Should Mike Tomlin Be On The Hot Seat?

[hawaiiansteeler]

Dunlap: Should Mike Tomlin Be On The Hot Seat?

November 4, 2015
By Colin Dunlap



Why can’t Mike Tomlin be on the hot seat?

Why should we just pass all of this off on the Steelers having some injuries — albeit key ones — or some factor out of his control?

Bottom lines are bottom lines.

Here’s a bottom line for you: Fans are getting restless, the Steelers haven’t been winning at the rate that is expected and it looks as if some of the prime seasons of what could be the greatest quarterback in franchise history are turning out to be ones in which they win just half of their games.

All the while, Mike Tomlin keeps clinging to his notion that “the standard is the standard,” so I ask you this: Why should the Steelers fan base be in the excuse making business if the head coach isn’t? That is to say if all Tomlin is worried about is results, shouldn’t we judge him by those very same things? I think so.

If you start counting the records the moment on Jan. 9, 2012, when the Broncos were soaring a mile-high through the Steelers’ secondary in a Wild Card game, here are the depths the Steelers have sunk …

-They have a 31-27 record (counting that Denver game) since.

-They have appeared in just one playoff game since, losing to Baltimore to end last season.

-They have two .500 seasons in the past three and currently rest at 4-4, a .500 mark.

None of that is conjecture, opinion or estimation. Nope, just outright fact. Those yields aren’t something this franchise should boast about.

On top of all of this, Tomlin was asked about — and defended — what looked to be a sure boneheaded 15-yard penalty by Mike Mitchell in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals.

to read rest of article:

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/...-the-hot-seat/

[TeeTee]

I don't think the two 8-8 seasons are an indictment in themselves; they came after a long run of mostly contending for many years. Good teams eventually go through transitions, on some level. Players get old, and retire. You usually have a few years where you take a bit of a step back.

However, that being said, if this season ends up being 8-8-ish, that will make it 3 out of the last 4 years.....and that should cause some raising of eyebrows. Even with the injuries, this team has too much talent to miss the playoffs. We are talking about a team that hasn't won a playoff game now for how many years? Five years? Wow. How many TOP NFL coaches WITH a franchise QB don't win a playoff game for 5 years?

[Godfather]

:notsureifserious:

How many teams would be 4-4 after losing their Pro Bowl center, starting right tackle. starting running back, #2 receiver, franchise quarterback, backup quarterback, and the quarterback they found when they had to go dumpster diving?

[tube517]

:notsureifserious:

How many teams would be 4-4 after losing their Pro Bowl center, starting left tackle and backup LT, starting running back twice, #2 receiver, franchise quarterback, backup quarterback, and the quarterback they found when they had to go dumpster diving?

Don't forget Suisham and the sad failure of Scooby losing games.

[fansince'76]

:notsureifserious:

How many teams would be 4-4 after losing their Pro Bowl center, starting right tackle. starting running back, #2 receiver, franchise quarterback, backup quarterback, and the quarterback they found when they had to go dumpster diving?

Not to mention apparently striking gold with their FOURTH PK of the season...

Let that sink in a minute.

FOURTH PLACEKICKER of the SEASON. Most teams probably don't go through that many kickers in a decade.

On top of all of this, Tomlin was asked about — and defended — what looked to be a sure boneheaded 15-yard penalty by Mike Mitchell in Sunday’s loss to the Bengals.

Why not? The NFL's "taunting" rules are:

1. Absolutely fucking retarded to begin with - after all, these are grown men, not pee-wee leaguers whose wittle feewings might get hurt, and...

2. Yet another asinine rule that isn't evenly enforced anyway. Brady basically taunts and jawjacks at opposing players after pretty much every score without penalty, and that's just one example. Frankly, I keep hoping to see someone coldcock him over it one of these times.

And please, spare me the fucking "sportsmanship" bullshit when Burfict is dancing over Le'Veon Bell after shredding his knee.

I have no problem with Tomlin "defending" Mitchell in this case.

[TeeTee]

:notsureifserious:

How many teams would be 4-4 after losing their Pro Bowl center, starting right tackle. starting running back, #2 receiver, franchise quarterback, backup quarterback, and the quarterback they found when they had to go dumpster diving?

Umm, the Pats would probably be more like 6-2. Not everyone would find a way to lose 3 winnable games along the way.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Umm, the Pats would probably be more like 6-2. Not everyone would find a way to lose 3 winnable games along the way.

