reasons why MT`s teams bail out in the 1st rd.

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  • hardplay1960
    Rookie
    • Dec 2023
    • 19

    reasons why MT`s teams bail out in the 1st rd.

    anybody want to participate on why?
  • Buzz
    Legend
    • Dec 2017
    • 8186

    #2
    There are several reasons that could be mentioned. Here are a couple:

    1. Lack of adaptability. When you get to the playoffs, you're playing better teams who are generally going to pull out all the stops necessary to win
    It is the time, above all, when creativity and adjustments to your game plan matter. But that's not Tomlin's MO -- his thinking is, "We line up and do what we do."

    2. Inadequate preparation. I think it was Pickens who was asked about the Steelers' slow starts, and he said something to the effect of "we've not really been prepared." I don't think he was intentionally trying to dump on the coaching, I think he was actually putting blame on the players... but don't the coaches bear a large responsibility in making sure the players are prepared? No points on opening drives all seasons-- does that not have something to say about preparation (lack thereof)?

    Comment

    • whatever
      Legend
      • Sep 2019
      • 5467

      #3
      Cocky and overconfident. No sense of urgency. Selfish attitudes. Play calling. Time management. No trick plays.
      How is it possible to have the best owner, best front office, best gm, best HC, good/great drafts every year and good FA acquisitions every year, but only have 3 playoff wins in 14 years?

      Comment

      • Northern_Blitz
        Legend
        • Dec 2008
        • 23528

        #4
        Originally posted by hardplay1960
        anybody want to participate on why?
        I think Buzz has good points on the coaching / planning. Here are some other reasons too.

        Since Ben got hurt, bad QB play is high on the list.

        Inability to get first downs means the D is on the field a lot.

        Defense can't stop the run...certainly this week.

        Offense never comes to play until the second half. Imagine if we could get a lead early and make some of these opponents one-D on offense?

        Can only win one way. Offense sucks, so if the opponent breaks 20 or so it's game over (unless we get a DTD...but still got blown out against KC with a DTD, which has to be insanely rare).

        OL has been bad for a while. And hasn't improved a lot despite premium picks. We need Jones to not suck next year. And TF has to come in, be healthy, and play at least average.

        DL is mostly what the OL used to be. Older and holding together with duct tape because we need to rebuild the other side of the ball.

        High pedigree offensive draft picks in the last 3-4 years haven't made an impact.

        Watt doesn't just magically win the game for us in the playoffs like he's done so many times in the regular season. Seems like he gets neutralized in playoffs. In part because he gets run down in the regular season. I think we have to limit his snaps more moving forward. Part of this means that the offense can't suck. Good news is that we have 3 quality guys to split snaps between (if they can all stay healthy).

        Did I mention that the offense sucks?

        Comment

        • Eich
          Legend
          • Jul 2010
          • 6842

          #5
          Tomlin is fixated on starting games by playing safe, risk-averse offense and hoping the defense can keep the game close until the 4th quarter. That generally seems to work in the first half of the regular season. But it falls apart as teams figure out what we're doing. Then we get to the playoffs, where all the teams are good and they've all seen our tendencies and we still refuse to play differently. Or can't. Or both.

          It's mostly the same story on defense. How many times and from how many different players have we heard that the Steelers play the same schemes over and over. Marcia Brady used to laugh when he had to play us. They probably prepped less for us than most other teams in the league. They knew what we were going to do (even without cheating)

          Points against Tomlin's D in the 1st round the past 5 times:
          28 (and a million run yards)
          31
          42
          48
          45

          We do what we do against nameless gray faces. The Tomlin solution when it doesn't work is to harp on doing the routine things routinely, which we still can't do.

          We can't blame it all on QB play. Wilson is good enough that we don't have to be embarrassed in the first round. We've been giving up points in huge numbers since 2017. This past weekend, the game wasn't nearly as close as the score makes it look. If the Rats needed it, they could have dropped 40 on us easily.

          I've had enough. Hoping Rooney has had enough too. It's one thing to lose a competitive game. It's quite another to be totally humiliated, thrashed and embarrassed in the wildcard round.
          Last edited by Eich; 01-13-2025, 10:59 AM.

          Comment

          • T.Ferguson
            Pro Bowler
            • Sep 2021
            • 2346

            #6
            He uses essentially the same gameplan every game, the only thing he'll do differently, for example, is tell Watt to go after Henry every play lol. This severely limits the Steelers players and it's why every recent playoff game has been over by halftime.

            In today's NFL talent isn't skewed towards just certain teams, this isn't the 80's, the NFL wants parity and that's what we have for the most part now with the salary cap and FA which is why coaching is arguably more important than ever and why when coaching is deficient it's more apparent than ever.

            I thought it was interesting that Kirk Herbstreit pointed out before halftime that the Steelers looked completely out of it. THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE IN EVERY PLAYOFF GAME GOING BACK TO AT LEAST THE BROWNS DEBACLE. Every 1st half it's like the Steelers are on drugs, these are different rosters but same HC, same result, this is a serious red flag. Players are clearly demoralized because of the lack of effective game planning by the coaching staff, fans like to talk about FA and the draft none of it matters until Tomlin is gone as far as I'm concerned.

