From Tomlin's latest PRESSER

[WindyCitySteel]

I think it's because trying to have a shootout when you clearly have the worse QB is a bad idea.

This way also doesn't work all the time.

But trying to limit the number of offensive possessions the opposing offense gets is a good strategy when you're trying to do two low probability things (prevent a good offense from scoring...have a bad offense score).

If you have a large sample (i.e. lots of possessions for both teams), you'd expect to mostly lose those games.

And we go into this game with BAL having one of the best offenses in the league. And our O looks bad going into the playoffs after getting a good number of points for a while there.

You have to be able to win multiple ways, and he won a shootout with Burrow, lost a rock fight to him. When the entirety of your downfield passing game becomes 50/50 balls down the sideline, it’s time for a change.

[Northern_Blitz]

NO ONE is asking for a shootout. What we are asking for is to not be PREDICTABLE. Pass some on 1st down, run some on 3rd & 5....When the opposition is less sure of the play coming, it has a much better chance of success.

When we went all passing 9 plays midway through 3rd quarter in hurry up vs Bengals Russ was 8-9 & we scored a TD. MAYBE, just maybe our QBS look bad because they are put in predictable bad situations?

I have also said several times that we should run less on 1st downs. And especially on 2nd and 6+ (which is such a waste of a down IMO).

Passing in the hurry up when down by multiple scores is a good idea. I don't think we'd get the same results when the score is close. But I'd be for trying it some times.

Hard to imagine that our opening drives can get much worse. Without colossal ****-ups like the CLE playoff game anyway.

["BuzzNuter"]

What's frustrating is if Tomlin just let the offense play to win the Steelers could actually win Saturday. For example actually passing it on 1st down, using the MoF, throwing to Harris and Warren out of the backfield. Ravens would not see a lot of this coming. instead he'll probably just stick to his sad bastard offensive strategy of trying to shorten the game and hoping the opposing team falls asleep.

Let me ask you, do you think that Wilson doesn't throw to the middle of the field because that is how our offense is set up? Do a lot of you think that way?

I assumed that Wilson doesn't throw to the middle because he can't see it. Do we not send receivers to the middle because we have taken that out of the scheme? I could be in the dark here.

I haven't been to any games so I don't get to see how plays develop. If the middle is out of play then it would be easy to defend against us.

[LPMAN]

Let me ask you, do you think that Wilson doesn't throw to the middle of the field because that is how our offense is set up? Do a lot of you think that way?

I assumed that Wilson doesn't throw to the middle because he can't see it. Do we not send receivers to the middle because we have taken that out of the scheme? I could be in the dark here.

I haven't been to any games so I don't get to see how plays develop. If the middle is out of play then it would be easy to defend against us.

Well either old man Ben, Duck Hodges, Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, Justin Fields & Russell Wilson all can't throw over the middle of the field, OR Tomlin just doesn't like his QBS to do that?

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Let me ask you, do you think that Wilson doesn't throw to the middle of the field because that is how our offense is set up? Do a lot of you think that way?

I assumed that Wilson doesn't throw to the middle because he can't see it. Do we not send receivers to the middle because we have taken that out of the scheme? I could be in the dark here.

I haven't been to any games so I don't get to see how plays develop. If the middle is out of play then it would be easy to defend against us.

I think it's a bit of all. I think that Tomlin is risk-averse and that includes not wanting to throw over the middle with a QB he doesn't trust. I think he trusts Wilson, and he has thrown over the middle at times, but he is not a guy who typically throws over the middle anyway.

[NorthCoast]

I think it's a bit of all. I think that Tomlin is risk-averse and that includes not wanting to throw over the middle with a QB he doesn't trust. I think he trusts Wilson, and he has thrown over the middle at times, but he is not a guy who typically throws over the middle anyway.

__________

[WindyCitySteel]

__________

Sample size for each grid box?

[Buzz]

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/01/conservative-offensive-approach-has-more-to-do-with-mike-tomlin-than-arthur-smith-fittipaldo-believes/

[Northern_Blitz]

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/01/co...aldo-believes/

It's pretty clearly both.

Smith has pretty much always been fairly conservative.

Which is probably a big part of why Tomlin hired him.

I (at least mostly) believe former Steelers offensive players when they say that Tomlin wasn't very involved in the offense. The way he has influence here is through the coaching hire IMO.

[WindyCitySteel]

It's pretty clearly both.

Smith has pretty much always been fairly conservative.

Which is probably a big part of why Tomlin hired him.

I (at least mostly) believe former Steelers offensive players when they say that Tomlin wasn't very involved in the offense. The way he has influence here is through the coaching hire IMO.

And his overarching philosophy he imbues on those coordinators.

[Northern_Blitz]

I don't think the 2nd WR matters on our play calling. In fact someone in preseason said why trade for Aiyuk as he won't get enough touches to warrant the money? Pobably dead on 100%.... I think Mike Williams is an OK #2 but Tomlin & Smith would rather have Van Jefferson there even if he's not stretching the field & making catches because he FITS THEIR SYSTEM. Same With Ben Skowronek.

It could be.

But again, Smith did have a big passing year in Tennessee one year where they had 2 WRs over 1000 yards IIRC.

This year, we have Pickens @ 900 yards in 14 games. Jefferson with a dismal 276 yards despite 64% of the offensive snaps. And Austin with 548.

I think Williams has declined sharply, but might still be the 2nd best WR we have (low bar).

I agree that Jefferson isn't a good WR and is only on the team as a blocker. But I think if we had Aiyuk (or even still had old-DJ or someone with a similar skill set), he'd rarely see the field.

I think a bit part of the reason we're running this offense is because our pass catchers aren't good outside of Pickens. But I don't know that's true.

[Northern_Blitz]

And his overarching philosophy he imbues on those coordinators.

I don't think he "imbued" anything on Smith.

I think this is who Smith is.

But I do think it's a big reason why he was hired.

I believe former players like Foster who said that Tomlin was very hands off with the offense. But maybe it's different when the QB isn't good (which wasn't the case when Foster was playing).

[WindyCitySteel]

I don't think he "imbued" anything on Smith.

I think this is who Smith is.

But I do think it's a big reason why he was hired.

I believe former players like Foster who said that Tomlin was very hands off with the offense. But maybe it's different when the QB isn't good (which wasn't the case when Foster was playing).

Tannehill’s passing charts in 2019 and 2020. MOF wasn’t a wasteland.

https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/charts/player/ryan-tannehill/TAN298716/2019

https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/charts/player/ryan-tannehill/TAN298716/2020

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Guys it simple.

What do the Steelers, Jets, Jaguars, Titans, Raiders, Browns, Panters, Giants, Partiots and Bears have in common?

A poor head coach and a lousy QB1? Yes. But for those who need proof focus on the very bottom of this chart.

[url]https://www.espn.com/nfl/stats/team[/url]

NFL Team Total Offense Stats 2024

[NorthCoast]

Tannehill’s passing charts in 2019 and 2020. MOF wasn’t a wasteland.

https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/charts/player/ryan-tannehill/TAN298716/2019

https://nextgenstats.nfl.com/charts/player/ryan-tannehill/TAN298716/2020

You are blaming the wrong person. Have you had a look at Wilson's passing charts from say, 2018? Was Carroll also afraid of the MOF?