Kovacevic: Rooney needs to break his mold … because Tomlin’s model is now broken

[Shoes]

Good Read

https://www.dkpittsburghsports.com/2018/12/31/column-steelers-bengals-dk/

[Michael]

Excellent read, and quite fair . This protective persona must stop. Tomlin's arrogance can and will be sprayed all over the place because that is who he truly is and he has been allowed to get away with "I dont deal with that".

A sports writer is no match for Tomlin. Most don't have the guts to ask the hard questions. The only effective person to get this coach on track is named Rooney. The question is will he.

[pczach]

Well, he certainly didn't pull any punches.

[DesertSteel]

Tuesday will bring the same bravado and rhetoric as always....... "We own it..."

[AtlantaDan]

Good read - AJRII needs to do what his father did with Noll after the 1988 season and say you need to make major changes to your coaching staff and way of doing business or move on with your life’s work.

In hindsight Dan Rooney should have fired Noll at that time since the team drifted through mediocrity for three more years.

Unlke that situation, the Steelers have a core of talent to be a contender (although like Mojouw I do not regard the roster to be as gifted as some other posters apparently do and posted in preseason I thought they would miss the playoffs). Unless Tomlin is unwilling to change the costs of canning Tomlin now and prompting who knows what reaction from Ben outweigh the benefits

But I take exception to the tired claim recycled by Kovacevic the Steelers are a “civic trust.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a business that like other pro sports franchises have plundered taxpayers for millions in stadium subsidies by exploiting the misperception the fans, players, coaches and owner are all in this together.

We are no more than customers and an owner only cares what the fans think when they become so discontented it reaches the point where attendance suffers like it has in Washington and it becomes difficult to shake down local governments for more handouts

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/a-once-proud-franchise-the-redskins-are-showing-signs-of-foundational-cracks/2018/12/29/c5194e90-0b8d-11e9-85b6-41c0fe0c5b8f_story.html

Missing the playoffs is disappointing but if you want to read what true franchise dysfunction is when an elite franchise falls apart check out the linked article above on Danny Snyder’s team

[Neversatisfied]

Great Article and spot on. As much as some of us would like to see Tomlin pack up his things and hit the road it wont happen this season. Accountability starts at the top and Tomlin has none. The real struggle begins when Tomlin leaves along with Ben's retirement and the Steelers are left to start over with a new coach, new QB and a defense that needs to be torn apart so soon after being rebuilt with high draft picks.

[Mojouw]

All those words and not one tangible suggestion or tactical change. Simply that the locker room didn’t act how a sportswriter expected it to.

Ever notice how most of the critique of the Tomlin era Steelers is because fans and sportswriters feel they are owed more details and almost an apology when things don’t meet expectations? If you want all that, go work for the team.

But no one seems able to connect the dots on all this supposedly toxic coaching and attitude stuff to wins and loses. Every loss is because they were flat and all wins were because the players are amazing.

Wake me up when DK posts an actual analysis of what happened on the field. The next time will be the first time in a long while.

[Shoes]

All those words and not one tangible suggestion or tactical change. Simply that the locker room didn’t act how a sportswriter expected it to.

Ever notice how most of the critique of the Tomlin era Steelers is because fans and sportswriters feel they are owed more details and almost an apology when things don’t meet expectations? If you want all that, go work for the team.

But no one seems able to connect the dots on all this supposedly toxic coaching and attitude stuff to wins and loses. Every loss is because they were flat and all wins were because the players are amazing.

Wake me up when DK posts an actual analysis of what happened on the field. The next time will be the first time in a long while.

So, do you think Tomlin has any coaching problems that need to be addressed other than the challenge flag or clock management? Any areas he needs to improve in?

[Mojouw]

So, do you think Tomlin has any coaching problem that needs to be addressed other than the challenge flag or clock management?

He needs to fire his DC. He needs to rein his QB back in and tell him that turning the ball over repeatedly is not a good idea. He needs better teachers at the LB and DB position coach level to get mental errors cleaned up.

Really it is all related to two decisions. Figure out how to decrease turnovers on offense and increase them on defense. Determine how to correct that and this team wins 12 games.

[Shoes]

He needs to fire his DC. He needs to rein his QB back in and tell him that turning the ball over repeatedly is not a good idea. He needs better teachers at the LB and DB position coach level to get mental errors cleaned up.

Really it is all related to two decisions. Figure out how to decrease turnovers on offense and increase them on defense. Determine how to correct that and this team wins 12 games.

