He was asked at the post game press conference why did he try the onside kick and his answer was something like because the defense didn't stop them all day.
Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go! -- Game Thread
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Tomlin forgets is role. He's not a fan, he's the HC. At that moment of the game, as HC, you pull your defense aside, look them square in the eye, and tell them "Hey, it's been a tough game, I know you can do the job, you know you can do the job. This is your moment. We make a stop, we win this game. So go out there and make a stop." I realize that's all rah, rah stuff...but as a head coach can't stop believing in your guys. Besides, the odds of a D making a stop are better than recovering and onside kick.
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Yinz new anthem.
Pats still in all of yinz heads. ROTFLMAO!! Enjoy the game Sunday!!!! Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I watched very little NFL this year but watched most of the games this weekend. The Steelers game reminded me of those sea-change games you see when a team is forced to burn it down and start over. I recall the great Franco era team that lost a last second game to KC and remember wondering why the team didn't just throw it in the next gear like they'd done in the past. I recall the Tribe being routed by the Yankees (or was is Sox) in the playoff by 20 runs when Kenny Lofton got seriously injured sliding into first base.
Steelers just couldn't stop a pedestrian and inexperienced team on defense. Even when their RB got dinged up, Steelers had no answers.
Will be interesting to see what Ben does.
BTW, told you all that Joe Haden's talents were no longer there.
Steelers just couldn't stop a pedestrian and inexperienced team on defense. Even when their RB got dinged up, Steelers had no answers.
Will be interesting to see what Ben does.
BTW, told you all that Joe Haden's talents were no longer there.
It's just the nfl. It's not that important. You're not an alumnus of the new england hatetriots. I can declare myself a hatetriots fan right now. There, I'm better than someone else. Awesome.
I was a Patsfan before I went to PSU. Grogan, Hannah, Sam Bam Era. I'd rather see PSU win now of course. Still,
love the Pats though. Ain't that hater bandwagon full yet??
I personally agree with all of this, and I too would have kicked deep and put it on my D. But with that said, Tomlin isn't wrong that the D couldn't stop them and therefore I see the logic with taking a chance with an onsides kick as well.
If he kicked deep and the D yet again didn't stop them, then everyone would be criticizing him for putting it straight in the hands of the D that hadn't made a stop all day.
It was a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.
Congrats to the Steelers. You're now in the same boat as the Browns but they get a better draft pick.
If by "same boat" you mean have a head coach who went 1-31 the last two years, or draft a QB seemingly every year in the first round, or are the laughingstock of the entire league, or . . . well, you (should) get the point. If by "same boat" you mean "didn't win the Super Bowl this year," I guess you're right. But that's like saying (a) a 75-foot yacht with an experienced captain, fully stocked bar and fridge, top chef, and a beautiful female crew and (b) a one person kayak with no paddle are the same boat. Nice try, though.
No, I meant you guys will be sitting at home watching the Superbowl... just like Cleveland. But they do have the better draft pick. They did not win 1game this year and are sitting in the same spot Pittsburgh is right now...
Who cares? It’s just an nfl franchise.
It’s one thing to be a fan of an nfl franchise. However to get all “You suck because my nfl franchise can beat up your nfl franchise” defines stupidity. You’re not really a part of anything.
I worked for a company that had posters on the walls that stated, "unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes".
I worked for a company that had posters on the walls that stated, "unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes".
You really think your company came up the that??
smh
Exactly....and as of right now.... Jax is the lead dog.I worked for a company that had posters on the walls that stated, "unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes".
Yes, if you ignore all of the other factors. Put a different way, if you were a coach, player, GM, whatever, which organization would you rather join right now? The Browns have had a "better" draft pick (I think, based upon history, you meant to say "earlier" draft pick) than the Steelers every year since their reincarnation. That hasn't helped them much though, has it?
The Steelers need major improvement on defense, and I'd say Linebacker is the biggest need. They need some guys who can run, cover in the flats, and make plays. To be fair, the loss of Shazier was a really bad break; he had the needed speed and experience in the heart of the defense.
The Offense is still very productive, but Ben won't be around much longer, so that's a huge priority for the future.
The Offense is still very productive, but Ben won't be around much longer, so that's a huge priority for the future.
I was thinking about Shazier....he was always a small/fast LBer. I read some stuff from Urban Meyer after the bowl game. He said his philosophy, today, is to build the team from the DL out. One that can control the LOS and get a pass rush. that is job 1. Behind them, you put small/fast LBers, hard hitting S, and CB's that cover one-on-one. But everyone in the defensive backfield has to be able to run and cover ground. that stops runs around the end and the passing game.