"We stepped into those 3 stadiums this year with an opportunity to state our case, and we didn’t state a strong enough case. We had plenty of opportunities to state our case, we as coaches know that we are going to be judged by those calculated decisions that you make but I think if you die, you die with your boots on. Not enough detail and execution to support victory but we're not going to make any excuses, we’re going to chew on everything we got coming..."

[hwalker84]

No.

[steelreserve]

:notsureifserious:

How many teams would be 4-4 after losing their Pro Bowl center, starting right tackle. starting running back, #2 receiver, franchise quarterback, backup quarterback, and the quarterback they found when they had to go dumpster diving?

Did we go 4-4 because of the coaching? I didn't see any outstanding coaching that turned the tide during that stretch. The main new development was the turtle offense, and you could make a damn good case that the coaching flat-out cost us two wins (failed 4th-and-1 in Baltimore; poor clock management last week).

A better question is not whether some other team would be 4-4 with all the injuries, but would this same exact team be 4-4 with someone other than Tomlin as coach? Signs point to yes.

[TeeTee]

"We stepped into those 3 stadiums this year with an opportunity to state our case, and we didn’t state a strong enough case. We had plenty of opportunities to state our case, we as coaches know that we are going to be judged by those calculated decisions that you make but I think if you die, you die with your boots on. Not enough detail and execution to support victory but we're not going to make any excuses, we’re going to chew on everything we got coming..."

[fansince'76]

Did we go 4-4 because of the coaching? I didn't see any outstanding coaching that turned the tide during that stretch. The main new development was the turtle offense, and you could make a damn good case that the coaching flat-out cost us two wins (failed 4th-and-1 in Baltimore; poor clock management last week).

A better question is not whether some other team would be 4-4 with all the injuries, but would this same exact team be 4-4 with someone other than Tomlin as coach? Signs point to yes.

By the same token, how many coaches would have went for the win at the end of the game instead of the almost sure tie against the Chargers, on the road, no less, especially considering how tenuous most head coach's jobs are?

Goes both ways.

[TeeTee]

By the same token, how many coaches would have went for the win at the end of the game instead of the almost sure tie against the Chargers, on the road, no less, especially considering how tenuous most head coach's jobs are?

Goes both ways.

We have no way of knowing if taking the FG would have led to a loss or not. Tomlin was LUCKY Bell got in, as the play didn't work and it was only Bell's improvisation that saved that game.

[fansince'76]

We have no way of knowing if taking the FG would have led to a loss or not. Tomlin was LUCKY Bell got in, as the play didn't work and it was only Bell's improvisation that saved that game.

It's every bit as valid as all the other what-ifs in this thread including your predictable knobslobbing over the Patriots.

[steelreserve]

By the same token, how many coaches would have went for the win at the end of the game instead of the almost sure tie against the Chargers, on the road, no less, especially considering how tenuous most head coach's jobs are?

Goes both ways.

If they'd had an extra 18 seconds on the clock, probably all of them. Now, how many coaches would've missed that much time running off after a kickoff? Your move.

[teegre]

Did we go 4-4 because of the coaching? I didn't see any outstanding coaching that turned the tide during that stretch. The main new development was the turtle offense, and you could make a damn good case that the coaching flat-out cost us two wins (failed 4th-and-1 in Baltimore; poor clock management last week).

A better question is not whether some other team would be 4-4 with all the injuries, but would this same exact team be 4-4 with someone other than Tomlin as coach? Signs point to yes.

1. Scobee

2. Poor clock management against the Bengals was not the reason that the Steelers lost. I'd say that BB's three INTs were a much bigger factor.



True. Belichick would be 5-3, because last week, instead of having 2:38 left on the clock, he would have used a time out and the clock would have read 4:07. (It's amazing how much of a genius you can be, if you cheat.)

- - - Updated - - -

Umm, the Pats would probably be more like 6-2. Not everyone would find a way to lose 3 winnable games along the way.

The Tapes would have had to prove your point, if their starting QB had indeed missed four games (just like BB missed).

Alas, thanks to cheating, we will never know.

[fansince'76]

If they'd had an extra 18 seconds on the clock, probably all of them. Now, how many coaches would've missed that much time running off after a kickoff? Your move.

Coughlin and Chip Kelly for starters...



http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...ll-clock-issue

And another plus for Coughlin's time management...



http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...owboys-chances

[teegre]

It's every bit as valid as all the other what-ifs in this thread including your predictable knobslobbing over the Patriots.

I thought that you knew...

Hypotheticals only work in the negative for Tomlin, and are always in the positive for Belichick.

