Mike Tomlin: We didn’t adapt to changed circumstances

[Shoes]

Right Mike, its like Lebeau never left.


Many believed that the Patriots would design a game plan aimed at taking away Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/8390/leveon-bell). The Patriots didn’t have to.
A groin injury limited Bell to 11 snaps on Sunday night, carrying the ball six times for 20 yards.
After the game, coach Mike Tomlin was asked whether the injury changed the offensive strategy.
“No question,” Tomlin said, “but like I said, injuries are part of the game. We didn’t do a good enough job or a quick enough job adapting to the circumstance.”

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/22/mike-tomlin-we-didnt-adapt-to-changed-circumstances/

[Edman]

The Steelers adapted just fine. When Bell went down, it was curtains. Ben was not going to win this game. The Patriots gamed to stop Bell and make it Brady vs Roethlisberger, and that is exactly what they got. Advantage Patriots.

The Patriots are simply put, just a better team than they are.

[Butch]

Hard to adapt to changes when you have coaches who don't game plan. My biggest complaint against B.A. was that he didn't game plan, Hailey is no different. Obviously Butler was no better. How in the hell do you rush only 3 on the very 1st defensive play? I am not a coach but I can tell you in order to beat shady you have to get pressure. The Defense was doomed to fail due to piss poor preparations.

[zulater]

If you don't subscribe to DK's site you should. Anyway the coaching really was the difference this game. And no the Patriots weren't brilliant. They did nothing unpredictable. The Steelers just came with a game plan on both sides that was destined to fail with anything other than perfect execution by all 11 players on every play. They didn't put players in a position to succeed. I mean James Harrison dropped into coverage more this game than any prior game this season. :frusty: You can't beat Brady with zone and a 3 or 4 man rush. Our young defenders were destroyed by the Patriots up tempo offense. The Steelers way too often couldn't get their defensive play calls in on time. If they're in man they don't have to think so much about assignment, therefore the uptempo offense the Patriots employed could have been rendered less effective. But no. This team doesn't adjust. You come to the party with a bad plan you stay with that poor plan all night no matter how bad it's working.

Our coaches were exposed. They think opponent has no bearing on game plan. With this mindset they could play the Patriots 20 times and lose 20 games. It's not about a talent gap. Give Ben the controls on the Patriots offense and they still score well into the 30's. They had receivers wide open all night. (how often did Ben have wide open receivers on key plays?) Brady stood flat footed in the pocket while the Steelers rushed 3 or 4 all night. Yes Brady is great. But in all honestly he didn't have to be last night. We made it way too easy.

By the way this team also consistently gets out coached by the Ravens staff. Our talent is far greater than the Ravens but damn if they don't take us to the limit every game.

[LloydWoodson]

^Rushing 4 is how the Broncos demolished the Pats last year. Blitzing Brady is suicide. 2nd highest rated passer in the NFL bersus the blitz. Rushing 3 means 2 of the rushers are being double teamed so I agree that 3 isn't enough. Just saying that blitzes do not work vs Brady.

[86WARD]

For years they haven't adapted to the Patriots.

[Mojouw]

^Rushing 4 is how the Broncos demolished the Pats last year. Blitzing Brady is suicide. 2nd highest rated passer in the NFL bersus the blitz. Rushing 3 means 2 of the rushers are being double teamed so I agree that 3 isn't enough. Just saying that blitzes do not work vs Brady.

That was what i was trying to get at elsewhere last night. This team needs another pass rusher before they can beat Brady with the only plan that has been shown to work. Get pressure with a 4 man rush. The Giants did it with their 4 DE look and the Broncos did it with basically Von Miller. So either Dupree gets a lot better by start of 2017 or the Steelers are still hunting for a pass rusher?

[Edman]

All the "Pass Rushers" in the world doesn't make a difference if Brady spots his receiver and gets the ball out quickly. You know what else the Broncos and Giants did?

They actually covered their receivers.

How many times to count did you see last night some of those midgets running free in the secondary while the Defenders just stood around?

"DURR BUT PASS RUSHERS!" This whole "pass rush" mentality is most likely shared by the coaches, and why this team will not beat the Patriots ever again.

[SteelerFanInStl]

No Mike, what you didn't do was come into the game with a different game plan from all of the previous years when you've lost to the Patriots.

