zulater
11-20-2012, 01:41 AM
In a 13-10 loss Sunday night to the Baltimore Ravens, Tomlin allowed Byron Leftwich to play the entire game after Leftwich broke two ribs, apparently when he fell into the end zone on his 31-yard touchdown scramble just 43 seconds into the game. Leftwich kept telling Tomlin he was OK. Tomlin kept him in the game even as Leftwich was taking a fierce beating, perhaps the most punishing blow coming from safety James Ihedigbo on a blind-side blitz with fewer than five minutes left. Leftwich went back out for the final possession and clearly had difficulty throwing the ball. I guess Tomlin thought he was a better option than Batch.
Late last season in a 20-3 loss to the 49ers in San Francisco, Tomlin allowed Ben Roethlisberger to play on a badly sprained left ankle, an injury from a week earlier in a win against the Cleveland Browns. Roethlisberger kept telling Tomlin he was good to go. Tomlin kept him in until late in the game, long after the outcome had been decided, even though Roethlisberger had no mobility. He threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles that game. I guess Tomlin thought he was a better option than Batch.
Do you sense a trend here?
Tomlin blew it in both games.
Leftwich's toughness is admirable. It's hard to blame him for doing all he could to stay in against the Ravens. He missed all but mop-up duty in the final game of the 2010 season after a knee injury in the final exhibition game. He missed all of last season because of a broken left arm in the third exhibition game. This, finally, was his chance to play. They were going to have to drag him off the field.
But Leftwich was selfish. He ended up hurting the team.
Roethlisberger's toughness is legendary. This is a guy who beat the Ravens in Baltimore in 2010 playing on a broken foot with a broken nose. There's no way he was going to talk himself out of the lineup in San Francisco. It was a big game. He lives for big games. I've never been around a player who was more competitive.
But Roethlisberger was selfish. He ended up hurting the team. He admitted as much in the offseason.
Still, I'm blaming Tomlin. It's not a player's call to decide who plays and who doesn't. It's a coach's decision. He can't just listen to what the player has to say. He has to trust his eyes and do what's best for his team. Tomlin failed the Steelers in the 49ers game and the Ravens game.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/a-problem-with-the-steelers-quarterback-situation-662850/#ixzz2CkLOFqNv
Late last season in a 20-3 loss to the 49ers in San Francisco, Tomlin allowed Ben Roethlisberger to play on a badly sprained left ankle, an injury from a week earlier in a win against the Cleveland Browns. Roethlisberger kept telling Tomlin he was good to go. Tomlin kept him in until late in the game, long after the outcome had been decided, even though Roethlisberger had no mobility. He threw three interceptions and lost two fumbles that game. I guess Tomlin thought he was a better option than Batch.
Do you sense a trend here?
Tomlin blew it in both games.
Leftwich's toughness is admirable. It's hard to blame him for doing all he could to stay in against the Ravens. He missed all but mop-up duty in the final game of the 2010 season after a knee injury in the final exhibition game. He missed all of last season because of a broken left arm in the third exhibition game. This, finally, was his chance to play. They were going to have to drag him off the field.
But Leftwich was selfish. He ended up hurting the team.
Roethlisberger's toughness is legendary. This is a guy who beat the Ravens in Baltimore in 2010 playing on a broken foot with a broken nose. There's no way he was going to talk himself out of the lineup in San Francisco. It was a big game. He lives for big games. I've never been around a player who was more competitive.
But Roethlisberger was selfish. He ended up hurting the team. He admitted as much in the offseason.
Still, I'm blaming Tomlin. It's not a player's call to decide who plays and who doesn't. It's a coach's decision. He can't just listen to what the player has to say. He has to trust his eyes and do what's best for his team. Tomlin failed the Steelers in the 49ers game and the Ravens game.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/a-problem-with-the-steelers-quarterback-situation-662850/#ixzz2CkLOFqNv