No bright spots tonight. Looked like the worst team in the league.

[zulater]

If Ben plays bad this team is brutal. Maybe the worst in the league. Could be looking at the #1 pick in the draft if Ben doesn't get right.
And given this receiver core, that's no given. Sanders is missed. Colbert will fuck it regardless. Need a new management team.

[MrPgh]

Inexcusable that they hardly ran no-huddle and didn't take shots down field when the Ravens were missing their best CB.

[one side only]

Tremendous post; captures everything but "Fire Tomlin." The intentional misspelling of corps is priceless.

[steel9guy]

Inexcusable that they hardly ran no-huddle and didn't take shots down field when the Ravens were missing their best CB.

Every year we are promised more no huddle. Every year denied. Tired of everything about this team. Just sickening.

[MrPgh]

Every year we are promised more no huddle. Every year denied. Tired of everything about this team. Just sickening.

You have to start wondering if the decision about the no-huddle is made above the offensive coordinator. I think there's an organizational ego with the Steelers, and they want to show everybody they can still win with Ben being put in a minimized role..... except they can't.

[one side only]

Fuck off.

I thought it was the "sky is falling" sarcasm. My mistake. I apologize.

[zulater]

I thought it was the "sky is falling" sarcasm. My mistake. I apologize.

Sorry. I'm in a bad mood tonight. Just wanted a good effort. Didn't really expect a win.


They got ten days to figure some things out. Hope they look like an NFL team a week Sunday.

[bayz101]

Not sure how you can look at Bell and Antonio Brown's efforts tonight and claim no bright spots. Outside of that --- yeah. Pretty shitty.

[Devilsdancefloor]

lance moore is looking more like duce every game the bright spot is bell he is for real

[Lambert_Loonie]

Inexcusable that they hardly ran no-huddle and didn't take shots down field when the Ravens were missing their best CB.

I don't get it. They KNOW what works and they go out of their way NOT to do it.

[MrPgh]

I don't get it. They KNOW what works and they go out of their way NOT to do it.

It's ego. The Steelers want to be right more badly than they want to win.

[BigNastyDefense]

This defense is bad. They need a true NT. Cam Thomas and Steve McClendon are not the answers. Why the hell is McCullers inactive? Can we at least give him a shot at the nose? He can't be any worse than what we already have. At least if he can plant his feet he'll be difficult to move. This defense cannot tackle worth a damn...but they're good at racking up penalties.

Baltimore isn't an easy place to win. When your defense can't tackle and your offense can't get anything going, that makes it impossible. Forget the two bogus personal foul penalties on the Ravens last TD drive, the Steelers didn't deserve to win this game. No pass rush, can't create a turnover to save their lives...and the offense turned it over three times. You're almost never going to win with that disaster of a recipe.

Outside of AB and Wheaton, there's a huge drop off at receiver. Hopefully Lance Moore can get healthy so he can at least be a reliable slot receiver. Justin Brown is trash, when Moore gets healthy, JB should be inactive. Heyward-Bey isn't anything special. People complaining about not going deep...they tried a few times and each time Ben got sacked.

[Shoes]

Worilds was pushed, at will all over the field. This guy has the energy of an earthworm.

[steel9guy]

It's ego. The Steelers want to be right more badly than they want to win.

I agree. It has to be. It's absurd. I don't understand why it has to be this way. Doesn't the coaching staff realize they are gonna run themselves out of town?

[MrPgh]

I agree. It has to be. It's absurd. I don't understand why it has to be this way. Doesn't the coaching staff realize they are gonna run themselves out of town?

Unfortunately, I think this sentiment goes higher up than the coaching staff....

[steel9guy]

Outscored 50-9 in the last 6 quarters. 50-9 ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zulater]

Outscored 50-9 in the last 6 quarters. 50-9 ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But it was against two of the best offenses in the league. Uh, what's that you say?

[BigNastyDefense]

I agree. It has to be. It's absurd. I don't understand why it has to be this way. Doesn't the coaching staff realize they are gonna run themselves out of town?

Cowher had losing seasons in most of his non-playoff years. So I don't see Tomlin getting fired unless this team goes something like 4-12 for a few straight years. Haley was an Art Rooney hire, he'll be given every chance to make it.

Honestly, the entire time he has been here, Tomlin hasn't had complete control over his staff. A condition of being hired was keeping LeBeau. The defensive staff has been kept basically intact, and I don't know if that's because management was basically saying let LeBeau keep who he wants to keep or because Tomlin seriously wanted to keep them. I think Art II fired Arians, and forced Haley on Tomlin.

I'll be totally honest, when LeBeau retired, if they don't allow him to bring in whoever he wants to bring in on defense...or if he wants to fire Haley and Art says no...if I were Tomlin, I'd coach out my contract and coach somewhere else the next year.

[X-Terminator]

Unfortunately, I think this sentiment goes higher up than the coaching staff....

