Official Game Thread - Week 10 - Steelers @ Commanders

[Voice_of_Reason]

We lost the number 2 seed today and are now seeded 6th if the playoffs started tomorrow.

If we beat the Eagles Thursday, we’ll get it back.

Most likely, the #2 seed is going to the winner of the NFC East. A lot can change, but the NFC West and NFC South are being led by 6-4 teams. Anything can happen, but most likely, either the Eagles or us will get the #2 seed.

I am not a "play the schedule game" before the season, because at least 3-4 teams you thought were going to be good every year stink, and 3-4 teams you think would stink are good. So, about 1/4 of the league is entirely unpredictable.

However, halfway through the season, you have a pretty good idea who's good and who's not.

The Eagles have:
Washington
@Rams
@Baltimore
Carolina
Pittsburgh
@Washington
Dallas
NYG

Washington has:
@Philly
Dallas
Tennessee
@New Orleans
Philly
Atlanta
@Dallas

The key takeaway is they still have to play both Pittsburg and the Ravens, and there is a sneaky tough game in there @Rams.

Our toughest game outside of Philly is Atlanta.

I think it's safe to say, the games between the teams are going to be HUGE. I'll make a prediction: if we split with the Eagles and "hold serve" we'll win the division.

At this point, I would expect us to beat Dallas twice, Tennessee and New Orleans. That's 4 more wins. Even if we got swept by Philly and lost to Atlanta, an 11 win team is clearly in the playoffs.

One other thing: I don't think the Vikings can keep this up, I don't think they will be the 5th wild card. They're going to be in the playoffs, but they have Detroit and GB still on the schedule, as well as Arizona, Atlanta and Seattle. They're going to stub their toe eventually.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

We had some missed opportunities for sure, but the quality of the Steelers defense was obvious. We certainly could have won that game. I'm not gonna lose sleep over this one though.

What makes this game so much more tolerable is we are STILL 4 games over .500. By winning games we should have won, (and gotten lucky once), we have a cushion. We haven't had a cushion in a season since the 90's. Ironically, Norv blew through cushions reasonably regularly.

 

[heisenberg]

This team hasn't beaten anyone with a winning record.

That's not true, the bears had a winning record when we beat them and if you want to say they don't have one now then I'll use the cardinals as my example.

 

[DieselPwr44]

I don't really get you on this DP. I will only speak for myself, but I'm not upset. Of course I wanted them to win but we knew this would be a challenging game especially with our guys coming in banged up. I don't think I've 'bought into the hype' because I don't think this team has been hyped. They have just wildly outperformed all expectations for a new team with a new coaching staff.

I DO think JD is that guy and this game, even though not his best performance, didn't do anything to change that opinion. Could everyone who thinks we've found our guy be wrong? I guess it's possible. But where's the evidence he's NOT the guy? Today certainly wasn't evidence of that.

I don't understand your general vibe. You know I respect you. I just don't get what you are angry about in a season like this.

If I'm aggravated about anything this season,it's the amount of hype being thrown on this team way too early.

This started out a rebuilding year. Still is IMO. But when you listen to folks like Sheehan or see clips on the internet (I don't watch the ESPN shows anymore) of the pundits hyping up a rookie QB......it just comes off as either fake or highly delusional. Hell, Sheehan and Loverro were mapping out the path to the Superbowl the other day! Just too much too soon for a young yet flawed team.

I've not bought into #5. Seen too many flash in the pan QBs come and go here. Maybe he continues to grow and get better(I hope so) or maybe he flames out down the stretch?
As for today, the team choked down the stretch and that includes #5. It happens to young inexperienced teams,which is what they are.
Not some "dangerous" team that noone wants to face. I get a good laugh whenever they get described that way.

These Redskins have not arrived. A long ways off as we witnessed today.

Not mad at anyone here. We're just sitting around the campfire here talkin'.

 

[heisenberg]

If I'm aggravated about anything this season,it's the amount of hype being thrown on this team way too early.

This started out a rebuilding year. Still is IMO. But when you listen to folks like Sheehan or see clips on the internet (I don't watch the ESPN shows anymore) of the pundits hyping up a rookie QB......it just comes off as either fake or highly delusional. Hell, Sheehan and Loverro were mapping out the path to the Superbowl the other day! Just too much too soon for a young yet flawed team.

