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- T Bradshaw
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Bires Article: Team's troubles are at the top
by T Bradshaw » Sat Dec 12, 2009 7:57 pm
Bires: Team's troubles are at the top
AP photo by Mark Duncan
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin argues with field judge Jim Howey in the fourth quarter of Thursday's game in Cleveland. Pittsburgh lost their fifth straight, losing to the rival Browns 13-6.
CLEVELAND -- The Steelers obviously have a lot of problems, and one of them is Mike Tomlin.
He may be the main problem right now.
He has lost control of his team.
For a coach, it doesn't get any worse than that.
Three weeks ago after the Steelers lost in Kansas City, Tomlin personally accepted blame.
I didn't agree with him at the time. I even told him that at his weekly press conference. My point was that players have to be accountable. I still believe that.
But I also believe that Tomlin and his two coordinators -- Bruce Arians on offense and Dick LeBeau -- are not performing up to their lofty standards. Part of the Steelers' problems is that other teams have figured the Steelers out.
Yes, the players continue to self-destruct and under-achieve. But they're not getting enough from their coaches, starting with Tomlin.
"We got beat in all three phases," Tomlin said after the loss. "Schematically and performance-wise. When that happens, we all share the blame."
When the Steelers (6-7) lost Thursday night to a 1-11 Cleveland Browns outfit, they accomplished a rare and dubious trifecta.
They have now lost to a one-win team (the Browns), a two-win team (the Chiefs) and a three-win team (the Raiders).
Losing to the Chiefs was uncalled for.
Losing to the Raiders was shocking.
Losing to the Browns, 13-6, may have been the Steelers' worst loss since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970.
Advertisement These Browns have been in utter chaos all season under first-year coach Eric Mangini. They've had quarterback issues. They've been crippled with injuries. They traded their best wide receiver (Braylon Edwards) early in the season. They have a roster full of guys most pro football fans have never heard of.
Yet, they beat the Steelers.
The Steelers were dominated in most phases of the game.
How about those stats at halftime when the Browns led 13-3?
The Browns had a 179-75 edge in total yards.
Ben Roethlisberger was sacked five times.
The Steelers were 0-of-6 on third-down conversions.
The Steelers did play better in the second half. Still, they couldn't even score a touchdown.
The men in those Steelers uniforms deserve blame. But so does the coach.
I guess this is what happens when you "unleash hell in December" as Tomlin promised two weeks ago after a loss in Baltimore.
Well, hell freezes over and the one-win Browns beat the Steelers.
This was once a 6-2 Pittsburgh team that looked super at times.
Now the Steelers have lost five straight. They are all but dead. Their Super Bowl defense will likely be a repeat of 2006 when they missed the playoffs.
What has happened to the Steelers is a total meltdown by players and coaches.
And if Tomlin wanted blame three weeks ago, he certainly deserves it now.
http://www.timesonline.com/opinion/opin ... e-top.html
AP photo by Mark Duncan
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin argues with field judge Jim Howey in the fourth quarter of Thursday's game in Cleveland. Pittsburgh lost their fifth straight, losing to the rival Browns 13-6.
CLEVELAND -- The Steelers obviously have a lot of problems, and one of them is Mike Tomlin.
He may be the main problem right now.
He has lost control of his team.
For a coach, it doesn't get any worse than that.
Three weeks ago after the Steelers lost in Kansas City, Tomlin personally accepted blame.
I didn't agree with him at the time. I even told him that at his weekly press conference. My point was that players have to be accountable. I still believe that.
But I also believe that Tomlin and his two coordinators -- Bruce Arians on offense and Dick LeBeau -- are not performing up to their lofty standards. Part of the Steelers' problems is that other teams have figured the Steelers out.
Yes, the players continue to self-destruct and under-achieve. But they're not getting enough from their coaches, starting with Tomlin.
"We got beat in all three phases," Tomlin said after the loss. "Schematically and performance-wise. When that happens, we all share the blame."
When the Steelers (6-7) lost Thursday night to a 1-11 Cleveland Browns outfit, they accomplished a rare and dubious trifecta.
They have now lost to a one-win team (the Browns), a two-win team (the Chiefs) and a three-win team (the Raiders).
Losing to the Chiefs was uncalled for.
Losing to the Raiders was shocking.
Losing to the Browns, 13-6, may have been the Steelers' worst loss since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970.
Advertisement These Browns have been in utter chaos all season under first-year coach Eric Mangini. They've had quarterback issues. They've been crippled with injuries. They traded their best wide receiver (Braylon Edwards) early in the season. They have a roster full of guys most pro football fans have never heard of.
Yet, they beat the Steelers.
The Steelers were dominated in most phases of the game.
How about those stats at halftime when the Browns led 13-3?
The Browns had a 179-75 edge in total yards.
Ben Roethlisberger was sacked five times.
The Steelers were 0-of-6 on third-down conversions.
The Steelers did play better in the second half. Still, they couldn't even score a touchdown.
The men in those Steelers uniforms deserve blame. But so does the coach.
I guess this is what happens when you "unleash hell in December" as Tomlin promised two weeks ago after a loss in Baltimore.
Well, hell freezes over and the one-win Browns beat the Steelers.
This was once a 6-2 Pittsburgh team that looked super at times.
Now the Steelers have lost five straight. They are all but dead. Their Super Bowl defense will likely be a repeat of 2006 when they missed the playoffs.
What has happened to the Steelers is a total meltdown by players and coaches.
And if Tomlin wanted blame three weeks ago, he certainly deserves it now.
http://www.timesonline.com/opinion/opin ... e-top.html
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