Mirage or Recovered?

[zeroburrito]

Why does a sloppy field automatically play into the Steelers hands?

what?

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

You lost me at that sentence. Roethlisberger is nothing like Romo IMO. Romo is a lot more nimble, and Ben is a statue. I think the Eagles sacked him about 10 times earlier this year.

Do you think Pittsburgh wants to play us after what they've seen the past few weeks from this team?

Pitt has no offense IMO, and should this game turn into any sort of shootout, my money is on the Cowboys.

Ahh man I disagree on both counts. Like I said, Roethlisberger has a tedency to hold on to the ball too long which results into him taking some sacks. But that guy can buy time in the pocket. It doesn't look as pretty as when Romo does it and it doesn't happen as frequent but he can buy time in the pocket to go down field to Holmes.

And that's the type of attitude I hope the Cowboys don't go with. That they can just show up and win the game. Not with the Steelers. Not with their defense. You can't predict a NFL game and I won't pretend to. But just going by history with the Steelers at home and i'm going to say this isn't going to be a "shootout". Maybe it will be but I wouldn't bank out. Its going to be a hard fought game that the defense is going to have to win. If we had problems picking up the Seahawks blitz in the 2nd and 3rd quarter today just wait until you see what the Steelers blitz package looks like.

And this Pittsburgh has no offense is bogus. Willie Parker, Roethlisberger, Ward and Holmes are all potential Pro Bowlers. Last season anyway. You can't sleep on their offense. Give me the Cowboys offense any day of the week but this isn't the Seahwks or 9ers we're talking about. I'm just as confident about this Cowboys team as anyone. Maybe more but Steelers is the toughest team left on this schedule. Tougher than the Giants at our own place IMO.

 

[Everson24]

what?

I mean we have a big O line and a big back in Barber(if he plays). We play a lot of 2 TE sets. The steelers like to spread teams out and go no huddle this year. I'm just not sure a sloppy field helps them either.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I hate it when people say that any one game totally defines a team as hero or zero. We could lose this game and still not be a "pretender". The Giants look like the best team in football, and it took a backup long snapper for them to win at Heinz.

We can definitely win, but it won't mean doom if we don't.

And BTW, I agree that a sloppy field doesn't necessarily help them... IF Barber is close to healthy. If not and we have to throw all day, it probably does.

 

[rcaldw]

I hate it when people say that any one game totally defines a team as hero or zero. We could lose this game and still not be a "pretender". The Giants look like the best team in football, and it took a backup long snapper for them to win at Heinz.

We can definitely win, but it won't mean doom if we don't.

And BTW, I agree that a sloppy field doesn't necessarily help them... IF Barber is close to healthy. If not and we have to throw all day, it probably does.

Communication is a difficult thing. I don't mean that this one game totally defines our season. Did I say that? I'm saying that this game will give us a BETTER read on where this team is than the two patsies we have just played against. I hope that is clear.

 

[AKATheRake]

I don't know if this is a mirage or if we are recovered. We should have our confidence back and that is a good start. We will know much more after the next couple of games.


This I agree with. I've seen a couple of their recent games and I'm not scared to play them. I don't believe the Cowboys will be afraid to go up there at all. Provided we don't fall behind big early in the game I think we will do fine.

We won't be behind once against the Steeler's unless they get the ball first and kick a FG. They lack greatly on offense and haven't been up against many teams that have real offensive power. The Chargers were playing them in terrible weather, Indy was just starting to click. Other than the Giants and Indy the Steelers haven't faced a team with a legit offense.

The Steeler's are horrible on offense. Big Ben is in shambles and trying to play through it. Nonetheless, like I said earlier, other than playing a very physical team this is the perfect game for us to play next because they are not an overly powerful team but they need to be taken extremely seriously. After beating chumps we could very easily get pig headed if we were facing a Cleveland or someone like that this week. But because of the Steeler perception the players will remain focused.

We will know what this team is about after the Steeler game, not because they are great, they are solid and if we go into their house in less than ideal weather and win unscathed by substantial injury we beat a solid team thats fighting neck and tooth for their division title.

Plus they have a very experienced team and this is the time of year when the good experienced teams that are focused win. Lots of solid, experienced, tough football players on that team for us to gauge whether we can beat on a physical team or not. We can out finesse the finesse teams, can we beat a bruising physical team? I don't want to think about the Giants, they will be a different answer. If we believe we can beat the Giants right now, we can trump the Steelers by at least 10 points.

