Ron Cook: It's clear -- Tomlin has mishandled Steelers QBs

[polamalubeast]

Ron Cook: It's clear -- Tomlin has mishandled Steelers QBs
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin likes to use fancy words. This summer, "clarity" has been a popular choice for him, as in, "We're striving to find clarity with our quarterback position." There's only one problem. Tomlin doesn't appear to understand what the word means.

"We still don't know who's going to be our starting quarterback," Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said Sunday night.

Nor do the rest of us.

There's only one fancy word that applies here: Ambiguity.

Shame on Tomlin. The way he handled his quarterbacks Sunday night against the Denver Broncos added to the confusion. He started Ben Roethlisberger and played him for a quarter even though he will miss at least the first four regular-season games because of his NFL-mandated suspension. He traded a seventh-round draft pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in April for Byron Leftwich and gave him a one-year contract extension through 2011 with the intent of Leftwich being the starter in Roethlisberger's absence. Yet, he didn't play him against the Broncos until the third quarter and then with the second- and third-stringers, who were overrun by Broncos pass rushers and nearly got Leftwich killed. He gave Dennis Dixon way too many snaps with the first team even though he wouldn't have traded for Leftwich if he had any faith that Dixon could be the replacement starter for Roethlisberger.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10243/1083873-87.stm#ixzz0yCtoxspZ

[Nadroj 20]

I understand where Ward is coming from. I would want to know who the QB was too if I was a WR or any player on the team.



Blame Roethlisberger for this mess. That's fair. He put the Steelers in a terrible hole by getting himself in the jackpot in that college bar in Georgia.

I would say this is fair to say.

[fansince'76]

Shame on Tomlin. The way he handled his quarterbacks Sunday night against the Denver Broncos added to the confusion. He started Ben Roethlisberger and played him for a quarter even though he will miss at least the first four regular-season games because of his NFL-mandated suspension.

Not surprisingly, Cook sees no wisdom whatsoever in allowing Ben to try to develop some chemistry with Pouncey in as close to regular season conditions as a preseason games gets, considering he's going to be taking snaps from him for 3/4 of this season.

[Nadroj 20]

Not surprisingly, Cook sees no wisdom whatsoever in allowing Ben to try to develop some chemistry with Pouncey in as close to regular season conditions as a preseason games gets, considering he's going to be taking snaps from him for 3/4 of this season.

True but how much chemistry can you gain when he wont take another snap from him for 4 weeks? I understand what you are saying I'm not saying Ben shouldnt have played at all (give him a series), but when we are looking for a starter Week 1 I would like to see those guys (Lefty and DD) get as much time as possible.

[Wallace108]

I hate to say this, but Tomlin appears to be handling the QB situation much the same way Mangini did before the start of last season. :doh:

[polamalubeast]

I hate to say this, but Tomlin appears to be handling the QB situation much the same way Mangini did before the start of last season. :doh:

ken whisenhunt also

[atlsteelers]

if we miss the playoffs then its all on tomlin...its way too early to be judging the management of the qbs

[siss]

I don't think Tomlin has mishandled the situation at all. I think he has been put in an impossible situation that has no how to book. I don't think its fair to call it a screw up until after the season. Yes you can blame Ben, because it his actions that caused this situation, but he has owned that responsibility.
You can only play the hand you have been given and the steelers have been given a crappy hand with there ace out, but we still have a great defense and while Lefty isn't an ace he's at least worth a few wins. I still say we go 2-2 without Ben.

[steel striker]

It is just a bad situation period but, it is what it is. No matter what Tomlin decided the other night there was going to be issues. I still think Lefty will get the nod and, hopefully the defense will play well plus the offense needs just to do enough to win games.

[steelpride12]

Just because Tomlin has not made a public announcement on who the QB will doesn't mean he doesn't have a clear idea and final answer on who will start. I think the third game was a clear answer on who should start game 1 of the regular season and I think it's too early to be pointing the finger when the season has not even begun yet.

[solardave]

I don't put much stock in preseason. We have looked bad in the past clear up to the end of the last preseason game only to go 5-0 to start the season. Nothing to see here. I still think we win the first 4 games without Ben. Here's something to think about. Maybe Tomlin reads this forum and decided to shut us Dixon fans up by playing the hell out of him.:dance:

[steel#1]

I think it's been clear from the start. It was Leftwhiches to lose. It's not Tomlin's fault that Dixon looked so good to the fan base that he had to be given the chance--if anything blame Lefty for not closing the door. And say what you want it's four games BR is going to be expected to start and win 12 games he needs the reps too. If anything I blame Goodhell for the uneven punishment given to BR. Noone else has received any games lost for clear offenses that they were arrested for--Benson,Vince Young, Vick, or the Cleveland nose Rogers. What's up with that?

[SteelerEmpire]

This question is answered with simple logic. We all know who's gonna be starting: Lefty. Dixon is gonna have to pass for 400 yds thursday to turn that fact around...

[JayC]

once week 1 starts no one will care. i'd be shocked if anyone other than leftwich is starting week 1 (barring injury in the 4th preseason game)

[BigBenFn7]

I think Tomlin has done a fine job. He's been put into a situation that no one has ever faced before where he has to pick a starting QB that's not really going to be the starting QB. We'll just have to see how it all plays out. I don't think Leftwich or Dixon playing poorly will mean that he screwed up; it will just mean that they weren't that good.

[stillers4me]

It's clear - Ron Cook has never been an NFL headcoach.

[XxKnightxX]

I think it's been clear from the start. It was Leftwhiches to lose. It's not Tomlin's fault that Dixon looked so good to the fan base that he had to be given the chance--if anything blame Lefty for not closing the door. And say what you want it's four games BR is going to be expected to start and win 12 games he needs the reps too. If anything I blame Goodhell for the uneven punishment given to BR. Noone else has received any games lost for clear offenses that they were arrested for--Benson,Vince Young, Vick, or the Cleveland nose Rogers. What's up with that?

I dont consider the punishment uneven, Harsh? Yes, Ben picked the worst time one of the quietest months in the offseason to do what he did. But bear in mind that not only was Goodell pissed and so Were the Rooneys, and the Rooneys were in talks with Goodell to make his suspension a rough one, and even considered trading him to the Vikings or to the Rams. Ben deserved what he got, he thought he can be over the team and he clearly got a lesson. I Personally question why Ben got Reps with the first team for so long. A couple of series maybe but a whole Quarter is too much. He should of been taking reps with the 2nds and 3rds with a mix of the starting receivers if they wanted to keep him up to date. The way I like to look at it Ben is not part of our roster untill Week 5 or 7.

I want Ben to start ASAP. But he has to serve his suspension and we need to get the rest of the team ready. I think Leftwich will start but I wouldnt be disappointed if Dixon got the start, theyre 2 different styles of quarterback and mobility is a must. I went to the Giants game and as much as were trying to make a commitment to the run again. I saw the Old Bruce Arians again when ben started. Run on 1st down lose 12 yards and then sling it all over the field. This is the true test for Bruce Arians to see if he can win with a backup Quarterback who isnt expected to avoid 12 sacks and come back to win.

[Kaeg]

I don't think I have a problem with the QB rotation. Ben needs to get some snaps, so as not to be totally rusty, and DD needed to show he would step up or not to help make the QB for the 1st 4 games a little more clear. He didn't step up so much, so to me it helped clear it up a little bit more.