Is it Tomlin or is it the players?

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Silent, stone-faced and almost motionless, Mike Tomlin stood inside the double-doors of the Steelers’ locker room to shake hands with every player, as he always does.

Not a syllable exchanged.

And once the last of them crossed — it was Mike Wallace, fittingly, given his late arrival to the game itself — Tomlin pulled those doors shut and began barking, loud enough to be heard from here to San Diego.

I don’t know what all he wound up saying and, in all honesty, couldn’t care less.

Not after the Steelers had just been … not beaten, but smoked by a 5-8 San Diego outfit, 34-24, on Sunday at Heinz Field.

Smoked a week after that buoyant victory in Baltimore.

Smoked by Norv Turner, who earlier in the week was reading reports that the Chargers will fire him at season’s end.

Smoked by Philip Rivers, who was petulantly gabbing all day as if he weren’t, you know, Philip Rivers.

Smoked by a team missing three, often four, offensive linemen.

And most shamefully, smoked in the same season as similar losses to Oakland, Tennessee and Cleveland.

Sorry, Coach, but tearing ’em up after the game is too little, too late.

And besides, this is far too many lousy losses to think it could be anyone else’s fault but the man in charge.

Oh, sure, Tomlin opened his postgame news conference with the standard, “We accept responsibility for it. We move on.” But that really shouldn’t cut it this time. This shouldn’t be about moving on. This should be about figuring out why the Steelers can’t move on every time it seems like they will, why they’re 7-6 when they oh-so-easily could sit atop the AFC.

They could start by simply acknowledging the trend.

When I asked Tomlin if he saw connections between this loss and those other three, he replied, “I hadn’t thought about it in that way. All I focused on was our poor performance today.”

Really, no thought?

Can anyone else explain why it keeps happening?

Ben Roethlisberger: “I have no clue. If I knew, I don’t think we’d do it anymore.”

Isaac Redman: “Can’t say.”

Even Ryan Clark, always the most candid and colorful of the room, was reduced to this: “The team with the lesser record has played better than we have.”

Look, I could throw darts blindfolded and find targets for blame Sunday.

Todd Haley’s head-scratching playcalling included a fourth-and-1 in which Redman took a deep handoff with no fullback, a last-minute drive in the first half in which Plaxico Burress wore a tousle cap in standing next to Haley and, by far most inexplicable, a generally bad time to revisit the very Ben-being-Ben strategy he’d been hired to ditch, given Roethlisberger returning from a serious injury.

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/dejankovacevic/dejancolumns/3102976-74/tomlin-steelers-smoked#ixzz2EelTaDla

This trend didn't just start with Tomlin. These types of games, you know the ones where we play down to the competition, started with Cowher.

From time to time, the Steelers throughout a given season have been known to be lacking drive, motivation, and determination to finish off other teams. Cowher didn't have an answer, and I'm certain Tomlin won't be able to find one either.

I believe it comes down to one thing. Leadership. Not just the coaches leading the players, but the players leading the players. On and off the field. This team apparently does not have the right individual to lead the team. Offense, Defense, or Special Teams, and while that responsibility falls on the coach to get a leader, a player, any player, needs to stand up and take that responsibility.

I have to wonder if this is a case similar to what was happening with Coughlin and the Giants in '07...where he was attempting to use the constant hard ass, drill sergeant approach with his team when they were losing all those games. They didn't start winning again till he eased up.

I know Tomlin is a good coach and knows what he's doing. Same with Lebeau. I know we have good to great players who know what they're doing and know how to win games. The only thing that seems to really be off is attitude. I just have to wonder if Tomlin, instead of barking at his players after a loss (which yes, needs done at certain times...but it would just be falling on deaf ears if it was every time), if he needs to work more personally with them. If that makes any sense. It's just sort of a general feeling I've picked up on this season. Sometimes the no nonsense, drill sergeant approach isn't the way to go.

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I believe it comes down to one thing. Leadership

I said this in another post and I said it in the beginning of the season.

