A Smith is Canada-esque

[feltdizz]

I’m now a firm believer we wanted to play Baltimore which is why we looked so bad vs Cincy

[feltdizz]

Aikman made an interesting comment during the game that I'm not sure everyone picked up on. He said the Bengals defense struggled all season long on intermediate passes over the LBs and short of the safeties.

Just did some checking and saw a shocking difference between game 1 and game 2 vs CIN. In game 1 Wilson was 6 out of 6 passes throwing between 10 and 20 yards down field. Every single pass was completed for a total 146 yards.

Game 2, different story. Wilson was 2 out of 8 pass between 10-20 yards for a total 36 yards. That is the game right there. OK, 2 targets went to Pickens so give Wilson credit for two drops. Still a big difference from game 1. Bengals defense obviously changed something.

you cant go run run pass and then wonder why Wilson struggled. As soon as we went up tempo we scored.

Asking a QB to save us on 3rd and 8 is terrible football. Throw early and often to set up the run or its another blow out.

Thing is, a rock fight with Baltimore in the playoffs is Tomlin’s dream.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

We had 520 total yards in the first Bengals game.

Last night we had 193 TOTAL yards.... AT HOME.

I've made a lot of concessions for Tomlin but as we all know, I soured on him last year and this skid confirmed what I knew all along.

ITS OVER.

There is no way anyone can defend the coaching decisions made last night and the game plan to impose our will with the ground game. Tomlin is stealing money. We are going to need an AFC Championship for me to change my mind.

I was skeptical of Smith as OC. I was skeptical of Wilson and Fields. The 10-3 start gave me high hopes that Russ and Tomlin had a good thing going. Never in my life would I think they could sink this low and lose all that good grace but the offense bitched up something serious these last 4 games. If it was just the drops I could defend Tomlin but going for it on 4th down after failing 3 times to get one yard was disgusting. Leaving Chase 1 on 1 with Trice? Why? Running on every first down until the 4th quarter? 12 pass attempts at the half? WHY???

I thought the haters were ridiculous when they said all Tomlin cares about is .500 or better but last night it sure looked like Tomlin doesn't try to win games once we get to 9 or 10 wins. I know that isn't true but the way he coaches makes it appear so, which means he is terrible at coaching.

and let it be know, I was one of Tomlin's biggest supporters but I'm done wasting time and energy on this dude.

About time you chaged you view on him. KUDOS. OC Smith is leaving us. Puppet Autin remains as does the crappy OL coach. Clean this house,

[NorthCoast]

I’m now a firm believer we wanted to play Baltimore which is why we looked so bad vs Cincy

I thought this as well. But the other thing I was thinking is that the Steelers used the Bengals game as a kinda scrimmage for some players and schemes in preparation for the playoffs. I mean, like leaving Trice 1v1 on Chase? If he rose to the occasion, then you have to think the Steelers might not target CB in the draft, feeling they have JPJ and Trice on the outside. Personally, I'm not sure Trice can cover a #1. Maybe a #2? Also, Bishop over Sutton (he just has a nose for the ball).
They also cemented their position with Moore. Let him walk. And finally, maybe Pickens should be considered a trade after his showing in that game.

[hackjam]

I actually originally thought those early years with Ben would make an impression on how important it is on Tomlin to throw the ball like Ben did with Hines, Holmes, & AB......But i think you might be on to something.

The weird thing is they did open it up for a while. Ben led the league in yards/game 3 times in 5 years and he was #2 to Brady in another of those years. When Ben got hurt, it was like the offense regressed into the 1950s. I get that some of that has to do with Ben's decline but OTOH, they've looked like a legitimate NFL offense for maybe 17 games since the start of the 2019 season. The first 8 or so games in 2020, the first few games with Russ this year, and a handful of others sprinkled in there.

[Eich]

I thought this as well. But the other thing I was thinking is that the Steelers used the Bengals game as a kinda scrimmage for some players and schemes in preparation for the playoffs. I mean, like leaving Trice 1v1 on Chase? If he rose to the occasion, then you have to think the Steelers might not target CB in the draft, feeling they have JPJ and Trice on the outside. Personally, I'm not sure Trice can cover a #1. Maybe a #2? Also, Bishop over Sutton (he just has a nose for the ball).

It sure felt this way. We played the Bungles completely differently than the first time. Tomlin admitted so in the post game. The question is why?

I'd like to give Tomlin credit for using the Bungles game as an evaluation of players and schemes.

It'll be interesting to see how we play the Rats. If we find a way to eliminate the Rats, I'll be feeling a whole lot different about Tomlin than I do now.

[Buzz]

I’m now a firm believer we wanted to play Baltimore which is why we looked so bad vs Cincy

that's one way to spin the crap we saw from this team on Saturday night
heck, maybe it's the reason we stunk in the last 4 games-- we were purposely tanking
it was all Tomlin's brilliant master plan to sneak in as the 6th seed, so we could go to Baltimore in January and shock the world

probably has some ingenious, innovative offensive attack that he's been holding back all season, just waiting for this moment to release
LOL

[WindyCitySteel]

It sure felt this way. We played the Bungles completely differently than the first time. Tomlin admitted so in the post game. The question is why?

Because they didn’t beat Cincy the way he would prefer to beat them. His D got shredded and he took it personally.

[Eich]

Even the way we played the Bungle's Hendrickson, mostly allowing him to terrorize Wilson. It smells of either incompetence or we were doing some kind of evaluation and weren't really concerned with the results.

[WindyCitySteel]

Even the way we played the Bungle's Hendrickson, mostly allowing him to terrorize Wilson. It smells of either incompetence or we were doing some kind of evaluation and weren't really concerned with the results.

Moore on Hendrickson one one one, Trice on Chase one on one.

“Line up and beat your man. Execute better.”

This is a failed organization.

[Eich]

Because they didn’t beat Cincy the way he would prefer to beat them. His D got shredded and he took it personally.

He should have taken it personally. And our D held them to 19 points the second time around. So, some kudos for doing that against one of the best offenses in the league.

But the offense was abysmal, against one of the worst defenses in the league.

Maybe behind the scenes, Tomlin is playing 4 dimensional chess and it's all going to be unleashed on the Rats this weekend! LOL

[feltdizz]

He should have taken it personally. And our D held them to 19 points the second time around. So, some kudos for doing that against one of the best offenses in the league.

But the offense was abysmal, against one of the worst defenses in the league.

Maybe behind the scenes, Tomlin is playing 4 dimensional chess and it's all going to be unleashed on the Rats this weekend! LOL

I have no proof but I think we preferred playing the Rats and this is why we looked bad on O.

[NorthCoast]

Can't say I'd be sad if it happens:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2qDSeuj][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2qDSeuj]Screenshot 2025-01-06 130703[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/191750946@N04/]R W[/url], on Flickr

[WindyCitySteel]

Can't say I'd be sad if it happens:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2qDSeuj][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2qDSeuj]Screenshot 2025-01-06 130703[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/191750946@N04/]R W[/url], on Flickr

Multiple teams are interested, apparently. Maybe they know who the real problem behind the Steelers’ offense is.

[hackjam]

Can't say I'd be sad if it happens:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2qDSeuj][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2qDSeuj]Screenshot 2025-01-06 130703[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/191750946@N04/]R W[/url], on Flickr

The Jets are really going for the retreads huh? Matt Nagy, Rex Ryan, Brian Flores, Mike Vrabel, Vance Joseph, Arthur Smith...