they will win tiebreaker in common games. NFC East losses along with embarrassing loss to the Jets could come back to haunt us. If we don't make the playoffs (I think we're completely capable!), I think the Jets loss will be the game we look at.

obviously statistically - i just mean wouldnt it feel particularly satisfying knowing that a former ravens 6th rounder knocked off the steelers... oh well yeah. In that case, I'm totally with you. Beating the pats would be HUGE satisfaction, and also show that we can compete with anyone. So yes, I definitely want to stick to Brady and company.

wouldn't that be great if tyrod and rex did us a massive favour and knocked the steelers down a peg? it doesn't matter. It only matters that we beat them week 16.

The last 4 games is not exactly a cakewalk for the Steelers. They could lose to Buffalo next week and l hope Tyrod and the Buffalo Bills can do us a favor. I will be watching that game cheering for the Bills hard. That might be the only game l could see them losing. The Steelers got the Bengals number but they can also lose that game too. If the Steelers lose to the Bills and we win vs the Patriots, we will be in good shape. If the Steelers lose to the Bills and we win vs the Patriots, we will be in good shape. False (unless the calculator has a bug). If we lose to the steelers, they will win tiebreaker in common games.

Not necessarily true since the Broncos, Raiders and Chiefs all play each other in their remaining games. Broncos could easily lose to the Pats, Chiefs and Raiders and fall to 9-7. We win 3-1 even with a Steelers loss, and we're 10-6. Even at 9-7 we'd hold the tie breakers over any 10-6 or 9-7 team. Plus, I wouldnt say Steelers schedule is cakewalk. Cinci wont roll over for them and the Bills are in desperation mode. Rex knows them well, their D is good enough to slow the offense down, and Shady/Tyrod are explosive enough to put points on the board. Definitely easier than our schedule, but they still have to beat us. X-mas night could in all likelihood decide the division. That's the way it should be. Steelers and Ravens late in December, playing with it all on the line. You're right. As I mentioned, I made the assumption that a wildcard isn't an option since it's unlikely. It's much more likely for us to get to the playoffs through winning the division. Have you seen Cinci play recently? Without Green or Bernard, they're really struggling. I do think the best chance of a steelers loss (other than the ravens) is this week against the Bills. Bills are heating up. HOWEVER, if the BIlls beat the steelers, and we beat the pats, but lose to the steelers (assuming wins against philly and cinci), we still don't win the division. Steelers have tiebreaker for wins in common games.

So i was playing with the playoff calculator on espn.com. Basically this game doesn't matter. We have to 3 games, and we HAVE to win at Pittsburgh. That's everything. We can lose to the patriots, and as long as we win the other 3, we still win the division. If we beat the pats, and lose to the steelers (assuming the steelers win all their other games which is a cakewalk for them), then we don't make the playoffs. I'm assuming a wildcard is out of the question since the afc west will likely have both wild card teams.