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Is 11-5 or better still possible?


hail2skins

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Watched last night at home......crappy loss to a good team (albeit one missing a few key pieces) in a game relatively devoid of big plays. Dink dunk city. They were able to run and we weren't. Blew an opportunity early when Kerrigan didn't simply fall on a fumble. Another bad break when a probable Steeler fumble is ruled an INC (but who the hell knows what's considered a catch anymore). We settled for FGs, they got TDs. There were only three punts in the game, and I was pretty surprised that the Steelers TOP was only 33+.....expected it to be more.

Of course got onto ES and saw the usual comments already predicting disaster against the Cowboys, etc. We're fans and get that way from week-to-week.......guess that's to be expected.

So I was trying to figure out a reason why (aside from the loss) I should be bummed.  With the harder schedule I think many of us predicted around the same 9-7 record as last year, and are just relieved that we seem to finally have a legit GM in town and that this is going to be a process.  However, playoff years, especially our recent ones which have featured significant end-of-year winning streaks, always make us dare to dream that the season after could be a relatively monster one if things break right. 

As you know, the last time the Skins won at least 11 games was 25 seasons ago, when we won 14 en route to the Lombardi in SB 26.  In this 25 years, I think every other team in the league has won 11 at least once, including the Texans who have been in the league for a relative minute.  Now, is there anything magical about 11 wins? Not really. We've seen various recent examples of teams with relatively pedestrian regular season records (Giants and Packers) win the Lombardi by getting hot at the right time.  And that's what the goal ultimately is. Still, I guess my old-timey Skins self still harkens back to the glory days where you automatically penciled in 10 wins before the regular season and witnessed monster years of 14 wins in a couple of our SB appearing years and even a couple 11-12 win seasons in campaigns where we fell short of the big dance. 

So I'm not about to panic and think that the 2016 season is going to go the way of 2006 (hampered by Al Saunders 700 page playbook and noncontributing acqs like ARE, Lloyd, and Arch Deluxe) or 2013 (effects of salary cap penalty and RG3 injury the season before)......seasons that followed playoff runs, and which also featured dismal MNF home losses to start the season.  We should be fine, and still think we'll break that other longtime (20 year) streak of not having back-to-back winning seasons. And we can be one of those teams that hits our stride at the right time and makes serious postseason noise. But dreams of that monster season that I like to harbor seem to have wilted for now. 

What do you think (besides that I'm crazy)?

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Maybe just not that we lost, but the way we lost (looking inept again) and the fact that the Steelers weren't at full strength with injuries and suspensions.  This was a game in our own backyard that we should have taken from a wounded team, but yet again, we cower to the occasion.  We are THE only team without 11 wins.  Hell, I think the BROWNS won 11 games with Belichick in 1995.  Sad, pathetic and sorry.

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Not until we learn to commit to a rushing attack, I won't be too hard on our defense because the Steelers offense is already in mid season form, they are that good. It sure helps to have that threat in the backfield, it opens up the field for that short 3rd and 4th down TD bombs, as we all witnessed last night.

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If the D line continues to get pushed around the way they did last night, it won't matter how great our offense can be.  They'll spend most of the season watching sustained drives from the sidelines. One positive I can pull from the game is that the Steelers will most likely beat the other three teams in our division. This game hasn't ended our season, but if we look like that again next week, I'll start to lose some of my optimism. I personally don't care about 11 wins....just want to win more games than the other three teams. 

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nope, not possible.

They've got games vs the ravens, bengals, panthers, cardinals, packers and vikings.. that's 6 more losses right there.

It's obvious they're going to continue with the pass happy offensive attack, good teams take advantage of that. I think at least 4 of those 6 games will be loopsided blowouts, with about 15 ish run attempts for us vs about 40 pass attempts..

the other teams will dominate TOP, and it'll be ugly.

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Next 3 games will determine the season.  We play two division rivals and a horrid Browns team.  The boys and the giants can run the ball.  Can we stop them?  that is the million dollar question.  We knew deep down inside when the schedule came out that Steelers is probably an L.  The season starts this Sunday and depending how we look I will let you know.

What I do know is after watching the Giants and the Cowboys no way they get a W against the Steelers if Ben and Brown are healthy.  Those two will carve those two secondaries worse than they did us.

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Sure it's possible and so is 14-1, but realistically and based on 25 years of recent history, expectations should be held in check. Tougher schedule, better NFC East possible and the usually Redskins inconsistency as well as the typical downplay after a playoff year equates to an up and down year. 

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Look at the schedule and show me where those 11 wins are.  I couldn't find them prior to last night and sure as hell can't find them now. 

While it's only one game, it's how the game played out that tells you all you need to know.  I know we all wanted to stone anyone that had the audacity to mention our record vs. good teams.  Looks like they knew exactly what they were talking about and we were once again looking through B&G glasses. 

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I have us going 11-5. Let's fix what we can and learn from this. 

- breeland never got help from hall or the other saftey vs the best wr. Stupid. Now, for breeland made a deal with berry to do that then double stupid.

- need more of a pass rush but gotta admit the steelers have two 1st's at C, G.

- turnovers, when they are in our hands we gotta get them! And don't let go. 

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