View topic - New Article: Stillers-Dolphins Postgame Analysis and Grades

[StillMill Profile]

Stillers-Dolphins Postgame Analysis and Grades has been posted by Still Mill at Stillers.com.

[Tonydesal Profile]

Not that any more need to be said about this slopfest, but how about late in the 4th, needing to run the clock out, deep in your own zone, and BA dials up a pass play?!?

what

the

fuck

I'm totally disappointed in the Steeler organization right now simply because the announcement of "B. Arians fired" didn't come out the moment the ratbirds won. It should have been.

Hopefully the announcement did not occur because the front office has been busy interviewing for our NEW offensive and defensive coordinators.

[tourosteelersfan Profile]

Mill:

Thanks for suiting up for what turned out to be a meaningless game. I have very little to say about the game except that, all things considered, it's better to beat than lose to a mediocre team. Hard to say whether this 9-7 is more embarrassing than the 8-8 turned in by Cowher in his final season: there were comparable levels of overconfidence and arguably this year's team experienced more challenging injuries (Troy P, A Smith for more than half of the season). This year's implosion feels worse since it seemed to be so avoidable (or more self-inflicted).

It's necessary to be self-referential on this site, at least once in a while, so I just want refer back to my remarks before the season started. I stated that "a repeat run is a realistic possibility" but added that "[I] just want to remind everyone how important luck is in making such a run." I added that "even if there are no offensive line injuries (unlikely) and even if there isn't too much of a letdown (and this isn't much of a worry given the humiliating season and worthless performance by Tomlin's predecessor, remind me of his name), the Steelers need luck and chemistry for everything to come together at the right time."

I appear to have overstated the importance of luck (although you could consider avoiding injuries a large element of "luck") and overestimated Tomlin's capacity to resist the inevitable SB letdown. Tomlin no doubt will crack the whip in training camp next year and the Steelers should have enough talent and drive to be back in the playoff mix. More difficult questions loom with respect to the draft - in particular how to patch up the aging defense - and strategy - LeBeau's job is certainly in more jeopardy than BA's.

I'll be rooting against New England and Favre in the post-season. Oddly I am sort of hoping that San Diego can survive being coached by Norv Turner. And the Bengals are so mediocre that I'll save my strength for cursing them for next year.

[palbubba Profile]

WOW once again this seems very biased opinion. Bruce Airhead gets a B???? how can that be. While DL gets a D because "snack" won't play hard, Farrior is totally incompetent, Harrison seems to have mailed it in, and the secondary couldn't stop Ohio States passing game let alone Texas Tech.

[rifraff Profile]

Yeah, better they miss the playoffs they truly dont deserve it or could compete in it. Maybe theres a small silver lining here with the Def lookin so bad with Pola and Smith out, Smith's gettin old. Looks like draft and FA all about the D. They were truly agonizing too watch, I started the game out hoping they could stop em, then after first 2 series it became hold em to just a FG , started to look good after Heiny went out but even that dissolved hahaha. I guess I'm a clueless idiot, but I have to give Lebeau another year, he's been awfully good and lost his top players. If the decline continues next year then its time for some serious considertions. Of course, Mill sees more than I do and maybe hes ahead of the pack on this? Ike gets a pik, way to go Ike

[Magdeep Profile]

Mill,

Thanks for all the great analysis over the year(s)! Your post game wrap up has been eagerly anticipated every week. I agree that it's time to revamp the defense. It's been apparent that some members of the "D" are getting too old and tired in the 4th quarter every since the last quarter of the Super Bowl win in 2009.

Happy New Year and let's hope next season is much more satisfying than this year.

Magdeep

[No l Gravity l Profile]

Woodley gets a C where Timmons gets an A? I dunno what the hell you were watching, but all of the big runs by Williams in the first half came straight at Timmons, with his inability to beat a blocker. Woodley with 2 dong sacks? Wasn't Timmons the one who came in UNBLOCKED?

Woodley is just Mill's new whipping boy. He's played a hell of a lot better in the past 5-6 games than Harrison.

[SteelFanRob Profile]

No Gravity:

I usually side with Mill. But I totally agree with you here. Wood has played well the last few weeks. Yesterday I saw him fight through the double-team blocks of the RT, TE, and RB to get pressure on Henne. He did look slow on the flare pass to the flat that resulted in the Fins first score (although if you watch the play closely, you'll see I believe Townsend standing around just looking at the play happen, instead of breaking on the player and making the tackle before getting in the endzone). But all in all, Woodley did outplay Harrison. Timmons was just OK. Right now, he's more potential than anything else. I would love for the Stillers to draft a stud ILB to replace Farrior. Yes, I know we need DBs and perhaps a NT. But the LBs are the key to our D.

[Bukk U Profile]

All I can say about this waste of the last four months is that the last three "lucky" victories are going to cost us at least ten spots in the upcoming draft. This team never stood a chance of making any noise in the playoffs and screwed up what may have been an opportunity to significantly plug some holes on defense in April. Now we will pick deep into the teens instead of possibly in the top ten. They seriously must consider a cover corner in free agency because the pass defense is the worst I've ever seen, and even with the return of Pola it will not be any better than below average. There is no time to draft a corner (or two) and wait for them to develop. Remember suffering through that horrendous 6-10 season only to be rewarded with a franchise quarterback that April at number 11, who has led us to two Super Bowls already? I think we suffered even MORE this year, and there is no reward in sight. Very disappointing.