[steelreserve]

^Rushing 4 is how the Broncos demolished the Pats last year. Blitzing Brady is suicide. 2nd highest rated passer in the NFL bersus the blitz. Rushing 3 means 2 of the rushers are being double teamed so I agree that 3 isn't enough. Just saying that blitzes do not work vs Brady.

Rushing 4 worked because they took away the quick underneath routes instead of playing a soft zone. Blitzing would also work if you took away the quick underneath routes instead of playing a soft zone, although it would be harder.

Playing a soft zone with a 4-man rush is suicide. Blitzing with a soft zone is double suicide.

This is not rocket science. It's not even high school science. An 8th-grade PE teacher could figure it out. What the almighty fuck were WE doing?

[zulater]

Two telling numbers.

The Patriots converted 9 out of their first 12 first downs.

The Steelers had zero passes defensed. 42 pass attempts by Brady and not once did a Steeler defender lay a finger on a pass.

[LloydWoodson]

That was what i was trying to get at elsewhere last night. This team needs another pass rusher before they can beat Brady with the only plan that has been shown to work. Get pressure with a 4 man rush. The Giants did it with their 4 DE look and the Broncos did it with basically Von Miller. So either Dupree gets a lot better by start of 2017 or the Steelers are still hunting for a pass rusher?

Agreed. You either have pass rushers that can beat their man or you don't.

Harrison is probably done but I hope not. Still he is a backup at this point... but to who?

I half expect Jarvis Jones to be re-signed for 8.5M. That should seal the defense's fate and keep them mediocre. I'd be looking for a FA or even start Moats over Jones. Jones needs to go. 4 years of mediocrity produced 6 sacks... but the standard is the standard.

[Edman]

The Steelers had zero passes defensed. 42 pass attempts by Brady and not once did a Steeler defender lay a finger on a pass.

Yes. That tends to happen when you don't actually cover anyone and stand around. Unfortunately, we have people who still hold onto the idea that the pass rush was the problem last night.

You can stick LT in his prime on one side, James Harrison in his prime on the other and stock the D-Line with the Steel Curtain and it wouldn't have made a single difference. You played Zone Defense against the Patriots. You fail by default. It's over. You lost the game.

I hope this sticks in the craw of the coaches all offseason, and never makes them forget it. The Lebeau Zone needs to go.

[86WARD]

Yes. That tends to happen when you don't actually cover anyone and stand around.

I hope this sticks in the craw of the coaches all offseason, and never makes them forget it. The Lebeau Zone needs to go.

Why do you think it would be different this year? They haven't made adjustments in the last 15 years...lol.

[LloydWoodson]

Denver was the only team that stopped Brady this year. Even the Seahawks did a half ass job. So... fire 31 DCs?

[Edman]

Denver was the only team that stopped Brady this year. Even the Seahawks did a half ass job. So... fire 31 DCs?

So just lying down on your backside and take up the ass instead is a better option?

I want to lose to Tom Brady because he is the GOAT, not because we're frightened of him. Any competitive aspect of Sunday's game was lost the moment the Coaches said "Okay Tom, its all yours!" Send 3-4 and drop eight in coverage! Don't cover any one of their receivers! I sure hope Tom makes a mistake!

Then we have Chris Hogan go off and say "We knew they would play zone coverage". Just walked right into it again.

We keep making it so easy and effortless for them, forgive me If I'm getting a little tired of uncompetitive one-sided blowouts against the Patriots.

[Moose]

No Mike, what you didn't do was come into the game with a different game plan from all of the previous years when you've lost to the Patriots.

Exactly ! They go in with 1 plan and 1 plan only !

[Mojouw]

Don't most teams play zone - even against the Pats? The concept is not in and of itself flawed. Clearly the lack of execution and adaptability are however. That and the pass rush sucked. Would have helped if the Steelers offense could have managed some points.

[polamalubeast]

Denver was the only team that stopped Brady this year. Even the Seahawks did a half ass job. So... fire 31 DCs?



The problem is that the Steelers have used the same thing in the past 10 years that has never worked against Brady.

I mean, if at least the steelers would have tried a few things different and it would have failed, I would have been less frustrated, but their plan on Sunday would have failed even with a pro bowl players at every positions in defense!

[Edman]

Don't most teams play zone - even against the Pats? The concept is not in and of itself flawed. Clearly the lack of execution and adaptability are however. That and the pass rush sucked. Would have helped if the Steelers offense could have managed some points.

