So you want to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers? Welcome to hell Mike Tomlin!
December 7, 2009 by steelerguy26
Filed under Blitz Blog
Crazy title I know but the meaning reigns true. I have been reading other blogs and Steelers news across the net today and the one theme I am finding after the Pittsburgh Steelers colossal collapes the last four weeks is that Mike Tomlin should be fired, that the team that has been one of the best the last 20 years should just panic and go against what makes them so great. Yup the view of a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
Don’t get me wrong but I am a diehard myself. I have some crazy views of my own, so when I say what I am about too I mean it with true passion for my team. “Shut the hell up!!!”
I am so tired of Steelers fans who call Ben Roethlisberger the best thing since fried chicken one week then call for Charlie Batch the next. I am tired of my fellow friends in Steelers country calling Mike Tomlin a god after he wins the Super Bowl then turning on him when he has a few bad games. Just in case you don’t know, Players play. Coaches coach. Tomlin can not go out on the field and make a play for the defense when they are choking away the lead late in the game.
So I say blamn the players, blamn the system, blamn the bad bounce but whoever you blamn be sure it is for the right reasons. Mike Tomlin did not allow the Raiders to score 21 points in the 4th quarter, the defense did. Big Ben did not allow it either, the defense did. Want something real to blamn? Then blamn the greed of the players as well.
What do I mean by that, blamn them for needing more money then they can ever spend and forcing the team to allow solid players like Bryant Mcfadden to be let go due to the salary cap crunch. Blamn them for William Gay laying an egg all season long. I can assure you if Tomlin had his way McFadden would still be on the team and our secondary would be much better for it. When you constantly rely on 3rd or 5th rounders to start at cornerback because your paying backups more money then they are worth, then you can’t blamn the coach.
Also those who wish Bill Cohwer was back in the fold, you can blamn him just as much for leaving the team with little to no depth on the defensive side of the ball. Tomlin inherited this team and can not replenish the depth over night. The age of our defenders is too blamn as well. Maybe it is time to spend a couple of bucks in free agency on some young talent as well. I am not saying go for broke, that does not work, but keep the guys you have unless you know you have a solid player to replace them with. I am sure a better DB could have been found via free agency then William Gay as well.
With that said I regress and will list the things I feel are the real cause of the state of the Steelers. Some will agree and some will call me crazy but thats what makes blogging so much fun.
1. Age of the Defense: As much as I love the Steelers and guys like James Farrior, Deshea Townsand, Casey Hampton and others, their age is catching up to them. The result is the fourth quarter let downs as they are tired and worn down by then.
2. Football is a game of inches and the Steelers seem to be one to many inches behind on some plays. The are not getting the luck or bounch of the ball their way. A few examples are Ryan Mundy getting beat for the game winning touchdown. He was just inches from blocking the pass. Joe Bennett dropping the interception that could have ended the drive. Just inches away. Missed sacks as Gradkowski got away one too many times. there is a fine line between winning and losing and this season the Steelers have not got the same breaks they got last year. They have been just inches away from them.
3. Injuries: Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Chris K, etc… The Steelers do not have the depth to overcome some of their best players being hurt. Just like verse the ravens with Dennis Dixon being inches away from the win, he made some mistakes Big Ben may not have made. The loss of Polamalu is huge as well. The entire defensive scheme is wateredown with him out. He is the only playmaker who creates turnovers and that hurts a ton when he is out of the game.
4. Bruce Arians: As much as he and Ben get along it won’t be easy to replace him. Ben’s 100 million dollar contract gives him some pull I am sure. Though keeping Arians is a mistake. He is too simple of a play caller and has zero creativity. Every run he calls the entire world screams run and I am sure the defense does too. His passes are the same routes over and over. The same formations, nothing changes week to week. He is also too aggressive sometimes calling bombs when he only needs 5 yards to move the chains, etc…
I will use two plays as examples of the faults of BA. Against the Chiefs in OT on 3rd and 5 BA calls a toss run play to Mewelde Moore. It gets stuffed for a loss. I understand Batch was hurt and at the time the fans did not know this, but Willie Parker should get the outside, speed type runs, not Moore. Why not if you know batch is hurt and can’t throw, why not put in Dixon, let him run the toss? I garuntee he had a better chance of getting it then Moore. That theme can be talked about all day so lets move on.
