BleacherCoaches.com

One more thing.

I am not saying you don't need a downfield threat or some type of balance. But you have to be able to establish the run and do it consistently.

I agree balance is the key. It's not like the Steelers of old just ran the ball. Bradshaw, Swann and Stallworth are all in the Hall of Fame for a reason. The Steelers just didn't give the ball to Franco every game. They had a balanced attack with a great defense.

The Steelers could not pass the ball late in the season and it showed. If the Steelers bring in a rookie for Burress, they will struggle with the passing game next year as well. Their best bet is to go into the free agent market.

By the way, did anyone else hear Roethlisberger say how much he wants Burress back?

I have to believe he would want him back!! I also agree with you that if they don't keep Burress they need a quality FA deep threat. Pittsburgh has to take advantage of the people they have and try to win now before age and free agency catches up with them.

You gotta love when someone tells you you're wrong and doesn't even have the intelligence to prove why. Chad Owens is fast as hell, catches everything, is a college walk-on that busted his tail to even make the team, was the heart and soul of that team, was the team leader, and was the best player on that team. That's saying a lot when you're quarterback has the NCAA record for passing. But I am clearly "pretending" that owens is great, because Bedrock has clearly given numerous names as to who is a better candidate. Chad Owens is the biggest sleeper pick in the entire draft. He would fit in great with Pittsburgh because of his had nosed approcach to working out and playing. Somehow that doesn't fit in with your "blue collar" Steelers.

And what is with this "if we were in the NFC" crap? You don't play in the NFC. You play in the AFC, and you lost because you played a better team that was ten thousand times more prepared, and more intelligent, than you were. If Forest Hills was in D5 and played A football, they'd win the district every season. You can give all these hypotheticals all you want, and they are completely pointless. Hey, if Tom Brady was your QB, you'd be in the Super Bowl. If you were a pro team playing college teams, you'd probably win the league. What sense does it even make to bring that up? You weren't good enough, you had the best record in the league, and still 9 out of 10 people picked New England and NE was FAVORED over you. That should tell you something. Steelers are my favorite team, I would love it if they won the Super Bowl every single year, but I am also realistic. Cowher isn't winning you a Super Bowl whenever the staff is different every year and the Steelers franchise continues on the same track. And I never said "be a west coast offense". You people love to be narrow minded. Suggesting that they throw more, TO OPEN THE RUN GAME AND VICE VERSA... WHICH THAT APPROACH ALWAYS DOES... does not indicate me wanting a west coast offense. What is New England? They're an open offense that is basically unpredictable. Hey, it's only gonna win 3 Super Bowls in 4 years.

i don't know that the draft is the place for the steelers to find the answer to for the assumed loss of burress. college wide outs generally take 3 years before they produce good numbers. the talent at wide receiver this year is not as good compared to recent years. the steelers have a good team in place w/ a 2nd year qb. chances are that a rookie receiver is not going to be able to scare opposing teams away from doubling up on ward. ben will therefore have to rely heavily on this rookie wr, lee mays, and randel el to get open on crucial third downs.

if the steelers do go the route of the nfl draft to replace burress, they better be sure that the guy they pick will be able to step right in as at least the #4 wr and progress into the #2 or #3 as the season goes along. i think randel el is the perfect #3 slot reciever. forcing him to be the #2 could be detrimental to his production. i am still sketchy on lee mays. he did a fine job stepping in while burress was hurt, but i'm not convinced he can succeed being in that position at begining of the year.

they may have to trade up in the draft to get this type of player.

i am not too sure who is available in the free agent market. i am pretty sure that david patten's contract is up. he would be perfect but could be in high demand if no body else is out there beside him and burress.

knowing how the steelers operate, they will go the draft route.....

i don't know much about chad owens, but i do know that hawaii passes the ball 90% of the time. i am not sure he would be comfortable in the steeler's offense giving that he would have to be as much a run-blocker as a pass-catcher.

the talent at wide receiver this year is not as good compared to recent years. the steelers have a good team in place w/ a 2nd year qb. chances are that a rookie receiver is not going to be able to scare opposing teams away from doubling up on ward. ben will therefore have to rely heavily on this rookie wr, lee mays, and randel el to get open on crucial third downs.

