2024 Season

[Superbelt]

What a fine group to be lumped together with......

Give him another 18 years of contracts, he might make it to #1.

 

[Superbelt]

It doesn't matter if we swap out one DC for another. Could be anybody. But Tomlin designed and runs the defense. So as long as he is in control, it'll be the same thing.


The last couple years of LeBeau, Tomlin had taken over, and then pushed him out. Butler admitted that he was just a flunky and it was Tomlin's Defense, with Tomlin designing and calling plays.

Keith Butler: Mike Tomlin called Steelers defensive plays for Dick LeBeau, too

Keith Butler revealed Monday that Mike Tomlin didn't just call defensive plays throughout his time as the team's defensive coordinator, he did so in the final seasons Dick LeBeau was the team's coordinator, as well.

www.dkpittsburghsports.com

“The last couple of years with Dick LeBeau, Mike was calling the plays, too,” said Butler. "It's something he wanted to do. It's something he had done. He wanted to do that here, and as the head coach, he should be able to do what he wants to do.​

Tomlin isn't going to stop meddling, so it won't matter if Austin is canned and someone else is brought in. Ravens were laughing in the locker room after the game about how easy our Defense was to outscheme. I'm pretty much doomspiraling here.

{53:30} [Danny Heiftiz] ‘All I will say is, I was in the Ravens lockeroom, I heard multiple Ravens offensive players laugh about how thinly disguised the Steelers defense was and about the ways they tried to disguise it. They were not fooled what so ever."​

​

Boys, we're a joke.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Right there with ya on the doomspiraling...

Nothing we haven't heard before about the defense... Feels like for the better part of a decade we've been hearing opposing teams make a mockery of our defensive schemes. Really gets loud in the postseason for obvious reasons, because thats when good coaching actually schemes differently & put forth effort to make their opponents uncomfortable... Whereas in Pittsburgh, our staff does next to nothing to change their approach & instead relies on individual performances to rise above. And elite QBs are never fooled by these schemes. When they go with zones they get shredded by short passes & crosser routes over the middle. And when they go man, they still get shredded by short passes because this team sucks at coaching technique & prefers to keep DBs 8-12yds off the line of scrimmage in soft coverage. The "Bend Don't Break" philosophy is a Tomlin staple.

I will say, even though Tomlin 'runs' the defense... It still seems odd to me that Keith Butler was vastly superior at dialing up blitz packages. With Austin, we seem to primarily rush 4 all game long. Did Tomlin have a shift in defensive philosophy, or is the coaches calling the plays really just blown out of proportion? My belief is that, while Tomlin does have his fingerprints all over the defensive schemes, the coordinators still call the majority of the plays and Tomlin only steps in when he sees fit. Under that working belief, I think Austin is too passive. He keeps too much personnel on the back end in hopes his coverage schemes will hold up, while relying on individual effort from his front 4 rushers to generate pressure. Running that >70-80% of the time just doesn't work in todays NFL.

But this problem is compounded by the offensive woes. You'll always be behind the 8 ball when your offense is routinely going 3 & out and hanging their own defense out to dry. No defense can withstand that amount of pressure under today's NFL rules that favor the offenses.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

 

[thedddd]

Umm yes, it is a bad play, for this team, if the players you have can't execute it. As a coach they should adjust and make plays that work for the players. Thought we learned this play didn't work from the later Chuck Noll days of trying to sweep Merril Hoge.
Yet another in the example of the new Steelers definition of doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

​

 

[Pure Steel]

Umm yes, it is a bad play, for this team, if the players you have can't execute it. As a coach they should adjust and make plays that work for the players. Thought we learned this play didn't work from the later Chuck Noll days of trying to sweep Merril Hoge.
Yet another in the example of the new Steelers definition of doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

​

The pitch play Is my favorite inside the 2 yard line, pitch it back 7 yards instead running it straight ahead…..worked like a charm for Texas the other night vs Ohio State…..

 

[thedddd]

The pitch play Is my favorite inside the 2 yard line, pitch it back 7 yards instead running it straight ahead…..worked like a charm for Texas the other night vs Ohio State…..

Exactly. And using the Rams as an example of it working is just silly in that tweet. No crap it works for teams like the Rams. When you have that QB and those WR weapons it keeps the defense honest. The Steelers passing game feared no one and the running game didn't either.

 

[packerzrule]

Didn't read all of the posts on this thread but are the fans willing/ready to move on from Tomlin?

 

[thedddd]

Didn't read all of the posts on this thread but are the fans willing/ready to move on from Tomlin?

For the most part I think most fans are ready to move on but the Rooneys/Steelers won't. They won't pay him to sit at home and what will happen is contrived coaching changes to make it look like something more positive but in the end it will be more of the Tomlin way until he retires.

I think that is why Cowher is more beloved in Pittsburgh, he knew when it was time to retire to not tarnish his legacy. Tomlin is letting his ego get the better of him now.

