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Thread: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

  1. #1
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    Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    This will probably be the toughest off season for this team that we have seen in a very long time. Reason:

    1. Need to effectively manage a generational change on this team shedding players who got us over 100 wins in the first decade of the 21st century. We have probably 10 veterans who have been long term contributors who may not be back: Hines, Smith, Bmac, Farrior, Hampton, Hoke, Foote, Memo, etc.

    2. Salary cap challenge. We are at least $15M over the cap and that doesn't count our own free agents who we need to give raises to in order to retain. Hard decisions involving: Wallace, Starks, Colon, Kiesel, etc. Do we really want to wait to extend Antonio Brown until after he has a Pro Bowl season?????

    3. What to do about our coordinators???? Everyone except the team wants Arians gone. LeBeau was outcoached in the Denver game and hasn't offered anything new or innovative compared to what we are seeing from other teams.

    4. Draft priorities. Do we finally focus on the OL or continue to bandaid it together. Do we have enough youth with enough talent on the DL to take over from Smith, Hampton and Kiesel (the latter has to stay IMO). Were Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen enough to make us feel good about the secondary? Can Woodley and Harrison stay healthy going forward or do we need insurance at OLB?

    Lots of things to consider and this could be a very different team next season or very similar. Which way will the leadership decide to go? IMO we need to implement change across the board. I think we are running on fumes with the current roster and with current coaches. Thoughts???
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  2. #2
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    regarding #2... too late.

    But, why extend him when now we could keep him for two more years (one under contract 2012, one with high RFA tender 2013) for less than 2 million dollars total? If he is a true superstar we can then franchise him in 2014 while we try to negotiate a longer contract. It doesn't make much financial sense to extend him now unless he wants to be very reasonable.
    Even if Bill Belichick was getting an atomic wedgie, his face would look exactly the same.

  3. #3
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    They HAVE to invest in the OL. I dont think we need to invest even more picks on corners, but safety had better become a priority. I agree with you on all counts and concerns listed.
    Yes we went 12-4, but that was definitely not a 12-4 team playing last weekend. This team is definitely looking at some turnover, and it will be for the better in the long-term. I think we are fooling ourselves if we think this team is ok as is and all that was wrong is we had a lot of injuries.

  4. #4
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    Quote Originally Posted by NW Steeler
    They HAVE to invest in the OL. I dont think we need to invest even more picks on corners, but safety had better become a priority. I agree with you on all counts and concerns listed.
    Yes we went 12-4, but that was definitely not a 12-4 team playing last weekend. This team is definitely looking at some turnover, and it will be for the better in the long-term. I think we are fooling ourselves if we think this team is ok as is and all that was wrong is we had a lot of injuries.
    The injuries may have been a symptom of our demise but they weren't the real cause

    Look at who we lost to in the regular season Balt. x2, Houston and SF. All teams that are still in the play offs. Minor cosmetic changes will not set us up for the next ten years which is what needs to happen. This team coming back next year as is will be 9-7 or 10-6 at best.
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  5. #5
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    Quote Originally Posted by Oviedo
    Quote Originally Posted by NW Steeler
    They HAVE to invest in the OL. I dont think we need to invest even more picks on corners, but safety had better become a priority. I agree with you on all counts and concerns listed.
    Yes we went 12-4, but that was definitely not a 12-4 team playing last weekend. This team is definitely looking at some turnover, and it will be for the better in the long-term. I think we are fooling ourselves if we think this team is ok as is and all that was wrong is we had a lot of injuries.
    The injuries may have been a symptom of our demise but they weren't the real cause

    Look at who we lost to in the regular season Balt. x2, Houston and SF. All teams that are still in the play offs. Minor cosmetic changes will not set us up for the next ten years which is what needs to happen. This team coming back next year as is will be 9-7 or 10-6 at best.
    I'm pretty sure most fans who view things the way you do predicted 10-6 this year as well.

    Minor cosmetic changes are all we need IMO. We won't be set up for the next 10 years overnight.

    Get rid of the old heads and put Redman in the backfield and watch us control more games and have better production in the redzone.

    Mend was the main reason we sucked at putting up points. Dude was horrible at moving the chains consistently.

    Not sure if we need to get rid of the coordinators. We usually take a year off after a SB run... and while we went 12-4 it was an ugly 12-4.
    I lost a bet about Najee gaining 1300 yards.