            Comment

            • hardplay1960
              Rookie
              • Dec 2023
              • 19

              #7
              thanks guy`s, from what i gather its a number of things but what stands out the most is being prepared & game planning.
              this is the #1 job of the H.C. in other words its M.T. ! he only has one crown and it was given to him by Cower.
              media can talk all they want about non-losing season ( i`m sure MT is proud) but that dont mean **** getting bounce out early every year
              or not making play-offs. he`s only here because of the rooney rule. Bill B. probably would have had us 2 or 3 more crowns if he would have been coaching these past teams.

              Comment

              • hawaiiansteel
                Legend
                • May 2008
                • 34748

                #8
                Originally posted by hardplay1960
                Bill B. probably would have had us 2 or 3 more crowns if he would have been coaching these past teams.
                Belicheat would have had to bring Tom Brady with him then, because he's never won anything without him.

                Comment

                • Northern_Blitz
                  Legend
                  • Dec 2008
                  • 23528

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Eich
                  Tomlin is fixated on starting games by playing safe, risk-averse offense and hoping the defense can keep the game close until the 4th quarter. That generally seems to work in the first half of the regular season. But it falls apart as teams figure out what we're doing. Then we get to the playoffs, where all the teams are good and they've all seen our tendencies and we still refuse to play differently. Or can't. Or both.

                  It's mostly the same story on defense. How many times and from how many different players have we heard that the Steelers play the same schemes over and over. Marcia Brady used to laugh when he had to play us. They probably prepped less for us than most other teams in the league. They knew what we were going to do (even without cheating)

                  Points against Tomlin's D in the 1st round the past 5 times:
                  28 (and a million run yards)
                  31
                  42
                  48
                  45

                  We do what we do against nameless gray faces. The Tomlin solution when it doesn't work is to harp on doing the routine things routinely, which we still can't do.

                  We can't blame it all on QB play. Wilson is good enough that we don't have to be embarrassed in the first round. We've been giving up points in huge numbers since 2017. This past weekend, the game wasn't nearly as close as the score makes it look. If the Rats needed it, they could have dropped 40 on us easily.

                  I've had enough. Hoping Rooney has had enough too. It's one thing to lose a competitive game. It's quite another to be totally humiliated, thrashed and embarrassed in the wildcard round.
                  FWIW, I think we did try to play differently in this game.

                  Came out throwing early. Which was very different.

                  Just the result didn't change. PF with a huge drop and two cases where he came up just short of the first.

                  Comment

                  • Eich
                    Legend
                    • Jul 2010
                    • 6842

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Northern_Blitz

                    FWIW, I think we did try to play differently in this game.

                    Came out throwing early. Which was very different.

                    Just the result didn't change. PF with a huge drop and two cases where he came up just short of the first.
                    It was a little different, yes. I was happy/surprised to see that. But something is holding back the offense until it's desperation time. It's more than players just start executing better. Why does it take SOOOOOOOOOOO long until it appears that the offense is unleashed and they start moving the ball. The two touchdown drives in the 2nd half were good drives. Two of those in the first half would have made a huge difference.

                    This has gone on almost the entire season. We come out flat on offense. 3-and-outs everywhere. And in the 2nd half, we start playing actual offense.

                    Comment

                    • whatever
                      Legend
                      • Sep 2019
                      • 5467

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Eich

                      It was a little different, yes. I was happy/surprised to see that. But something is holding back the offense until it's desperation time. It's more than players just start executing better. Why does it take SOOOOOOOOOOO long until it appears that the offense is unleashed and they start moving the ball. The two touchdown drives in the 2nd half were good drives. Two of those in the first half would have made a huge difference.

                      This has gone on almost the entire season. We come out flat on offense. 3-and-outs everywhere. And in the 2nd half, we start playing actual offense.
                      I think we passed twice as much the second half. Russell’s success may have been due to a more prevent defense also, being up by 21.
                      How is it possible to have the best owner, best front office, best gm, best HC, good/great drafts every year and good FA acquisitions every year, but only have 3 playoff wins in 14 years?

                      Comment

                      • papillon
                        Legend
                        • Mar 2008
                        • 11332

                        #12
                        Originally posted by hardplay1960
                        anybody want to participate on why?
                        We have a weaker roster compared to the top 4 (and possibly the 5th) team in the playoffs. What position group do the Steelers have that is better than any of the top 4 teams? O-line? D-line? RB? TE? CB/S and, of course QB? The Steelers get the edge with Highsmith, Herbig and Watt at OLB.

                        The Steelers can game plan until the cows come home, get prepared and be on point, call a good game, and use timeouts with great care but the Steelers as currently constituted can't beat the Ravens (consistently), the Bills, or Chiefs. The Ravens gave us 2 beat downs this year, I'm not hopeful for next year.