 

[thedddd]

And this tweet sums up my feelings on the whole "X number of teams would hire Tomlin in an instant..." comment.

 

[Pure Steel]

Exactly. And using the Rams as an example of it working is just silly in that tweet. No crap it works for teams like the Rams. When you have that QB and those WR weapons it keeps the defense honest. The Steelers passing game feared no one and the running game didn't either.

Yup, using an offense like the Rams is a horrendous take…..they are loaded with options and everyone doesn’t have a Kyren Williams who is a perfect fit in that offense….

 

[thedddd]

Yup, using an offense like the Rams is a horrendous take…..they are loaded with options and everyone doesn’t have a Kyren Williams who is a perfect fit in that offense….

And I am not trying to blame the players either, granted they have some fault. But it is on the coaches as the Rams know who they have and know the offensive schemes they can run. The Steelers on the other hand have very limited skill players but rarely ever utilized them to their abilities. That is all on the coaching staff and that is why tweets like this, which is a response to that other tweet I posted crack me up. If they can't execute your game plan, then here is a novel concept change the game plan to something they can execute.

Not discounting the defense either, they relied too much on Watts and Heyward's abilities and when teams countered them. The offenses literally had free reign over the field. But yeah let's not adjust and hope that we can sack Lamar Jackson or arm tackle Derrick Henry every play.

 

[Superbelt]

And I am not trying to blame the players either, granted they have some fault. But it is on the coaches as the Rams know who they have and know the offensive schemes they can run. The Steelers on the other hand have very limited skill players but rarely ever utilized them to their abilities. That is all on the coaching staff and that is why tweets like this, which is a response to that other tweet I posted crack me up. If they can't execute your game plan, then here is a novel concept change the game plan to something they can execute.

Not discounting the defense either, they relied too much on Watts and Heyward's abilities and when teams countered them. The offenses literally had free reign over the field. But yeah let's not adjust and hope that we can sack Lamar Jackson or arm tackle Derrick Henry every play.

^ From that tweet, which is Mike Tomlin's fault.

He's got as much power as Omar, if not more in shaping this roster. He picked the Hyundai parts.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

^ From that tweet, which is Mike Tomlin's fault.

He's got as much power as Omar, if not more in shaping this roster. He picked the Hyundai parts.

I tend to put much more blame on the coaching. But we have found out that they have an abundance of overrated talent.

I mean, are we supposed to be shocked that coaches like Austin, & Meyer are bad?

Austin's defenses ranked 27th in yards allowed (21st in points) in 2017, 32 in yards allowed (30th in points) in 2018 prior to the Steelers hiring him as a defensive assistant.

And with Meyer, strange that hiring someone that got fired by the goddamn Panthers didn't work out. Same thing happened with Frisman Jackson who lasted just 2 years as WR coach here after flaming out in Carolina.

This staff has done a piss poor job of hiring coaches.

 

[Superbelt]

I tend to put much more blame on the coaching. But we have found out that they have an abundance of overrated talent.

I mean, are we supposed to be shocked that coaches like Austin, & Meyer are bad?

Austin's defenses ranked 27th in yards allowed (21st in points) in 2017, 32 in yards allowed (30th in points) in 2018 prior to the Steelers hiring him as a defensive assistant.

And with Meyer, strange that hiring someone that got fired by the goddamn Panthers didn't work out. Same thing happened with Frisman Jackson who lasted just 2 years as WR coach here after flaming out in Carolina.

This staff has done a piss poor job of hiring coaches.

PIcking up coordinators and position coaches from failing teams where their units were absolute shit, and then surprise pikachu face, when they continue that losing culture here.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

PIcking up coordinators and position coaches from failing teams where their units were absolute shit, and then surprise pikachu face, when they continue that losing culture here.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

This team simply cannot develop raw talent anymore because of the way they constructed this staff.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Would like to know everyone's thoughts on Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Context: According to OtC, the Steelers have an OUT in his contract this offseason & would owe Minkah nothing if released. They would take a cap hit, but would save $33m in cap over the next 2 seasons.

So, with that in mind... What do you want them to do with Minkah?

Trade would be difficult given the $16m price tag

 

[thedddd]

^ There probably would be a taker for him but at a largely discounted rate. It is a shame because of his talent got lost here as he wasn’t used properly like when he first arrived.

Most likely will be released. With that said no clue what they do to replace him.

 

[Superbelt]

Would like to know everyone's thoughts on Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Context: According to OtC, the Steelers have an OUT in his contract this offseason & would owe Minkah nothing if released. They would take a cap hit, but would save $33m in cap over the next 2 seasons.

So, with that in mind... What do you want them to do with Minkah?

Trade would be difficult given the $16m price tag

I'm fine releasing him and moving on. Gotta bring down the cost of this defense.

I think Minkah can still be an all-pro FS, but I don't think Tomlin's D is going to do much to put him in a position to succeed So may as well cut bait and make some rookie or cheaper FA suffer.