hawaiiansteeler
12-21-2015, 08:16 PM
How Mike Tomlin, Steelers survived three-QB season when others didn't
Dec 20, 2015
Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer
http://a1.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2015%2F0927%2Fusatsi_8829078_r122 40_1296x518_5%2D2.jpg&w=1006&h=402&scale=crop&location=origin
Five NFL teams have played with three quarterbacks this season.
Four have a combined 17-35 record, as you would expect with so much flux at the game’s most important position.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team to survive the changes with a winning record. Pittsburgh is 8-5 while the Cowboys, Ravens and Browns have 11 wins among them (the Texans are holding tight at 6-7).
Every case is different. Tony Romo played four games because of injury. Who knows where the Steelers would be if Ben Roethlisberger played only four? Probably not in the playoff mix.
But here are a few reasons why the Steelers have had success this season.
The "next man up" cliché: Next man up is a close second to "swag" and "ballhawk" as the most overused NFL word or phrase over the past five years. But coaches love to say it, and players love hearing it.
"Coach T [Mike Tomlin] preaches next man up, and we’ve lived it firsthand," offensive coordinator Todd Haley said.
The football rhetoric actually worked in this case. With early-season injuries at several different positions, the Steelers became conditioned to roster changes and adjusted accordingly.
DeAngelo Williams: The Steelers got five and a half games from arguably the game’s best running back (LeVeon Bell) and have seen minimal drop-off in the offense. That’s a credit to Williams, who is outplaying his two-year, $4 million deal.
Make no mistake: The Steelers miss Bell. But the running game is still considered a strength. The Steelers have been in the top 10 in rushing offense for much of the season. Williams is getting minimal tailback help. Pittsburgh doesn’t have a definitive No. 2 back right now, so Williams plays almost every down and is averaging 20.2 carries per start. He’s tied with Antonio Brown with eight touchdowns, and he’s on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards despite not starting in six games.
The Steelers knew they were getting an established player in Williams. Turns out they got a motivated one as well. The offensive line has maintained above-average play all season, too.
Timely moments from Mike Vick and Landry Jones: Going 2-2 with these two at quarterback was crucial. This could have been worse. Jones followed the perfect backup quarterback script: help fuel a comeback win, go back to the bench before things turn ugly on you. Jones was fantastic in the Steelers' 25-13 win against Arizona, then started to turn the ball over in a 23-13 loss to Kansas City. Ten quarters might have been too long for Jones. Six was just right.
Knock Vick’s play if you choose, and it was rough for parts of his three-game stint as starter, but he lifted the offense in that final quarter against San Diego. Without Vick in those moments, the team isn’t in playoff contention right now.
Risk-taking: Tomlin has coached like a man with zero regrets. He’s willing to make decisions and live with them if they backfire.
In fact, of his three big calls this season, two didn’t work -- the fake field goal in Seattle and the fourth-and-1 in overtime against the Ravens. The one in Seattle was especially egregious.
But the one that did work, Bell's walk-off Wildcat touchdown on the final play of the San Diego game, was beautiful. And it changed the complexion of the season.
Tomlin is 1-for-3 on his calls, but he’s 3-for-3 on getting the locker room to rally behind him...
to read rest of article:
http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/16869/how-mike-tomlin-and-steelers-survived-three-qb-season-when-others-didnt
Dec 20, 2015
Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer
http://a1.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2015%2F0927%2Fusatsi_8829078_r122 40_1296x518_5%2D2.jpg&w=1006&h=402&scale=crop&location=origin
Five NFL teams have played with three quarterbacks this season.
Four have a combined 17-35 record, as you would expect with so much flux at the game’s most important position.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team to survive the changes with a winning record. Pittsburgh is 8-5 while the Cowboys, Ravens and Browns have 11 wins among them (the Texans are holding tight at 6-7).
Every case is different. Tony Romo played four games because of injury. Who knows where the Steelers would be if Ben Roethlisberger played only four? Probably not in the playoff mix.
But here are a few reasons why the Steelers have had success this season.
The "next man up" cliché: Next man up is a close second to "swag" and "ballhawk" as the most overused NFL word or phrase over the past five years. But coaches love to say it, and players love hearing it.
"Coach T [Mike Tomlin] preaches next man up, and we’ve lived it firsthand," offensive coordinator Todd Haley said.
The football rhetoric actually worked in this case. With early-season injuries at several different positions, the Steelers became conditioned to roster changes and adjusted accordingly.
DeAngelo Williams: The Steelers got five and a half games from arguably the game’s best running back (LeVeon Bell) and have seen minimal drop-off in the offense. That’s a credit to Williams, who is outplaying his two-year, $4 million deal.
Make no mistake: The Steelers miss Bell. But the running game is still considered a strength. The Steelers have been in the top 10 in rushing offense for much of the season. Williams is getting minimal tailback help. Pittsburgh doesn’t have a definitive No. 2 back right now, so Williams plays almost every down and is averaging 20.2 carries per start. He’s tied with Antonio Brown with eight touchdowns, and he’s on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards despite not starting in six games.
The Steelers knew they were getting an established player in Williams. Turns out they got a motivated one as well. The offensive line has maintained above-average play all season, too.
Timely moments from Mike Vick and Landry Jones: Going 2-2 with these two at quarterback was crucial. This could have been worse. Jones followed the perfect backup quarterback script: help fuel a comeback win, go back to the bench before things turn ugly on you. Jones was fantastic in the Steelers' 25-13 win against Arizona, then started to turn the ball over in a 23-13 loss to Kansas City. Ten quarters might have been too long for Jones. Six was just right.
Knock Vick’s play if you choose, and it was rough for parts of his three-game stint as starter, but he lifted the offense in that final quarter against San Diego. Without Vick in those moments, the team isn’t in playoff contention right now.
Risk-taking: Tomlin has coached like a man with zero regrets. He’s willing to make decisions and live with them if they backfire.
In fact, of his three big calls this season, two didn’t work -- the fake field goal in Seattle and the fourth-and-1 in overtime against the Ravens. The one in Seattle was especially egregious.
But the one that did work, Bell's walk-off Wildcat touchdown on the final play of the San Diego game, was beautiful. And it changed the complexion of the season.
Tomlin is 1-for-3 on his calls, but he’s 3-for-3 on getting the locker room to rally behind him...
to read rest of article:
http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/16869/how-mike-tomlin-and-steelers-survived-three-qb-season-when-others-didnt