                        Pappy
                        sigpic

                        The 2024 Pittsburgh Steeler draft

                        1.20 - Troy Fautanu, T, Washington
                        2.51 - Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
                        3.84 - Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
                        3.98 - Payton Wilson, LB, UNC
                        4.119 - Mason McCprmick, OG, S. Dakota St
                        7.178 - Logan Lee, DT, Iowa
                        7.195 -

                        "Football is a physical game, well, it used to be anyways" - Mel Blount

                        Comment

                        • Eich
                          Legend
                          • Jul 2010
                          • 6842

                          #13
                          Originally posted by papillon

                          We have a weaker roster compared to the top 4 (and possibly the 5th) team in the playoffs. What position group do the Steelers have that is better than any of the top 4 teams? O-line? D-line? RB? TE? CB/S and, of course QB? The Steelers get the edge with Highsmith, Herbig and Watt at OLB.

                          The Steelers can game plan until the cows come home, get prepared and be on point, call a good game, and use timeouts with great care but the Steelers as currently constituted can't beat the Ravens (consistently), the Bills, or Chiefs. The Ravens gave us 2 beat downs this year, I'm not hopeful for next year.

                          Pappy
                          If that's really it, our players just suck compared to the competition, then Tomlin's coaching should be universally hailed as having dragged that sorry group to the playoffs.

                          I'm not surprised that we lost to the Rats at their home. What pisses me off is how thoroughly we were beaten down. It wasn't even remotely a competitive game. And that's how it's been for quite some time now. We've been the team - for a long time - that pretty much every talking head says doesn't belong in the playoffs. The team that all the other teams want to play in the playoffs.

                          I don't buy that our roster is so sub-par that we can't play a competitive playoff game in the past 8 years. But if that's it and we can't strengthen our roster enough to be competitive in the wild card round in the past 8 years, a lot of that falls on Tomlin too.

                          Comment

                          • Northern_Blitz
                            Legend
                            • Dec 2008
                            • 23528

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Eich

                            It was a little different, yes. I was happy/surprised to see that. But something is holding back the offense until it's desperation time. It's more than players just start executing better. Why does it take SOOOOOOOOOOO long until it appears that the offense is unleashed and they start moving the ball. The two touchdown drives in the 2nd half were good drives. Two of those in the first half would have made a huge difference.

                            This has gone on almost the entire season. We come out flat on offense. 3-and-outs everywhere. And in the 2nd half, we start playing actual offense.
                            Yep.

                            I think the Rooney press conference will talk about (1) being able to start faster in games and (2) needing to stop the run.

                            Comment

                            • papillon
                              Legend
                              • Mar 2008
                              • 11332

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Eich

                              If that's really it, our players just suck compared to the competition, then Tomlin's coaching should be universally hailed as having dragged that sorry group to the playoffs.

                              I'm not surprised that we lost to the Rats at their home. What pisses me off is how thoroughly we were beaten down. It wasn't even remotely a competitive game. And that's how it's been for quite some time now. We've been the team - for a long time - that pretty much every talking head says doesn't belong in the playoffs. The team that all the other teams want to play in the playoffs.

                              I don't buy that our roster is so sub-par that we can't play a competitive playoff game in the past 8 years. But if that's it and we can't strengthen our roster enough to be competitive in the wild card round in the past 8 years, a lot of that falls on Tomlin too.
                              The roster isn't horrible but compared to the top 4 or 5 teams it is sub-par and as has been stated over and over our coaching doesn't seem to be able to get more out of them than they have to offer.

                              Which of the Steeler groups are better than the top 3 teams?

                              QB - Jackson, Mahommes, and Allen are all better than Wilson
                              RB - Henry/Hill, Pacheco/Hunt, Cook/Davis, Henry gives Ravens the edge, the others are a push at best
                              TE - Andrews/Likely, Kelce/Gray and Knox/Kincaid all better than Freiermuth/Washington
                              OL - (Stanley/Mekari/Linderbaum/Faalele/Rosengarten), (Thuney/Caliendo/Humphrey/Smith/Taylor) and (Dawkins/Edwards/McGovern/Torrence/Brown) - Chiefs better, Baltimore just dominated our D-line twice and Buffalo may be a push
                              WR - (Flowers/Bateman/Agholor), (Worthy/Hopkins/Brown) and (Shakir/Cooper/Coleman) - Pickens is only one guy

                              That's the offensive side of the ball. The Steelers have enough talent to win 9 or 10 games but not to be competitive with the best teams in the AFC unless they play a near perfect game which they haven't even been remotely close to in the playoffs for the past 7 years or so. Its an unfortunate truth that being barely above .500 so often keeps you there unless you hit the Power ball in the draft and the Steelers haven't done that yet. This roster with a truly good quarterback wins 10, 11, 12 games in all likelihood.

                              Pappy
                              sigpic

                              The 2024 Pittsburgh Steeler draft

                              1.20 - Troy Fautanu, T, Washington
                              2.51 - Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
                              3.84 - Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
                              3.98 - Payton Wilson, LB, UNC
                              4.119 - Mason McCprmick, OG, S. Dakota St
                              7.178 - Logan Lee, DT, Iowa
                              7.195 -

                              "Football is a physical game, well, it used to be anyways" - Mel Blount

                              Comment

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