Well given that Art basically wanted Ben reined in and wanted more emphasis on the running attack (not run more - I get it, please people, don't bring that up), I have to agree. That said, the coaching staff absolutely should not be given a pass for how ill-prepared and poorly coached the team is. I mean, they were so good in the no-huddle in the first half Sunday. Shelved the past 6 quarters. Why? The defense...well, it's just a mess, plain and simple.

[Shoes]

Well given that Art basically wanted Ben reined in and wanted more emphasis on the running attack (not run more - I get it, please people, don't bring that up), I have to agree. That said, the coaching staff absolutely should not be given a pass for how ill-prepared and poorly coached the team is. I mean, they were so good in the no-huddle in the first half Sunday. Shelved the past 6 quarters. Why? The defense...well, it's just a mess, plain and simple.

I don't understand this either, tho I don't think that would have helped Ben tonight. The D needs new blood in the coaching dept……and I'm not sold on Butler. If he coaches like his press conferences sound and the stupid remarks he made on Spence in the past…I'll pass.

[st33lersguy]

This ain't a playoff team. This team will go 7-9 or 8-8

[X-Terminator]

This ain't a playoff team. This team will go 7-9 or 8-8

As bad as the AFC is, that still might be good enough to make the playoffs.

[Steelerette]

Remember how the end of the 2012 season showed so much promise, we thought in the offseason that maybe there was some hope that things were starting to turn around... and then we laid a complete egg at the beginning of last season?

Here we are again. We finished last season strong, there was a lot of cause for optimism - not universal but not blind either, there was actual cause - and yet we came out this season looking like this?

Unless the next few games they prove to us that the last six quarters were an aberration, let's don't be fooled again. I can live with growing pains. I can live with losing. I can't live with not even trying.

[HollywoodSteel]

I am so baffled by this team. We have 3 first round draft picks and 1 second rounder at LB. We have at least two solid defensive linemen plus a 2nd round rookie that's supposedly a steal. How the hell are we generating absolutely ZERO pass rush. It doesn't seem possible. We don't seem to have a single defensive player that can line up against an opponent and consistently win their individual battle. NOT ONE GUY! Every team has at least ONE GUY. Are we that bad at evaluating talent? Did Dick Labeau go from being one of the best defensive minds in the game to the absolute worst? That doesn't seem possible either. We brought in Joey Porter to bring some fire to this linebacking group and instead it looks more like he brought a wet blanket. We all love Carnell Lake, but could this secondary be much worse? Are we seeing the best those guys are capable of? It just doesn't seem possible.

I knew going into the season that our secondary would be sub-par, especially our corners, but I figured we'd have some bright spots to make up for that. Some splash plays. SOMETHING.

I know it's only been two games this year but we have been near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to turnovers and sacks for like three years. How? You'd think we'd get more sacks and turnovers by just dumb luck alone. But we don't. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.

Maybe I'm just a spoiled fan. Maybe I need to wake up and realize that there is nothing magical about the emblem on the side of our helmets. There is no Steeler way. It doesn't mean anything without good drafting and good coaching. The ghost of Art Rooney doesn't make us special. The Cowboys and Raiders were once great franchises too but the only thing connecting them to their winning ways is the uniform.

I guess I just expect us to be good every year for no really good reason. I know why the Patriots are good every year (even the year where Brady was hurt). And it isn't the stupid uniform or the owner. I don't know why I magically expect anything from the Steelers. I suppose I like that we don't panic and fire coaches the way that consistently bad teams do. I want Tomlin to be a great head coach, but for the life of me I still can't figure out what aspect of coaching he does really well. And I'm not saying I want him fired. I'm not claiming to have any solutions at all. That's what makes it all so frustrating.

[HollywoodSteel]

As bad as the AFC is, that still might be good enough to make the playoffs.

To what end? Getting slaughtered in the first playoff game because we have absolutely no chance at winning against a real playoff team, especially on the road?

I hate being so pessimistic. I really want to look at something and say, "okay this is correctable with proper coaching." But who is going to be doing that coaching? Who is going to correct the little things that have gone uncorrected for several years now? I know we are not playing up to our potential on offense, but I have no idea what our potential even is on defense. I look at guys who I thought would be playmakers and they just either suck because we can't evaluate talent for shit or they suck because we can't coach for shit. Or both. I wish I had some hope to cling to, but I can't find it.

[katmandu]

Inexcusable that they hardly ran no-huddle and didn't take shots down field when the Ravens were missing their best CB.

What's up with that ?

[Shoes]

I am so baffled by this team. We have 3 first round draft picks and 1 second rounder at LB. We have at least two solid defensive linemen plus a 2nd round rookie that's supposedly a steal. How the hell are we generating absolutely ZERO pass rush. It doesn't seem possible. We don't seem to have a single defensive player that can line up against an opponent and consistently win their individual battle. NOT ONE GUY! Every team has at least ONE GUY. Are we that bad at evaluating talent? Did Dick Labeau go from being one of the best defensive minds in the game to the absolute worst? That doesn't seem possible either. We brought in Joey Porter to bring some fire to this linebacking group and instead it looks more like he brought a wet blanket. We all love Carnell Lake, but could this secondary be much worse? Are we seeing the best those guys are capable of? It just doesn't seem possible.

