Stephen A. Smith on Steelers loss

Video: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=14450505

Extended Version:

Didn't watch. Can't take 8:24 of Stephen A.......

DesertSteel wrote:

Didn't watch. Can't take 8:24 of Stephen A.......

You should have and you should still because he is 100% correct! Steven A is a loud,obnoxious person but he said what the Yinzers and Homers are afraid to hear and unwilling to admit. The defense is 90% garbage, there are maybe 3 guys on the defense that I would consider worthy of returning next year and people don't want to hear it but Tomlin does this much too often and the ONLY reason he has the record coaching is Ben. If it weren't for Big Ben the guy would be unemployed by now because he wouldn't have 1 single winning season without the aid of a Top 3 QB to lead the team and carry this worthless defense that Colbert and Tomlin have put together.

Put the crack pipe down dude! 90% really? I think the defense is about 3 guys away from being really good! A better pass rusher and 2 in the secondary would help the rest look really good!

That being said, this is about the worse loss for myself in recent history and S.A.Smith is pretty damn accurate here.

Not a big fan of Stephen A but the dude nailed it.

100 % right! INEXCUSABLE!!!!

Don't care if you like him or not he is 100% correct.

WCSteeler wrote:

DesertSteel wrote:

Didn't watch. Can't take 8:24 of Stephen A.......

You should have and you should still because he is 100% correct! Steven A is a loud,obnoxious person but he said what the Yinzers and Homers are afraid to hear and unwilling to admit. The defense is 90% garbage, there are maybe 3 guys on the defense that I would consider worthy of returning next year and people don't want to hear it but Tomlin does this much too often and the ONLY reason he has the record coaching is Ben. If it weren't for Big Ben the guy would be unemployed by now because he wouldn't have 1 single winning season without the aid of a Top 3 QB to lead the team and carry this worthless defense that Colbert and Tomlin have put together.

OK I'm curious. Who are the 3? Before you answer I'll throw out some names: Tuitt,Heyward, Moats. These would be my guess for the 3. What about Dupree? (bust?) Shazier (bust?) Does MCcullers have future?
J.Jones (bust?) Maybe not but a serious underachiever. What about the guys we haven't seen yet like Grant. Throw him out with the rest because he got hurt.

I won't defend Tomlin but to say his success is only because he has Ben I think is a real stretch. While Ben is the best player we have he is not our sole reason for winning. Go back and watch some of his games where afterward he says that the defense bailed him out.

In will say this. If this team goes into Cleveland not pissed off and looking for someone to kick the shit out of I will seriously question Tomlin's motivational skills. Hell I already do!
Our defense is far from great but they have proven they can play good enough to not loose games. So it goes back to Tomlin getting them prepared. My guess here is he told these guys Baltimore was a walk on game on our way to the playoffs. That's the only way I can imagine us being so unprepared for that game.

We can sit here and say they are professionals and should execute and that's true but a team also assumes the identity of their coach. If this is true then Tomlin is bipolar. What else can it be?

Defense is a few key pieces away from being a much more consistent and intimidating unit. Right now the glaring issue is the secondary, and the outside linebackers not being able to generate a consistent pass rush, but it's not as though Tomlin and company haven't tried to address that issue, they've spent multiple first round picks on the position and unfortunately one of those picks isn't really panning out, and the other is a rookie so only time is going to tell if he'll really get better or not. Nobody is making excuses for these guys, that's just the cold hard truth of the matter.

That being said, I can't really disagree with anything Stephen A. Smith said outside of his remark about wishing that we had Arians back as our offensive coordinator. We should be upset and disappointed with last Sunday's game. You cannot go in and lose against a team being quarterbacked by a guy that had spent a whopping 10 days with the team coming into the game... You cannot go in and put up that kind of pathetic performance when everything is out on the table, and you control your own destiny.