That's a good start, now we just need someone to tell him that and hold him accountable.

[Edman]

This team will remain broken until Ben retires and Tomlin is let go. There is still way too much cancerous arrogance and lack of accountability on the Steelers.

I think this team is more concerned about getting statistics and highlight reels than doing what it takes to win.

[Istina]

So, do you think Tomlin has any coaching problems that need to be addressed other than the challenge flag or clock management? Any areas he needs to improve in?

The only other thing that he really can do is evaluate his coaching staff and either make changes or put them on notice. while I may be in the minority on this one, I think the Fichtner offense needs to be evaluated, it is too reliant on Ben not making mistakes or poor decisions. Ben had his most attempts in a season this year, it isn't a coincidence that the Steelers aren't in the playoffs, Ben is too much of a risk taker to put the ball in his hands that many times. The first thing Tomlin should do is insist that Fichtner retool the offense to make use of all of the weapons and not just Ben.

The defense is a bit easier, imo, fire the position coaches, I refuse to believe that competent position coaches can't get Artie Burns to be an average to above average CB in this league. He has everything it takes to be a good CB or better except good coaching and game plan. I refuse to believe that competent position coach can't get Bud Dupree to stop running himself out of plays or teach him more pass rushing techniques, hell, Watt could teach him more pass rushing techniques. There is also no reason for athletically gifted safeties to look lost and out of position far too often and make so few plays on passes that Sean Davis' 1st INT was in the 15th game of the season and came against the 3rd string quarterback of the Saints.

Special teams, no brainer, Smith needs to go, special teams cost the Steelers more yards and field position than is acceptable, just fire the guy and be done with it.

So, more succinctly, what Tomlin needs to do better is hire and fire his coaches, the rest will fall into place imo. Harbaugh brings in a guy with a name that just begs to be made fun of, except, he turns the Ravens defense into a monster and the Ravens do not have better defensive talent than the Steelers.

[NCSteeler]

He needs to fire his DC. He needs to rein his QB back in and tell him that turning the ball over repeatedly is not a good idea. He needs better teachers at the LB and DB position coach level to get mental errors cleaned up.

Really it is all related to two decisions. Figure out how to decrease turnovers on offense and increase them on defense. Determine how to correct that and this team wins 12 games.An honest question. Is Ben at a point in his career where he can't be reined in? Kinda like Rodgers, he runs his stuff it seems and no OC is going to force him to change what he does at This point. I know Ben has had his best statistical season and put up a lot of points

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[Neversatisfied]

He needs to fire his DC. He needs to rein his QB back in and tell him that turning the ball over repeatedly is not a good idea. He needs better teachers at the LB and DB position coach level to get mental errors cleaned up.

Really it is all related to two decisions. Figure out how to decrease turnovers on offense and increase them on defense. Determine how to correct that and this team wins 12 games.

Tomlin has been in control of the defense and its play calls since at least last season so Tomlin is to blame further more Rein in a QB in his 16th season? C'mon man.

[Hawkman]

Tomlin has been in control of the defense and its play calls since at least last season so Tomlin is to blame further more Rein in a QB in his 16th season? C'mon man.

Man.....you either need to sober up or go away.

[Shoes]

An honest question. Is Ben at a point in his career where he can't be reined in? Kinda like Rodgers, he runs his stuff it seems and no OC is going to force him to change what he does at This point. I know Ben has had his best statistical season and put up a lot of points

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That's a good question. Fitch isn't the guy who is going to tell Ben what he needs to do, it has to be Tomlin and I don't know if he can do it either. How do you do that when Ben says this on his picks this year. “I only like to speak for myself. In turning the ball over, I’m a guy that’s gonna take chances”, he said. “I could probably not throw some of the passes that have gotten intercepted and take a sack or not force some balls here and there that end up being good plays, but it’s the way I play the game”. Its good example of a player & coach problem that you can't solve by ignoring it.

https://steelersdepot.com/2018/12/big-ben-on-league-leading-ints-im-a-guy-thats-gonna-take-chances/

[86WARD]

The Rooney’s will be at fault if nothing is done with Tomlin’s staff and the mess that has become Bell and the mess that could become Brown...

[Hawkman]

Have the Rooney's ever done anything Quickly......thank goodness they haven't . clean house...really? I see changes made, but thoughtfully.....And damn, Cowher didn't get his SB until his next to last year with a QB he didn't even want.