Maybe next year

I have always had reservations about Mike Tomlin and Big Ben. (And, please, spare me the tiresome refrain about two super bowl victories).
Ben got NO help against the Chargers yesterday, but if this man is an "elite" quarterback, then I'm the King of Siam. Besides looking woefully inept for much of the day, I thought the fourth quarter was telling. With about four minutes to play and the Steelers needing quick scores, Ben took a sack. On the very next play he threw incomplete into double coverage. Yes, he put up 24 points and decent stats...against a very soft secondary in the second half. No need to point out the embarassing first half.
I've been watching Ben waste precious seconds and taking sacks now for several years as he TRIES to make a play. I thought his unnatural love affair with barnyard ball would end with Todd Haley, but no such luck. Like Frank Sinatra, he is going to do it his way. Period. Damn the torpedoes (and coaches), full speed ahead.
The defense? Still sleepwalking like their coach. What did you expect. Says a lot about how much statistics really mean.
The major culprit is the Steelers NOT being ready to play. Again.
It happens just about every time they face a bad team: Oakland Tennessee, Cleveland, Kansas City (yeah, we won, but barely). Did I mention Cleveland and Oakland? Never mind. Denver in the 2011 playoffs.
An alarming pattern that must be laid at Mike Tomlin's feet.
Poor draft/personnel evaluations? Poor decisions on who will play? Getting and holding the attention of the players? Poor game preparation? Poor game management?
All of the above?
I've been watching Steelers football silnce the early 1950s and it's hard to imagine after 40 years of Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher that we might be slipping back into the pre-1970s mold, but it sure is starting to look that way to me.

First of all, I believe that Ben is an elite QB. However, given that he has just returned from injury I anticipated some adjustments to be made. Maybe it wasn't so much Ben as it was the play calling. And if Haley isn't reeling in Ben, then that's on Tomlin.

I think you're off on your idea that we are slipping back in to the pre-70's mold. Even with Noll and Cowher we endured what many Steelers fans would call a losing season at 8-8 or 9-7. Fortunately, the rest of the NFL sucks this year and we are still on target to make the playoffs.

I believe we will see a different team come this Sunday against the cowboys.

stlrtruck wrote:

First of all, I believe that Ben is an elite QB. However, given that he has just returned from injury I anticipated some adjustments to be made. Maybe it wasn't so much Ben as it was the play calling. And if Haley isn't reeling in Ben, then that's on Tomlin.

I think you're off on your idea that we are slipping back in to the pre-70's mold. Even with Noll and Cowher we endured what many Steelers fans would call a losing season at 8-8 or 9-7. Fortunately, the rest of the NFL sucks this year and we are still on target to make the playoffs.

I believe we will see a different team come this Sunday against the cowboys.

And worse...for more than just a fluke season. I think most Steelers fans have just erased the memories of the 80's under Noll and some of the consecutive bad seasons in the 90's and 00's under Cowher.

Yes, it is a disturbing trend to lose to bad teams, but it's far and away anything compared to pre-70's Steelers. If you want anything to compare it to, compare it to those lean years under Noll or Cowher. It's just adjustments that need to be made.

Yes, losing to the Browns (even w/o Ben) was embarrassing. The Titans game sucked (but the Steelers have almost always played like crap there for whatever reason, I almost expected that), same with Oakland...east coast teams generally don't do well out west (see Pats* vs. Cardinals). Yes, I know those are just excuses in the long run, and we have enough talent to get past those teams...but shit happens, even against bad teams.

And something that nobody wants to admit, the Chargers are NOT some scrub team with no talent. They've lost a lot of close games, with a severely injured team at times. They're at the point now where they know they have almost zero chance of making the playoffs, and that Norv will be gone. Teams will usually play better and more relaxed under scenarios like that. It really showed yesterday. Instead of fighting, they just went out and had fun.

Nothing is over yet though. I know people are frustrated, I am too...but the Steelers are still in this thing. We'll see what they do with the last three games. They can either turtle now, or let that dejected feeling that we saw on all of their faces motivate each one of them to do better. I hope it's the latter. If not...we can always look forward to being contenders next year.

When you're down by a lot, you're just trying to put points on the board as quick as possible. Extending the play is unnecessary to get receivers open downfield. You also have to factor in the points scored when BEN was calling the plays --- which was almost the entire fourth, including the end of the second half.

Losing to and playing down to bad teams falls at the feet of the coach/s in the end. Absolutely they're going to have a bad game here and there but playing down and losing to bad teams has become the norm. It's an alarming pattern I don't like seeing. It's become a habit and not so much of a fluke or shit happens thing. imo

I'm not calling for any heads to roll just yet but it's getting close.

And yes I was there for the lean years of Stoudt, Brister, ect.