Stephen A. Smith is spot on....garbage performance all round. I don't think MT prepared properly if he thought that the Ravens would just roll over and let us tickle their belly. They wanted it more than us and MT is guilty of not abiding by his mantra of taking it "one game at a time." He was already looking to the wildcard. How else can you explain such a lacklustre performance. All being said, it's not MT's job to motivate the players for the most hated rivalry in the NFL. If the players can't do that themselves, on millions of dollars a year then they shouldn't be there! Hopefully we can address some of our issues in the draft and free agency but I'm already thinking we won't get all we need for this team until another 2/3 years. We still don't have a pass rush and secondary. #92 has maybe one more limited season,#95 is an underachiever...what I'd give for another #95 in Greig Lloyd! Dupree needs some time and shazier needs a few better players to play beside him. The front 3 are fine but we don't have a lot of depth behind these guys. All in all its been a good season but such s huge huge disappointment with Sunday's loss. I've gotta feeling....that it's going to be a long post season if we miss out and my gut feeling is we will.

I'd like to share everyone's optimism about the defense being a couple of key pieces away but I don't agree. I think Tuitt is a great d-lineman and will only get better with time. Cam has gotten much better and I think he fits the "original" Steeler defensive design and will only get better. Timmons is the best all around LB the Steelers have. At the moment Bud Dupree is still very young and very rough often caught way out of position but has the potential to be a key factor. As for guys like Shazier (atrocious in coverage) Jarvis Jones....really? And the Secondary they are non-Impact players who miss more than they're fair share of tackles and don't make the splash plays defenses need to keep offensive juggernauts like Ryan Mallet and his group of Pro bowl WRs from moving up and down the field with ease

WCSteeler wrote:

Steven A is a loud,obnoxious person

And, it's usually stupid things he says quite loudly and obnoxiously, so that's why I don't like him. I would seem that he and Skip Brainless are made for each other, because they both take turns matching each others stupidity. That being said, and I hate to say it, he's pretty much saying what I'm thinking about the game. Just a turd salad from every Steeler (player or coach) except DW.

WCSteeler wrote:

DesertSteel wrote:

Didn't watch. Can't take 8:24 of Stephen A.......

You should have and you should still because he is 100% correct! Steven A is a loud,obnoxious person but he said what the Yinzers and Homers are afraid to hear and unwilling to admit. The defense is 90% garbage, there are maybe 3 guys on the defense that I would consider worthy of returning next year and people don't want to hear it but Tomlin does this much too often and the ONLY reason he has the record coaching is Ben. If it weren't for Big Ben the guy would be unemployed by now because he wouldn't have 1 single winning season without the aid of a Top 3 QB to lead the team and carry this worthless defense that Colbert and Tomlin have put together.

So that's why he has won 3 of the 5 games this year with Vick or Landry Jones at QB?

Stella Nation wrote:

WCSteeler wrote:

DesertSteel wrote:

Didn't watch. Can't take 8:24 of Stephen A.......

You should have and you should still because he is 100% correct! Steven A is a loud,obnoxious person but he said what the Yinzers and Homers are afraid to hear and unwilling to admit. The defense is 90% garbage, there are maybe 3 guys on the defense that I would consider worthy of returning next year and people don't want to hear it but Tomlin does this much too often and the ONLY reason he has the record coaching is Ben. If it weren't for Big Ben the guy would be unemployed by now because he wouldn't have 1 single winning season without the aid of a Top 3 QB to lead the team and carry this worthless defense that Colbert and Tomlin have put together.

So that's why he has won 3 of the 5 games this year with Vick or Landry Jones at QB?

Defense played lights out for most of those games.
The Chargers game was close because of the D until OC Roethlisberger dialed up the deep ball to Wheaton lol and Vick made the big Vick splash play on the final drive to get them close before Bell ended it.
The Cards game was all D really and then Jones put them over the top.

The Steelers are an offensive team and people need to realize that.
Splash plays on D is what will win you games now in the grand scheme of things cause you hope to cash in on those extra possessions. Just look at last years Super Bowl, the cheatriots had no business winning that game the splash play won it.

Mind you that's my opinion lol

SteelersNorth wrote:

Stella Nation wrote:

WCSteeler wrote:

DesertSteel wrote:

Didn't watch. Can't take 8:24 of Stephen A.......

You should have and you should still because he is 100% correct! Steven A is a loud,obnoxious person but he said what the Yinzers and Homers are afraid to hear and unwilling to admit. The defense is 90% garbage, there are maybe 3 guys on the defense that I would consider worthy of returning next year and people don't want to hear it but Tomlin does this much too often and the ONLY reason he has the record coaching is Ben. If it weren't for Big Ben the guy would be unemployed by now because he wouldn't have 1 single winning season without the aid of a Top 3 QB to lead the team and carry this worthless defense that Colbert and Tomlin have put together.

