View topic - Steeler 'Food for Thought'

[bigjoespompano Profile]

Ponder this, if you will. Here we stand, on the edge of elimination due to the utterly putrid decisions made by the coaching staff this season (go ahead on deny it but SOMEBODY had to be in charge).

Where would we be today if Fat Ass was employed elsewhere and Dullard Dickie had taken his SB ring and retired? This is assuming we had two average NFL-grade coordinators replacing them.

Consider just ONE play (or decision) in each of our losses this past year and what any average coordinator would have done differently insuring a different outcome. The roll out to Moore (at the end of the game where we had been driving steadily up the field biting off five and six yard chunks) where he is immediately dropped for a three yard loss forcing us into a punting situation.

Each game seemed to have one play or decision to do something differently that turned the tide against us. This even seemed to happen in our wins (San Diego) but we were lucky enough to escape with the 'W' anyway.

Can someone go through each game this year and note that ONE turning point where the morons swiped defeat from the jaws of victory?

[SteelThatDon'tRust Profile]

Arians abandoning the run in OT against the KC Chiefs combined with LeBeau's decision to play softee defense. I have to say this: Arians just needs to go. But I'm not convinced LeBeau should be receiving such vitriolic shit from many on this board. The discussion no one is having about the defense is this: how much is bad defensive scheming and how much is piss poor execution. The way the defense has been playing, I'm going with bad execution.

[PSUPERCY Profile]

I'm going with bad execution.

Here a number of reasons;

1. Harrison gets held on almost every play.
2. Farrior should not be on the field any longer.
3. William Gay is horrid, and "Swagger" isn't that far behind. I still get pissed when I think of them not making a play on Gradkowskis Duck Pass.

[AzSTILLERS1989 Profile]

There is something about the Steelers that always has me watching to the last second. Even when the game is sealed and we are running out the clock... as long as I can remember, the Steelers always seem to keep the games close, but in years past , unlike this one, there is a feeling of dominance and control. Like , we have this game even though we are only winning by 7 points.

Its funny cause i have been going to bars, or settings close to them, with my dad since i was about 8 or 9 years old. every sunday to watch the Steelers games. It was like church to me. Him and I would gather at our local sports bar, or might i say Steelers bar because there are ALWAYS far more steelers fans than any other teams fans, to root and cheer and yell along with the many others there with us. I can only remember a small percentage of our wins to be "blowouts" or in the bag type of games.

The Steelers always seem to create anxiety for the fans and because of this , this is how i have always enjoyed watching them. Close , down to the last drive type of shit, and this past weeks game against the Packers has been no exception. I am only 20 and i moved away with my parents from the BURGH to Phoenix, AZ when i was 3-4 months old. Have always been a steelers and always will be.

This year has been a bit different however with that mentality when it is close... being that we have blown so many close games. 7 losses by a combined 28 points / 4 point average per game. None the less , we sit here with work to do being the ravens and the dolphins still to play. With a little help , we get into the post season and a whole new ball game emerges. Remember 05'???? no.6 seed fresh off of 4 straight wins on the way to 4 more and one for the thumb. I try to keep myself humble and grounded because WE ALL KNOW that these next two games must be W's for the Steelers if we have any chance of another run for the SB.


Gotta have faith and hope............ wasn't as easy to say after the pathetic display against the browns a couple weeks ago but its a whole new season now.... IF , thats IF, the Steelers make it into the playoffs, they are gunna be one dangerous fucking team to play........



LETS GO STEELERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Coke Oven Profile]

Fat Ass and Dullard Dickie were here last year and we won the superbow. I'd concentrate on what's different this season than last. Well, for one thing Dan's not here and Art's running the show without Dan's checks and balances.

[mckeesrockstheburg Profile]

Coke, help us all out on that one. Dothe Rooney's REALLY get involved in day-to-day field strategy? Do they (Dan?, Art?) get involved in game plans?

I was always under the impression they took a "hands-off" big picture, long-term (Noll, Cowher) approach. Not too up, not too down. Yet that said, we had an easier schedule, arguably a more experienced offense, defense. I can not believe Troy makes THAT much of a difference but we see how weak our DB coverage is now. Does Troy mean THAT much? Ike is no "shut-down" anymore, Gay is not what we thought he was and Clark is a train wreck, at least it seems that way to me anyway.

How did we get so useless, so blatantly bush-league on ST's? Does the ownership REALLY have a say or have impact in these areas? I am NOT going into Arians. My posts all year since end of SB have expressed my utter frustration with this simple-minded dimwit. I believe Rooney's have say with both Coordinators.

Help me out here as I am in SC (former McKees Rocks) and don't get day-to-day flow other than papers.

[Heartbreaker Profile]

No Troy P and Aaron Smith. Remember what the pass defense was like before Troy came on board in 2002 and how the defense faltered after Smith got hurt in 2007. Also not resigning McFadden and to a lesser extent, not keeping Foote instead of Farrior who would be better option.

[Coke Oven Profile]

"Coke, help us all out on that one. Dothe Rooney's REALLY get involved in day-to-day field strategy? Do they (Dan?, Art?) get involved in game plans?"

