Steelers Bengals game thread
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Friermuth and Gisicki both had very good games
I seriously believe RW might have bet on this game. He scrambled and ran the ball right with 0:45 remaining on a 1st-&-10... - he was near midfield (around his own 45).... instead of running Out-of-Bounds (which he easily could have done) OR throwing the ball away before he crossed the LOS (he only ran for 3 yards and multiple defenders were in pursuit as he scrambled toward right sideline - was obvious he wasn't going to gain that much and clock was ticking)...., he decided to turn up field (right at the sideline), lower his head and round directly into Bengal defender keeping him in-bounds and clock ticking. They didn't get their next play off until 24 seconds. It was an utterly head scratcher of a play - just baffling when Pittsburgh only needed a FG to win and still had a Timeout.
There was absolutely no reason for Wilson to do what he did - just a baffling play/decision on a 1st Down play when Pittsburgh was in good position to win the game.
There was absolutely no reason for Wilson to do what he did - just a baffling play/decision on a 1st Down play when Pittsburgh was in good position to win the game.
I think he initially thought he could get to the sideline. Comedy of errors. Tomlin needs to go. Overrated. Rothlisbeger carried him for years.
I hate to admit it but that was the first thing that crossed my mind when Freiermuth dropped that ball. Is this game fixed? I know it is extremely unlikely, especially that he would be involved, but these guys routinely make unbelievable catches so when they drop an easy one it is jarring.
The only reason I don't believe the "fix" was in, at least on Wilson's part, is because there's so many things a QB can do to lose a game... throw at a receivers feet, lob it for an int, etc. that not running out of bounds just to make a perfect pass to Muth with a chance for a FG doesn't seem like intentionally trying to lose. It was just an idiotic play that a long-time veteran QB should not make.
I'm not sure they get the ball spiked even if PF catches that one (there was 10 seconds left at point where the ball was getting to PF and he wasn't on the ground yet... - rest of team would have had to get downfield, set and ball snapped.... don't think they would have made it anyway.). The play by RW changed their situation from being in decent shape to win to needing a huge play to win (and RW could easily have made it OB if he had turned right toward sideline instead of choosing to stay in-bounds and intentionally running upfield directly into defender.).
The Steelers do not look well coached on either side of the ball. I guess Cincy was taking Pickens away and as a result the Steelers have no answer. The O-Line looks terrible with no push and bad protection. Defense looks average. This season will end predictably with a quick exit from the playoffs at Baltimore next week. And as sure as the sun comes up Tomlin will be back and the cycle starts all over next season.... a few nice wins a predictable losing streak, a loss to a terrible team resulting in a 9-8, 10-7 record, wildcard seed of 6 or 7 and a first round playoff loss.
If they are one and done and Tomlin returns, I'm done with this team. They are so predictable and absolutely no fun to watch.
That is exactly what is going to happen. Even if by some miracle they pulled a win out of their a## versus Baltimore then they would certainly lose like 31-10 to the Bills. I really don't think they ever get to Buffalo though.
I know Steelers fans like to rag on the Ravens but every year we feel like we have a chance to win and even if we don’t, we play an exciting brand of football that’s fun to watch and we have a record of drafting well to restock. It’s a lot better to have an MVP quarterback who wins the division 4 out of 7 years than not. I expect a tough game on Saturday that the Ravens could very well lose, but it’s far better to go into it knowing you have a chance to win it all rather than just beating the Steelers. Maybe it is time to make a change in Pittsburgh.
I think Pittsburgh should stay the course with Mike Tomlin. The Eagles got bored with Andy Reid and now look at Coach Reid with all of his Super Bowls.
The Steelers are a great franchise, but I think Tomlin also has something to do with all of these winning seasons. He has already won the Super Bowl.
I’d be happy if my team had Mike Tomlin as the coach.
The Steelers are a great franchise, but I think Tomlin also has something to do with all of these winning seasons. He has already won the Super Bowl.
I’d be happy if my team had Mike Tomlin as the coach.
Coach Reid’s Super Bowls are courtesy of Patrick Mahomes.
So if the Steelers had Patrick Mahomes, perhaps they would have another Super Bowl or two and therefore Mike Tomlin is not the problem.