So that's why he has won 3 of the 5 games this year with Vick or Landry Jones at QB?

Defense played lights out for most of those games.
The Chargers game was close because of the D until OC Roethlisberger dialed up the deep ball to Wheaton lol and Vick made the big Vick splash play on the final drive to get them close before Bell ended it.
The Cards game was all D really and then Jones put them over the top.

The Steelers are an offensive team and people need to realize that.
Splash plays on D is what will win you games now in the grand scheme of things cause you hope to cash in on those extra possessions. Just look at last years Super Bowl, the cheatriots had no business winning that game the splash play won it.

Mind you that's my opinion lol

I know that the defense has won those games and not Vick or Jones. But why not giving credit to Tomlin too for those wins? Somehow he and the coaching staff managed to win games without their best player. Look at what happened to the Cowboys when they lost Romo and other teams who lost some of their best players.

I love the Tomlin haters at this time of the year. They wish he was gone and some of the other greats would be here instead.

Doug Marrone, Adam Gase, Chip Kelly, Josh McDaniels or some of the other great candidates on the market?

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

I love the Tomlin haters at this time of the year.  They wish he was gone and some of the other greats would be here instead.  

Doug Marrone, Adam Gase, Chip Kelly, Josh McDaniels or some of the other great candidates on the market?

Whisenhunt! Honestly Tomlin I think deserves more credit than he gets. He had five games with his QB this year and went 3-2 in those games and honestly would have gone 4-1 if Scobee wasn't portraying Ray Finkle. I mean he still has some things that drive me crazy. I thought it was foolish going for it on fourth down against the Ravens but he's a good coach and I think if the Steelers let him go, he'd find a job in no time.

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

I love the Tomlin haters at this time of the year.  They wish he was gone and some of the other greats would be here instead.  

Doug Marrone, Adam Gase, Chip Kelly, Josh McDaniels or some of the other great candidates on the market?

Whisenhunt! Honestly Tomlin I think deserves more credit than he gets. He had five games with his QB this year and went 3-2 in those games and honestly would have gone 4-1 if Scobee wasn't portraying Ray Finkle.  I mean he still has some things that drive me crazy. I thought it was foolish going for it on fourth down against the Ravens but he's a good coach and I think if the Steelers let him go, he'd find a job in no time.

Yup, coaches get all the blame for having losing teams, but while over 68% of the teams in the NFL are done for the year, people find time to bitch about a coach that has his team in the playoffs.

I've been a Steeler fan for over 35 years, but I'm kind of ashamed of some of the spoiled fanbase that cant appreciate getting to the postseason while the defense is this bad. Be happy you aren't lifelong Viking fans.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

ImmaculateGreenePolamalu wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

I love the Tomlin haters at this time of the year.  They wish he was gone and some of the other greats would be here instead.  

Doug Marrone, Adam Gase, Chip Kelly, Josh McDaniels or some of the other great candidates on the market?

Whisenhunt! Honestly Tomlin I think deserves more credit than he gets. He had five games with his QB this year and went 3-2 in those games and honestly would have gone 4-1 if Scobee wasn't portraying Ray Finkle.  I mean he still has some things that drive me crazy. I thought it was foolish going for it on fourth down against the Ravens but he's a good coach and I think if the Steelers let him go, he'd find a job in no time.

Yup, coaches get all the blame for having losing teams, but while over 68% of the teams in the NFL are done for the year, people find time to bitch about a coach that has his team in the playoffs.

I've been a Steeler fan for over 35 years, but I'm kind of ashamed of some of the spoiled fanbase that cant appreciate getting to the postseason while the defense is this bad.   Be happy you aren't lifelong Viking fans.