I know it isn't lack of talent. I really don't think Tomlin is to blame. And, I'm not saying we would have a perfect record if we had team leadership such as Farrior and Ward. I do think it makes a difference to the team as whole when you have team leaders that can fire up the players. We severely lack in that department. I read yesterday that Clark said something to the effect that the team was lifeless.

To borrow the quote from "Remember the Titans" -- "Leadership reflects attitude"

Gingerchip wrote:

Quote :

I believe it comes down to one thing. Leadership

I said this in another post and I said it in the beginning of the season.

I know it isn't lack of talent. I really don't think Tomlin is to blame. And, I'm not saying we would have a perfect record if we had team leadership such as Farrior and Ward. I do think it makes a difference to the team as whole when you have team leaders that can fire up the players. We severely lack in that department. I read yesterday that Clark said something to the effect that the team was lifeless.

To borrow the quote from "Remember the Titans" -- "Leadership reflects attitude"

I think that's part of it, no leadership. I had really hoped someone, hell anyone, would have stepped up and tried to be the guy to assume a leadership mantel. I thought maybe Woodley, Clark, or Polamalu would have done it, but everyone seems to be just standing around waiting for someone else to do it. Woodley and Polamalu have been hurt so much, they haven't been on the field quite enough to do it.

I'm beginning to think that Woodley is not the guy because he doesn't even seem to get himself motivated early enough in a season. I don't want a guy who's not ready from day one leading this team. Although Wood has the ability to turn it on later in the season and go on a tear, he just seems like he comes into the beginning of a season a little lazy, unmotivated, and out of football shape. It may also be contributing to some of his injuries the past couple of seasons.

Polamalu is just too quiet and reserved and injured way too often these days. I really thought he could be the guy, but he's content just doing his part (when healthy) and doesn't seem to have that vocal leadership mentality. He tries to lead by example, but it seems others are not following.

Clark has been a beast this year, but I'm a little bothered by the fact he never seems to be shy about talking a lot in the media, but doesn't seize the reins of this defense as a more vocal leader. He has the experience and has shown on the field that he can back up his talk. I don't understand why, instead of moaning in the press about this team being lifeless, he doesn't start cracking some heads in that locker room and waking these guys up. Look them in the eye, tell them this is NOT the Steeler way, and start pushing these guys. Calling them out in the media is only going to sow bitterness. Stand up and take it if no one else wants it. Somebody has to or they might as well just pack it in.

I'd like to see Timmons pick up the leadership role of this team. He seems to be motivated on the field and his emotion is raw, yet still in check.

Offensively, Ben is now responsible for this unit. He needs to grab the bull by the horns and make this unit the dominate unit they should have been from day 1.

stlrtruck wrote:

I'd like to see Timmons pick up the leadership role of this team. He seems to be motivated on the field and his emotion is raw, yet still in check.

Offensively, Ben is now responsible for this unit. He needs to grab the bull by the horns and make this unit the dominate unit they should have been from day 1.

I love Timmons' play on the field. He's really stepped it up, but he's another silent type. I remember somebody posted an article that said they even joke about how quiet he is in the locker room. I think Colon or somebody said that he doesn't even know if Timmons has ever said two words to him in the years they've spent together here.

As far as Ben, something still seems missing with him as a leader. I'm not sure if it's some residual resentment for some of the special treatment he's received over the years, some of his past reported attitude problems and general dislike from teammates, and/or his unwillingness to get into guys' faces or criticize his teammates. Something just doesn't seem to be there as far as pushing the guys around him to be better whether it's his fault or not.

We just don't seem to have a guy on either side of the ball that is willing to ruffle some feathers and push guys to be great. Somebody who can fire up the troops and get them to rally around him/them. Ward and Farrior were those guys and we let both walk without having their heirs apparent in waiting. It's proving costly.

Leadership starts with the coaching staff and trickles down to the players. Tomlin and company need to pull their collective heads out of their asses and prove to everyone why they are coaching a Super Bowl caliper team. We know the talent is there, but it is being mismanaged, and that falls squarely on the coaching staff.

Once they have a coach/coaches to get behind, then the players can begin to gel behind the leader/s that step up.

