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Shoes
09-12-2014, 10:15 PM
http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers


The only F goes to coaching….

Coaching:The Steelers simply weren't prepared and that falls on Mike Tomlin. They are struggling with the fundamentals and that also falls on Tomlin. The Steelers were lucky they only lost by 20 points to the Ravens, and they have to make significant improvement in a hurry. It starts at the top. Grade: F


I haven't been very impressed with Mike Mitchell, he seems to have a lot of mouth and little bite.

GBMelBlount
09-12-2014, 11:16 PM
Agreed.

Up by a shitload Harbaugh scratches and claws for every play, every call and every point.

Tomlin, in relative terms, seems complacent.

Everyone's different I guess.

salamander
09-12-2014, 11:39 PM
I give the team a D- right now. I would have gone with an F if not for the first half against the Brownies.

Steeldude
09-13-2014, 06:22 AM
How could anything be the fault of Tomlin? He is the greatest because he went to a SB...lol. You know, just like Switzer. : )

ALLD
09-13-2014, 07:04 AM
What could be the problem is trying to force a square peg. Looks like they are so scripted and once they fall off the script Tomlin is more concerned about getting back on rather than playing the game.

He needs to have the players make plays rather than put on a play, if you know what I mean.

I was completely disappointed by their performance and equally offended by excessive commercials during the broadcast. I don't need to be blasted with so much advertising so often. They have reduced the quality of play with overbearing rules and greed.

SteelerFanInStl
09-13-2014, 08:22 AM
I haven't been very impressed with Mike Mitchell, he seems to have a lot of mouth and little bite.

Mitchell has shown me absolutely nothing so far. I keep waiting but there's nothing there. I'd rather see the young guys playing at this point.

jb500ex
09-13-2014, 08:35 AM
Funny how people are finally starting to realize Tomlin isn't a good coach. I guess it takes some longer than others

fansince'76
09-13-2014, 09:35 AM
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb136/garyb12001/Troll_zpsd847c60a.jpg (http://s211.photobucket.com/user/garyb12001/media/Troll_zpsd847c60a.jpg.html)

Mojouw
09-13-2014, 12:13 PM
I love how Tomlin isn't a good coach and all the reasons are basically armchair physcology and interpretation of player and coach attitudes and body language through the TV broadcast. That seems fair.

I still don't understand what exactly this team wasn't "prepared" for? They seem to know the plays. They seem to be able to put their uniforms on over their pads and tie their cleats.

It seems that fans and the media (and this goes for any team but particularly a team with a history of success like the Steelers) hates to simply flat out say a team isn't very good. That is what is going on with the Steelers.

There is no amount of preparation or coaching that is going to make Marcus Gilbert not awful at blocking good pass rushers and that will make him not consistently trip over his feet and fall down. Gilbert is just bad.

Preparation can not make Ike Taylor 2-3 steps faster. Coaching can not make Jones and Worilds into great individual pass rushers. No amount of coaching can make Cam Thomas not be a terrible NT. Ask the San Diego staff. Coaching can not make Justin Brown mentally stay in the game after he makes a big mistake. The list could go on and on.

While to those watching the game all of these things seem "fundamental" and related to prepartion, but when a player fails to execute his assignment due to either mental mistakes or the lack of physical ability - that's on the player. Coaches can only put players in the position to execute. If they fail in that execution, then that is on the player.

Now where Tomlin's blame can be placed is in the following types of decisions:
1. We need to see more Tuit and even McCullers. Who cares if they are raw. The DL needs help. They are the only help on the roster.
2. Arthur Moats. Supposedly he is a natural pass rusher. They team needs a pass rush. Moats needs to see the field.
3. At what point do you, dear lord this is hard to say, try Mike Adams at tackle again?
4. Roster construction in general. Clearly some players were over-valued and other positions were left thin (such as WR) and it has bit them in the ass.

Shoes
09-13-2014, 01:08 PM
So when do you know a team has coaching problem folks? and what do you do about it and when?

Mojouw
09-13-2014, 02:13 PM
So when do you know a team has coaching problem folks? and what do you do about it and when?

When players are clearly giving up and the team plays with its head down and no fire. I haven't seen that yet.

When the locker-room gets out of hand and players are actively questioning the staff and the scheme. Like in Tampa a year ago.

When you consistently lose with a playoff caliber roster. Like Schottenhiemer and Turner in San Diego.

Look I am not saying that Tomlin and company shouldn't be feeling the heat, but howling for the coaching staffs heads on a platter, might be a bit premature. It is two games into a season of significant changes. One was on a 4 day week; where many teams have consistently played like crap. There is inexperience all over the roster. And this is a rebuilding team with talent deficiencies.

Going 10-6 or better every year is not a God given right. It takes talent and a bit of luck. Right now, the defensive side of the ball lacks the consistently performing talent to do better than what we have seen. We all knew the offense was going to have carry the team until the defense stabilized and came together. Even then most were saying that 20 or more points a week would be what is needed. The offense put up 6. And lost the turnover battle. Throw in a couple of shit calls by the refs that gave the Ravens at least 3 extra points, if not 6 and it isn't hard to see why this team lost.

Shoes
09-13-2014, 02:44 PM
When players are clearly giving up and the team plays with its head down and no fire. I haven't seen that yet.

When the locker-room gets out of hand and players are actively questioning the staff and the scheme. Like in Tampa a year ago.

When you consistently lose with a playoff caliber roster. Like Schottenhiemer and Turner in San Diego.

