Will the Bye & Home field work to the Steelers advantage?

**Steel Trap86** · 12-15-2008, 12:15 PM

Haha Well obviously its good the Steelers can take a well needed week off to rest up and better prepare for whoever the upcoming opponent is, but we all know the Steelers play well under pressure and on the road. sh!t they are road warriors man. Home field advantage throughout the playoffs is supposed to be a good thing and I'm not saying it isnt, but tell that to last years team who lost to the Jags twice in Pittsburgh...and the bye week is good for getting healthy and rested, but not so good for staying in rythme, which is exactly what the Steelers are in right now, a win streak. The 05 Steelers & the 07 Giants are great examples of the "hard way" but it doesnt get any sweeter then that does it?! Now that we are the #2 seed and playing Tennessee next week, the #1 seed, there's no doubt we're playing for that #1 spot. Home field advantage will be good when the Steelers play the Colts again, because I dont think we want to see the Colts in that dome, but teams like the Jets, Patriots, Dolphins, Broncos even the RAVENS can get beaten where ever we play.

I'm all for the Bye and the Home field Im coming out for the AFC championship game if its in Pittsburgh lol, but I still say it has its advantages and disadvantages.

**Iron City South** · 12-15-2008, 12:22 PM

I'm not sure what you said ....

but in all honesty .... Who gives a damn where we play?, .... bring 'em on!

**JensK** · 12-15-2008, 12:23 PM

We are good on the road, but many of these teams would FEAR to come into Pittsburgh in the middle of january. Its cold, its snowy and its god aweful... We are healthier now than last year (so far at least.. knock on woods!). Also, i can only imagine how fired up Heinz field would be in a AFC Championship game. We are smarter than last year. I think it'll be alright.

As for the bye-week.. It is much much needed at that point. Tomlin, of course, needs to keep them going. He needs to practice single day with them. We all know how rusty we always are after a bye-week.

**ejsteeler** · 12-15-2008, 12:28 PM

Very huge for us and we would do great at home. Think about it, it's bad enough that Steeler Nation invades other stadiums at will and turns a home field advantage around. Now imagine that energy concentrated into the huge mass of Steeler faithful that would be in Heinz Field and you get one hell of a ruckus! No one wants to play in those circumstances against our D.

**blackngold29** · 12-15-2008, 12:29 PM

Yeah, I have mixed feelings about it because the 05 team obviously proved the home field is not a must, and having homefield hasn't ever seemed to help us in the playoffs (recent years anyway) so I dunno, but I'd rather watch a home game than away. The important thing is that we're in and we have a bye.

**Steel Trap86** · 12-15-2008, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by JensK

As for the bye-week.. It is much much needed at that point. Tomlin, of course, needs to keep them going. He needs to practice single day with them. We all know how rusty we always are after a bye-week.

ya thats what im saying, tomlin needs to keep them going and knock all the rust off before it even starts!!

I love that the Steelers are gonna have some home playoff games, but I'd love it even more if the WON them....straight up

**LarryNJ** · 12-15-2008, 01:46 PM

The chances are good that we get 2 home games even if we don't have the number 1 seed. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Titans are 1 and done.

**Troyisabeast_43** · 12-15-2008, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by LarryNJ

The chances are good that we get 2 home games even if we don't have the number 1 seed. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the Titans are 1 and done.

I agree I dont think Tennessee goes far at all in the playoffs. That's the good news about this whole scenario. The only team the Steelers would have to go on the road and face in the playoffs would be the Titans. Going down there this week and playing them whether the Steelers win or lose will have the Steelers even more prepared for the Titans come playoff time should they have to make another trip to Nashville. Every other team though that I believe are much better then the Titans such as the Colts,Jets,Pats,Baltimore,and even Denver or Miami MUST all come here into Heinz Field and win if they hope to advance anywhere. Goodluck trying to win in Pittsburgh in January especially with crowd noise being insane for those playoff games at Heinz Field,also with possible bad weather, and the way this defense is just playing out of their minds here pretty much the whole season.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 12-15-2008, 02:01 PM

We've proven we can win the road or at home so either way we're in the drivers seat to atleast get 1 playoff game at home but it would be the best case to have both the divisional and championship games there at Heinz. Having the homecrowd behind the defense when they need it is a big lift.

There's not a player in the league that wouldn't want to stay in the cozy confines of their home crowd in the do or die situations that come in January.