Could very well be that the first part of your statement is correct. That doesn’t necessarily mean the last part is also correct.
Mike Tomlin is heavily involved in roster construction. He wanted Kenny Pickett. He wanted the current QB's. He is not putting together a winning roster nor is he coaching up what he has. When the Steelers lose to the Ravens Saturday it will be 14 out of 18 years without a playoff win. That is unacceptable based on Steeler history going back to 1969.
Owner Rooney started this year by saying it is time the Steelers start winning playoff games.
- Let's not forget the next QB after Pickett didn't go until the 3rd round. It was very likely they could have gotten Pickett or Willis (who hasn't been bad in spot duty for the Packers) in the 2nd or 3rd.
- Using a 1st rd pick on Najee Harris when there were so many other needs. Fewer and fewer RBs go in the 1st rd and Harris wasn't the game-changer RB that was worth a 1st rd pick.
- Terrell Edmunds and Jarvis Jones were awful, awful picks.
- Zero accountability for any WR from Antonio Brown through George Pickens. For someone who fashions himself as a tough and facing challenges head on, Tomlin sure does avoid confrontation and just relies on looking the other way or trading the problem kids when they become too big of a distraction.
- Jim Harbaugh has been out of the NFL the last 10 years and still has more playoff wins than Tomlin since 2010.
- Tomlin isn't about accountability, he's all about catch machismo quotes.
Never. The worst thing that happened was him winning a Super Bowl. It gave him a lifetime contact.
I think this is a case of being a victim of one’s success. The Steelers have been so good for so long that people take for granted how hard it is to do what they’ve done.
I’m no expert on the Steelers, but they’re consistently putting out winning teams and competing for the playoffs. Stuff happens sometimes and you don’t get the playoff wins.
I also like that the Bengals went with Marvis Lewis for so long. I thought it was ridiculous that the Bears fired Lovie Smith after going 10-6.
Sean McVay’s record isn’t too hot since he won the Super Bowl. It happens.
He would have to have a couple or three losing seasons in a row missing the playoffs and at that it would have to be in seasons we expect to make the playoffs versus a season or two that we were rebuilding. He has the Rooneys so tightly wound around his finger that he probably explains away just about any kind of horrible season(s).
I guess from the outside, most NFL fanbases do envy us but when have we been a credible threat to make some noise in the playoffs?
- Made the AFC championship vs Pats in 2016 but we never really had a chance when it's Brady, Belichick and the Pats. Steelers never beat a Brady/Belichick-led Patriots team in the playoffs...ever.
- Loss in 2017/18 playoffs to the Jags was the 2 seed.
- Blown out in 2020/21 playoffs by the Browns.
- Loss to Tebow (!!!!!) in the 2011/12 playoffs.
- 2021 and 2023 playoff losses were blow outs to Bills and Chiefs -- it was clear we weren't even close to their level.
Marvin Lewis' tenure at Bengals was as much about Mike Brown being cheap and okay with mediocrity than anything else. I dont follow the Bears so can't speak to the Lovie Smith situation. Sean McVay won that Super Bowl after they gave up a ton of draft picks and a few years removed, they have been back in the playoffs last year and this year.
Good post. I understand that losing the playoff games sucks, but is it mostly the fault of Tomlin, or mostly the fault of the entire organization?
I’m almost alway going with the organization. Like the Rams, won the Super Bowl in part because of the trade, then they dipped a little bit presumably because of that trade. Is that McVay’s fault, or an entire organizational choice? They’ve gone 5-12, 10-7, 10-7, which is not as good as Tomlin the last three years. McVay didn’t suddenly get worse as a coach. That’s just the way it goes sometimes.
Thanks for the kind words. To answer your question--I think it is both the Organization and Tomlin's faults. The organization (or to put it clearly Art Rooney II) for giving Tomlin the power he has. Cowher did not have the organizational power that Tomlin has and I'm not that old but I doubt Art senior or Dan Rooney would have given Noll this much power. It's Tomlin's fault for being horrible at talent evaluation, player development, in-game decision making, and game plan prep.
I dont think the Steelers win because of Tomlin--I believe they win in spite of Tomlin.