[steelreserve]

1. Scobee

2. Poor clock management against the Bengals was not the reason that the Steelers lost. I'd say that BB's three INTs were a much bigger factor.

So if the players are responsible for that, are they not also responsible for the wins we got then, too? Which one is it?

Really, I just did not see anything the coaching did that stood out to make a huge positive difference in this stretch.

If there's one thing I'd point to, it'd be the offensive line holding it together despite the high-profile injuries - but that's a Munchak thing, not a Tomlin thing. We've seen enough underperforming OL play under Tomlin with different position coaches to know he's not the driving force there.

[teegre]

So if the players are responsible for that, are they not also responsible for the wins we got then, too? Which one is it?

Coaches put players in a position to succeed. Period. After that, the onus is on the player.

Tomlin gave Scobee two chances to win the game, and I agree 100% with not letting that guy have a third shot.

BB threw three INTs. Should Tomlin have foreseen this... and started Jones???


Come on, man.

[86WARD]

Hot seat? Not sure...but whatever he is sitting on should be warm at this stage...especially if they go 8-8. The injury excuse only goes so far...

[Steeldude]

It’s something entirely different for someone under his watch — Mitchell in this case — to draw a major infraction for silly actions and then the head coach condone such actions a few days later. That’s precisely what Tomlin did.

Tomlin loves players who act like punks. Maybe Boykin needs to talk trash and celebrate routine plays in practice. One thing is certain, many of Tomlin's players are obsessed with celebrating mediocrity. Could you imagine if they put forth the amount of effort in their play as they do celebrating?

[ALLD]

I would not be so quick to renew Tomlin when it's due next time. I don't think he is hungry enough to put the consistent work in to win. He seems more like he is in the entertainment business rather than coaching a football team.

[fansince'76]

Tomlin loves players who act like punks. Maybe Boykin needs to talk trash and celebrate routine plays in practice. One thing is certain, many of Tomlin's players are obsessed with celebrating mediocrity. Could you imagine if they put forth the amount of effort in their play as they do celebrating?

That's an NFL thing much more than a Tomlin thing...

[hawaiiansteeler]

this is an amazing stat from former SI NFL writer Paul Zimmerman:

For the 1972-79 seasons, when the Pittsburgh Steelers made the playoffs every year and won four Super Bowls, do you know what their record was against teams that finished the regular season below .500? It was 50-1. Let it sink in for a moment. Eight years of steadily beating up on the bad teams. Consistency, unmatched consistency.

http://www.si.com/vault/1989/01/02/1...s-was-the-last

[ALLD]

The Bengals are getting more publicity than the Steelers. In fact, it's only an embarrassment when our team is brought up anymore. Everybody is making excuses or promises, meanwhile the injuries continue to pile up.

[86WARD]

this is an amazing stat from former SI NFL writer Paul Zimmerman:

For the 1972-79 seasons, when the Pittsburgh Steelers made the playoffs every year and won four Super Bowls, do you know what their record was against teams that finished the regular season below .500? It was 50-1. Let it sink in for a moment. Eight years of steadily beating up on the bad teams. Consistency, unmatched consistency.

http://www.si.com/vault/1989/01/02/1...s-was-the-last

Tomlin teams come no where near that...

[tube517]

Tomlin Or Cowher's teams come no where near that...

Fixed

[Steeldude]

That's an NFL thing much more than a Tomlin thing...

True.

I guess I am just a grumpy old man who remembers the good old days when football was football : )

[Count Steeler]

Let's get real. Yes, we expect a SB every year, but shit happens.

Firstly, the defense despite all our criticism about Boykin, and some key injuries, has surpassed my expectations.

Secondly, the offense hasn't had the opportunity to come together because they haven't played with the same personnel 2 games in a row. Bell suspension, Bryant suspension and tweaked knee, Ben down, Beachum out for year, Bell out for year...

It is always easy to second guess individual decisions. However, even with Michael Vick in as QB, we were still in a position to win every game. Some times the players need to be held accountable as well.

[Mojouw]

this is an amazing stat from former SI NFL writer Paul Zimmerman:

For the 1972-79 seasons, when the Pittsburgh Steelers made the playoffs every year and won four Super Bowls, do you know what their record was against teams that finished the regular season below .500? It was 50-1. Let it sink in for a moment. Eight years of steadily beating up on the bad teams. Consistency, unmatched consistency.

http://www.si.com/vault/1989/01/02/1...s-was-the-last

No salary cap. You couldn't afford to put together a 1970's era Steelers team anymore. it simply wouldn't be possible.