Pit-Clev

[TheHopToad]

Where the hell was this Steelers team last February?! I would rather have played these guys...

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

When you lose to KC, OAK, and CLE in consecutive weeks, your season is over. Wow! I figured they'd be 9-3 at this point. yikes...

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Let's not talk too much crap; we stillhave Stl. And Det on our schedule.

 

[thirty-two]

 

[nooch]

I'm happy Cleveland won, I love to cheer for the underdogs. And I can't stand the Steelers.

 

[cardpa]

The part I enjoyed most was seeing Rottenberger go down 7 times. Half the time the Brownies got to him with a 3 man rush.

 

[Totally_Red]

Big win for the Brownies, but Brady Quinn is not an NFL quality QB. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from 10 feet.

"We are going to unleash hell." Mike Tomlin just before he lost to two of the five worst teams in the National Football League.

 

[joeshmo]

Cant put my finger on it but there is something missing on that team. It isnt just becuase Troy P. is out with an injury it is something more then that.?????

 

[Totally_Red]

Cant put my finger on it but there is something missing on that team. It isnt just becuase Troy P. is out with an injury it is something more then that.?????

Their offensive line is atrocious. They miss Russ Grimm and they sure leave a lot of free runners to the QB.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Cant put my finger on it but there is something missing on that team. It isnt just becuase Troy P. is out with an injury it is something more then that.?????

1. Aaron Smith being on IR is the biggest reason for the demise of the Steelers.

2. Casey Hampton just doesn't give a rats arse anymore.

3. When 2/3 of your defensive front are playing like garbage then opposing teams can concentrate on James Harrison. Harrison is good, but not THAT good.

4. LaMar Woodley WAS playing well at the other OLB position but hit a wall mid-way through the season.

5. Lawerence Timmons is not playing well. He is worse that Larry Foote, and Foote was starting to get old and slow last year.

6. Not to mention there is no depth at the linebacker positions, so those LB's rarely rotate in and out.

7. Finally, William Gay is a horrible cornerback, and Ike Taylor is AT BEST a good #2.

8. The fact William Gay is starting over DeShea Townsend is complete horse-poop. I have no idea what that is the situation.

9. Ike Taylor is a the Steeler's version of Roy Williams, in the fact his name is bigger than his game. When the Steelers let McFadden walk, it was a HUGE mistake.

10. Mike Tomlin is over confident, because he was given a SB team, and has gone against the grain when it comes to playing with what he has. UNLIKE Coach Whiz who adapted his coaching philosophies to the players he had on his roster, Tomlin is forcing his philosophies on the Steelers without a care about having the right players for the situation.

A. He passes with a run first offensive line, which results in sacks. The offensive line is 100% healthy, and the same from last year. But, instead of learning from the past (cause last year the O-Line in Pit was not playing consistant) they have forced themselves to believe this line is something it is not.

B. He relies way too much on Big Ben scrambling. Which is a flip of the coin when it comes to "IF" he breaks a tackle to get out of a sack. Sometimes he does (Super Bowl last year) and sometimes he doesn't (last night).

C. Tomlin REFUSES to use two backs in his offense. Tomlin ruined Willie Parker last year but running him until he finally got hurt. He now is doing the same with Mendenhall. The current Steelers roster is built around the Gibbs/Cowher offensive philosophy, and you need two backs to pull it off. He has the perfect speed and power combo, just refuses to use it.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Their offensive line is atrocious. They miss Russ Grimm and they sure leave a lot of free runners to the QB.

I just read Bickley's column about Grimm and started wondering whether Pittsburgh seriously regrets not giving him the job (or giving him the job and actually letting him keep it for more than a day, I should say).

It must suck to lose to Kansas City, Oakland and Cleveland...and have to watch Whisenhunt and Grimm crush the Vikings on national tv.

 

[az jam]

10. Mike Tomlin is over confident, because he was given a SB team, and has gone against the grain when it comes to playing with what he has. UNLIKE Coach Whiz who adapted his coaching philosophies to the players he had on his roster, Tomlin is forcing his philosophies on the Steelers without a care about having the right players for the situation.