We're spoiled no doubt and frankly that's okay, I just wish more teams would realize it. We haven't had a sub 500 since 2003. I mean I get why people get upest. We're fans but I think a lot of fans don't appreciate that Tomlin is in fact a good coach and believe he's just coasting off of having Ben. Maybe Ben has helped him but he certainly wouldn't be alone and frankly in the small samples where he's had Ben out for good chunks of the year i.e. 2010 and this year, the team still made the playoffs. I do think Mike's biggest challenge as a HC will be when he inevitably has to choose Ben's successor but I frankly think that's a great challenge for any coach.

Stella Nation wrote:

SteelersNorth wrote:

Stella Nation wrote:

WCSteeler wrote:

DesertSteel wrote:

Didn't watch. Can't take 8:24 of Stephen A.......

You should have and you should still because he is 100% correct! Steven A is a loud,obnoxious person but he said what the Yinzers and Homers are afraid to hear and unwilling to admit. The defense is 90% garbage, there are maybe 3 guys on the defense that I would consider worthy of returning next year and people don't want to hear it but Tomlin does this much too often and the ONLY reason he has the record coaching is Ben. If it weren't for Big Ben the guy would be unemployed by now because he wouldn't have 1 single winning season without the aid of a Top 3 QB to lead the team and carry this worthless defense that Colbert and Tomlin have put together.

So that's why he has won 3 of the 5 games this year with Vick or Landry Jones at QB?

Defense played lights out for most of those games.
The Chargers game was close because of the D until OC Roethlisberger dialed up the deep ball to Wheaton lol and Vick made the big Vick splash play on the final drive to get them close before Bell ended it.
The Cards game was all D really and then Jones put them over the top.

The Steelers are an offensive team and people need to realize that.
Splash plays on D is what will win you games now in the grand scheme of things cause you hope to cash in on those extra possessions. Just look at last years Super Bowl, the cheatriots had no business winning that game the splash play won it.

Mind you that's my opinion lol

I know that the defense has won those games and not Vick or Jones. But why not giving credit to Tomlin too for those wins? Somehow he and the coaching staff managed to win games without their best player. Look at what happened to the Cowboys when they lost Romo and other teams who lost some of their best players.

And some teams don't win with their franchise QBs. The Saints have struggled with Brees the last two years. The Chargers didn't look too good with Rivers this year. The Ravens sucked even with Flacco. So winning takes more than just a few players in the NFL. And the coach should be given credit. If you had thought of the guys that would be injured this year and someone told you they would be 10-6 and in the playoffs, you would have thought they were crazy. Tomlin and the coaching staff have done great work with the team this year.

kirklandrules wrote:

Stella Nation wrote:

SteelersNorth wrote:

Stella Nation wrote:

WCSteeler wrote:

DesertSteel wrote:

Didn't watch. Can't take 8:24 of Stephen A.......

You should have and you should still because he is 100% correct! Steven A is a loud,obnoxious person but he said what the Yinzers and Homers are afraid to hear and unwilling to admit. The defense is 90% garbage, there are maybe 3 guys on the defense that I would consider worthy of returning next year and people don't want to hear it but Tomlin does this much too often and the ONLY reason he has the record coaching is Ben. If it weren't for Big Ben the guy would be unemployed by now because he wouldn't have 1 single winning season without the aid of a Top 3 QB to lead the team and carry this worthless defense that Colbert and Tomlin have put together.

So that's why he has won 3 of the 5 games this year with Vick or Landry Jones at QB?

Defense played lights out for most of those games.
The Chargers game was close because of the D until OC Roethlisberger dialed up the deep ball to Wheaton lol and Vick made the big Vick splash play on the final drive to get them close before Bell ended it.
The Cards game was all D really and then Jones put them over the top.

The Steelers are an offensive team and people need to realize that.
Splash plays on D is what will win you games now in the grand scheme of things cause you hope to cash in on those extra possessions. Just look at last years Super Bowl, the cheatriots had no business winning that game the splash play won it.

Mind you that's my opinion lol

I know that the defense has won those games and not Vick or Jones. But why not giving credit to Tomlin too for those wins? Somehow he and the coaching staff managed to win games without their best player. Look at what happened to the Cowboys when they lost Romo and other teams who lost some of their best players.

And some teams don't win with their franchise QBs. The Saints have struggled with Brees the last two years. The Chargers didn't look too good with Rivers this year. The Ravens sucked even with Flacco. So winning takes more than just a few players in the NFL. And the coach should be given credit. If you had thought of the guys that would be injured this year and someone told you they would be 10-6 and in the playoffs, you would have thought they were crazy. Tomlin and the coaching staff have done great work with the team this year.

