Fire Goodell AND Tomlin

[element1286]

At this point, I'd rather they move to a 4-3 scheme, and I agree the front seven fits a 4-3 much better. Not sure why they would be drafting guys who don't fit their scheme, maybe misses on talent or that 3-4 talent is more scarce as more teams have started using it.

 

[3riverbabe]

Tomlin's not going anywhere. They should've fired Haley at least a year ago. It's been well documented that he & Ben don't see eye to eye. Why he still has a job in Pittsburgh is a mystery to me.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Haley… I've never been a huge fan, regardless of how well the offense is doing. Because lets be honest, the fact that this offense is 5th in the league in ypg isn't a direct reflection of Haley…. More so Ben running from the no huddle getting the job done where Haley falls short. His east to west style play calling (bubble screens, reverses, etc) irritates the shit out of me. Especially when he calls that dinky crap in the RZ when the defenses have a shorter field to cover so they can eat those plays up all game long. But like others have said, for some reason he is heavily favored by the team's brass so he isn't likely going anywhere anytime soon.

Lebeau… Hard to say whether its a problem with personnel or play calling, but as we all know the job is not getting done. ATL has been saying it for a while, and I agree, that the personnel favors the 4-3 over the 3-4. IMO Lebeau is doing the best he can with the players provided. He is still one of the smartest DC's in the game, but one has to wonder if he is holding the franchise's defense hostage by not retiring. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds, but I hope he does something to get this defense back on track. It has been VERY hard to watch this swiss cheese defense get picked apart.

Tomlin… I've really started to question him more. Maybe I'm late to the party? lol. Poor game management, poor team execution & undisciplined play is a recipe for disaster. I'm very sick of this team needing to get stunned by losses to shitty teams in order for them to "wake up" or any other sort of trial & error bullshit. Championship teams don't use that blueprint. And this team has been using that trial & error progression ever since Tomlin became HC. I do think he is taking the right approach to getting this team back where it needs to be, but I just wish they didn't need to be embarrassed by the Bucs at home in order to figure it out. One thing is for sure though, it's time to start providing substance to all these "talks" that he gives about "making the necessary corrections". If I had a nickel for every time I heard that copout excuse after losing to a bottom third team…

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Tomlin's not going anywhere. They should've fired Haley at least a year ago. It's been well documented that he & Ben don't see eye to eye. Why he still has a job in Pittsburgh is a mystery to me.

I'm not a big fan of Haley's play calling at times, but the reality is the OFC is top 10 in both passing and rushing yards...he needs to figure out the RZ better and they have a playoff caliber OFC...the biggest problem I see with the OFC is the OL is not good enough to execute plays when the DEF pretty much knows it's a pass or a run.

The DEF statistically is not bad either...11th & 12th vs the pass and rush respectfully, but again, when it really counts (3rd down) can they get off the field...so far, not consistently.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I'm not a big fan of Haley's play calling at times, but the reality is the OFC is top 10 in both passing and rushing yards...he needs to figure out the RZ better and they have a playoff caliber OFC...the biggest problem I see with the OFC is the OL is not good enough to execute plays when the DEF pretty much knows it's a pass or a run.

The DEF statistically is not bad either...11th & 12th vs the pass and rush respectfully, but again, when it really counts (3rd down) can they get off the field...so far, not consistently.

I'll take that though... With the blend of youth & inexperience at key positions we knew this was going to be a growing period. If they are middle of the pack then something is at least going the way it should. Can't wait to see when they start to gel.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I'll take that though... With the blend of youth & inexperience at key positions we knew this was going to be a growing period. If they are middle of the pack then something is at least going the way it should. Can't wait to see when they start to gel.

DEF...yeah...me as well...I still can't help but think a DL of Heyward, Thomas, McLendon, Tuitt, with LBs Shazier, Timmons, JJ makes more sense than what we're trotting out there, but as long as Lebeau is running the show 3-4 will be the DEF.

With the way the game is played now...a legit 3-4 NT will have to be developed or signed via FA...doubtful we'll see many taken really high in the draft any time soon.

 

[element1286]

I'm not a big fan of Haley's play calling at times, but the reality is the OFC is top 10 in both passing and rushing yards...he needs to figure out the RZ better and they have a playoff caliber OFC...the biggest problem I see with the OFC is the OL is not good enough to execute plays when the DEF pretty much knows it's a pass or a run.

The DEF statistically is not bad either...11th & 12th vs the pass and rush respectfully, but again, when it really counts (3rd down) can they get off the field...so far, not consistently.

True, but that trend is even longer than the trend of poor play. They have had trouble getting off the field since the last super bowl year, eventhough they ranked in the top 5 that year in yards.

Getting off the field and creating turnovers are gigantic issues.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

True, but that trend is even longer than the trend of poor play. They have had trouble getting off the field since the last super bowl year, eventhough they ranked in the top 5 that year in yards.

Getting off the field and creating turnovers are gigantic issues.

3rd and passing used to be light up the QB time with the Steelers...lately (and it has been trending that way since the SB loss to GB) not so much. Lebeau might be stubborn and grounded into his system, but he's smart...he knows he doesn't have attacking personnel nor the sticky DBs on the back end so the scheme has been altered to concede yards and hope they don't get 6.

From a statistical standpoint...it works, it keeps you middle of the pack...not sure if we can get another SB with that scheme unless the OFC takes a big leap.

 

[Ojb81]

I'll take that though... With the blend of youth & inexperience at key positions we knew this was going to be a growing period. If they are middle of the pack then something is at least going the way it should. Can't wait to see when they start to gel.

