FIRE Arthur Smith!

[Dwinsgames]

He’s far from the only issue but if you don’t have the QB sorted, you can’t sit at the table with the Ravens, Eagles, Chiefs, Bills, etc and expect to win. It is table stakes. Steelers have the worst QB in the AFC playoff field.

And lo and behold, their seeding may reflect that.

Mike Williams is no longer a #2 WR. He runs one route. And the next time he runs by someone, might be the first this season.

thats never really been his game tho he was a 4.5 kinda guy when he was drafted 7 years and 100 injuries ago but he is still IMO the best second option at WR on the team so he needs to be on the field as a contested catch guy ( which he has always been and excels at ) but to accomplish that you gotta be on the field and targeted

[Mojouw]

thats never really been his game tho he was a 4.5 kinda guy when he was drafted 7 years and 100 injuries ago but he is still IMO the best second option at WR on the team so he needs to be on the field as a contested catch guy ( which he has always been and excels at ) but to accomplish that you gotta be on the field and targeted

On the Steelers? He’s absolutely the second best WR.

But what you would prefer as a #2 if you could draw it up? Age and injury got him.

[86WARD]

The correct answer, as I've said before, should have been Klint Kubiak.

[DesertSteel]

On the Steelers? He’s absolutely the second best WR.

But what you would prefer as a #2 if you could draw it up? Age and injury got him.

As it stands I’d say CA3 is easily the second best receiver on the team. Thus the problem!

[Mojouw]

As it stands I’d say CA3 is easily the second best receiver on the team. Thus the problem!

Fair.

And yeah that’s a not good situation.

[Born2Steel]

Since DeMarvin Leal is not working out on the DL, let's try him out at FB like we did with Green.

[oneforthetoe]

Some will be happy if Smith gets another job somewhere else. I still think he can work well as the offensive coordinator. I think young Russ might have fit his system, but old Russ does not. We need better offensive line play regardless of who is behind center next year.

[feltdizz]

Mike Williams catches a deep pass and immediately goes to the bench and puts on a jacket. Why??????

Arthur Smith got fired in Atlanta because he refused to use his best players in the RZ and he is doin the same thing in Pittsburgh. Why is Patterson getting touches instead of Warren? Why isn't Williams on the field more often? Why is Pruitt always on the field on the first series?

Why didn't we pass to set up the run vs Cincy after passing for 414 yards in the first outing?

[86WARD]

Mike Williams catches a deep pass and immediately goes to the bench and puts on a jacket. Why??????

Arthur Smith got fired in Atlanta because he refused to use his best players in the RZ and he is doin the same thing in Pittsburgh. Why is Patterson getting touches instead of Warren? Why isn't Williams on the field more often? Why is Pruitt always on the field on the first series?

Why didn't we pass to set up the run vs Cincy after passing for 414 yards in the first outing?

All very good questions...

[Mojouw]

Mike Williams catches a deep pass and immediately goes to the bench and puts on a jacket. Why??????

Arthur Smith got fired in Atlanta because he refused to use his best players in the RZ and he is doin the same thing in Pittsburgh. Why is Patterson getting touches instead of Warren? Why isn't Williams on the field more often? Why is Pruitt always on the field on the first series?

Why didn't we pass to set up the run vs Cincy after passing for 414 yards in the first outing?

Unfortunately, you have likely answered your own question - Arthur Smith.

Smith is a stubborn and persistent coach. He adheres to specific patterns and schemes regardless. To the degree that it got him fired from his last job.

[tube517]

Unfortunately, you have likely answered your own question - Arthur Smith.

Smith is a stubborn and persistent coach. He adheres to specific patterns and schemes regardless. To the degree that it got him fired from his last job.

I read that he scripts the first 20 plays or so. He ain't Bill Walsh and I have never seen anything different in the first series.

I mean Whiz had a running game and Ben for 2004-05 but Ben came out passing first and threw the playoff opponents off and confused the hell out of them.



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[pczach]

I read that he scripts the first 20 plays or so. He ain't Bill Walsh and I have never seen anything different in the first series.

I mean Whiz had a running game and Ben for 2004-05 but Ben came out passing first and threw the playoff opponents off and confused the hell out of them.



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I think Whisenhunt was maybe the best game planner that the Steelers ever had. He consistently put together game plans that gave opponents problems in playoff football. I'm sure he was limited in what he can do based on the risk assessment of Bill Cowher, but when allowed to get creative he always developed creative plays and play calling at big moments in games. I like that he rarely lost track of his gameplan and rarely got too far away from sticking to the run game like we see so many do. He used the consistent running game to create innovative plays off of. Many OCs aren't able to do that.

[86WARD]

I was a whisenhunt fan. His offense was fun to watch.

