Boston Globe Rips Mike Stoogelin
The Boston Globe had a truly superb and aptly named article (“Steelers’ defensive game plan was atrocious”) this morning, completely ripping Mike Stoogelin for his inept and negligent game plan and preparation. Here is the URL --
Some key excerpts:
“Here I thought you had a real defense and a real coaching staff, ready to match wits with Bill Belichick and the Patriots with a unique game plan. Instead, you gave us the same old sorry Steelers defense that Brady has ripped apart his entire career. You made some baffling personnel decisions, and didn’t have your team prepared in a 36-17 loss on the biggest stage of the season.” (It’s almost like this writer stole verbiage from my post-game article….!)
“It’s shocking that the Steelers didn’t find more creative ways to use Harrison to get after the passer, because he actually had a nice game. We had him down for three pressures — two against Marcus Cannon, one against Nate Solder — and two run stuffs. Harrison has an incredible knack for getting off his block and getting to the football.”
“Let’s start with the most head-scratching decision — the usage of Bud Dupree and James Harrison. They are your two best pass rushers, and the Texans showed you in the divisional round with Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus that the Patriots are susceptible to inside pressure. Yet the Steelers didn’t bring either player up the middle on a twist or inside blitz. In fact, you didn’t use either player nearly enough as a pass rusher. On Brady’s 44 real drop-backs (excluding a clock spike), Harrison and Dupree each dropped into coverage 15 times. Not only were you not attacking Brady with your best rushers, but neither player is exactly proficient in pass coverage or playing in space.” (Yes, no kidding….)
“Never have we seen so many wide-open receivers running down the field in a playoff game.” (Never has anyone seen this kind of bullshit in modern NFL history…)
“And the Steelers acted like they’ve never seen a flea-flicker before. In fact, veteran safety Mike Mitchell said the Steelers hadn’t seen it on film from the Patriots — which is incredible, because the Patriots ran a flea-flicker against the Ravens on Dec. 12, two weeks before the Ravens faced the Steelers.” (Indeed…..which completely makes Mike Asslin the fool for his complete lack of preparation.)
“Let’s call this what it was — arguably the worst defensive performance against the Patriots all season.” Here here !!
Additionally, we found out in Stoogelin’s presser today that Toker Bell had been fighting off a nagging groin for a few weeks now. This will most assuredly earn a fine, if not also a loss of draft picks, issued by the NFL. I’d been railing for WEEKS about the complete rotting of D. Williams, all while Bell was getting a massively heavy workload. Sure as shit, Bell gets nicked up, and for the 3rd consecutive post-season, the team loses while he stands useless on the sidelines. Idiot Stoogelin ran the wheels off Willie Parker, and it’s readily apparent to everyone except Rooney that Asslin is trying to do the same to Toker Bell. Simply brilliant decision coaching by The Great Cheerleader, Mike Asslin. Let us collectively hope the 2017 season will be Asslin’s final season in Pittsburgh.
(Still Mill and Stillers.com -- when it comes to the analysis of the Pittsburgh Stillers, no one else comes close….)
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