Look I am not saying that Tomlin and company shouldn't be feeling the heat, but howling for the coaching staffs heads on a platter, might be a bit premature. It is two games into a season of significant changes. One was on a 4 day week; where many teams have consistently played like crap. There is inexperience all over the roster. And this is a rebuilding team with talent deficiencies.

Going 10-6 or better every year is not a God given right. It takes talent and a bit of luck. Right now, the defensive side of the ball lacks the consistently performing talent to do better than what we have seen. We all knew the offense was going to have carry the team until the defense stabilized and came together. Even then most were saying that 20 or more points a week would be what is needed. The offense put up 6. And lost the turnover battle. Throw in a couple of shit calls by the refs that gave the Ravens at least 3 extra points, if not 6 and it isn't hard to see why this team lost.

My beef isn't anything new, its all carry over from previous years. Tomlin doesn't feel the heat, he just continues to blame the play. He gets no hard questions and snubs anything remotely challenging and no one has the balls to challenge Lebeau. As for the locker room, the players already have the confused, glazed look on their faces they have had in the pasted few years. Troy has had a look of utter frustration on his face since preseason, which I have never seen before. This clearly tells me they have no guidance or direction or leadership.

As for the locker room, any questioning of the staff and the scheme would be considered a cancerous player by fan and team. Look at Ben all these years, telling the media how great his O-line is after being sacked 300+ times year.Do you really think a player would survive questioning the leadership?……so what it really comes down to is, you must to have 3 or more loosing seasons to prove you suck as a coach.

It's a good thing other areas of life don't have that privilege.

Mojouw
09-13-2014, 03:07 PM
My beef isn't anything new, its all carry over from previous years. Tomlin doesn't feel the heat, he just continues to blame the play. He gets no hard questions and snubs anything remotely challenging and no one has the balls to challenge Lebeau. As for the locker room, the players already have the confused, glazed look on their faces they have had in the pasted few years. Troy has had a look of utter frustration on his face since preseason, which I have never seen before. This clearly tells me they have no guidance or direction or leadership.

As for the locker room, any questioning of the staff and the scheme would be considered a cancerous player by fan and team. Look at Ben all these years telling the media how great his O-line is after being sacked 300+ times year.Do you really think a player would survive questioning the leadership?……so what it really comes down to is, you must to have 3 or more loosing seasons to prove you suck as a coach.

It's a good thing other areas of life don't have that privilege.

I live in an area of the country where I can see very little of the players post-game reactions and interviews during the week. I had not realized it was that bad. Then maybe I am way off base. Wouldn't be the first time.

As to Tomlin not getting hard questions. That goes back to the discussion on "coach speak" that was on another thread. All any head coach is going to say to the media are cliches. "one week at a time". "next man up". "Focus on execution and trust our system". Whatever they may be.

Same with Ben and the oline issue. He simply isn't going to go out to the media and say "obviously we had some protection issues". He will leave that for the Peyton Mannings of the world. I don't think that is a fear of reprisal from management and coaches - I think it is Ben's version of leadership. Don't throw "your guys" under the bus.

If this team goes 8-8 or worse, then I guess that is the time to make a change? I just don't know what a new staff could do differently? Switching to a 4-3 would require players that the team has neither the draft picks nor the cap room to go out and get. That locks them into a 3-4. Offense is lacking what? A solid RT? That has to wait for the draft or Gilbert/Adams to suddenly not be terrible.

I know I am harping on this, but until RT, OLB and DB play is improved (I am going to assume that McCullers and Tuit are the eventual answers along the DL) then how good can this team be with any coaching staff?

Count Steeler
09-13-2014, 03:33 PM
Case in point: Gilbert. Seems to have taken a step backwards in his development. Not what we were expecting with Munchak as the new O Line coach.

I want to believe that Munchak has Gilbert working on different techniques and has a long term goal in mind, but in the short term, Gilbert has forgotten how to block. I don't remember him being this bad last year. Adams may get a shot sooner than we had hoped.

Kudos to Beachum, still impressing at LT. I don't think he let anyone beat him on Thursday, especially Soap Suggs.

Shoes
09-13-2014, 03:37 PM
I live in an area of the country where I can see very little of the players post-game reactions and interviews during the week. I had not realized it was that bad. Then maybe I am way off base. Wouldn't be the first time.

As to Tomlin not getting hard questions. That goes back to the discussion on "coach speak" that was on another thread. All any head coach is going to say to the media are cliches. "one week at a time". "next man up". "Focus on execution and trust our system". Whatever they may be.

Same with Ben and the oline issue. He simply isn't going to go out to the media and say "obviously we had some protection issues". He will leave that for the Peyton Mannings of the world. I don't think that is a fear of reprisal from management and coaches - I think it is Ben's version of leadership. Don't throw "your guys" under the bus.

If this team goes 8-8 or worse, then I guess that is the time to make a change? I just don't know what a new staff could do differently? Switching to a 4-3 would require players that the team has neither the draft picks nor the cap room to go out and get. That locks them into a 3-4. Offense is lacking what? A solid RT? That has to wait for the draft or Gilbert/Adams to suddenly not be terrible.

I know I am harping on this, but until RT, OLB and DB play is improved (I am going to assume that McCullers and Tuit are the eventual answers along the DL) then how good can this team be with any coaching staff?
You don't have to throw anyone under the bus to be a good leader, but you do need to be honest and straight forward. This team can be very good if it gets the proper leadership. And proper leadership will avoid problems before they arise and will adjust when they can't.