View topic - New Article: Stillers-Jets AFCC Preview

[StillMill Profile]

Stillers-Jets AFCC Preview has been posted by Still Mill at Stillers.com.

[IronCity__Man Profile]

although that Jets offense did limp in to Pittsburgh last time with consecutive 3 and 6 point peformances, they did put up 34 against the bears the following week (note: the Bears have a pretty good defense) and previously had a good string of 29pt + performances (not minusing out a few D tds) ending up 13th in pts and 4th in rushing for the season. Net pass yds are right up there with the Steelers. Their offense is not as lackluster as you might think. Unless we use that term comparably for the Steelers. Jets probably have the best offensive line of teams remaining in the playoffs.

Jets losses came only to Green Bay, Ravens, Pats, Dolphs, and Bears.

Their Defense gave up 5 more points a game than we did but ranked 6th overall; I like the points differential in this game. But that Jets D is right up there in sacks/yardage/points categories. Meaningless Stats???? 8 of the top 10 score stopping defenses were in the playoffs this year.

I wouldn't rank that team any more mediocre than the Steelers. I'm with you in having the Heath monster back for this game. I think we had our best running game of the season against the jets - perhaps our best overall o-line performance without Heath (an obvious good sign).

Crowd noise? Home field advantage? Both of those flow out that open end of that stadium. I miss three-rivers where the crowd could actually cause a few motion penalties and delays of game.

Listening/reading to the national media - they keep harping on our banged up offensive line. It is clear to me they haven't watched the Steelers all season because I think the majority of our games were played with 6 or 7 lineman before the final whistle. Remarkable feat that is missed by most national talking heads. We are probably more healthy this week than usual.

Finally, each game is different - doesn't matter what we did or they did last time we played. In any event, are you really going to blame Lebeau for letting Sanchez runs a bootleg TD. Last time I watched that play it was Harrison who bit inside.

[zapunto Profile]

Nice writeup. I'll make three quick points:

-- I disagree with you about Shaun Ellis, I don't think he's as good as Suggs is as an edge rusher. Maybe a run stuffer he's better, but not rushing the passer. The Jets were an insanely average team when it came to sacking the QB during the season.

-- The NY Daily News holtzmanned that Revis is gonna cover Ward, and Cromartie Wallace, and not the other way around. Interesting. I don't think Rex Ryan is that dumb, but if that is what he does, we'll find out early.

-- The special teams coverage unit is a severe worry of mine, and not because of Brad Smith. Will Allen is lost for this game, and most likely so is Jason Worilds. Those were two of our best cover guys.

[Steel Holiday Profile]

Still Mill is very witty and exceptionally on point whenever he wants to be.

I also agree with him that it would be nice for the Stillers not to make the same mistakes again, and might I add to avoid mistakes period.

[tourosteelersfan Profile]

Mill,

What you say makes sense to me. Conventional wisdom favors the Steelers for the reasons you cite, especially Ben R and a strong run defense that should put the game in Sanchez's hands. Still, the Jets are flying high after delivering the most rewarding win of the post-season - personally I would trade a trip to the Super Bowl to have been the team to knock New England flat on its back. The Jets are talented and Rex is backing up his big talk so far. Bill Simmons picked the Jets; I think he'll be wrong, but he did say one thing that was worth noting: the Steelers have enjoyed a nice stretch of luck since their Super Bowl run to Detroit five or so years ago (starting with the calls in their favor during the game against the Seahawks; other examples: the easy path to the Super Bowl against the Cardinals; prevailing against the Cardinals despite not being able to put them away; the Ravens self-destructing last week; and the easy path to the Super Bowl this year). I am not saying the Steelers didn't deserve to win those games, just that luck played a part in those victories. But the luck has to turn sometime, doesn't it?

[isfry Profile]

Mill, this may be one of my favorite articles you've written that I've read. Kudos. Spot on analysis, with little or no tangential rants. I have been listening to the talking heads on ESPN and NFL and wondering, aside from their having beaten a COlts team that is a shadow of its former shadow, and the revenge win over the Patsies, what Jets team they are all blustering about. We have a better QB (by FAR), a better run game, better D, and a corps of WRs that could all be #1's or at least #2's on the Jets. They have the edge in special teams, but, while Brad Smith will play he will likely be limited in his return duty, if not in number of returns, certainly in mobility, quickness, and cutting, thanks to his achy groin. The absence of Pola in Jets1 was HUGE, but nothing compared to Heath's. I also faulted LeBeau for a pansy ass second half in Jets1 that resulted, as you pointed out, in that safety, and the need to have Spaeth catch a TD at the end. I would also comment on Steelersfan's point about an "easy" route to the SB for Pitt this year by saying this: we got a bye week because of some crucial wins down the stretch, we just beat the Ravens, who are never an easy out (except for us) in the postseason. We now have to beat the Jets, who everyone (especially Rex Ryan) thinks are a pretty damn good AFC foe, as shown by their having just knocked off Manning and Brady. The playoff schedule doesnt allow us to play every team in the tourney to get to the big game. I could care less if nobody gives us credit going into this game, or coming out of it with a W. I just think that if we dont beat ourselves, the Jets should be handled with relative ease. SHOULD...

[Steel Holiday Profile]

Fired up.

Great points isfry.

To me the Jest used up all their points last week in a win against New England...Way to go. Like I wasn't going to enjoy the STILLERS doing that... I see the Stillers as very disrespected right now. Pittsburgh just finished thrashing its two division rivals 41-9 and 31-24. (A 7 point victory considering Pitt was down 14 and that it was a playoff game is a bloodbath). Now the macho rushing attack of the Jest, and the cocky, foot in mouth head coach are receiving less points this time around from odds makers than when the Stillers super hero on defense and bruising tight end were out!

The Jest are so overvalued right now. New York and Sack-cheese squeezed out a victory vs. the Napless Colts courtesy of the running game, and Manning's inability to gargle away precious seconds. Yes, the Jets avoided a nose dive week 15 with a win over Pitt, but how much did that matter to our team at that point? This is for the right to go to the Super Bowl! Nobody is going to run on the Stillers...w-well haliday nnew y0k got el tee. NOBODY!! This is the same New York team that lost to Baltimore at home, and narrowly squeaked by the Browns in OT. The Stillers are better on both sides of the ball than either of those foes. It's worth noting imo, that in 4 out of their 5 losses the Jest were in-able to fool an opponent for at least 10 points.