A. He passes with a run first offensive line, which results in sacks. The offensive line is 100% healthy, and the same from last year. But, instead of learning from the past (cause last year the O-Line in Pit was not playing consistant) they have forced themselves to believe this line is something it is not.

B. He relies way too much on Big Ben scrambling. Which is a flip of the coin when it comes to "IF" he breaks a tackle to get out of a sack. Sometimes he does (Super Bowl last year) and sometimes he doesn't (last night).

C. Tomlin REFUSES to use two backs in his offense. Tomlin ruined Willie Parker last year but running him until he finally got hurt. He now is doing the same with Mendenhall. The current Steelers roster is built around the Gibbs/Cowher offensive philosophy, and you need two backs to pull it off. He has the perfect speed and power combo, just refuses to use it.

Excellent post. I totally agree that Tomlin inherited a damn good team while Whisenhunt built the Card team (which was one of the worst franchises in the NFL). IMO Tomlin is one of the most over-rated coach in the NFL. So glad we got Whis & Grimm.

 

[blindseyed]

this season appears to finally be proving that Tomlin is a lucky coach more than he is a good coach.

Tomlin= Barry Switzer
The Steelers just aren;t that good, Troy P is the Defense, he's out and they lose.

 

[Catfish]

I think the honeymoon is over in Pittsburgh. Tomlin is not, and probably will never be, a really good coach. Like Muffin said, he inherited a really good team and began to impose his will on it. I believe that this is wearing very thin about now, and that what once was a team, has dissolved into a group of individuals. Sad to see, but true none the less. Joe, the thing that is missing is the togetherness that Cowher had developed over the years, and that Whiz has brought to Az.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Worst.SuperBowl.Champs.Ever.

How fitting.

 

[joeshmo]

They miss Russ Grimm and they sure leave a lot of free runners to the QB.

That was happening when Grimm was there as well. His OL's in Pitt were horrible pass blockers. Brought it up when we first hired the guy. Their OL looks even worse especially since Ben holds on to the ball longer then any other QB in the NFL. Their OL now is just as bad at pass blocking as they were when Grimm was there, the difference in their OL now is they arent as good at run blocking anymore. The money they have paid Max Starks is laughable.

I am starting to wonder if all the pounding Ben has taken for holding on to the ball to long as well as a run game that is gone is starting to wear on him?

Also could the switch and replace player system be hitting a wall with not only Pitt but NE as well. What I mean by that is they are always letting players walk and just inputting another player to take his spot. Hoping the scheme makes players look better. Now I like this system of free agency but is there a shelf life on that system, or can you get to a point where you rely on it to much???

 

[chickenhead]

I think we're being a little too smug here. BUT the NFL is a game of adjustments and I'm not sure Tomin is making those adjustments.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I think we're being a little too smug here.

Catty, bitter......all of the above.

 

[Skumbag]

I was hoping to meet them in the SB... tis a shame.

NOT! LOL ROFLMAO!!!

 

[AzWins23]

The reason why the Steelers are finally losing games, cause they aren't getting the breaks like they use too. For the first time, the balls weren't bouncing their way. Good for the Browns.

 

[Duckjake]

I think we're being a little too smug here. BUT the NFL is a game of adjustments and I'm not sure Tomin is making those adjustments.

I have a hard time getting any enjoyment out of this because it reminds me that the Denny Green Cards were 4-0 against the worst teams in the NFL over a 3 year period. Lost 4 games to teams that had the #1 pick in the draft the following April! SF,Oak,Texans.

Which shows even more what an amazing job Whisenhunt has done. With several of those same players he has won 25 games in less than 3 seasons, 3 playoff games, gone 5-1 on the ROAD this year, and won an NFC Championship.

 

[splitsecond]

I think we're being a little too smug here. BUT the NFL is a game of adjustments and I'm not sure Tomin is making those adjustments.

this is pretty much the simple truth. he is having the same problem Coughlin had up until last week: refusal to adjust something that has stopped working. if a particular game plan and scheme is not working, trying to do it harder and "unleash hell" is only going to frustrate the players even more, and that is extremely evident at this point.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

but Brady Quinn is not an NFL quality QB.

I LOVE Brady Quinn.

There. I've said it.