That could be (winning in spite of Tomlin), but the man has already won a Super Bowl and got to another; granted a long time ago.
I can’t speak to him being involved with the drafting and all of that so perhaps that’s the problem. Good luck against the Ravens. This is probably my favorite NFL matchup.
A huge problem with him is lack of discipline and putting up with head cases. He has a very long list low character players.
If I were Rooney I would have called him in several years ago and told him go get control of his players or I will get some one that can.
Winning one Super Bowl and getting to another shouldn't be criteria for lifelong contracts. I would argue that the 2008 SB win was with Cowher's guys and the 2010 was somewhat a mix of guys. Also, in both cases, they avoided the Pats. In 2008, Pats missed the playoffs (I think this was Brady's ACL year) and 1-seed Titans lost in division round so Steelers played the 4-seed and 6-seed to get to the SB. In 2010, as the 2 seed, the 1 seed Pats got knocked out by the Jets so we played the 5 seed (Ravens--who were very good that year) and the 6-seed Jets to get the the SB.
To put it into perspective:
- Chuck Noll's last Super Bowl was 1979 season.
- He went 12 more seasons before retiring after the 1991 season.
- In those 12 seasons, he 7 winning seasons, 1 .500 season, and 4 losing seasons.
- He went 2-4 in the playoffs (incl an AFC championship loss in 1984.
- Tomlin has gone 14 seasons since his last SB appearance and 15 seasons since his only SB win.
- In those 14 seasons since the SB appearance, he's had 11 winning seasons, 3 .500 seasons.
- He's gone 3-8 in playoffs (incl 0-1 in AFC championship in 2016).
- It will be 3-9 after Saturday.
The selection of Kenny Pickett demonstrates what a gooch Tomlin is.
I appreciate the summary of both coaches’ seasons. Thanks.
I’m not saying that 2008 and 2010 buys him a lifelong contract (it’s more the zero losing seasons that makes it difficult to fire him).
As a fan, I just want to be entertained throughout the season which means playing meaningful games throughout the year and being in or on the outskirts of the playoffs. Perhaps my expectations are low, but it’s no fun when your team starts 2-5 and you pretty much know the team isn’t going to the playoffs.
The Giants won the Super Bowl twice within five years by going 9-7 and 10-6. They even knocked off the mighty 2007 Patriots. You have to be in it to win it.
Looking at this year’s Steelers team, they’ve already beaten the Chargers, Ravens, and Broncos — all playoff teams. Of course the Steelers aren’t a favorite, but they still have a chance. It sure beats being 5-12.
Yeah they still have a chance if you're Lloyd Christmas. C'mon this bad movie just plays over and over and over. Clearly time for a change with fresh energy.
Tomlin is a good coach. He is not a great coach. Yes, he is being measured against two other Hall of Fame coaches but the Steelers are an organization that is good enough to give the coach what he needs to be successful, in the playoffs. Tomin has not been successful at that level for over a decade and his team is a bad product. The offense stinks and has been ineffective for today's NFL for many years. All of the money is spent on defense and the defense still is not elite. It's a poorly constructed roster with no direction or hope for the future. And its a bad product for viewing and following the team. It is stale, uninspired and lacking leadership to the point where very talented players (Antonio Brown, George Pickens, etc.) are not held to account. Clock management is a joke, as is some of the game planning. Their only hope on Saturday is for Lamar to put up another playoff dud and the Ravens addressed that unlikely situation by getting a premier RB.
Yet another year without hope and without direction. Tomlin is a master of patching together a competitive team and getting victories in mid-season while the better teams in the NFL are molding themselves for a playoff run. The Steelers all too often limp in and get pasted in the first round, if they make the playoffs at all. This year's version is clearly checking out, seeing they will not be competitive when the bell rings. To lose at home to the Bengals in a very important game is symptomatic of a franchise in need of change. Will Rooney do it? Unlikely. And therein lies the problem.
After the Steelers lose this Saturday they will have lost 5 straight games after starting the season 10 - 3. This combines with the pitters losing 6 straight after starting 7 - 0. Thus, the two Pittsburgh football teams will have lost 11 straight games to finish the season after good starts. I doubt that anything this futile and disappointing has ever happened before in the history of football.
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