I knew going into the season that our secondary would be sub-par, especially our corners, but I figured we'd have some bright spots to make up for that. Some splash plays. SOMETHING.

I know it's only been two games this year but we have been near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to turnovers and sacks for like three years. How? You'd think we'd get more sacks and turnovers by just dumb luck alone. But we don't. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.

Maybe I'm just a spoiled fan. Maybe I need to wake up and realize that there is nothing magical about the emblem on the side of our helmets. There is no Steeler way. It doesn't mean anything without good drafting and good coaching. The ghost of Art Rooney doesn't make us special. The Cowboys and Raiders were once great franchises too but the only thing connecting them to their winning ways is the uniform.

I guess I just expect us to be good every year for no really good reason. I know why the Patriots are good every year (even the year where Brady was hurt). And it isn't the stupid uniform or the owner. I don't know why I magically expect anything from the Steelers. I suppose I like that we don't panic and fire coaches the way that consistently bad teams do. I want Tomlin to be a great head coach, but for the life of me I still can't figure out what aspect of coaching he does really well. And I'm not saying I want him fired. I'm not claiming to have any solutions at all. That's what makes it all so frustrating.

I don't think so. I think we see the same infection from pasted years flaring up again…and we're hearing the same talk after the game.

[X-Terminator]

To what end? Getting slaughtered in the first playoff game because we have absolutely no chance at winning against a real playoff team, especially on the road?

I hate being so pessimistic. I really want to look at something and say, "okay this is correctable with proper coaching." But who is going to be doing that coaching? Who is going to correct the little things that have gone uncorrected for several years now? I know we are not playing up to our potential on offense, but I have no idea what our potential even is on defense. I look at guys who I thought would be playmakers and they just either suck because we can't evaluate talent for shit or they suck because we can't coach for shit. Or both. I wish I had some hope to cling to, but I can't find it.

The problem with the defense is coaching. I can't blame a bunch of rookies and 2nd-year guys - that would be unfair. But it's clear that LeBeau's scheme simply does not work anymore, and he doesn't have any answers to correct it. He just says "correct the mistakes" or "trust the defense." Well, if it's not working, Dick, it's not against the law to try something different.

The man is a legend, but his time has passed. They need some new blood with some new ideas on how to better utilize the talent they have on D, because they do have plenty of it.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, all they need to do is get in, and after that, absolutely anything can happen. It isn't a given that they'd be slaughtered in round 1.

[Craic]

The problem with the defense is coaching. I can't blame a bunch of rookies and 2nd-year guys - that would be unfair. But it's clear that LeBeau's scheme simply does not work anymore, and he doesn't have any answers to correct it. He just says "correct the mistakes" or "trust the defense." Well, if it's not working, Dick, it's not against the law to try something different.

The man is a legend, but his time has passed. They need some new blood with some new ideas on how to better utilize the talent they have on D, because they do have plenty of it.

As far as the playoffs are concerned, all they need to do is get in, and after that, absolutely anything can happen. It isn't a given that they'd be slaughtered in round 1.

Not sure I agree with you about Lebeau, XT. I don't think it's a matter of learning how to better utilize the talent, I think it's a matter of maturation and game experience. You simply can't put that many rookies and young players on a team and expect it to work in any NFL defense, let alone a complicated one. But, if you uncomplicate it, then you also throw away what makes it special, AND, they will never learn it. Better to take your lumps and grow from it, I think.

[HollywoodSteel]

Not sure I agree with you about Lebeau, XT. I don't think it's a matter of learning how to better utilize the talent, I think it's a matter of maturation and game experience. You simply can't put that many rookies and young players on a team and expect it to work in any NFL defense, let alone a complicated one. But, if you uncomplicate it, then you also throw away what makes it special, AND, they will never learn it. Better to take your lumps and grow from it, I think.

I think there's merit to what both of you are saying but I don't think it's as simple as any of that either. It's more than likely a perfect storm of several things. A first or second round draft pick gets a one year pass in my opinion. By year two that should be a difference maker or they were badly evaluated or are being badly utilized or a combination of both. Ryan Shazier is the only rookie who is starting on this defense. By now if you tell a first round pick like Jarvis Jones to just go get the QB, and they try to block him with just one guy he should win that battle MANY times during a game. Same with Worilds. And Timmons for damn sure shouldn't be making as many mistakes as he's made this season. If those guys aren't winning their individual battles or are out of position or aren't adjusting or whatever seems to be happening on almost EVERY DEFENSIVE SERIES then something is wrong, either with their talent level or how they've been coached up until the opening whistle of the game.