Drizztbob wrote:

Leadership starts with the coaching staff and trickles down to the players. Tomlin and company need to pull their collective heads out of their asses and prove to everyone why they are coaching a Super Bowl caliper team. We know the talent is there, but it is being mismanaged, and that falls squarely on the coaching staff.

Once they have a coach/coaches to get behind, then the players can begin to gel behind the leader/s that step up.

And it is for that exact reason that I'm of the opinion that Tomlin's welcome has worn out. I say "next man up"!!

Its both the coaching and player execution that is lacking from time to time.

steelerdude15 wrote:

Its both the coaching and player execution that is lacking from time to time.

Agreed. It just seems like this team is rarely capable of hitting on all cylinders at once. One week the defense is good and the offense is bad, the next it's the opposite. Then you'll have a week where the coaches obviously failed the team during the week followed by a week where the players can't seem to execute no matter how good the game plan. It's absolutely maddening to watch at times.

I honestly don't know what needs to happen to fix it. A good start would be if some players stepped up and took a more vocal leadership role. We need another few guys like Joey Porter, Greg Lloyd, Hines Ward, James Farrior, etc. to light a fire under this team.

As far as coaching, I haven't been on the "fire Tomlin" bandwagon, but I'm not sure how many more times I can stomach watching the Steelers come out flat and unprepared against inferior bottom feeders like Oakland, Tennessee, Cleveland, San Diego, Kansas City, etc. That kind of crap falls squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff, primarily Mike Tomlin. There is absolutely no excuse for a team with the talent we have coming out and laying some of the rotten stillborn eggs that we've seen the past few years. It's one thing to have a bad team get up for and play hard against us, give us their best, and just be the better team on a given Sunday, but it's another altogether to watch our team come out and show zero heart, urgency, or determination and continue handing games away to subpar teams with repeated turnovers and penalties that kill us.

Sooner or later Tomlin is going to have to answer for that with something more than his usual clichèd coach speak. I'm not calling for his head yet, but I am signaling the bullpen for the executioner to get warmed up and ready if it continues much longer. Enough is enough.

Drizztbob wrote:

Leadership starts with the coaching staff and trickles down to the players. Tomlin and company need to pull their collective heads out of their asses and prove to everyone why they are coaching a Super Bowl caliper team. We know the talent is there, but it is being mismanaged, and that falls squarely on the coaching staff.

Once they have a coach/coaches to get behind, then the players can begin to gel behind the leader/s that step up.

agreed 100%. im not ready to cast tomlin away but i really hope to see a much more disciplined and fundamentally sound team

Tomlin doesn’t ‘run away’ from Keisel comments
By Alan Robinson
Published: Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 1:30 p.m.


With a month remaining in their season and a playoff berth still not secured, the Steelers weren‘t ready to play an important home game against the Chargers, according to defensive end Brett Keisel.

The head coach doesn‘t disagree with him.

Coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday, “I don‘t run away from that” assessment and that a much better performance — mentally and physically — is required Sunday in Dallas.

The Steelers (7-6) fell behind by 13-0, 20-3 and 27-3 in losing Sunday to the Chargers (5-8), who had lost seven of eight games amid reports that their coach and general manager will be fired when the season ends.

As a result, Tomlin agrees that his team wasn‘t in a state of readiness.

“I don‘t mind a guy speaking the truth as he sees it under any circumstances. I‘m a result-oriented guy and the result of that performance would lead you to believe that was a possibility,” Tomlin said of Keisel‘s remarks. “So I don‘t run away from that. The proof is in the pudding. I felt good about our preparation and our overall game readiness, but our play didn‘t display that. So I agree with him.”



Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3113098-85/steelers-tomlin-dallas#ixzz2EmbTuBDI
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No shit! How can you NOT agree with him? He's right! That's like saying, well I have to agree with you, we lost against San Diego. It's not an opinion, it's a fact.

Bottom line is this....The Steelers are a way better team that what they faced this past Sunday. I see there is no excuse other than the players on the field. Ben was not Ben in the first 3 quarters....Wallace still has stone hand syndrome (yea I know he made some good also for TD's) The offensive line was not up to par either..