ATL favored by 3

[Lloyd]

ATL by 3 is the spread: Too high, not enough? If you proposed this spread to a Steeler fan after the offseason, would they have not laughed in your face? And yet, there it is: ATL -3. It comes us with Pgh as the underdog mostly because:

1.) We never ever addressed the weakness of the WR unit after trading away DJ. I was all for the move at the time, but who knew we would add virtually no substantive WR to replace him? I thought Kahn had a plan. It didn't come through.

2.) The experts are saying our QB position has not improved one bit from 2023. I'm not sure I agree but that is the word. Could Russ "show everyone up" and become prolific compared to Kenny? Even if he only produced what he did in 2023, it would more than triple the TDs thrown by Kenny in 2023 (26 - 6). Kenny has set a new NFL record for the lowest TD% of minimum throws. A NEW RECORD LOW.

3.) The OL is still a mess. Ever since the end of "Killer Bs" Rooney has been begging for an OL that creates rushing lanes....begging Tomlin. They still haven't taken care of the issue. Not even close. Other than with Munch in town, Tomlin has been an unadulterated FAIL at OL. New year, same unadulterated fail. We are STILL looking at Moore as our starting LT, after THREE years of fail with him there (ranked dead last every year he's started there). And our RT consists of a LT who does NOT want to pay at right. And our LG and C are rookies. Good God.

Add it all up, and we are underdogs week 1 in ATL. A lot of analysts had us starting the season 4-0 an STILL hurting to make the playoffs.

 

[xjx]

Atlanta-3 sounds about right. They will win by 6.

 

[Lloyd]

Atlanta-3 sounds about right. They will win by 6.

This Steeler team has me more befuddled than usual. I have no idea what to expect other than a loosely run ship to start, undisciplined plays, poor coaching - including some blown challenge flags some misuse of timeouts, etc. Then again, they could totally surprise me and play clean and smart.

 

[BLITZ]

Part of me wants a trainwreck of a year to be in position to draft a top QB next year. But on Gamr day that changes to hoping for wins.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

It’s obviously a trap game

We have the whole league fooled by showing zero percent of the playbook in preseason except for the lack of blocking which will remain part of the standard game plan…obviously

Surely a non crucial spot of the ball will be challenged by Shades, a timeout will be missing to get the ball back that one more needed time to unleash some hell late in the game

But Smith will single-handedly will the team to over achieve with his driving desire to put one on his old team and the Steelers will walk away with their heads high after a 12-12 victory over the Falcons!!!

0-0–1 here we come mediocrity!!!
I’ve missed you for months

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

This Steeler team has me more befuddled than usual. I have no idea what to expect other than a loosely run ship to start, undisciplined plays, poor coaching - including some blown challenge flags some misuse of timeouts, etc. Then again, they could totally surprise me and play clean and smart.

befuddled eh?

hmm wasnt sure... the other 9,436 posts of yours led me to believe you were optimistic and excited for what the season holds for all the steelers and their coaches.

 

[SteelerSask2]

befuddled eh?

hmm wasnt sure... the other 9,436 posts of yours led me to believe you were optimistic and excited for what the season holds for all the steelers and their coaches.

Gold

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

We're all just putting up with and allowing mental illness to permeate the board.

 

[SteelerInLebanon]

We're all just putting up with and allowing mental illness to permeate the board.

Oh we have plenty of that on this board, it just doesn't all manifest the same. Some of us can be irrationally optimistic, others like a certain loveable Houston fan can be ********.

 

[madinsomniac]

We're all just putting up with and allowing mental illness to permeate the board.

We all follow the steelers... a team that somehow has every damn game come down to the last drive every ******* week... we all must either be nuts or sadistic gluttons for mental anguish

 

[Stewey]

My conclusion is not only that they’ll win this game, but that they will win the division.

I base this not on my feelings but through a scientific method.

 

[CoolieMan]

My conclusion is not only that they’ll win this game, but that they will win the division.

I base this not on my feelings but through a scientific method.

I have tested his hypothesis and verify it's accuracy

 

[Confluence]

I have tested his hypothesis and verify it's accuracy

Regardless, I want the Steelers to identify as AFC Champs after week 21.