[86WARD]

I just saw film that Dan O broke down of plays where the Steelers pulled both tackles in opposite directions…yes, they crossed paths at the center and it is THE dumbest thing I have ever seen in football. It’s dumber than the shit we saw from Matt Canada. TWO pulling tackles?

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I just saw film that Dan O broke down of plays where the Steelers pulled both tackles in opposite directions…yes, they crossed paths at the center and it is THE dumbest thing I have ever seen in football. It’s dumber than the shit we saw from Matt Canada. TWO pulling tackles?

I saw that clip too. Its not by design, its either Moore or Jones pulling when they were not supposed to so I dont think you can put it on Arthur Smith.

When I looked at the clip, I think Jones pulled when he wasnt supposed to, as Friermuth is on the left side and walling off the DE for a cutback lane and Moore is pulling to either kick out the DE who Jones should have left to down block on the LB...or Moore is supposed to turn it up in B gap to block the LB while Jones blocks the DE out in C gap.

I will state that I think Smith's offense is too limited in the passing game to be productive and that the O line is underperforming and not playing with any intensity. I am in support of moving on from Pat Meyer and Arthur Smith. Just not sure who is out there as an OC, but need somebody who is going to test the field horizontally in the middle in the passing game IMO.

[86WARD]

I saw that clip too. Its not by design, its either Moore or Jones pulling when they were not supposed to so I dont think you can put it on Arthur Smith.

When I looked at the clip, I think Jones pulled when he wasnt supposed to, as Friermuth is on the left side and walling off the DE for a cutback lane and Moore is pulling to either kick out the DE who Jones should have left to down block on the LB...or Moore is supposed to turn it up in B gap to block the LB while Jones blocks the DE out in C gap.

I will state that I think Smith's offense is too limited in the passing game to be productive and that the O line is underperforming and not playing with any intensity. I am in support of moving on from Pat Meyer and Arthur Smith. Just not sure who is out there as an OC, but need somebody who is going to test the field horizontally in the middle in the passing game IMO.

Doesn’t Dan O say this happens multiple times? Maybe I just misheard because of how ridiculously stupid that was?

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Doesn’t Dan O say this happens multiple times? Maybe I just misheard because of how ridiculously stupid that was?

He said "another missed assignment, somebody going the wrong way. It happened multiple times this year in Pittsburgh".

It could be some young inexperienced guys up front. Could be some players arent that bright. Could be that Coaches arent coaching up enough reps so that the execution is crisp. Or could be multiple of those.

Again, I think its time to move on from Meyer. Maybe a kid like Jones is never going to have his athletic potential match his gameday performance, but the unit as a whole doesnt move the defensive front 7 the way they should. And even against 8 man fronts there should be somebody on the O line winning their battles.

[tube517]

So now it is being reported that Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson butted heads over the offense and that Arthur didn't want R.Wilson to change plays at the LOS. What a shit show. This occurred after the first Bengals game.


Russ played like shit but this didn't help.

[Steeler-in-west]

So now it is being reported that Arthur Smith and Russell Wilson butted heads over the offense and that Arthur didn't want R.Wilson to change plays at the LOS. What a shit show. This occurred after the first Bengals game.


Russ played like shit but this didn't help.

reading more about it. Russ wanted to check out of ineffective running plays and try to stretch the defense. Smith didnt like that. Wilson’s approach of course seems logical. Smith didnt want to be overruled. Maybe Smith isnt the right guy if he cant trust his former SB champion veteran Qb.

[Edman]

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/du...#disqus_thread

Another Steelers Quarterback frustrated that he wasn't allowed to change plays or audible. Why does this all sound so familiar? Didn't the same thing happen between Ben, Pickett and Matt Canada? Different Quarterbacks, different Coordinators, but the same friction and offensive issues.

Call me a goofy conspiracy theorist, but is Mike Tomlin slapping locks on his coordinators, who in turn are slapping locks on his players and QB? Why is that Russell Wilson looked exactly like Kenny Pickett and 2021 Ben? The lack of decisiveness. The same inability to push downfield. The same melting down in the pocket. The same unimaginative and predictable play calling? The same competence when they pulled rank and turned loose? Kenny Pickett, for all the trash fans gave him, when the game was on, he looked like a completely different quarterback.

Its a common trend. A Quarterback comes in, looks good for few games, then struggles, he's benched, replaced with a new guy who looks good, then struggles, and is benched. How long are we going to keep blaming "Bad QB play" when the same story keeps repeating itself?