Right on.

kirklandrules wrote:

Tomlin and the coaching staff have done great work with the team this year.

I like Tomlin, but I think good work is more like it to me.

Great work would have been if they could have gotten more from the young guys and veterans in the defense. This defense actually isn't really that different from last year, but everybody wanted LeBeau gone, but is somehow satisfied with the job Butler did.

2014 Defense, 18th in YPG allowed (353.4 Yards), 27th in passing YPG (253.1), 6th in Rushing YPG (100.3) , 18th in points allowed (23.0 pts /game)

2015 Defense, 21st in YPG allowed (363.1 YPG), 30th in Passing YPG (271.9), 5th in Rushing YPG (91.2), 11th in points allowed (19.9 pts/ game)

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

kirklandrules wrote:

Tomlin and the coaching staff have done great work with the team this year.

I like Tomlin, but I think good work is more like it to me.

Great work would have been if they could have gotten more from the young guys and veterans in the defense.  This defense actually isn't really that different from last year, but everybody wanted LeBeau gone, but is somehow satisfied with the job Butler did.

2014 Defense, 18th in YPG allowed (353.4 Yards), 27th in passing YPG (253.1), 6th in Rushing YPG (100.3) , 18th in points allowed (23.0 pts /game)

2015 Defense, 21st in YPG allowed (363.1 YPG), 30th in Passing YPG (271.9), 5th in Rushing YPG (91.2), 11th in points allowed (19.9 pts/ game)

Interersting comparisons.

Also have to factor in an increase in generating turnovers via picks or forced fumbles which did happen this year.

Butler's more aggressive with the blitz....I think that helps create the impression the defense is different despite what the stats show.

FrancoLambert wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

kirklandrules wrote:

Tomlin and the coaching staff have done great work with the team this year.

I like Tomlin, but I think good work is more like it to me.

Great work would have been if they could have gotten more from the young guys and veterans in the defense.  This defense actually isn't really that different from last year, but everybody wanted LeBeau gone, but is somehow satisfied with the job Butler did.

2014 Defense, 18th in YPG allowed (353.4 Yards), 27th in passing YPG (253.1), 6th in Rushing YPG (100.3) , 18th in points allowed (23.0 pts /game)

2015 Defense, 21st in YPG allowed (363.1 YPG), 30th in Passing YPG (271.9), 5th in Rushing YPG (91.2), 11th in points allowed (19.9 pts/ game)

Interersting comparisons.

Also have to factor in an increase in generating turnovers via picks or forced fumbles which did happen this year.

Butler's more aggressive with the blitz....I think that helps create the impression the defense is different despite what the stats show.

2014: 21 takeaways - #23 in NFL, 33 sacks - #26 in NFL
2015: 30 takeaways - #3 in NFL, 48 sacks - #3 in NFL
per ESPN

FrancoLambert wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

kirklandrules wrote:

Tomlin and the coaching staff have done great work with the team this year.

I like Tomlin, but I think good work is more like it to me.

Great work would have been if they could have gotten more from the young guys and veterans in the defense.  This defense actually isn't really that different from last year, but everybody wanted LeBeau gone, but is somehow satisfied with the job Butler did.

2014 Defense, 18th in YPG allowed (353.4 Yards), 27th in passing YPG (253.1), 6th in Rushing YPG (100.3) , 18th in points allowed (23.0 pts /game)

2015 Defense, 21st in YPG allowed (363.1 YPG), 30th in Passing YPG (271.9), 5th in Rushing YPG (91.2), 11th in points allowed (19.9 pts/ game)

Interersting comparisons.

Also have to factor in an increase in generating turnovers via picks or forced fumbles which did happen this year.

Butler's more aggressive with the blitz....I think that helps create the impression the defense is different despite what the stats show.

I think Butler HAS to blitz in order to get pressures, because the OLB's aren't getting sacks. Despite the Steelers getting more sacks and turnovers this year....they are giving up even MORE yardage than last season. Pretty telling that the Secondary is much worse this year than last year.