I've not bought into #5. Seen too many flash in the pan QBs come and go here. Maybe he continues to grow and get better(I hope so) or maybe he flames out down the stretch?
As for today, the team choked down the stretch and that includes #5. It happens to young inexperienced teams,which is what they are.
Not some "dangerous" team that noone wants to face. I get a good laugh whenever they get described that way.

These Redskins have not arrived. A long ways off as we witnessed today.

Not mad at anyone here. We're just sitting around the campfire here talkin'.

I wanted this game bad and it stung when we lost but I think your perception of what happened today is a little off.

We were up two scores to a 6 and 2 team with one of the best defenses in the league and what was a hot offense the last couple weeks and not only that we had a real shot at winning.

Losing a nail biter to one of the better teams in the league isn't a come back to earth moment it's part of football.

Even the good teams lose to other good teams it's how the game works.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

People are getting upset over this loss because fans have bought into the hype and lofty expectations that have been showered on this team for the last month.
Same goes for #5 too, which kinda surprises me given this team's history with QB's and longevity. Fans ought to know better: let the kid get through a season first ( something that's rare here) before you start carelessly throwing around the term Franchise QB and wrecklessly throwing him in the MVP discussion.

This team hasn't beaten anyone with a winning record. That's the reality here and a lot of folks act like the Redskins have arrived. They have a lot still yet to prove. Whether or not that happens with what's left of this season is unknown so folks may have to wait until next season and a few more talent adds, to find out.

Ironically, I haven't really seen anybody getting that worked up over this loss. What I've seen here (and elsewhere) is they played a really good team really close and made too many mistakes to win. Which is basically the story of the game. If they played a cleaner game, they could have won. They didn't. They lost.

They did beat the Bears who had a winning record and the Cardinals currently are leading the NFC West at 6-4. They blew out some bad teams, which is what you want them to do to bad teams.

I also don't think anybody really is upset about anything. This is all house money. They are far exceeding everybody's expectations, I would assume.

It's ok to be excited because the team is ahead of schedule, and it's a fun ride. I think it's also ok to understand the roster has a long ways to go. Both things can be true at the same time.

They're a good team. Probably a very good team.

What could make them a great team is IF Lattimore is a force multiplier on defense, and BRob comes back healthy and the spark comes back into the offense.

They're not the Lions or the Chiefs. But they're good, and they can improve. So let's just see where they end up. I think they're going to get either 11 wins in the end. They have to go 4-3 to get to 11 wins. I think that's doable with games against Tennesse, New Orleans, Atlanta and Dallas twice. We'll see. If they get to 11 wins, that would FAR, FAR, FAR exceed any expectations I had for them.

If they beat the Eagles on Thursday, they could get to 12.

 

[CapsCommies]

If I'm aggravated about anything this season,it's the amount of hype being thrown on this team way too early.

This started out a rebuilding year. Still is IMO. But when you listen to folks like Sheehan or see clips on the internet (I don't watch the ESPN shows anymore) of the pundits hyping up a rookie QB......it just comes off as either fake or highly delusional. Hell, Sheehan and Loverro were mapping out the path to the Superbowl the other day! Just too much too soon for a young yet flawed team.

I've not bought into #5. Seen too many flash in the pan QBs come and go here. Maybe he continues to grow and get better(I hope so) or maybe he flames out down the stretch?
As for today, the team choked down the stretch and that includes #5. It happens to young inexperienced teams,which is what they are.
Not some "dangerous" team that noone wants to face. I get a good laugh whenever they get described that way.

These Redskins have not arrived. A long ways off as we witnessed today.

Not mad at anyone here. We're just sitting around the campfire here talkin'.

Optimism or pessimism are of course subjective and your prerogative, but you can't call a 7-3 team "rebuilding". We're past the half-way point of the season with a top-8 record in the NFL.

 

[Chris]

They were within inches (maybe) of a 1st down and then would have needed what? 15 more yards for a comfortable distance FG attempt to win the game?

Hardy a falling to earth scenario.

 

[Gooseneck]

As much as I wanted to win, it could be worse; I could be a Cowboy fan

 

[Chris]

As much as I wanted to win, it could be worse; I could be a Cowboy fan

Or a Bears fan.