Brady doesn't routinely destroy those other teams on a consistent basis like he does the Steelers.

-22 TD's 0 INT's since Tomlin was coach.

-Brady threw 42 passes Sunday, not a single one was defended by a Steelers DB.

[86WARD]

There was I disruption to the Patriots WRs it to Brady. Hey we're throwing it around like it was 7 on 5.

[Moose]

What a asinine statement to make ! Didn't adapt to changed circumstances ! NO SHIT man ! Hey asshole, believe it or not, this is part of a COACHES job. You watching the game ? IF they are stopping what you are doing you change the game plan. They apparently were stopping Bell....I noticed that early because I was watching the game Mike. I thought, surely they will start passing to Brown, or having Bell go out as a receiver, or have William substitute, pass to James, something other than running Bell constantly up the middle ! Mike, you and the rest of the coaches were just plan schooled by a far superior clan of coaching staff in New England.....watch some films with the rest of the players and front office. You all are in BIG NEEDS for learning, if you are going for a run next year.....oh yea, and QB sneaks are allowed at the 1 ft line.

[steelreserve]

Don't most teams play zone - even against the Pats? The concept is not in and of itself flawed.


Yeah it is. They play zone and they also lose.

I am literally becoming convinced that the Patriots get cakewalked to a bye week and home field every season simply because 90% of teams are too stupid to adjust what they're doing. Unfortunately, we're among them.

Like ... if you were the Bloods and you were planning for a gunfight against the Crips, and you knew the Crips had a sniper - would you bring all handguns? Well, maybe you would if you were stupid, but not if you wanted to win.

[Steeldude]

We didn’t do a good enough job or a quick enough job adapting to the circumstance

Hasn't he said something like this before?

Ever notice that when something is working well for the Steelers they stop it? When something is working against them they keep doing it. At least it seems that way.

[86WARD]

Teams are afraid of Brady and feel the need to drop 7,8,9 in coverage and he just picks that apart.

A WR ALWAYS has the advantage over a DB because the receiver knows where he's going. The DB is guessing and when Tommy has all day to throw, plus an EXTRA 3+ SECONDS than he normally has...YOU'LL NEVER BEAT HIM. You could drop 11 in coverage and you wouldn't beat him even if he only sent 3 Recievers out on routes.

[Terrapinstation]

Maybe Tomlin can throw another shindig for Hillary. Two people that always seem to come up short. Should have a lot to talk about

[smokin3000gt]

Maybe Tomlin can throw another shindig for Hillary. Two people that always seem to come up short. Should have a lot to talk about

Maybe you could show them both a thing or two about success and accomplishments... if you're not already booked up that is.

[DesertSteel]

I'm a Tomlin supporter but he is a Rhetoric Machine.

[Mojouw]

I'm a Tomlin supporter but he is a Rhetoric Machine.

What else are these guys supposed to do at these press conferences? Like 15 minutes after you had your worst day at work would you really be in to saying a ton of definite things about why that just happened?

I know that I am in the minority here, but I have never watched or read the post-game interviews, the weekly press conferences, etc from players and coaches expecting to learn anything meaningful about a past or future game. The only interesting stuff is when they talk about injuries, since by league rule they have to be honest and transparent about that stuff.

The rest is BS. Tomlin is just slicker in his catch-phrases then most.

[fansince'76]

The only interesting stuff is when they talk about injuries, since by league rule they have to be honest and transparent about that stuff.

Yeah? How many seasons in a row was Brady listed week after week as "questionable" with a "shoulder injury?" 5? 6?

[Steeldude]

Does anyone truly believe Tomlin will change the game plan next season against the Patriots? It will be the same exact game plan. Then he will come out to say, "We didn't make adjustments." Then the same will happen again in 2018 and so on...until Belichick retires.

Can a team trade their HC for draft picks?

[Shoes]

Does anyone truly believe Tomlin will change the game plan next season against the Patriots? It will be the same exact game plan. Then he will come out to say, "We didn't make adjustments." Then the same will happen again in 2018 and so on...until Belichick retires.

Can a team trade their HC for draft picks?

:chuckle:

[86WARD]

Can a team trade their HC for draft picks?

Yes. Didn't the Raiders trade Gruden to the Buccaneers for 2 first round picks?

