In depth: Pittsburgh Steelers

by | Mar 4, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

The Pittsburgh Steelers certainly did better in 2011 than many previous teams coming off of Super Bowl losses. They finished 12-4 and got into the playoffs. But they were far from a dominant team, losing twice to division rival Baltimore and succumbing early in the playoffs to a plucky Denver team.

Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert will have their hands full in 2012 trying to match the success of the last two seasons. There remain questions along the offensive and defensive lines. Age is becoming a factor in several key areas, which means younger guys with promising skills but little experience will have to step up and play key roles. And salary cap issues mean Pittsburgh could lose other key contributors from past seasons, most notably deep threat wide receiver Mike Wallace.

But the Steelers are run as well as any team in the league. So where does this team go from here? Neal Coolong, assistant editor of Behind the Steel Curtain, joined us to share some thoughts. Here’s what he had to say:

Zoneblitz: Coming off of a Super Bowl loss, Pittsburgh had a pretty good season but didn’t win the division and lost to an inferior Denver team. What happened in the playoff game and how do you grade the 2011 season? (more…)

In depth: Detroit Lions

by | Feb 27, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

Not that long ago the Detroit Lions were a laughingstock, finishing the 2008 season without a single win. Those days are long gone now. With a stud receiver in Calvin Johnson and a quarterback in Matthew Stafford approaching elite levels, Detroit has a pair of stars on offense who are still getting better.

They’re complemented by talented skill players like Brandon Pettigrew, Titus Young and, if he can overcome his injuries, the exciting Jahvid Best. And on defense, Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh star on a defensive line that anchors a fast-improving unit that helped the Lions finish 10-6 while earning their first playoff berth since 1999.

There are still improvements to be made, but this is a team built for sustained success. So how do they get to the next level? Zac Snyder, editor of the SideLion Report, shared some of his thoughts. Here’s what he had to say:

Zoneblitz: With Mikel Leshoure missing the season and Jahvid Best’s future uncertain, what does the future of Detroit’s run game look like?

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In depth: Atlanta Falcons

by | Feb 26, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

Coach Mike Smith and General Manager Thomas Dimitroff have manufactured the longest stretch of winning regular seasons in the history of the Atlanta Falcons. But the team has struggled mightily in the postseason, losing in blowouts to Green Bay and the New York Giants in back-to-back seasons.

Still, the cupboard is overflowing, with quarterback Matt Ryan and two stud wideouts in Julio Jones and Roddy White being complemented by a solid corps of players on both sides of the ball. But tight end Tony Gonzalez and running back Michael Turner are aging. And defensive end John Abraham and cornerback Brent Grimes are free agents. So where do the Falcons go from here and how do they take the next step toward becoming a Super Bowl contender?

Jamie Kelly, senior editor of Blogging Dirty, joined us to share his thoughts.

Zoneblitz: How would you assess Matt Ryan’s development? (more…)

In depth: Cincinnati Bengals

by | Feb 24, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

When Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco Johnson both moved on from Cincinnati heading into 2011 it looked like the Bengals could be in for another long season. But then a strange thing happened: Andy Dalton started finding AJ Green on a regular basis, the defense occasionally stepped up and suddenly this once-moribund franchise was being competitive every week.

There are still holes on this roster. But the Dalton-to-Green combination has Bengals fans and observers as optimistic as they’ve been in years. So how do the Bengals keep moving forward and avoid taking another step back? Josh Kirkendall, senior editor for the Cincy Jungle, gave us his thoughts.

Zoneblitz: Will Andy Dalton and AJ Green repeat the success of their rookie years? (more…)

In depth: Tennessee Titans

by | Feb 22, 2012 | 2011 season, 2012 season, NFL Draft, NFL Free Agency, NFL Random Thoughts

It’d been 2008 since the Tennessee Titans had a winning record when Mike Munchak replaced Jeff fisher as head coach following the 2010 season. Expectations were low, but Tennessee produced nine wins despite the underperformance of running back Chris Johnson and some key injuries.

Also promising was the play of rookie quarterback Jake Locker. He sat most of the season behind Matt Hasselbeck, but came into several games in relief and looked like a potential star. So where do the Titans go from there?

Justin Stewart, editor of the blog Titan Sized, shared his thoughts with Zoneblitz.

Zoneblitz: What did you think of Mike Munchak’s first year as head coach? (more…)