Refs or Coaching or Players?

[flippy]

Who is more to blame?

Refs - cost us 28 points

1. False start TD - +7 Chargers
2. Block to back on Punt Return TD - +7 Chargers
3. Called Incomplete Pass on a Fumble which - +14 point swing cause that could have been returned for a TD

In a 33-30 game where the Refs are responsible for 28 points, that's a lot to overcome.

Players - cost us 27 points

1. Ben's INT - +3 point swing for Chargers because of no FG
2. Couple of really bad throws by Ben, including missing Hunter wide open in the end zone - +4 Chargers swing since we kicked a FG
3. No hang time on punt that got returned - +7 pts Chargers
4. Davis breaking up INT - +7 points Chargers
5. Missed XP - +3 points Charger swing (they wouldn't have gone for 2 pts x 2)6. Offsides on last FG - +3pts Charger swing

Coaches - cost us 33 points + allowed us to leave more on the field

1. Letting Keenan Allen make plays on every scoring drive
2. What's the NFL record for most missed XPs in a season? I feel like we're on that pace and no competition has been brought in to complete with Boz
3. Awesome challenge wasted a TO
4. We put Burns on the field and it seemed like he gave up points every time
5. Bottom line, every coach not name Munchak feels liableI don't know what you think, but despite the score being close, this team was a complete and utter mess. The refs may deserve some blame, but they just amplified the mess the players and coaches were making everywhere. It feels like it's time to start over.

[Ghost]

I think you can add in the play to the refs bad scorecard when Conner had a 22 yard run that was called back by a dubious holding call (both announcers said they'd seen much worse not called) on a player who was no where near the play. Erased a first down and took them out of field goal range.

The 1st TD was an inexcusable miss but it was early and should have been overcome. Up huge at halftime so hard to blame that. Good teams overcome that call.

2nd half was brutal. Large lead and getting the ball back to start 2nd half and the O has three straight punts. Yes, the block in the back was missed but why is only 1 guy in position to make a tackle. It was terrible coverage. And the D was an embarrassment in the the 2nd half. Getting gashed up and down the field. And what in the world is Davis doing? You HAVE to be aware of what's going on around you and not destroy your own player.

Hard to blame the refs when all three phases of the team took the entire third quarter off. Why is it so damn hard to play a complete game?

Coaches - have to know there is almost 0 % chance of winning that challenge and at the time, your time-outs are critical. Burns needs to be cut. Awful doesn't begin to cover it. He's a liability. Special Teams are a constant problem. Holds on every return.

7 wins and only 1 of those teams has a winning record. Not sure what the overall driving factor is, but this team is not good.

[Eich]

Most to blame? Players IMO. But we lost in every possible way.

We played the Chargers. And lost
We played against ourselves. And lost
We played against the refs. And lost

This is the 2018 season. A mess. I guess the only silver lining is that my expectations from here on out are nothing. I'm not getting my blood boiled for the rest of the season.

That was as a pathetic 2nd half as I can remember.
-The defense is gutless when it really matters.
-The offense is erratic with Ben continuing to put up numbers, while throwing head-scratchers
-Special teams always finds a way to let us down.

[williar]

Sky is falling! Not saying, I am throwing in the towel, but I am throwing in the towel - this team seems headed into a downward spiral and may not win another game (exception for the bengals) who are just as much as a hot mess as we are.

I'm still pissed at the FO for this LB debacle. Should have known to avoid this major distraction, but seems like they (happily) walked right into it. Team would have been so much better off if they would have just cut-ties and prepared this team, moving forward without him.

Pissed that the FO or whoever is responsible, surprisingly, doesn't understand that Steelers success is built on defense! Look at the track record. Nothing else needs to be said.

Pissed that the FO really must have tried to convinced themselves that they can draft DBs - As soon as Artie Burns opened his mouth after getting drafted, I was like, seriously!

Pissed that there seem to be no contingency plan if LB didn't show up! It was like, it's Connor or nothing! What are the chances of a RB who gets 25-35 touches a game going to stay healthy for an entire season. Who's your back up - 5th round draft pick, Jaylen Samuels.

Pissed at the half-hearted effort to replace Shazier's production. This, they knew of, and Bostic was they best you could do? And why have they just now started playing LJ Fort? This guy should have been on the field getting playing time... Whose call was that?

Pissed that after 15 seasons, our QB still is a hot-mess of inconsistency...

And really, really pissed that this is the second time the Steelers have gotten hosed (badly) on national TV, in very meaningful games by the officials ... The NE game last year and this latest mockery! Stuff like this would never -ever-ever happen to the patriots! Hey NFL, what's the problem? This is one of your marquee franchises with a huge fan base and one of the most repected ownerships in all of sports... Who you messing with??? I was sitting in another room away from the tv screen and clearly saw that O-Lineman jump off sides.. How anyone on the field could miss that is beyond suspicious...

And this is just for starters

[Starlifter]

Yes to all.

[Steelwolf]

NFL won't acknowledge they made a mistake and truthfully the Steelers melted. Guess we will have to see how the dust settles.

[williar]

No one's holding their breath on that. Good teams can usually overcome these kind of set backs, obviously, we don't fall into that category right now! Call me old school, but I maintain the opinion that the home team should get the benefit of the doubt, in close games. They don't call it "home field avantage" for nothing! In today's NFL there are so many league-hidden agenda's that are being played out, you can trust nothing... If anyone ever questioned how the outcome of games can be altered, look no further than the zebras. They have this thing down to a science..

[Buzz]

No one's holding their breath on that. Good teams can usually overcome these kind of set backs, obviously, we don't fall into that category right now! Call me old school, but I maintain the opinion that the home team should get the benefit of the doubt, in close games. They don't call it "home field avantage" for nothing! In today's NFL there are so many league-hidden agenda's that are being played out, you can trust nothing... If anyone ever questioned how the outcome of games can be altered, look no further than the zebras. They have this thing down to a science..

Like I said in the other thread, I have to wonder if the fix is in. Makes sense that the NFL might want to boost the Chargers -- they're in a major TV market, going into a new stadium, etc. The league wants to try to build the Chargers' fan base. If they are at the top of the league standings, that would have to help.

[williar]

Like I said in the other thread, I have to wonder if the fix is in. Makes sense that the NFL might want to boost the Chargers -- they're in a major TV market, going into a new stadium, etc. The league wants to try to build the Chargers' fan base. If they are at the top of the league standings, that would have to help.

There is obviously some truth to that. How many times do the chargers land on national tv? Not much. I guess this was a golden opportunity to push the narrative! Business is business..

[Northern_Blitz]

My general feeling for individual games is always

Players are more important than coaches and coaches are more important than refs.