No lovin' from The Chin this year...

[DCSteelers]

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07249/815045-66.stm

Now that he's no longer coach of the Steelers, Bill Cowher apparently feels free to play the what-if game.

He predicts the Steelers will finish third in the AFC North behind Baltimore and Cincinnati.

"Those two teams, I think they're still the top two," Cowher said Tuesday on the NFL Network. "And still I think Pittsburgh, they've got a chance with their schedule to get off to a good start, they've got a chance to be a team to be contended with."

I guess we can lump Cowher in to the "Experts" category now.  I don't think I am being a homer, but I honestly cannot see the Bengals finishing ahead of the Steelers this year.  

Who on that team is going to stop the run?  Replace Henry on O?  Deal with the turmoil?  

If the Bengals finish better than the Steelers this year, the Steelers would need to suffer some sort of catastrophic meltdown IMO.
 

[JackSplat]

nothing really controversial...prett y much a sheep in line with the rest of the talking idiots.  At least Bussy came out with some BOLD predictions.

Anyway...dont know about the rest of yinzers...But i cant wait to see Cowher and Sharpe face off over some Statistics!  My spidey senses tell me the overuse of 'predicated' in the very near future as well

[Big Virgil]

And still I think Pittsburgh, they've got a chance with their schedule to get off to a good start, they've got a chance to be a team to be contended with

There is some vintage Cowher beating around the ole bush.

[Hercules50]

The Bengals have seen some changes to their O-Line, as well. I think this is the season that their offense dips a little bit, too, spelling a tough road for them.

I am a little surprised and pissed off that the guy who built this very team and was their coach not 9 months ago is picking us third. I don't think he should be a blind homer but I'd prefer he not make direct statements like that.

[aj_law]

Of course he's going to pick them to struggle.  

It wouldn't exactly say much for his past accomplishments if a rookie coach takes over and leads them to a division title and/or playoff appearance in his first season.  It also wouldn't help if that same rookie coach takes a team that Cowher essentially built and led to a .500 season less than a year ago, and turns them into a contender almost immediately.

Or, maybe this is just his way at trying to help motivate these guys knowing full well that they play their best when most "experts" count them out.

*shrugs*

[BleedGreen710]

Of course he's going to pick them to struggle.  

It wouldn't exactly say much for his past accomplishments if a rookie coach takes over and leads them to a division title and/or playoff appearance in his first season.  It also wouldn't help if that same rookie coach takes a team that Cowher essentially built and led to a .500 season less than a year ago, and turns them into a contender almost immediately.

Or, maybe this is just his way at trying to help motivate these guys knowing full well that they play their best when most "experts" count them out.

*shrugs*

I sure hope thats what he's doing.  I hope that it works.  I'm freakin pumped the NFL is back!!!!!

[mrblack66]

I got no problem with what he said. Until any team plays a meaningful game you have to place the teams in the order they finished last year .

[pensodyssey]

I'm sure Cowher lobbied for Grimmenhunt, and feels somewhat detached from the team now, if not actually betrayed by it.

Besides, he didn't seem to know too much about the teams we played last year (Baltimore blitzes?  Who knew?) when he was in fact the coach and spent his spare time filming reality shows since, so how much can he know now?

[kluisi61]

Of course he's going to pick them to struggle.

Plus he's trying to make a name for himself in the new role. If he picks the Steelers to win it all when everyone else is picking them third, he looks like an idiot if he's wrong (but also a genius of Belichick like proportions if he's right). If he says what everyone else is saying, then he can fall back on, well no one saw this coming. I mean who would have imagined that a team that did so poorly last season, would do so well just one year later. Even if there were perfectly good reasons for why we did so poorly last year.

[JackSplat]

I'm sure Cowher lobbied for Grimmenhunt, and feels somewhat detached from the team now, if not actually betrayed by it.
 

If i recall correctly, Cowher told the FO that Grimm and Whiz were not ready to be head coaches, when consulted upon shortly after his resignation.

and besides...BC is living the american dream of retiring with his family at a young age so he can watch his daughter graduate from HS.  on top of his CBS gig, racing with the stars, dancing with emmitt, and what the fuck else he has lumped into his golden oldie lifestyle