[Steeldude]

Yes. Didn't the Raiders trade Gruden to the Buccaneers for 2 first round picks?

Hmmm...that sounds enticing. Is Cleveland dumb enough to do it?

[86WARD]

I would do it in a sexually (<<I left that there because it autocorrected "second"...lol)

I think the Raiders also got a couple other draft picks and cash.

[Steeldude]

I would do it in a sexually (<<I left that there because it autocorrected "second"...lol)

I think the Raiders also got a couple other draft picks and cash.

You do realize that auto-correct customizes itself to words you often use? Haha

[IowaSteeler927]

Tomlin/Haley/Butler deserve to get called out for that travesty of a football game. Tomlin is supposed to be a defensive coach, yet he and Keith Butler couldn't figure out that the best way to beat Brady is to collapse the pocket and play bump and run with his receivers. I know our defense was bad in years past with guys like Antwon Blake playing in the secondary, but what I saw against the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game was just asinine. Chris Hogan was open multiple times without a single black and gold jersey around him within a 10 yard radius... He was getting matched up with linebackers, and safeties. It literally made no sense. We did nothing to disrupt their timing, we went in there and did exactly what they wanted us to do defensively, and that was sit back in zone, for the vast majority of the game. The players didn't play well, but this coaching staff has been outcoached by Belichick far too many times now.

As for Haley, why would you sit out Ayers and play Coates when you know that his hand is still messed up? I mean look at the guy, he hasn't done anything since Week 5 when he dislocated two fingers on the same hand. Ayers could've benefited from the experience, but instead he wasn't even part of the gameplan. The offense was pretty weak overall. We completely abandoned the run game when we should've utilized it to try and keep Brady off the field as much as possible.

All in all we just got our asses handed to us. Poor coaching, and bad play never add up to anything good. We should've at least put up a respectable game, and instead we played right into the Patriots' gameplan, and they made us pay.

[silver & black]

Yes. Didn't the Raiders trade Gruden to the Buccaneers for 2 first round picks?

Yup............................................:wt f:

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I would do it in a sexually (<<I left that there because it autocorrected "second"...lol)

I think the Raiders also got a couple other draft picks and cash.

Yup.

[86WARD]

You do realize that auto-correct customizes itself to words you often use? Haha

I do and that's why I left it there because I don't think I have ever typed that word...not even in google. I'm not sure I've ever typed sex. Porn on the other hand...it should probably autocorrect everything to that word.

[86WARD]

Yup............................................:wt f:

- - - Updated - - -



Yup.

Yes...I would trade Tomlin to the Browns for that trade package that the Raiders got...no,hesitation whatsoever.

[Born2Steel]

The Patriots lost 2 games this season. One without Brady, and the other, with Brady, to the Seahawks. The Seahawks only rushed 4 DL and were able to get to Brady on occasion. That, mixed with actually getting turnovers, held the Patriots to 24 points. They still had to defend a last second throw to Gronk for the tie to to hold on to the win. Point here is, that sounds a lot like our plan in the AFCCG. Only we did not get to Brady, nor did we get any turnovers. I maintain that without Bell, all the Patriots defense had to do was blanket AB, and it was game over. No matter what we did on defense it would not be enough to win this game. Once our threat to score was mostly nullified, our coaches knew it was over, our players knew it was over. We simply played it out and kept them from hanging 60 on us. The end. Mystery solved.

[polamalubeast]

The Patriots lost 2 games this season. One without Brady, and the other, with Brady, to the Seahawks. The Seahawks only rushed 4 DL and were able to get to Brady on occasion. That, mixed with actually getting turnovers, held the Patriots to 24 points. They still had to defend a last second throw to Gronk for the tie to to hold on to the win. Point here is, that sounds a lot like our plan in the AFCCG. Only we did not get to Brady, nor did we get any turnovers. I maintain that without Bell, all the Patriots defense had to do was blanket AB, and it was game over. No matter what we did on defense it would not be enough to win this game. Once our threat to score was mostly nullified, our coaches knew it was over, our players knew it was over. We simply played it out and kept them from hanging 60 on us. The end. Mystery solved.


Our offense was bad vs. patriots but our defense was worse.

I mean, the pats have only one punt in this game and this is not the first time that it happens against them

The same thing happened to the packers against the falcons

You have no chance of winning when the opposing team have only one punt in the game