Three knees to victory? Pass play

Mike Tomlin wants discipline, and he does not like the "player's coach" label. Right now, he deserves that label for his undisciplined football team.

The Steelers had the game won on Sunday vs. Jacksonville with 2:00 minutes left to go. All that was necessary was three kneel downs. Then, a pass play to Antonio Brown to extend his five catches for 50 yards streak. It was a safe short pass where Antonio Brown was just a few yards from Roethlisberger, but it was an unnecessary risk.

This is an easy one. If you do not want the notion that you are a player's coach, coach the players. Do not have them coach you. Ben asked Tomlin permission for a pass to Brown. Tomlin approved, but he should have said no. Then, news would come out that Ben asked for a pass play, but Tomlin simply wanted to kneel and win.

Ben would be the good guy for advocating to Antonio Brown. Tomlin would look like a disciplined leader. The only repercussion is Brown's streak ends. Big deal. He already broke the record anyway.

Putting aside the ugly win, it would have sent a small, yet telling message to the team ending on a firm note: we are here to win. Period. It would have been a nice story, and we'd be on to Cleveland. But what is it going to take for Tomlin and the Steelers to be focused and disciplined?

Tomlin was dead wrong to allow a pass play in that last series. If the Jaguars had one last opportunity with the ball to tie the game, Tomlin would get up on the podium and mouth off the old same words about mistakes and discipline with no real change behind it.

We know Tomlin does not live in the hypothetical, but he will find his Steelers under-performing if he keeps taking unnecessary risks and mismanaging his team.

First of all, welcome to SX steelersviews.

I can't say that I disagree with you. It's one thing to talk about discipline. It's another thing to actually instill it. It won't happen with words alone. I just posted yesterday that I'm tired of all the talking. I want to see some action. And it starts with the head coach.

Many of the same media who are crying about that play never said a damn word when their little buddy Hines Ward's games catch streak or his goal of 1000 catches became a priority for Bruce Arians.  

But Tomlin has no use for the media, so they bash him.  

Hines kissed their ass, so they protected him.

Thanks Wallace, happy to join you and SX.

"Many of the same media who are crying about that play never said a damn word when their little buddy Hines Ward's games catch streak or his goal of 1000 catches became a priority for Bruce Arians."

Ward's 1,000th was a shuttle pass in like the 1st quarter. AB's was a totally unnecessary risk.

C'mon Man!

I wasn't referring to the 1000th catch. I was referring to the fact that when Hines was demoted by Arians in 2011 Hines' media pals were holding pity parties for him. Oh he won't get his 1000th catch, oh Hines deserves it, waaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaa.

Then Arians came out and PROMISED Hines and his sheep in the media that he would get that catch.

And no one said a fucking word.

steelersviews wrote:

Ward's 1,000th was a shuttle pass in like the 1st quarter. AB's was a totally unnecessary risk.

C'mon Man!

Don't let Crash get under your skin. He thinks Hines Ward was a fraud.

Quote :

Don't let Crash get under your skin. He thinks Hines Ward was a fraud

So what would you call a WR who badmouthed Ben for his off season accusations, who cheated on his wife so much that she divorced him?  

I'd call him a hypocrite.  Because EVERY TIME he cheated on his wife?  He was putting himself in the position to be accused of a crime he didn't commit.

This thread isn't about Hines Ward. It's steelersviews' thread ... if he wants to take it in that direction, fine. Otherwise, let's keep it on topic instead of turning it into yet another thread about someone screwing with Ben. If you want to go on an anti-Ward rant, you know the place to do it: http://www.steelersxtreme.com/t5354-crash-s-official-anti-haley-anti-lebeau-thread

For as much as Crash loves drama, plots, and off the field stuff he should really get into soap operas.

Welcome to the forum SV! I always thought of Tomlin as a tough nosed guy fit to replace Cowher. I'm starting to see him more as an angry reactionist (yes, I just made up that word)

SteelersYak wrote:

 I always thought of Tomlin as a tough nosed guy fit to replace Cowher. I'm starting to see him more as an angry reactionist (yes, I just made up that word)

I always enjoyed Tomlin's "Tomlinisms" when we were winning. But I think it's clear that he has lost this team to some degree. As I said ... you can't talk about instilling discipline. You have to actually instill it. Catering to a specific player is not the way to do it.

I think for me a lot of changed with the kick return fiasco in Baltimore last year.

Had to get Dahn Tahn his 5th catch to keep his 5/50 streak at the expense of a win. If Tomlin doesn't like his coaching style to be characterized, then he needs to stop doing these types of things for the individual and do what is best as a whole for the team. No excuse.

Well it did help my fantasy stats but other than that, I agree that it was an unnecessary risk.

There's a lot of side issues with this team right now and the last thing we need to worry about is someone's catches and records.

Here's one for the coach and the team. You want records, go win #7!

Well see how well the coaching has them prepared for this upcoming game against the Browns. Arguably the biggest game of the season to this point and this is gonna be like the Super Bowl for the Browns.

Bill Cowher to Barry Foster in 1992:

BC: You wanna score a touchdown?

BF: Yeah

BC: Then go.  

It's the same damn thing.  

Let's also not forget in the same season, with his team up 10 points against the Browns that Cowher put Foster back in the game, to get 100 yards, to tie the NFL record for 100 yard games in a season.  

And no one said a word then either.  

This is about one thing: Tomlin doesn't kiss the media's ass.  He basically mocks them, and this is their payback.

Oh, sorry for being rude. Welcome to the forum, SV! I'm sure you will find out rather quickly, who to ignore and who to interact with. Again, welcome to the Xtreme Fam.

Browns have had some seriously filthy comebacks this year in winning and losing efforts. They play 60 minutes for sure.

4-2 would be so sweet with three home games in a row coming up.

Thanks Steelerella. Love the name by the way.

Everyone here seems cool, even Cra-

Not to be dramatic, but there is a lot on the line with this game. If we can get a solid W here, it'll erase some of the bad taste the last 2 games left.

There's nothing on the line. It's week 6.

Nothing will erase the Tampa game unless they beat the Ravens in Pittsburgh and sweep the Bengals.

Because THAT must happen, to win the division.

You're right, things like momentum and perception don't matter

SteelersYak wrote:

You're right, things like momentum and perception don't matter

If the Steelers lose Sunday, but beat the Ravens in Pittsburgh and sweep the Bengals? They will win the division.

The way their schedule is set unless they totally implode their division fate won't be decided until they play the Bengals.

"Stacking wins". Does a lot more for morale and confidence if you beat a division rival at their place (let alone sweeping them). Remember how we were 1 game out of the playoffs last year? You don't want to lose more games than you have to and the Bucs were already a bad loss.

Quote :

Remember how we were 1 game out of the playoffs last year?

Yep, and they lost BOTH games at Baltimore, and Cincy, didn't they?

Won at Cleveland though.

What did it get them?

Nothing.

At this time last year the other 3 teams were 3-2 and we were 0-4. Then we started stacking wins and almost made the playoffs. You don't think it would have been a different season if we would have not.been defeated coming out of the bye?