 

[Renegade7]

What are you trying to say renegade?

That we've all been in pain and deserve an actual franchise QB and relevant football team.

I'm sorry, did you really think I felt we deserve to lose today because they made me cry as a kid?

*sigh

 

[Kel Varnsen]

If I'm aggravated about anything this season,it's the amount of hype being thrown on this team way too early.

This started out a rebuilding year. Still is IMO. But when you listen to folks like Sheehan or see clips on the internet (I don't watch the ESPN shows anymore) of the pundits hyping up a rookie QB......it just comes off as either fake or highly delusional. Hell, Sheehan and Loverro were mapping out the path to the Superbowl the other day! Just too much too soon for a young yet flawed team.

I've not bought into #5. Seen too many flash in the pan QBs come and go here. Maybe he continues to grow and get better(I hope so) or maybe he flames out down the stretch?
As for today, the team choked down the stretch and that includes #5. It happens to young inexperienced teams,which is what they are.
Not some "dangerous" team that noone wants to face. I get a good laugh whenever they get described that way.

These Redskins have not arrived. A long ways off as we witnessed today.

Not mad at anyone here. We're just sitting around the campfire here talkin'.

To me, it's not about hype. It's about raising the expectations. You are correct that it's early in the rebuild. But when you win 7 of your first 9 games, you don't just call it quits on the season and say you beat the expectations. You readjust your expectations based on how the team has performed. Before the season, if someone said the team would finish 9-7, we would all take it. However, after starting 7-2, if this team finishes 9-7, it would be a disappointment. The team still has issues that have to worked out, play that has to be improved, and some discipline that needs to be improved. But there is no reason not to be excited and no reason to not talk about where this team goes from here, which is now 7-3.

 

[heisenberg]

As much as I wanted to win, it could be worse; I could be a Cowboy fan

No kidding.
Mcarthy may have to swim home after that shit show.

 

[Renegade7]

It's yhe culmination of what lead to it and knowing him and Dak are coming back that makes it sweeter...forget that pretty much everyone is happy this is happening to them...no-one cares about the Bears.

 

[Chris]

Maybe Eberflus will give him a ride.

 

[HOF44]

This team hasn't beaten anyone with a winning record.

Success n the NFL is beating the teams you should beat when you should beat them. Then hovering around .500 the rest of the time.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

As much as I wanted to win, it could be worse; I could be a Cowboy fan

That would be worse than being thrown into the pits of despair.

 

[nocalmike]

If anything I wouldn't call it being angry about the loss, more frustrated that the game was playing out it felt very winnable. For comparison, when I was watching the Ravens game, that one felt much more like were trying to keep up with a contender, a complete team in the upper tier of the NFL. Contrast that with the game today and coming out of halftime, getting that quick score, going up 24-14....it felt like the game was verge on being put out doubt but there was just a lot of missed opportunities and sloppiness in the execution. This said, it doesn't sour me on anything on the overall state of the team, they are still away ahead of where I thought they would be and feel the future is bright.

 

[Canadian Hog]

Not sure if this has been discussed very much, but should have Quinn considered punting on 4th and 9 with three timeouts remaining and a minute and a half or so remaining? Way gives you a good shot of pinning the Steelers deep and if you in theory stop them in three plays, you could potentially get the ball around midfield again with 40 odd sections or so. There is no chance the Steelers line up for a 4th down down near their goal line like they did at midfield which resulted in Newton jumping. There is nothing you can do about it now, but just wondering if this was maybe a missed opportunity on the part of Dan Quinn...?

 

[CapsCommies]

Not sure if this has been discussed very much, but should have Quinn considered punting on 4th and 9 with three timeouts remaining and a minute and a half or so remaining? Way gives you a good shot of pinning the Steelers deep and if you in theory stop them in three plays, you could potentially get the ball around midfield again with 40 odd sections or so. There is no chance the Steelers line up for a 4th down down near their goal line like they did at midfield which resulted in Newton jumping. There is nothing you can do about it now, but just wondering if this was maybe a missed opportunity on the part of Dan Quinn...?

Hindsight is 20/20; I didn't mind him being aggressive. And honestly we should have gotten that first down. The ref fucked us on the initial spot.