If you agree with that, the Steelers need to redo their DL. No pass rush yesterday, unless the blitzed like crazy which left little to cover the secondary if the rush doesn't get there.
If I was a GM today, I'd first try to get a top ten QB. After that, I draft someone on the DL in the first or second round every year.
Well, frankly the onside kick surprised me as I'm sure it did with most people. So I really don't believe people would have been critical. But instead, if the D failed. Butler would have taken some heat.
I think it's fair to say they need a new defensive philosophy. Butler's defense got carved up two years in a row in the playoffs. This year it was by a running team and they passed like no one was covering them. If the QB didn't have some throws behind on crossing routes it would have been worse. Sure they have injuries but other teams have injuries. This defensive scheme doesn't work since all of the rules were put into place to protect the QB. It's built upon pressure on the QB and now you can't go low or high when he's in the pocket. Add to that the refs never call holding anymore when the DE's or outside linebackers are rushing the passer.
Nothing against the Lebeau defense that worked for years, it just doesn't fit the game anymore.
It's time for a new DC and scheme and has been for years.
Steelers should be glad they are saved from the total embarrassment of getting stomped by the Pats...again.
If that's true, I hate Tomlin as a coach more than I already did (which is difficult). Not only is he then throwing his defense under the bus, but he's also either stupid or intentionally dishonest.
Let's take a look at that Steelers D that "didn't stop them all day." Here are the results of the Jags series' prior to the onside kick:
1st Half - TD, Punt, TD, TD, Punt.
2nd Half - Punt, Punt, TD, TD
Is that good? No. But the Steelers did stop them on 4 of 9 possessions. And they stopped them on half (2/4) the possessions in the 2nd half. Guess what the odds are of recovering an onside kick? (SPOILER ALERT - it's significantly less than 4/9 or 2/4).
There is just no excuse for the decision to kick onside. There's also no excuse for either 4th and a foot play call when you have a 270 lb QB, a pro bowl center, and an all-pro guard. There's also no excuse for letting the clock run down to the 2 minute warning instead of using a timeout prior to that. There's also no excuse for not kicking the field goal immediately after Ben's intentional grounding in the final minute (you have to get 3 of the 10 points right then, or else you run out the clock trying to get the TD, as they did. If you take the 3 instead, then recover the onside kick, at least you bring the hail mary into play and there is some chance, no matter how small).
That's a lot of "no excuse for" out of a professional coach being paid millions with a decade of experience. But it's expected, because Tomlin isn't a good coach. He's just a cheerleader that spews "we'll learn from this" after every loss, yet his ego never allows him to learn a thing from his mistakes.
Not to mention the locker room drama(Lev Bell, Martaivis, AB, Harrison), but they reportedly also had 2 assistant coaches in problems outside of bars this year(Porter and Haley). Embarrassing.
I agree with your conclusion and most of your analysis. One part of your analysis is wrong, though. It’s not whether the Steelers eventually forced Jax to punt — it’s whether the Steelers did so in a 3 and out. I believe that only happened once, early in the game. That would put the in-game results at 1 of 9, not 4 of 9. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that is better than the odds of recovering an onside kick and there is no doubt he should have kicked it deep.
This is true but Jax definitely wasn't going to throw in that situation. If they couldn't stop the run 3 plays in a row knowing it's coming they deserve to lose and everyone should be fired.
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True, and a good point. I also felt the Jags could've been forced 3 and out a few more times but caught some "lucky" breaks on certain plays.
Not sure if this has been covered in a 7 page thread, but. . . I just read a good piece (believe it or not) by Pittsburgh columnist. His point is well taken. The Steelers under Tomlin have won a lot of games, but have failed to live up to their potential, in large measure due to a lack of adult leadership. There are many examples bu the bottom line is that, for me at least, I just do not "like" the players on this team. I am a die-hard fan going back to the '70s. For the past several years I just cannot bring myself to root for any of these players individually. It is one thing to have lost the "go to work with your lunch bucket" mentality and to have morphed into a bunch of cocky, loudmouth, selfish, annoying jerks who happen to wear black and gold. Even as a high school player, our team knew not to provide our opponents with extra motivation. This was unspoken rule number 1. The fact that the Steelers do not see that breaking this rule contributed to their demise --- yet again ---- is concerning.
http://triblive.com/sports/columnis...give-steelers-much-needed-attitude-adjustment
http://triblive.com/sports/columnis...give-steelers-much-needed-attitude-adjustment
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