The Steelers, or rather Mike Tomlin, refuses, or just cannot make adjustments. The Steelers "gameplan" is just showing up, and win as many 1-on-1 matchups as possible. That works when you have talent, but as we've seen, when opponents adjust to what the Steelers are doing on offense and defense, they start to struggle and they cannot adjust. These annual late-season fades are not an accident. Opponents are catching on to the Steelers' circus act in November and December, they find weakspots, the Steelers can't account and they fade. Baltimore did it. Cincy did it.

Rush Four constantly, and have T.J Watt be an animal and wreck the game. Teams start chipping, doubling and tripling Watt. Watt disappears. Teams start attacking the predictable Zone coverages and now the Defense can't stop anybody. Again. And Again. Ad nauseum.

[Mojouw]

Someone has to be the source of every leak.

Entirely possible it Wilson or his reps.

Which would mean this is his way of wriggling out of blame for the season ending nosedive. Attempting to preserve his value and status as a viable NFL starter.

Personally, I suspect it is from Wilson’s camp. Especially because it comes out a handful of days after one Steelers reporter or another said Wilson looked horrible in late season practice sessions.

[Born2Steel]

Doesn't matter. Does Not Matter! THIS accusation of the OC won't let the QB do what NEEDS to be done is just silly. If you look at it logically at all, there are situations within games where the OC will say to run a certain play and don't check out of it. There are reasons!! It is not an every play thing that the pro QB is not allowed to read the defense and audible if need be. Why would Wilson even make this claim? Why would any pro OC run an offense strictly by his play call sheet? None of it makes sense.

This harkens back to a conversation about how coaches used to be able to be disciplinarian in their approach to players, but now that time has passed.

[Mojouw]

The more I think about it, this absolutely came from Wilson and his people.

Comes out shortly after Wilson was at the Pro Bowl. Lots of opportunities for someone to plant the story.

Further, the story only addresses the games after Wilson’s high water performance in the one Cincy game. Says nothing about Wilson led games prior to that or the games Fields started.

There is clearly an effort to shape the narrative that without coaching mandated directives, Wilson would’ve been performing like he did in the Cincy game. They’re selling that as his performance benchmark as he hits free agency.

[Mojouw]

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/de...ussell-wilson/

KinkyBoots or whatever agrees.

Honestly, is it only me that gets tired of Dulac carrying water for anyone and everyone to get his "news" out there? This guy gets played by agents like once a week. I hate to say it but most of the Steelers local reporters are lazy and not that smart. Or, more specifically, they are willing to be intentionally ignorant of how suspect their source's narrative is when they know it will align with what fans want to hear.

It is popular to complain about Tomlin and the coaching staff right now, so Dulac is more than willing to be manipulated by Wilson and his people because he gets to put a "sourced" story out there that he knows will get yinzers clicking furiously.

[tube517]

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/de...ussell-wilson/

KinkyBoots or whatever agrees.

Honestly, is it only me that gets tired of Dulac carrying water for anyone and everyone to get his "news" out there? This guy gets played by agents like once a week. I hate to say it but most of the Steelers local reporters are lazy and not that smart. Or, more specifically, they are willing to be intentionally ignorant of how suspect their source's narrative is when they know it will align with what fans want to hear.

It is popular to complain about Tomlin and the coaching staff right now, so Dulac is more than willing to be manipulated by Wilson and his people because he gets to put a "sourced" story out there that he knows will get yinzers clicking furiously.

Dulac has been done for years. He needs to hang it up. Rich Eisen doesn't help matters by having old fart Dulac on his show regularly. He is embarrassing himself. Nobody trusts Dulacs reporting

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[Mojouw]

Dulac has been done for years. He needs to hang it up. Rich Eisen doesn't help matters by having old fart Dulac on his show regularly. He is embarrassing himself. Nobody trusts Dulacs reporting

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Agreed. And Kaboly just mailing it in in his semi-retirement/exile on the Pat Macafee nonsense hour doesn't help.

But every local Pittsburgh reporter fell for this hook, line, and sinker because they want to stoke the Yinzer beast. Fortunately, non-local reporters are better at sniffing out the usual Russell Wilson bullshit machine and are seeing through it.

[feltdizz]

Doesn't matter. Does Not Matter! THIS accusation of the OC won't let the QB do what NEEDS to be done is just silly. If you look at it logically at all, there are situations within games where the OC will say to run a certain play and don't check out of it. There are reasons!! It is not an every play thing that the pro QB is not allowed to read the defense and audible if need be. Why would Wilson even make this claim? Why would any pro OC run an offense strictly by his play call sheet? None of it makes sense.

This harkens back to a conversation about how coaches used to be able to be disciplinarian in their approach to players, but now that time has passed.

The problem is the offense stunk the last 5 games. When your offense sucks these types of rumors dont help at all.

[Born2Steel]

I don't think it meant to help. ???