‘U mad, bro?’ knows what you need in these troubling times: The venting of Steelers fans

If there is one thing I have learned from all the covid-19 fallout, it is that as Pittsburghers we have come together.

We are all linking arms while somehow being six feet apart.

We are all pulling on the same rope. Then wiping down that rope with sanitizer.

We are all coming together as a society. While bragging about our social distancing.

Then I read my email box, Facebook threads and my Twitter feed.

Yup. The worst of times brings out the best of my readers.

With that, I give you this week’s “U mad, bro?”

On Tuesday, I wrote a column about the Steelers’ usual slow start to free agency. Barry responded to the post via email.

He was a big fan of it.

“Benz you are a jerk. You should understand the Steelers cap.

Every year the Browns bring in players who are gone the next. Where did they end up last year? The Steelers lost their starting QB and back up & lost several games by 7 points or less.”

Where did the Browns wind up, Barry? The same place as the Steelers the last two years.

Out of the playoffs.

You know the Browns beat the Steelers once last year and tied them the year before, right?

Also, it’s interesting to me that in your response, you left out the whole Baltimore Ravens part of the column.

Gee. Why is that, I wonder?

In terms of the Steelers’ cap situation, yes, I am aware of it. That’s why it is mentioned multiple times in the column.

By the way, 23 of the 32 NFL teams had an average scoring margin between -7.0 and +7.0 points per game in 2019.

In other words, the vast majority of the teams play games within one score. So your assessment of the Steelers losing lots of “7-point games” really isn’t special. Actually, it’s painfully common.

The Steelers’ average scoring margin of -0.9 was 17th.

Regardless, it doesn’t matter how many points you lose by, if you lose too many. And four of the last eight years, the Steelers have lost too many to make the playoffs.

So tell me again who is the “jerk”?

Bob liked the column almost as much as Barry did.

“Don’t worry Benz, Just wait for a couple of years and Lamar Jackson will want his money and Baker Mayfield will want his.

Suddenly, the Ravens and Browns will be cutting guys to make the cap as well. It is called a cycle and all three other teams in the division had to hit bottom to get top picks for QB’s and restart their cycle of cap problems.

This is a really silly story.”

You’re right, the 14-2 AFC North champs just addressed their biggest hole — defensive line — twice (Calais Campbell and Michael Brockers).

The Browns addressed three of their biggest areas of need (tight end, backup quarterback, offensive tackle) with players who were considered to be some of the best available at the positions.

Meanwhile, aside from signing a fullback they’ll never use enough (Derek Watt), the Steelers have done nothing but cut guys and allow players to leave via free agency.

But it was a silly story.

Right.

Also, the Ravens didn’t draft Lamar Jackson because they hit “rock bottom.” They had previously been 9-7. Better than the Steelers’ record last year.

And they took him with the last pick in the first round.

Nice try, though.

The hits keep on coming with this Facebook post from Lee.

“The Steelers are just starting. Plus, ‘winning the offseason’ is never a guarantee of anything.”

Lee, there is a difference between “just starting” and “never getting going.”

P.S. I don’t care about them winning the offseason. I care about them winning playoff games. Something they haven’t done in each of the last three seasons.

Meanwhile, @DaveHammer14 doesn’t think we should be talking about the NFL’s league year during the coronavirus crisis.

Who cares about the league or the league year? Really?

— Studs Efram Pobicki 3rd (@DaveHammer14) March 16, 2020

Based on the amount of readership and responses to the NFL stories we have posted, “Hammer,” hundreds of thousands.

Based on Twitter interaction I have seen, millions.

But I know, I know. The “optics” of the NFL starting the league year on time have been bad.

My God, the “optics”! What matters most in the world right now is “optics”! Seriously, the only thing more contagious than this virus itself is the Twitter-shaming about it.

There is nothing wrong with the NFL starting its league year on time. Coronavirus doesn’t make WiFi or phones sick. And that’s all the NFL executives need to do business so far.

Lighten up, Francis.

“Howie D” agreed with Francis… uh… ”Hammer.”

“Bad timing. Most of the country is worried about their next check. I get supply and demand, but it seems like priorities are in the wrong place right now.“

Who says the NFL offseason is being “prioritized”?

The NFL has eliminated in-person visits for free agents and potential draft choices, scouting department travel, and media interaction after signings.

The league has done everything possible to restrict these transactions to phone calls and emails. The whole process has been minimized to a point we haven’t seen since the mid-80s.

It’s the very definition of prioritizing things differently.

But, please, don’t let me get in the way of your social media preening. The only thing in the world more popular than the NFL is virtue signaling.

The floor is yours.

I got an email from “wbrown1123” after the Steelers signed T.J. Watt’s brother, Derek, in free agency. He had been playing fullback with the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Wow, the Bengals signed a nose tackle (D.J. Reader) and made him the highest paid nose tackle in the NFL? I guess it was a good idea for the Steelers to get a fullback to be the lead blocker.

You never can have too many special team players, too, I guess.”

Of course. If they actually use the fullback for a change. And if they kept Tyler Matakevich as a special teams ace, they wouldn’t have needed another guy to fill that void.

While I agree that Matakevich was overpaid by the Buffalo Bills (two years/$7.15 million), did the Steelers overpay for Watt (three years/$9.75 million)?

Probably.

Unless what they paid him somehow reduces what they will have to bid to keep T.J. Watt in the fold when his contract is extended.

But, trust me, the Bengals signing a nose tackle is not influencing what the Steelers do.

Speaking of the Watt signing, Curtis responded to my story about how Brett Keisel and Steelers fans were trying to woo J.J. Watt to Pittsburgh in an effort to bring all three Watt brothers together.

“Nice thought, but that’s just what the Steelers need: Another defensive lineman who is always injured. #Tuitt. With the salary cap hit, maybe the Steelers would trim the roster to say 40 players?”

Fair point on the 40-man roster.

But, Curtis, think we’d all agree that if you have all three Watts, do you really need the other 37 guys?