ERRRRRTTTTT. Wrong answer, Austin! There is TONS of excellent receiver talent in this year's draft. Most of the guys are virtual unknowns. Good in team in place? What about Burress? Who you gonna replace him with? Chances are GOOD that a rookie receiver will scare the defense... IF HE GETS THE BALL! Hines Ward is not Superman, I hate toburst everyone's bubble. He is a possession receiver and not a downfield threat. When you have no downfield threat, it's exactly like DeBiceps pointed out: you can put 10 in the box, and then try throwing 10 yard passes and see where it gets you. In fact, you already saw where it got you with this past Steelers game. The running game can be stopped, the short passing game can be stopped. That is why is imperative to be an OPEN OFFENSE where you at least have the POTENTIAL to throw downfield. You gonna rely on Randel El? That's a scary thought.

There are a ton of excellent receivers with blazing speed that no one knows anything about. That is why Pittsburgh can pick up a Shazor or a Thomas Davis or some other guy to play in the secondary and help out the weak spot of that defense. People also say there are no good LB's in this draft. That's the SECOND biggest lie about this draft class. Many, many quality linebackers as well in this draft. Pittsburgh could come out of this draft looking pretty sweet. Because they can get a good defensive player in the first round, and still potentially get 2-3 awesome unknown receivers in the next rounds.

Foghorn,
Thanks for mentioning the Hines Ward situation. To me that situation speaks volumes about the difference in the two players. Immediately after the game Plaxico is crying around about not getting the ball and Hines is disappointed in not being able to get the Bus an opportunity to play in another Super Bowl before he retires.

How many games did Plaxico miss this year? Didn't the Steelers win each of the games he missed. If he is so important to the Steelers ability to win, how did they win all the games he missed? Just something to consider.

i think everybody on this board knows exactly what hines ward is as a receiver.

i agree that the steelers need to add a down-field threat type guy in the offseason if burress does opt to leave. their offense was much more potent at the beginning of the year when burress was effectively used. the offense was still run-based at that time and should remain run-based in the future.

i havent looked into the nfl draft closely yet. you're probably right that there is talent out there at wr. but from watching a good bit of college football this past season, i remember seeing only 2 wr's who showed the skills the steelers would be looking for....mike williams and braylon edwards. both guys will be gone by the steelers pick. i know there are other guys out there w/ ability, but as i stated previously, the rule of thumb is that young receivers usually do not produce good numbers until their 3rd season for whatever reason. the steelers will have to do a heckuva job scouting to find the right guy to supplant burress.

PlaxiHOE JUST GO!!! GET OUT OF PITTSBURGH AND GO TO BALTIMORE!!!

Go tell Anquan Boldin and Roy Williams that WR's don't do anything until year 3. You know why they did well? THEY GET THE BALL.

It's not so much that you have to rely on a downfield threat, it's that you have the POTENTIAL for a deep strike at any time. It stretches the defense and keeps them honest. When you have shorter yardage receivers like Ward, you can creep up and have more guys availible to stop the offense within a quicker span.

I love this guy saying "Go to Baltimore" like he's some kind of bum. I wonder how much of a bum you people will think he is next season when Baltimore is playing in the AFC championship and Pittsburgh doesn't even make the playoffs? Remember folks: coaching is everything. Rick Neuhisel is the Baltimore QB coach now. That stagnant offense is no more. The Ravens will play in the AFC championship game if they either get Moss or Burress, or draft a very solid receiver. One of those options you might as well carve into stone right now. And with the Patriots taking a coaching hit, the door is open.

Don't be so sold on Mike Williams. Sure, he's a great WR, but you people think Burress is bad? Mike Williams is an even bigger head case than Moss is. My source on Mike Williams had a few very choice things to say about Mr. Williams attitude. Let him go elsewhere, if he's even availible, which he obviously won't be.

Plenty of great WR's, trust me.