Stoney's He-Man Steeler Haters NFL Playoff Thread ... No Yinzers allowed

....and as bad as that field is.......this has potential to be a sloshfest.

 

Yup. That combination could not have worked out better for the Ravens.

 

Some discussion on the other thread of how dangerous the Steelers can be if they get by the Ravens. Much of it still hinges on Bell. Pittsburgh could get by Baltimore without him, especially if Flacco continues to struggle, but I don't see the Steelers having much of a shot against the Broncos or Patriots without their star running back.

Antonio Brown is arguably the best receiver in the NFL right now, but Bell is another major reason Ben Roethlisberger is having the best season of his career. In the past, he rarely looked to his running backs to dump the ball off when plays broke down. Bell has changed that and his ability to create something out of nothing on those plays helped take that offense to the next level. Just as he did on the play when he was injured, Bell can line up as a receiver and make plays down the field, too. He is the complete opposite of other Steelers feature backs like Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker, who were completely useless in the passing game.

They have won games when they couldn't run, including the victory over the Ravens, but that usually came with Bell making plays as a receiver. With him, they would have been the better team on the field Saturday night. Without him, the Ravens should be favored.

 

http://yahoo.thepostgame.com/blog/m...lts-nfl-football-pat-mcafee-adam-pacman-jones

At least one picture he shared was a bit too revealing, but Colts punter Pat McAfee posts some very funny stuff on Twitter. Make sure you scroll down for the full effect.

 

I hadn't seen this mentioned, but it looks like the Bengals will be without A.J. Green Sunday in Indy. He is listed as doubtful due to a concussion.

 

FWIW, Bell was mostly a non-factor when the Steelers beat Baltimore at home during the regular season: 10 carries for 20 yards, 5 catches for 38.

 

I'd love to see a Pittsburgh-Denver matchup on a coldy, windy day in Denver. If the good Steelers show up and Bell is healthy, that's a hell of a team. I don't see Cincy beating anybody, Indy has the firepower but can't play defense so they're in trouble. The Ravens are scary because of their past, but I really don't see how they come out of the AFC beating Pittsburgh, New England and Denver all in a row when they have one win against a team with a winning record all season.
Dallas can beat Green Bay and Seattle. Carolina could sneak up on Green Bay or Seattle if the game gets ugly on Newton's running ability alone. I hate Arizona and don't see how they do anything; The Lions? The ultimate wild card. Defense is very strong. Run game is good and Calvin Johnson is Calvin Johnson. If Matt Stafford doesn't crap himself, they can win vs. Dallas and win shootouts on their way to the Super Bowl.

 

If the Lions make the Super Bowl, get your affairs in order. Although an upset of the Cowboys would bode well for my fantasy team.

 

Some might say Beckham Jr is the best WR right now, if by right now you mean the last 6 games.

Beckham Jr: 60 catches, 842 yards, 10 TDs

Brown: 50 catches, 628 yards, 5 TDs

 

Brown first made a name for himself in a playoff game against the Ravens. Would love to see him have a big game tonight.

 

That is still 58 total yards and he scored Pittsburgh's first touchdown. He was also a threat that helped open up the passing game and a blocker to help pick up the blitz. The Steelers can certainly score some points without him, but I'd be stunned if they lit up the Ravens without Bell in any way close to what they did that night.

Of course, the Ravens scuffled offensively of late as well.

 

Some people are too easily swayed by small sample sizes and one really amazing catch, though I can definitely see why people are putting Beckham in the discussion.