I must admit I'm starting to wonder if Tomlin looks past these teams that are struggling because we seem to go into these games unprepared and flat. With all the injuries we've had this year we can't afford to take anyone lightly but it sure looks like we have. As SCM said the next 3 games will show if we suck or we got embarrassed in these games.I don't want to see us "unleash hell". I'd rather we just open up a great big ol' can.

Mach1 wrote:

Losing to and playing down to bad teams falls at the feet of the coach/s in the end. Absolutely they're going to have a bad game here and there but playing down and losing to bad teams has become the norm. It's an alarming pattern I don't like seeing. It's become a habit and not so much of a fluke or shit happens thing. imo

I'm not calling for any heads to roll just yet but it's getting close.

And yes I was there for the lean years of Stoudt, Brister, ect.

^That^

This one is on Tomlin more than its on Ben IMO

I would have to say this is on the entire coaching staff...AGAIN. Whether they are making the wrong personal changes or simply poor/inappropriate play calling, these losses to sub 500 teams is completely unacceptable. The fact that Tomlin reamed them out at the end of the game was too little too late. Do that during the game! Do that during half time! Light a fire under the asses of these players on the field draggin it! Its your responsibility to motivate players in to performing at the level you know they are capable of, and watching last nights game proved to me that Tomlin and his staff cannot do that.

I would actually like to see Haley screaming at Ben, although his play calling all game was suspect, so maybe Tomlin screaming at Haley. SOMETHING, SOME emotion!

That egg we laid was important and cost us dearly, although not everything...yet.

I don't put this one on Ben at all. This team was woefully ill-prepared for this game. SD hadn't won here in 15 regular season games. That was their motivation. Apparently, we had none. For that reason alone, I put all this stuff on the coaching.

As far as burgboy's comment about taking a sack and throwing into double coverage, at that point in the game all gloves are off. Game plans are thrown out. You can only do whatever you can to score often and quickly. When you're losing by 24 late in the game, doesn't matter if the opponent scores another TD. Game was essentially over so you have no choice but to open it up.

exncite wrote:

I don't put this one on Ben at all. This team was woefully ill-prepared for this game. SD hadn't won here in 15 regular season games. That was their motivation. Apparently, we had none. For that reason alone, I put all this stuff on the coaching.

As far as burgboy's comment about taking a sack and throwing into double coverage, at that point in the game all gloves are off. Game plans are thrown out. You can only do whatever you can to score often and quickly. When you're losing by 24 late in the game, doesn't matter if the opponent scores another TD. Game was essentially over so you have no choice but to open it up.

Agreed. Ben is probably the least accountable person for that loss. This is on Tomlin and the staff for yet another lackluster outing. He needs to start getting into guys' asses during the week and working them hard. I also want to see an end to "veteran days off" during the week unless the player in question is dealing with an injury. This team is getting a little lazy and soft against bad teams. I'm tired of seeing a team that thinks as long as they show up on Sunday they don't have to prepare hard during the week because the perceived weaker opponent has no business being on the same field with them.

They need to start preparing like every game could be their last because, in effect, that's pretty much where they are for all intents and purposes concerning the playoffs.

And for the record, I am still holding out hope that this team comes to the realization of where their playoff chances stand right now. I still believe that they can overcome this hole they've put themselves in (thanks largely to a shitty AFC field this year) and get it together at the right time in the playoffs like the Giants did last year. We will be getting healthier in the coming weeks and if they can hit their stride and make it in, anything can happen and I believe they are capable of pulling it off.

We'll see if they can start performing like I know they can soon enough. I won't give up hope until they are mathematically eliminated.

If they had played like they did last night all season, hope would have been out the window. But since I have seen some pretty stellar individual performances and team gelling this year, I continue to hold them to a high standard, knowing they can do better when they are up against it.

This team just need to play like their backs are against the wall, because they are.

In today's Post-Gazette Tomlin agrees with Keisel that the Steelers were not prepared to play the Chargers. Hmmm... the trend just graduated from alarming to disturbing.

Forget the sack with 4 minutes to play and the throw into double coverage. Ben did NOTHING in the entire first half. NOTHING, and he looked bad doing it. His non-productivity, even when healthy, occurs with mystifying regularity.

Yes, the Chargers are better than their record and Haley's play-calling was suspect (and I couldn't wait to get rid of Bruce Ariens).

But be careful what you wish for: The impending playoffs could be a repeat of last year's embarassment, assuming we get there. We play Dallas, Cincy and Cleveland. With a non-existent running game and the Grand Master LeBeau still sleepwalking on the sidelines, not to mention all of the above, don't be surprised if we finish 0-3.

Enter the doom and gloom crowd. I prefer to stay optimistic until the math counts us out.