Barely middle of the pack if you can even say that and trending downwards. But yeah, lets see how they "gel"

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

I think that if the Steelers finish 8-8 again Haley and Lebeau will be fired after the season. We all know the Rooney's don't like to change headcoaches so they'll keep Tomlin and hire new OC and DC. They'll give the new coordinators at least 2 years to show improvement and if none happens all 3 will be gone after the 3rd season.

 

[3riverbabe]

I think that if the Steelers finish 8-8 again Haley and Lebeau will be fired after the season. We all know the Rooney's don't like to change headcoaches so they'll keep Tomlin and hire new OC and DC. They'll give the new coordinators at least 2 years to show improvement and if none happens all 3 will be gone after the 3rd season.

If it comes to that, Haley will be fired & LeBeau will be "encouraged" to retire. I don't see them firing him outright.

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

If it comes to that, Haley will be fired & LeBeau will be "encouraged" to retire. I don't see them firing him outright.

True! They'd give Lebeau the oppertunity to retire before they'd fire him outright.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I think that if the Steelers finish 8-8 again Haley and Lebeau will be fired after the season. We all know the Rooney's don't like to change headcoaches so they'll keep Tomlin and hire new OC and DC. They'll give the new coordinators at least 2 years to show improvement and if none happens all 3 will be gone after the 3rd season.

8-8 again...they could all be in trouble imo.

Haley...really has no excuse now...#1 TE is back healthy, wanted another blocking type TE...Spaeth is healthy, RB situation is the best it's been been since Bettis/Parker...even got him another speed guy, everyone raved about Wheaton and let Sanders go to basically hand him the #2 WR...OL has mostly been intact all year.

Lebeau...I hate to give him crutch here, but losing both OLBs would hurt most 3-4 DEFs...that said w/o a stud 2 gap NT, even with both starting OLBs, his scheme simply is not as effective as a championship caliber DEF needs to be. I'd feel better 3-3 with Tuitt and Shamarko starting and Nick Williams & Maruo backing up the DEs, even Howard Jones being called up.

Neither of these were Tomlin hires, and I'd doubt seriously if he could fire Lebeau if he wanted to .

Tomlin...he went to bat to keep Arians and lost so I think he's been saddled with a DC whose base DEF is different from his background, and an OC that was handpicked for him...that probably gives him a little more rope...but, the most troubling thing now has been penalties and lack of discipline...if they can't win more than they lose this season, I would make a change here also.

Colbert...although C. Thomas has not worked, he's made a nice move with Mitchell and Valesco was a life saver LY...his last couple of drafts have been okay...but...depth wise they're not in a good position @ TE, LT, OLB, or WR...his hands my have been tied by ownership, but Troy's last year should have been '13...still something left, yes, but not enough to hold back Shamarko Thomas.

The philosophy is almost like they're afraid to bottom out, so they keep these older players around and on paper it looks like they're better than they really are. IMO, the worst thing you can be in the NFL is mediocre and thru 6 games...the Steelers are mediocre.

 

[element1286]

Well said about the coaching staff, and Tomlin's lack of input for the top assistant duties.

Unfortunately, the problems everyone had with Arians are the same ones that are cropping up with Haley. The common denominator being the quarterback.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Well said about the coaching staff, and Tomlin's lack of input for the top assistant duties.

Unfortunately, the problems everyone had with Arians are the same ones that are cropping up with Haley. The common denominator being the quarterback.

Yeah...that's true about the QB...at times he can look like belongs in the same league with Brady, P. Manning, etc...then he can look like last week...he's also the reason the FO is afraid to just go young and start over...I'm sure they feel like a 2 time SB winning QB gives them a chance every season.

Arians...you being closer to heart of the situation than me may have heard this...but a good friend of mine knows one of the coaches..been there a long time...was on Cowher's staff. He knows him well enough to talk to him on the phone, been to his place, etc...not that anyone of note reads this DB, but I'd rather not say his name...he said that Dan Rooney is a bit more "hands on" than most of us fans are led to believe.

Apparently in 2011 or '12 there was a mandate from the FO to get back to "Steeler Football", obviously meaning a solid running game...I remember seeing this in print myself and I want to say it came from Dan...in either case they felt that Bruce was too pass happy and he wasn't going to get them back the type football they wanted.

I'll be the 1st to admit, I thought Arians needed to go at the time, but looking at the talent on the OFC team now, I can't help but think he would've done better than Haley...FWIW...the RB coach that was burned in the fire I think was Tomlin's choice for OC.

 

[SteelersPride]

wheres the troll at, hes quiet now?

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Barely middle of the pack if you can even say that and trending downwards. But yeah, lets see how they "gel"

How's that goin for ya?

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

If that's a downward trend the Steelers need to keep it up for the rest of the season.

I hope Palamalu's injury doesn't derail the D!!! They need to keep the pressure on the other teams's O the next two weeks until their bye week.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

If that's a downward trend the Steelers need to keep it up for the rest of the season.

I hope Palamalu's injury doesn't derail the D!!! They need to keep the pressure on the other teams's O the next two weeks until their bye week.

Reports are saying Poly may only miss 1 week, but I'm betting on at least 2 games… Will Allen is serviceable, and Shark may be back next week. I'm not worried!

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

Reports are saying Poly may only miss 1 week, but I'm betting on at least 2 games… Will Allen is serviceable, and Shark may be back next week. I'm not worried!

Good to hear that.

Thanks for the update, Face!!!