 

[CoolieMan]

ATL by 3 is the spread: Too high, not enough? If you proposed this spread to a Steeler fan after the offseason, would they have not laughed in your face? And yet, there it is: ATL -3. It comes us with Pgh as the underdog mostly because:

not an intelligent one

lots of questions for the Steelers, playing on the road to open the season.

the line is not a surprise

 

[Confluence]

not an intelligent one

lots of questions for the Steelers, playing on the road to open the season.

the line is not a surprise

It's the most likely spread in any NFL game isn't it ?

 

[Skott]

Van Jefferson will be a surprisingly good WR this year.

Wilson will be solid and throw 24+ TDs

Tomlin will screw up challenges

Dan Moore will be out most consistent OLine

Random thoughts

 

[Lloyd]

Trust me, there are Steeler fans to admit they would have been surprised at us being a 3 point underdog vs. ATL 2 months ago. They exist, I know some. But now more say things like "ATL is supposed to be good this year." Well, if winning the NFC S. makes you good, then yes. You have the Saints, The Bucs and Panthers in there. God bless them all. All the QBs of those teams are special: Carr, Baker and Young. Oh, and the 36-year-old Cousins coming off a torn Achilles. Dear Lord. Danny Marino tried to play coming off an Achilles. He lost 62-7 his last game. I think he was 38.

 

[Lloyd]

My conclusion is not only that they’ll win this game, but that they will win the division.

I base this not on my feelings but through a scientific method.

Could be. I actually think they got almost as good of a chance of any team in the North to be honest. Who would have taken Pgh to go 5-1 within the div. last year?

 

[stillwright]

befuddled eh?

hmm wasnt sure... the other 9,436 posts of yours led me to believe you were optimistic and excited for what the season holds for all the steelers and their coaches.

After all of these years with Tomlin.....Lloyd's response seems reasonable. No? Just because ownership keeps extending Tomlin does not mean that the fan base has to join in the enthusiasm the ownership wants.
I understand Tomlin is here. We have zero control over it. My enthusiasm for every season diminishes more and more with every passing season because Tomlin simply doesn't learn from his own failures.
So bravo to Lloyd. He speaks the truth(repeatedly at times). In a time when others want to cherry coat everything.
Until Tomlin shows he can change. Learn from his prior mistakes of years past I have zero issue with anyone stating Tomlin's failures... over and over and over again!!!!
You and the all the others that hate on Lloyd...keep drinking the Tomlin kool-aid if you want. Or simply ignore what Lloyd posts. Some here don't have any issues with them(repetitive ly as they maybe at times).


Of course this could be the year we put everything together and win number 7 under Tomlin's direction. Go Tomlin and the Steelers. Rah rah rah!!!!! I have the faith. My favorite kool-aid flavor is fruit punch. What is yours? Anyone?

 

[stillwright]

Gold

I like fruit punch flavored kool-aid. What is yours?

 

[speedicut]

Trust me, there are Steeler fans to admit they would have been surprised at us being a 3 point underdog vs. ATL 2 months ago. They exist, I know some.

Uh huh.

 

[madinsomniac]

A. Since this game was announced, the Steelers have been underdogs, right? Why would anyone think that would change now?

B. The Falcons were well thought of last year... of the preseason predictions I looked up last season, the vast majority picked them to finish first or second in their division...
then they made several signings and trades this offseason that has a lot of pundits flocking to their bandwagon..,
Over on NFL.com's predictions for 24, 20 of 28 experts picked them as division champs

C. If the Falcons are the odds on expected division champs, and the Steelers are playing them in Atlanta, and HFA is considered a 3 point advantage in point spreads, then right now Vegas views the Steelers as equals to the Falcons, who again are expected to win their division

 

[MT~Forged]

I think it isn’t close and ATL puts up 30+ vs the 9 they get from Boz

 

[Fiji Mariner]

We're all just putting up with and allowing mental illness to permeate the board.

Probably either…

We learned it from watching the mentally ill and insane Mr. Rooney and just wanna be model loonies

Or he’s simply driving us nuts, welcome to the asylum

Now put your helmet on and get back in that padded room, pudding day ain’t til Sunday

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Could be. I actually think they got almost as good of a chance of any team in the North to be honest. Who would have taken Pgh to go 5-1 within the div. last year?

Maybe they’ll be fortunate enough to miss the divisional starting QBs again down the stretch so they can put an another desperation run to above .500 in againwinning