 

[The Panch]

I still dont trust our secondary and with all the injuries at running back, I dont think this offense can survive against the elite being one dimensional. All in all, I agree that next Sunday will tell us whether we're for real cause blowing out two NFC West teams that are a combined 5-18 at home doesnt solidify anything.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

If both teams were HEALTHY....the Cowboys would beat the Steelers bu 2+ TDs. The Steelers should NOT be able to throw the ball on us...and we SHOULD be able to throw on them. Only play in there secondary is Poamalu...and he should have his hands full with one of the TEs...leaving the other TE available to manhandle Ryan Clark

 

[DIAF]

If both teams were HEALTHY....the Cowboys would beat the Steelers bu 2+ TDs. The Steelers should NOT be able to throw the ball on us...and we SHOULD be able to throw on them. Only play in there secondary is Poamalu...and he should have his hands full with one of the TEs...leaving the other TE available to manhandle Ryan Clark

haha, no way. That game is going to be a slugfest, even if we are 100% healthy.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

haha, no way. That game is going to be a slugfest, even if we are 100% healthy.

I guess you have not watched the Steelers against the NFC East.....they could not score on Philly...they could not score on the Giants...they could not score on the Commanders until Roth got hurt...heck they could not score on the Browns

 

[yimyammer]

I have this to add.

Pittsburgh is very beatable. they have a poor offensive line, Ben R always looks to throw deep and their backs are as banged up as ours.

and Also.

If you have ever wanted to go to texas stadium, the giants game maybe the best game the stadium will have had in a while.

I truly believe the crowd, the energy, the atmosphere is going to be above and beyond anything I have been a part of over the last 6 years at the stadium.

I know this is heresy to say, but if we have to lose one of the next four games (Key words “HAVE TO”), I'm thinking I'd rather lose to the Giants than any of the other teams. (Key point here is IF WE HAVE TO LOSE ONE OF THE NEXT FOUR GAMES; I'd obviously prefer to never lose another game this year--including playoffs and SB)

Here's my reasoning:

1. The Giants seem to really relish a challenge and if we beat them in the 2nd game, there is no chance they come into a playoff rematch cocky or overlooking us. If they sweep us, they probably can't help but feel they own us having beaten us three games in a row.

2. While the Giants relish a challenge, we seem to get too cocky and lackadaisical when we have success. It appears we play the under-dog role better. Losing three times in a row to the Gents would seem to give the boys maximum focus and intensity if we were to meet them again in the playoffs.

Like I said, my preference is just to run the table from here on out and win the Super Bowl.

 

[Don Corleone]

I know this is heresy to say, but if we have to lose one of the next four games (Key words “HAVE TO”), I'm thinking I'd rather lose to the Giants than any of the other teams. (Key point here is IF WE HAVE TO LOSE ONE OF THE NEXT FOUR GAMES; I'd obviously prefer to never lose another game this year--including playoffs and SB)

Here's my reasoning:

1. The Giants seem to really relish a challenge and if we beat them in the 2nd game, there is no chance they come into a playoff rematch cocky or overlooking us. If they sweep us, they probably can't help but feel they own us having beaten us three games in a row.

2. While the Giants relish a challenge, we seem to get too cocky and lackadaisical when we have success. It appears we play the under-dog role better. Losing three times in a row to the Gents would seem to give the boys maximum focus and intensity if we were to meet them again in the playoffs.

Like I said, my preference is just to run the table from here on out and win the Super Bowl.

I don't see your logic. That would be another conference and divisional loss. I would rather lose to Pitt or Baltimore because they are AFC teams.

 

[kramskoi]

The Steelers are nothing special, damn people talk about them like they are the Steel Curtain teams of the 1970s.

i'm guessing and hoping that the Cowboys will cast a keen eye on how Pittsburgh handles New England's 4-5 WR sets and if it makes them more prone to running out of it, as the Cowboys have done in the past...I for one will be watching this game with great interest.

The point is that Pittsburgh will face arguably the most talented offense they've seen all season if Romo returns to 100% without the splint. Owens, Williams, Witten, Crayton, Bennett and maybe even Austin by then. This represents receiving talent that surpasses even NE now. If Dallas still had both Barber and Jones, i can't imagine how you'd stop that with good line and quarterback play. If they can keep Romo clean at Pittsburgh then i like their chances...Tashard seems to be capable at RB and they'll need him to keep the Steeler defense honest.

 

[yimyammer]

I don't see your logic. That would be another conference and divisional loss. I would rather lose to Pitt or Baltimore because they are AFC teams.

It's just a psychological, intangible angle that might not even matter either way, although I kind of believe it does (however it's impossible to prove one way or the other).

The assumption is that at 11-5 we're in the playoffs and it doesn't matter who we lose to as long as we're 11-5 when the year is over. If there is another 11-5 team fighting for a playoff spot, then I think it would be more advantageous to beat the Giants.

Rememeber, I said my #1 desire is to run the table.

This was just a hypothetical statement for the purpose of discussion. Kind of like asking if God can do anything, can he make a rock so big he can't move it?

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

We are about to find out the truth of where our Cowboys are. I'm encouraged we are 8-4. I'm encouraged that we LOOK better. But I also know that we have played back to back patsies.

The Steelers will let us know whether we are a pretender or a contender.

As I get closer and closer.... what do I see?....

what looks like a mirage may just be real.... but not yet