polamalubeast
09-12-2017, 03:34 PM
Ed Bouchette
The Steelers’ reputation for big hits that are illegal or borderline came to a head (a few times literally) Sunday in Cleveland.
A handful of Steelers can expect to pay the price, too, with heavy fines this week for the unusually large number of unnecessary roughness penalties called against them in the season opener.
Mike Tomlin may think the officiating crew deserves one too.
The Steelers coach said he was “irate” because he believes referee Craig Wrolstad’s crew illegally used a replay on the video board in First Energy Stadium to throw a flag long after William Gay’s hit dislodged the ball from the hands of receiver Ricardo Louis in the third quarter along the sideline.
“That’s why I was irate,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “Look, I’m a big player-safety guy, obviously. I’m on the competition committee, so very rarely are you going to hear arguments from me regarding calls relevant to that, provided they’re done in real time. I thought they called it off the Jumbotron and I won’t accept that.”
Gay’s was one of four unnecessary roughness penalties called against the Steelers defense in the opener. That not only leads the league, it follows a recent trend by the Steelers for roughing penalties assessed against them.
Last season, they were tied with Baltimore for 11 UR penalties. In 2015, they tied for fourth with 11, and in 2014 they tied for seventh with eight. They have not been out of the top 10 since 2012 when they had only two all season — half as many as they had in this year’s opener.
Does it show a lack of discipline by the Steelers, or is the big-hit mentality merely part of their DNA that goes back decades?
read more
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/09/12/pittsburgh-steelers-penalties-unnecessary-roughness-nfl-rules-2017/stories/201709120180
The Steelers’ reputation for big hits that are illegal or borderline came to a head (a few times literally) Sunday in Cleveland.
A handful of Steelers can expect to pay the price, too, with heavy fines this week for the unusually large number of unnecessary roughness penalties called against them in the season opener.
Mike Tomlin may think the officiating crew deserves one too.
The Steelers coach said he was “irate” because he believes referee Craig Wrolstad’s crew illegally used a replay on the video board in First Energy Stadium to throw a flag long after William Gay’s hit dislodged the ball from the hands of receiver Ricardo Louis in the third quarter along the sideline.
“That’s why I was irate,” Tomlin said Tuesday. “Look, I’m a big player-safety guy, obviously. I’m on the competition committee, so very rarely are you going to hear arguments from me regarding calls relevant to that, provided they’re done in real time. I thought they called it off the Jumbotron and I won’t accept that.”
Gay’s was one of four unnecessary roughness penalties called against the Steelers defense in the opener. That not only leads the league, it follows a recent trend by the Steelers for roughing penalties assessed against them.
Last season, they were tied with Baltimore for 11 UR penalties. In 2015, they tied for fourth with 11, and in 2014 they tied for seventh with eight. They have not been out of the top 10 since 2012 when they had only two all season — half as many as they had in this year’s opener.
Does it show a lack of discipline by the Steelers, or is the big-hit mentality merely part of their DNA that goes back decades?
read more
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/09/12/pittsburgh-steelers-penalties-unnecessary-roughness-nfl-rules-2017/stories/201709120180