A deep look at Mike Tomlin's first 5 years

[polamalubeast]

Good morning fellow BTSCers. I know we're all hurting today, grab a coffee and sit down. Let's be rational, let's be reasonable. We have a valid reason to be upset, and I'm sure you're all suffering as much as I am.



Losing makes people angry and causes them to start claiming ridiculous things. Things like we should fire Ike Taylor. He had an awful game to be sure, but he isn't the reason we lost. Anyway, this isn't about Taylor. I personally feel it's a good time to examine Mike Tomlin. I always feel that the head coach has to come under scrutiny for a major loss, especially one that in all honesty should not have happened. But this isn't about any one game in particular. Rather, after 5 seasons, I feel it's a good opportunity to look at Tomlin's body of work.

Content added on Jan 10th, simply to expound a bit on our win/loss record against playoff teams. Thanks everyone for the bevy of conversation below.

This is pretty long as I summize each season, but if you want to skip down to my overall review, its down at the bottom.


read more

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2012/1/9/2693567/a-deep-look-at-mike-tomlins-first-5-years

[zulater]

Furthermore, he seems to have a poor concept of clock management at the end of the half. Our team wastes a ton of time getting to the line and doesn't seem to know what to do in a 2 minute drill with few timeouts. Compound that with frequently wasted challenges (I felt the one in the Broncos game was a waste even if it was correct), and you put yourself in tougher situations. How many times have we seen the offense drive at the end of the half, close to making a play for some points, only to be squashed by either running out of timeouts, or time, or waiting way too long to call the TO? Ben takes some blame for holding the ball, but then the playcalling needs to give him better options and quicker passes too.

This goes to something I've been saying.

[fansince'76]

In conclusion, I'm not sold on Tomlin. I feel he inherited a team with a great core, and they got to a championship. Since then Tomlin has struggled against good teams, bad teams, playoff teams, and has been relatively lost in the playoffs. I feel that for a team this good to be going out in the first round, it's just not right.

The same "great core" it took his predecessor 14 years to win it all with. How many home AFCCGs has Tomlin lost? Seems to me Norv Turner inherited a stacked team in San Diego as well. How has that worked out?

[XxKnightxX]

10-6, 15-4 ,9-7, 14-5, 12-5. 2 SB appearances, 1 ring, 3 playoff apperances and 2 AFC Titles. Thats all I know without reading the article. Not all coaches are perfect, and maybe they dont look into it since thats why they have assistants on the staff to take care of that. Maybe they will work on it, but overall hes done his job.

[polamalubeast]

When a coach has a record of 55-25 with 2 participation in the super bowl is that you are a great coach.

The one who replaced Jimmy Johnson in Dallas took 6-10 in his 4th season in 1997.

[BigNastyDefense]

I am very satisfied with Tomlin as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. As much as people complain about his clock management, how many games have the Steelers won over his tenure in the final minutes?

[steelreserve]

bitch bitch bitch.

[zulater]

I am very satisfied with Tomlin as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. As much as people complain about his clock management, how many games have the Steelers won over his tenure in the final minutes?

I think we're more apt to desperately hang on to win games late, than win them at the close. :lol:

By the way I'm happy with Tomlin and coaching staff. I just think there's some fine points that need to be tuned.

[fansince'76]

I think we're more apt to desperately hang on to win games late, than win them at the close. :lol:

By the way I'm happy with Tomlin and coaching staff. I just think there's some fine points that need to be tuned.

Clock management and challenges are my only real issues with Tomlin, personally. And for me, they're fairly minor and certainly correctable.

[XxKnightxX]

I am very satisfied with Tomlin as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. As much as people complain about his clock management, how many games have the Steelers won over his tenure in the final minutes?

Well games that come up right off the bat were mostly in 08, including the Super Bowl, and the game to clinch the division against the Ravens.

[Count Steeler]

Tomlin should be our coach for at least the next 5 years. Re-evaluate then.

Clock management and challenges are his major draw backs? We were only 20 injuries away from having a really great season. If the conditioning can be related to the injuries and Tomlin can be held personally responsible for the conditioning then we have an issue. Otherwise, let's have a great off season and a great draft.

[O'Malley]

I'm happy with coach T.. At least he is not one of those bitchy whiney coaches, or a loud mouth shit talker... I like his even keel and hope he is here for many more years to come... A fo BA, I think we could use a fresh look on the offensive side of the ball, OC Batch?

[tube517]

Just fire his ass. Our 4th string team should be undefeated every damn year and go 19-0 and win all the MVP awards, Pro Bowls and the Lombardi trophy every year. Tomlin is a FAILURE. :chuckle:

[tube517]

Clock management and challenges are my only real issues with Tomlin, personally. And for me, they're fairly minor and certainly correctable.

I agree. He needs to work on his challenges. Clock mgt has been subpar.

[Burghfan58]

I like Tomlin. I think he is a great motivator and I love to listen to him talk. He would of made a great lawyer. That being said he could use some work on his game day skills and decision making at times. Relativly speaking he is still a young coach and hopefully he improves in that area with time.

[suitanim]

Sorry, I knew what the faulty conclusion to this would be before I even opened the thread. This is the same garbage logic that gave us the brilliant "Bu-bu-bu-Bush" tripe.

[Texasteel]

To be honest. I think this guy needs to take a closer look at Bills cureer before he gives him credit for most of Tomlins success.

[Steeldude]

When a coach has a record of 55-25 with 2 participation in the super bowl is that you are a great coach.

The one who replaced Jimmy Johnson in Dallas took 6-10 in his 4th season in 1997.

he also took them to the SB, 3 playoff years and records of 12-4, 12-4, and 10-6 before his last season of 6-10. as johnson's team grew old, retired or left, he began to struggle. this is why people have compared tomlin to switzer.

[polamalubeast]

he also took them to the SB, 3 playoff years and records of 12-4, 12-4, and 10-6 before his last season of 6-10. as johnson's team grew old, retired or left, he began to struggle. this is why people have compared tomlin to switzer.

The comparisons have officially over when the Steelers were 12-4 and participate in the Super Bowl In the 4th season of Tomlin, despite the suspension of Roethlisberger early in the season.

[X-Terminator]

The guy in the OP may say he doesn't want Tomlin fired, but I'm not buying it. It's a damn good thing the FO has more patience than the fans, otherwise we'd be the Redskins. It's also pretty damn unfair to compare Tomlin to Switzer, or just assume he's another Switzer. Is it his fault he inherited some great players? And need I remind you that St. Bill Cowher went 8-8 in his final season with that same core of great players? Yes, he has issues with clock management and challenges, but other than that, he's done a damn fine job as HC, with 2008 and 2010 being 2 of his best coaching jobs since taking over. Steelers fans are just never satisfied no matter what happens, and that is because they are spoiled. Rotten.

[tube517]

he also took them to the SB, 3 playoff years and records of 12-4, 12-4, and 10-6 before his last season of 6-10. as johnson's team grew old, retired or left, he began to struggle. this is why people have compared tomlin to switzer.

Meh, Switzer was so far up Jerry's ass. I hate the Crygirls more than anyone but they had so much talent, they would've won at least 1 or 2 more super bowls if Jimmy Johnson stayed. Switzer had an injury marred team that final 2 years and flopped so bad, he didn't even coach again.

[BlastFurnace]

Personally, I think Tomlin is a good coach and I hope he sticks around for a while longer.

What does he need to do next, is if he insists on keeping Arians around, he needs to work with Arians and Ben to get this offense straightened out. If what Smizek said in his blog is true about the Arians/Ben relationship, then Tomlin needs to step in, as the leader of this team, and tell them what he expects.