The next play I will use as an example of Arian’s stupidity is in the Ravens game, again 3rd and 5 on the 50 yard line in OT. You have a 3rd string QB in the game who has next to no game experience. You know the Ravens are running zone to confuse him and you call a slant? The worst possible play verse a zone defense. On top of that your QB has 4.5 speed and already had a 24 yard touchdown run and a 31 yard scamper called back on a hold and the best play you can come up with is a slant?
Why not call a bootleg, roll him out with Heath Miller and Hines Ward out front. (I have seen such plays ran by Big Ben so don’t tell me they don’t have it in the playbook.) Give Dixon the option to pass or run. Use his strengths not set him up for failure with a play call a vetern would have trouble running. I could go on all day but you guys are smart and get the point.
5. Hunger: I don’t care who you are you are not as hungery after a big meal as you are first thing in the morning and the Steelers need to win is not as much as it was before winning the Super Bowl. This leads to players taking plays off and not having a sense of urgency in games. Thus leading to fourth quarter meltdowns.
Ok enough of listing the problems, lets move on to how to fix the problems. Be warned though, I do not feel these problems can or will be fixed overnight. So going into panic mode will not help nor is it gonna get the Steelers into the play offs. Below is my list of fixes so to say and almost everyone will have to wait until the off season.
1. Eveluate the entire team and decide who needs benched. Start with William Gay. It worked with Mendenhall and will show the team nobody is untouchable and everyone is accountable. If your not producing then you don’t play. That simple. Give the young guys a head start on next season and who knows maybe one will suprise, step up and make that play we have been missing late in games. Let Joe Bennett start at CB oppisite of Ike Taylor. He can’t do any worse then Gay has. He showed great instincts in the few plays he did get on the field after Gay got hurt. Maybe a few young guys is what the defense needs to create a spark.
2. Fire Bruce Arians. Then find a solid OC that is both creative and fits the Steelers talents. Bring back Gailey or Malurky if thats what it takes. This will have to wait until the off season but it is something that MUST be done if the Steelers are to return to form next season.
3. Smack Big Ben around until he learns to throw the ball away or check down to the safety valve. I love Ben and feel he is one of the best in the league so a few treaks in his game can only make him better. Too many times have I noticed a HB wide open that could have gained yards when Ben decides to throw it long and it does not connect. I love Bens killer instinct but checking down now and then will lead to more substained drives and keep the defense off the field and rested for when we really need them late in the game.
4. It is time to draft a true number 1 cornerback. The Steelers made the move to get Troy Polamalu and they need to do it again to get a real shutdown CB, one that can create turnovers. They could of had D. Revis with a trade or two a few years back and it is time to do what it takes in the next draft to get our own Revis. My number one priority in the draft is cornerback. Depending on 5th rounders does not cut it any more.
5. Find James Farriors future replacement in this years draft. They missed their chance last year when they passed on Rey Maualuga for Ziggy Hood, a mistake in my opinion as I am still not sold on Hood. I am Farriors biggest fan, I love the guy but he only has a year or two left and already is showing signs he can no longer cover TE’s and HB’s in the passing game.
6. Fire the offensive line and special teams coaches. We have some solid talent on the OL but too many times they have been confused with who to block and that goes back to coaching more then lack of talent. Same goes with special teams. Where is the wedge? Where is the creativity?
7. Sign Ryan Clark and Casey Hampton. I love Hoke but he is no Hampton, if you can’t sign Big Snack then franchise him and trade his ass for a solid draft pick. No use letting his talents get away for free. After you handle those two, hand Jeff Reed his walking papers. He is a decent FG kicker but his kick offs are way too short and he is a pussy when it comes to making tackles. If you keep him then let the punter kick off. He would get better distance and not be afraid to get dirty making a tackle.
8. John Stallworth is now part owner of the team so use his talents to help Limas Sweed get to were his talents should be. Sweed has too much talent to allow it to be wasted. Find a way to get him were he needs to be. I love Holmes and Wallace, but we need another big redzone target and Ward will not play forever. So instead of just cutting your loses and wasting another much needed draft pick on yet another big WR that don’t make the cut, do what is needed to get Sweed on the field and making plays next year.
Well thats all I can think of right now guys. I hope you enjoyed this post and will take the time to post your comments. Tell us what you think the Steelers need to do to get back on track. Tell us we are a bunch of idiots, its ok we can take it. Tell us anything you wish but don’t give up hope. The season is not over yet and anything is possible. The road won’t be easy but it is not completly blocked. Thanks again for reading this guys.
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