    "Our head coach has failed to win a playoff game for seven years in a row. His game day strategy, culture of divas, in game decisions, clock management, player evaluation, hires, and affinity with sub par starters at RB, P, and OL are holding the Steelers back. That standard remains the standard"



  6. #6
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    Quote Originally Posted by feltdizz
    Quote Originally Posted by Oviedo
    Quote Originally Posted by NW Steeler
    They HAVE to invest in the OL. I dont think we need to invest even more picks on corners, but safety had better become a priority. I agree with you on all counts and concerns listed.
    Yes we went 12-4, but that was definitely not a 12-4 team playing last weekend. This team is definitely looking at some turnover, and it will be for the better in the long-term. I think we are fooling ourselves if we think this team is ok as is and all that was wrong is we had a lot of injuries.
    The injuries may have been a symptom of our demise but they weren't the real cause

    Look at who we lost to in the regular season Balt. x2, Houston and SF. All teams that are still in the play offs. Minor cosmetic changes will not set us up for the next ten years which is what needs to happen. This team coming back next year as is will be 9-7 or 10-6 at best.
    I'm pretty sure most fans who view things the way you do predicted 10-6 this year as well.

    Minor cosmetic changes are all we need IMO. We won't be set up for the next 10 years overnight.

    Get rid of the old heads and put Redman in the backfield and watch us control more games and have better production in the redzone.

    Mend was the main reason we sucked at putting up points. Dude was horrible at moving the chains consistently.

    Not sure if we need to get rid of the coordinators. We usually take a year off after a SB run... and while we went 12-4 it was an ugly 12-4.

    Not sure "how I view things," but I predicted a low side of 11-5 and high side of 13-3 for the most recently deceased season but I always tend to be optimistic going into the season.

    Do you really think bringing back Hampton (coming off knee surgery), Farrior, Bmac, Foote, etc is goin to help us compete for a Super Bowl.

    Do you really think if Arians and LeBeau come back they will be truly reflective on the past season and change anything?? Sorry, but they both think they have it all figured out and won't consider changing anything.

    I remember 1980 and how long it took us to get back to the Super Bowl after that last one of the Noll era. Assuming that getting back to the Super Bowl every 2-3 years is a bad assumption. In 1980 we kept players well past their "sell by dates" and didn't get good, young replacements on the field and it set us back a decade. Not interested in living through that again.
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  7. #7
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    We're in a predicament. We can't pressure the QB. And that's our #1 issue. And we've got a boatload of money in the front 7 and they aren't producing.

    Heck, we put 10 men in the box and couldn't get to Tebow.

    We need a future stud NT and ILB. NT that can occupy blockers is most important so we can free up our LBs to make plays.

    We need someone like Keisel that can come in on 3rd downs and generate a pass rush.

    Pittsburgh wouldn't surprise me if they drafted and OLB #1 if we decide to try and improve the pass rush.

    If we decide we're just not going to get pressure no matter what we do, then we should beef up the OLine. Protect Ben. Help the running game. And allow this offense to run up scores to carry the D.

    It's a tough call because we clearly need to improve in a lot of areas. Which can get us to the SuperBowl? And some of the issue is guys we're paying aren't playing up to their contracts.

  8. #8
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    No SB hangover for the Steelers next year. That's what I am looking forward too.

    They had major hangovers in 1996, 2006, and 2009 after the SB's. Add 2011 to that list.

  9. #9
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    Quote Originally Posted by flippy
    Heck, we put 10 men in the box and couldn't get to Tebow.
    We've had trouble pressuring QBs throughtout the season. But against Tebow, I don't think we tried. The scheme was to contain, not pressure. The Steelers simply did not respect Tebow's ability to pass and it burned them.

  10. #10
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    Re: Toughest Off Season for Colbert and Tomlin

    Quote Originally Posted by Eich
    Quote Originally Posted by flippy
    Heck, we put 10 men in the box and couldn't get to Tebow.
    We've had trouble pressuring QBs throughtout the season. But against Tebow, I don't think we tried. The scheme was to contain, not pressure. The Steelers simply did not respect Tebow's ability to pass and it burned them.
    We never brought extra linebackers or stunted like we did earlier in the season. Mainly a vanilla 3 or 4 man rush which never works for the Steelers.

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