[Jeemie Profile]

All I can say about this waste of the last four months is that the last three "lucky" victories are going to cost us at least ten spots in the upcoming draft. This team never stood a chance of making any noise in the playoffs and screwed up what may have been an opportunity to significantly plug some holes on defense in April. Now we will pick deep into the teens instead of possibly in the top ten. They seriously must consider a cover corner in free agency because the pass defense is the worst I've ever seen, and even with the return of Pola it will not be any better than below average. There is no time to draft a corner (or two) and wait for them to develop. Remember suffering through that horrendous 6-10 season only to be rewarded with a franchise quarterback that April at number 11, who has led us to two Super Bowls already? I think we suffered even MORE this year, and there is no reward in sight. Very disappointing.

This is loser talk.

Losing organizations tank seasons to play for draft position.

Winning organizations don't panic and keep playing to win.

A 6-10 season, ending the campaign with 8 straight losses, would have been a disaster that Tomlin might never have been able to recover from with any credibility intact.

Every day I come to these boards, I am thankful that NONE of you has any say in how the Steeler organization is run.

It is obvious that NONE of you know how to lead or manage ANY type of organization.

[NiagaraBalls Profile]

I hate the defeatest attitude, too. How the hell can ppl. wish for our team to lose out in order to garner a higher draft pick? That's just not the way the Steelers work. This team is about integrity, hard work and playing honest, old school football, not angling for a way to hit the reset button to make things easier next yr. Channeling Herm..."You play the game to WIN the game!" Not that he would know, but you get the point.

Speaking of picks, I got a text today announcing we pick at #18, first among the 9-7 teams. So, even though the team rebounded and finished on a way better note, we're still getting a pretty good draft pick. A couple of mocks have us taking a dominant Safety out of USC. I forget the guy's name, but he's supposed to be very athletic. It'd sure be nice to have another solid S lining up across from Troy! God knows the secondary could use another stud.

About Woodley, I thought he looked much better this week and the defense in general played a lot better these past two weeks. Not perfect, but still a big improvement at the end of the season, which I'll take over a continuation of that 5 game streak where they looked awful.

One thing that bothered me in this article was the railing against Ben. Is it necessary to call him Dumlissberger??? He makes some mistakes, but he makes a TON of incredible game winning 2 minute drive, is almost always money in the clutch, tough as nails, etc. I mean come on...the guy won us TWO Super Bowls in three yrs. XL wasn't his best game but he DID get us there via his stellar play on the road versus SD and Indy in that playoff run.

He's got room to improve but is a hell of a leader that often puts the entire team (especially a sometimes ineffective running game and defense) and wins games himself keeping things alive and practically willing wins. Do we really need to resort to name calling and calling him dumb, etc? Would you rather have any number of the long list of inconsistent QB's that plagued us since Brad? I sure am glad we finally have another franchise QB who is a proven winner. He does all this behind a highly suspect O-line, mind you. Can the guy get a little love from us fans?

[Tonydesal Profile]

LeBeau and Limas
Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau informed his defenders in recent weeks that he planned to return next season, despite retirement rumors. "He told our defense they're going to have to kick him on out of here; I took his word for it," Farrior said. "I'm looking forward to coach LeBeau coming back next year. That was pretty much his message to us, 'You've got to get back to work.' "

Limas Sweed, placed on injured reserve Christmas week for illness/personal reasons, visited practice last week. "We all got a chance to see him, talk to him. Keep his spirits up," Holmes said. "I definitely think he's going to be more motivated to come back this year and prove ... that he's going to be a productive receiver in the NFL someday."



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10005/10 ... z0bmfQQkRA

[SteelFanRob Profile]

According to ESPN sources Bruce Arians will get canned on Wed. Also, ESPN.com reports that Bobby April, the respected special teams coach with Stillers roots, has left the Bills and is available. Let's get him now!

[PGHeaven Profile]

According to ESPN sources Bruce Arians will get canned on Wed. Also, ESPN.com reports that Bobby April, the respected special teams coach with Stillers roots, has left the Bills and is available. Let's get him now!

Well, if April comes through you are 1 out of 2. The Arians decision garnered a collective Stillers nation WTF. It's obvious that he is being retained so as not to create an aura of despair at "the lab" plus the fact that he has only one year left on contract. Other reasons are Big Ben's desires. I think that means Ben has him (BA) wrapped around his finger. Further analysis of the offensive stats reveals two things

1) stats in total are very good
2) the devil is in the details - the total stats don't reveal boneheaded play calling in crucial situations. I think this is what enrages Stiller Nation. Sure, we get a lot of big plays, but when we needed crucial 3rd and 4th downers we didnt get them. And when we needed to step on the jugular, we turtled

At any rate we have BA for one more year. I also think Redman may make the team as FWP makes his exit

[SteelFanRob Profile]

PGHeaven,

I wasn't trying to predict a damned thing! Rather, I was trying to be informative by reporting what was at the time breaking news on both the BA and April fronts. Just trying to do a service. Read more carefully next time. I do agree with you, however, about the BA situation and am disgusted he didn't resign or get fired. I'll stick to saying we could do a lot worse than Bobby April, assuming you even know who that is.

[steelcitymetal Profile]

Bobby April, assuming you even know who that is.

oh snap!

fucking PWNDED.