Kovacevic: Get over it, Ben

[D Rock]

The Denver game was defensive player failure. Every play Arians called was coach failure.

[hawns]

If you make an investment that great in a player, you might be more than a little concerned about the player's health. Haley's more precision-based offense could be a career extender for Big Ben, because we all saw what it did for Kurt Warner in Arizona after he spent years taking beatings in NYC and due to Mike Martz's audible-free, seven-step drop happy offense.

[Crash]

Yeah... Like Tom Brady.

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You mean when the OFFENSE held the ball for 40 minutes?

[Crash]

I also believe that Tomlin wanted BA back but was overruled by the ownership. Will be interesting to see how things with Tomlin play out in the future.

Yep. Art dumped Arians and forced Haley on Tomlin. I can't see Tomlin putting up with more meddling in the future from him.

[Crash]

If you make an investment that great in a player, you might be more than a little concerned about the player's health. Haley's more precision-based offense could be a career extender for Big Ben, because we all saw what it did for Kurt Warner in Arizona after he spent years taking beatings in NYC and due to Mike Martz's audible-free, seven-step drop happy offense.

Haley was such an offensive genius he started Matt Leinert over Warner in 2007.

[Flasteel]

I believe that BA wasn't brought back because his relationship with Ben became to close. I also believe that Tomlin wanted BA back but was overruled by the ownership. Will be interesting to see how things with Tomlin play out in the future.

That's because this scenario allows you to save face. BA sucked and you can't come to grips with the fact that you have been wrong in defending him all along.

Do you think Tomlin would really have such a lack of control over his own coaching staff? Are you calling him a liar??

[Flasteel]

Yep. Art dumped Arians and forced Haley on Tomlin. I can't see Tomlin putting up with more meddling in the future from him.

There you are Burghsteel...Crash agrees with you. All the evidence anyone on this board needs to know, to tell you are completely and utterly wrong.

[Crash]

That's because this scenario allows you to save face. BA sucked and you can't come to grips with the fact that you have been wrong in defending him all along.

Do you think Tomlin would really have such a lack of control over his own coaching staff? Are you calling him a liar??

ART stated that HE felt it was time for a change. Then when asked POINT BLANK if HE was the one who fired Arians he FLAT OUT REFUSED to answer the question.

If he didn't do it, why didn't he just say so?

Chuck Noll won 4 rings, and even he was FORCED by Dan Rooney, to demote Tony Dungy after 1988. So let's not act like the owners of this team haven't "influenced" who is or isn't on this coaching staff.

[Slapstick]

The run game average a better per carry average (4.4) in 2011 then any Steelers team since 2001. The 4.4 average was good enough for 9th in the league. The Steeler ranked 8th in rush TD percentage. I wouldn't exactly say the team failed in the run game. Especially, considering the issues the Oline had. It's strange that the coaches don't get credit for the job they did getting the Oline ready to play with the multiple starting Olines they had. IMO, the up and down performance of the offense in the red zone can be traced back to two factors. Number one is the inconsistent play of the QB. Number two the injuries they had on the Oline. For this offense to produce more TD's in the red zone, I believe Ben will need to throw for more TD's.

The last truly and consistently dominant run team that I remember were the 90's Cowboys. I believe the days of the dominant run games as they were known are pretty much over. I think there are a several reasons why it's the case. One, it's difficult for the best franchise RB's to hold up taking the pounding with today's bigger, stronger, and faster defensive players. Two, teams don't need have a dominant run game to score a lot points. Run games that keep defenses honest are good enough. Scoring points is the goal of an offense. Three, all the rules favor passing the football. Below average QB's can have a lot of success on the right team with the passing rules the way they are structured. Four, defensive players are out gunned facing today's overall offensive talent and athletes.

I believe that BA wasn't brought back because his relationship with Ben became to close. I also believe that Tomlin wanted BA back but was overruled by the ownership. Will be interesting to see how things with Tomlin play out in the future.

BA wasn't brought back because of these questions:

If the Steelers are running the ball "well", why is your franchise QB getting sacked 50 times?

If rules favor passing and even below average QBs can have success while defenses are outgunned, why couldn't the Steelers take advantage?

[Eich]

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You mean when the OFFENSE held the ball for 40 minutes?

You mean when the DEFENSE forced a 3-and-OUT AFTER THE STEELERS SCORED ON THE OPENING DRIVE OF THE GAME? THE EXACT situation that you say is this defense's weakness and that was against one of the league's elite QB's.

If Arians AND BEN were more interested in playing THAT type of game, Arians would still have his job.