Food For Thought: By Still Curtain
Home Field DIS-Advantage is not always a bad thing to lose. Although exciting to be #1, our history has been awful with the #1 seed. 1 in the last 5 have won the SB!! How do you like dem apples?? I think the press was loving the Steelers a little too much and no matter what you say, I think a few players were reading the headlines and assumed the Titans would roll over and hand us the game...NOT! They exploited our weaknesses both on the field and off the field.
Coaching/gameplanning, on both sides of the ball, was outclassed! Arians and the delay draw directly into the face of the blitzing linebackers was absolutely brilliant!! What a stroke of genius! Is it time to bench Parker? I took a few shots at him in an earlier article and I continue to see too much hesitation from the time he takes a handoff until the time he commits himself, if that ever happens. Bringing down Parker is an easy task these days for defenders. Can anyone recall the last time he broke a tackle? We criticize Arians for not including Parker in the passing game, but there is a simple reason....he SUCKS in the passing game! He's caught 4 passes for zero first downs. Moore on the flipside has caught 31 passes with 17 going for first downs. He's clearly the most productive player in the backfield.
Was anyone else kind of hoping Leftwich came into the game when Ben was faking his injury after he fumbled? Similarly to McNabb being benched, I was wondering if this could spark the offense. The definition of insanity you know is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Did we change our game plan at halftime or did we think we have 'em right where we want 'em being down within 7 points and no sustainable success to hang our hats on?
If an oppositions front 4 can get the kind of push the Titans did while dropping 7 into coverage, we are dead in the playoffs. Our O-line is simply awful. They have moments of "acceptability", but on which play do they choose to stop a drive with either a penalty or whiff on a pass rusher?! Yeah, Ben holds the ball too long....I got it. Inconsistent play up front just kills the flow of the offense. Yes, I can place blame on Tomlin (and Colbert) for that. Two years ago, he took over a team and has let the O-line deteriorate without bringing in equal or greater talent. Teams have to make difficult choices and was it critical to resign Taunto Farrior or get an O-lineman? Yeah, the cap is tight....but you as an executive, you need to make unpopular decisions for the betterment of the team. Could we have let Foote go? Could we have let Hampton go? Did we need to tag Max Starks and pay him $7MM to rot the bench because you didn't know what else to do? All decisions an executive makes to get to the next level. Pacifying the veterans is how a young coach is trying to win over this team meanwhile his direct-reports continue to make poor coaching decisions right in front of him without his intervention!
By the way, some of you took exception to my criticisms of Tomlin....how did you like yet another UNDISCIPLINED penalty? Cost us 4 points! That COULD have been the margin of victory.
Tonio showed his talents. Hopefully, he can string a few games together like this one.
Hine Ward continues on his pace for Canton, Ohio! What a player!
OK, now that said, let's finish strong against the Clowns....and what a circus it is there! We'll see who we draw in 2 weeks and attack from there. I think the week off will be good to rest.
One last thought...."Stillerz Bar" picture is the best thing ever, over on the message board! Congrats on lookin like that!!
-Still Curtain