Defining point for this season and the future of this org?

[Shane]

Originally posted by cheesebeef
I gotta say I'm more than a little nervous about this week's game - but you know what I just realized about that is - that means I actually think we have a shot to win! That is such a huge thing for me to not go into a game this season with relative indifference and hoping for just an okay quarter with a ton of entertaining mishaps that we could all argue about for the next week - I am actually starting to believe that this team can compete every week - and that is awesome - a blowout - might throw me from one extreme to the other - from the former leader of the darkside to the biggest champion of this team actually having a realistic shot at the playoffs. Jesez, what am I saying here?

Well, to put it simple - I still feel that we more than likely will lose this game - but we defintely have a shot and that is something I haven't felt about this team since before week 1 - and truth be told, didn't think I would feel for years with the current management in place - my hope is back - thanks to the team's performance the last two weeks and most of all the management - that I bashed so unmercifully for the last seven months - they have given me reason to hope again and that is the most important thing with this team. I also just watched the movie HARVEY, and anyone who doesn't feel ike a million bucks after watching that classic isn't alive.

Put it to the Steelers boys, this board is just waiting to explode!

Nice post Cheesey!

 

[CaliCards]

Originally posted by Shane H
Just because a team is good at stopping the run doesnt necessarily mean that they cant be run on! Pitt is 4th in the NFL San Fran was 5th you see what we did to them! There are no sure things. We shouldnt jusy go in there and pass just for the sake of passing. Itis a possability the running game could be successful in Pitt!

Teams for whatever reason match-up better against some than others. We should not abandon the run by any stretch of the imagination!

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First, I agree that the Cards should not assume that the can't win against the Steelers if they feature the run. But now for the fun part:

1. Since the Cards know the Steelers will focus on stopping Shipp, why help their game plan keeping Shipp out of the line up.

2. Why is forcing the Steelers to against our strength a bad plan--would't reducing Shipp's participating on down send a message that the Cards know that Steelers D is superior?

3. Since wins in the NFL mostly come from a balanced attack, if the Steelers D hold Shipp for 80-90 yards, how does that not help the Cards passing game?

4. Since the Cards have a group of inexperience WRs, would't the Steelers D prefer to work against them, rather than having to deal with Shipp and also be concerned about Blake connecting on play-action, screen passes, creating penalities with hard counts, and consistently being forced to play man coverage on our WRs?

Finally, that the Steelers will game-plan against Shipp, is not enough reason to abondon the run in favor of the passing game. We only have Boldin and Shipp as reliable recievers. Thus because Shipp and the running game affects the psychology of the opposing teams, it is impeative that Shipp be feature on almost down--whether his lined up at RB or as WR.

 

[CaliCards]

I meant Boldin and Jones are Cards only reliable receivers.

 

[Fiasco]

From a public perspective this game probably yields no upside for the Cardinals.

I can hear it already.

If the Cardinals lose: Same old Cardinals
If the Cardinals win: Pittsburgh aint ****, you beat a 2-7 team... so what.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Originally posted by mulpwr


Actually the Steelers are looking at this game as make or break. A loss and there playoff hopes are gone down the drain. Only the winner of the AFC North will make the playoffs. The Steelers would like to actually win a game and break a five game losing streak,so you know they are hungry.

Mulpwr,

No doubt the Steelers will come out fighting on their home field.
I posted on another thread that they "will have murder in their eyes" when they walk onto Heinz field on Sunday.

They know the Cardinals are struggling, despite their two straight wins. This is Pittsburgh's last, best chance to "right the ship" and make a run at the division. I expect their intensity level to be EXTREMELY high on Sunday.

This is actually shaping up to be a pretty interesting game.

 

[JeffGollin]

From a public perspective this game probably yields no upside for the Cardinals.
4 & 5 sounds more respectable than 3&5 (and only one game away from break-even). If we beat Pittsburgh, you can bet on our getting a little more respect.

Already - Joyner and Norton jumped on the bandwagon this weekend (It actually scared me).

 

[BuckeyeCardinal]

Originally posted by Fiasco
From a public perspective this game probably yields no upside for the Cardinals.

I can hear it already.

If the Cardinals lose: Same old Cardinals
If the Cardinals win: Pittsburgh aint ****, you beat a 2-7 team... so what.

Graves and the ownership seem to be trying to remove the Cardinal Mystique.

As a Card fan for 40= years it wasn't always that way....it sort of began in the last few years in St. Louis and carried over with Phoenix and Arizona (anybody have some old Phoenix Card stuff like me) years.

The question now seems not to be will we remove the loser mystique but when will we do it.....2 losses in these next two games will of course keep it goin....the Browns and Steelers have sucked lately....but I think one win out of these 2 games will scrape much of that mystique off....and I don't care that the Steelers and Browns suck on occasion....they're still the Browns and Steelers.

It makes me sick to watch the NFL shows when the Cards are brought up....on a Halloween show Deion Sanders did a skit where kids came to his house dressed up like NFL players.....one was dressed lile Emmitt Smith with a small trash can on his waist and a diamond on his head (trash can/garbage reference he made about the Cowboys)....Deion's comment was "Hey dude....you play for the Cards now....you should be wearin a dumpster!!!"

HaHa.....I'm not laughin.

 

[Jttsaz]

Originally posted by mulpwr
By record they aren't very good but look to who they lost to.

Kansas City
Tennessee
Cleveland
Denver(before Kanell)McCaffrey played that game to.
St Louis
Seattle

So only a division rival that is among the best in the NFL is the only "bad" team the Steelers lost to.

Actually the Steelers are looking at this game as make or break. A loss and there playoff hopes are gone down the drain. Only the winner of the AFC North will make the playoffs. The Steelers would like to actually win a game and break a five game losing streak,so you know they are hungry.

By the same token the Cards have lost to Dallas(6-2), Seattle (6-2), St. Louis (5-3) and the Ravens (5-3)...so while I agree the Steelers have lost to some good competition, the same could be said about the Cards...