Drizztbob wrote:

Enter the doom and gloom crowd. I prefer to stay optimistic until the math counts us out.

:plusone:

for me the beer mug is half full

You guys have it made. Imagine being doom and gloom while at 9-4 with a two game division lead.



...At least Cam was fired.

I can completely understand the criticism, but I have to point out that the D came to play early on in the S.D. game. How many times did they stone the S.D. offense at point blank range??? At the same time the O was going 3 and out with a very LACKLUSTER performance deep in our own territory. How many times can a D bail out an O before something gives???

On that note other games it has been the D that let down chokeland for instance. This team has not had everyone on the same page more times than not!!! Offense Defense special teams have all lost us games this year. This is why I agree that it's on the coaches and Tomlin in particular. He's the ultimate man in charge and if he can't get the results we need then maybe it's time for him to step aside. "Unleash Hell"!!! Can anyone tell me why you fire your special teams coach just before the start of the season.

JonM229 wrote:

You guys have it made. Imagine being doom and gloom while at 9-4 with a two game division lead.



...At least Cam was fired.

Still not so sure getting rid of Cam was a good thing at this point of the season.

JonM229 wrote:

You guys have it made. Imagine being doom and gloom while at 9-4 with a two game division lead.



...At least Cam was fired.

Obviously living in Baltimore, most of my friends are Ravens fans and they have been calling for Cam's head for years. Well, they got it, and now they are going to see what kind of QB Flacco really is. For better or worse.

Firing a coordinator at 9-4 with 3 games left in the season and getting ready to enter the playoffs (maybe) reeks of desperation. I understand that Cam was basically their Bruce Arians and they couldn't wait for him to go, but I think it's an unwise decision to do that at this stage. They should have waited until the offseason, especially since they just turned the reins over to a guy who has never been an o-coordinator in this league. I could understand it if they sat at 3-9 with no hope of a playoff berth, but not as division leaders heading toward a final playoff push.

Ravens just might just see that dream turn into a nightmare if they implode and miss the playoffs. I sense their fans are nervous about the move being made when it was. I hated Arians, but if the Steelers had fired him in the same situation and turned the offense over to somebody with no experience at the position, I would seriously be questioning the sanity of the F.O.

As a Steeler fan, though, I want to take this opportunity to thank the Ravens brass for potentially pissing away the rest of their season and opening the door for us to miraculously win the division.

Tomlin inherited a very good football team. For the past several seasons, this team is essentially unchanged but getting older and older. Slowing down, injuries that just linger, no team leadership. Sure there are some young guys but generally, they're not great players. I look at some of the players drafted by other teams and I'm envious.

Tomlin is a crappy coach. he spouts the words like Standard is the Standard.....what a load of horse-hooey. If the 2nd team guys were as good as the 1st team guys, they wouldn't be the 2nd team. He talks the talk, says all the nonsense phrases but ultimately just doesn't know how to deliver when things got tough.

Sure, Cowher had some tough seasons (Kordell for QB anyone) but at least the guy was always trying, always scheming, always manipulating. I really don't think Tomlin is the guy for a team that needs some serious rebuilding.

And if anyone doesn't think that Steelers need a rebuilding, give your head a shake. Half the players are done. Lot of others are not near what they used to be.....Polumalu, Harrison, just a shadow of their former glory.

Gotassman wrote:

Tomlin inherited a very good football team. For the past several seasons, this team is essentially unchanged but getting older and older. Slowing down, injuries that just linger, no team leadership. Sure there are some young guys but generally, they're not great players. I look at some of the players drafted by other teams and I'm envious.

Tomlin is a crappy coach. he spouts the words like Standard is the Standard.....what a load of horse-hooey. If the 2nd team guys were as good as the 1st team guys, they wouldn't be the 2nd team. He talks the talk, says all the nonsense phrases but ultimately just doesn't know how to deliver when things got tough.

Sure, Cowher had some tough seasons (Kordell for QB anyone) but at least the guy was always trying, always scheming, always manipulating. I really don't think Tomlin is the guy for a team that needs some serious rebuilding.

And if anyone doesn't think that Steelers need a rebuilding, give your head a shake. Half the players are done. Lot of others are not near what they used to be.....Polumalu, Harrison, just a shadow of their former glory.

-----------------------------------------------------------^this^

Tomlin inherited a good team, but a LOT of our premier players are HIS players. This team plays for him, NOT Cowher. Cowher got out of town as soon as he got his ring and never looked back, and that's all I have to say about that.

Heath
Troy
Harrison
Woodley
Keisel
Ike
Clark
Hampton
Big Ben

and we lost Farrior Smith and Ward last year

who do you replace all these players with?
correct me if i'm wrong but i think these guys were here before Tomlin got the job and that's all i have to say about that