No. This theory of mine is based on what I've seen in organizations where I've worked before when a new guy takes over. He doesn't have to get involved in the game day details in order to screw things up. All he has to do is create an environment in which the guys under him are unable to do their jobs. Now that may be intentional or unintentional but the results are the same. For example he says "nobody makes any moves without first checking with me". Or he says to his vp (head coach), I'm disallowing those budget and personnel requests that you made. And if he doesn't like his vp he belittles him in meetings. Or he holds meetings with his workers (the players) behind his vp's back(s). And the list goes on.

We all can agree that something dramatic has happened to the Steelers this year compared to last. The coaches are all the same and the players are largely the same. The glaring difference is that Dan's gone and Art's totally in charge.

[Rushmore Profile]

No Troy P and Aaron Smith. Remember what the pass defense was like before Troy came on board in 2002 and how the defense faltered after Smith got hurt in 2007. Also not resigning McFadden and to a lesser extent, not keeping Foote instead of Farrior who would be better option.

i've been drawing similiarities between PS and the Patriots defensive losses: Smith / Seymour; Troy / Harrison; Vrabel / Foote; McFadden / sorry can't think of a name. A drop-off in performance had to be expected.

My bigger issue is the offense's culpability. It didn't show up in the 2nd Cincinatti game / Oak / Cleveland. For all the talk of 'not your father's steelers', where are the results? Even in 2008, 'not your father's steelers' did not lead the way to SB glory (yes: of course BB won the game), however, PS had a below average offense in 2008.

If the trend is 4th-qtr defensive collapse, where is the running game to slow down the game? A quick-strike offense lends itself to that weak defense. Additionally, why draft a RB in the 1st round, if this 'isn't your father's steelers'?

That said: Merry Christmas everyone!

-Rushmore

[ballhair Profile]

The offense needed to carry us in some of these games. Big ben & co. couldn't get it done. I just wish big ben was more consistent. Watch this game against the ravens sunday. He will probably struggle (as will the steelers) to reach 200 yards passing. I put most of the underperforming play on ben because he makes $15 million a year. That suck ass effort against the stains will hurt for a long time.

[High5 Profile]

The offense needed to carry us in some of these games. Big ben & co. couldn't get it done. I just wish big ben was more consistent. Watch this game against the ravens sunday. He will probably struggle (as will the steelers) to reach 200 yards passing. I put most of the underperforming play on ben because he makes $15 million a year. That suck ass effort against the stains will hurt for a long time.

Yo cuz ... your always so hard on Ben... I dont get it, Ben has gotten the job done all year. Aside from that pathetic of a game in Cleveland. Everyone played horrible. Bottom line wheather you people realize it or not, Ben and the offense and YES even B.A. contributed and did their part to help this team win games. The defense is what has killed us... Ezz up on Ben, we would be nothing without him.. keep it real

[StillLifer Profile]

In the thread about not dissing LeBeau, there was an excellent post by Jeemie that showed how TOP had nothing to do with our horrible D play:

"Steelers held the ball for 35 minutes yesterday.

They're 4th in the NFL in TOP, currently.

In most of their high TOP games, they've passed much more than they've run. Only when they try and assuage the yinzer masses by running just for the sake of running do they go three and out.

I want the Steelers to run smarter...not more...that's my main beef with Arians (that, and he doesn't adjust when what he originally plans gets stopped).

But the Steelers as currently constituted cannot "grind it out".

And the TOP/3rd down statistics show they should quit trying to.

Finally, with about 33-35 minutes TOP, isn't that enough rest for the defense? How much should we possess the ball? 40 minutes? 45? 50?"


I just wanted to repost this (thanks, Jeemie!) to back up what I believe to be true this year: our O has actually improved their play from last year. We still have lots we could be doing better, but our O is not THE reason we've been losing games this year.

[steelandblood Profile]

Fat Ass and Dullard Dickie were here last year and we won the superbow. I'd concentrate on what's different this season than last. Well, for one thing Dan's not here and Art's running the show without Dan's checks and balances.

Dan gave Cowher a job for life in 2002 after that dissappointment--a season where we had no business not going to the superbowl. Oh, and he said Cowher did one of his best coaching jobs ever that year.

Food for thought.

[mckeesrockstheburg Profile]

[quote]We all can agree that something dramatic has happened to the Steelers this year compared to last. The coaches are all the same and the players are largely the same. The glaring difference is that Dan's gone and Art's totally in charge.[quote]
(Back from holiday trip)

Yeah, you put it that way, I see your point but I just find it hard to see "meddling" from FO. You maybe on to something. Not sure if it was "uneasy lies the head thaqt wears the crown" type thing - we would be major targets and everyone's "A-game". But something is different. I do not see playoff intensity, nor do I see any "hurry-up" to put someone away.

Now that Indy has rolled over, Balt gets the Raiders and Bungals get the Jets, I don't see it happening anyway. I see Cincy rolling over for the Jets just to rub our noses in it since it really won't help their position to go all out. Take the extra rest, get better draft pos., make the coaching changes and get after it next year.