Dulac: Smith stopped Wilson from changing plays

[WindyCitySteel]

Why on earth would Russ want to come back here and be shackled again? I’m sure Tomlin is lockstep with Smith on this, given his comments following the very same game.

Why would any WR or QB want to come here?

Regardless, this overarching philosophy is why they’ll never win another Super Bowl with this leadership group. Time for an enema to the front office.

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/dulac-arthur-smith-stopped-letting-russell-wilson-change-plays-creating-friction-between-two/

[Eich]

The contrast between the 2 games against the Bungles was MIND-NUMBING. It was almost as if they really wanted to lose that 2nd one.

[Buzz]

Sorry, I started a thread on this but didn't see this one.

Just more evidence as to why we'll never be a legit Super Bowl contender again with the current coaching administration

[WindyCitySteel]

The contrast between the 2 games against the Bungles was MIND-NUMBING. It was almost as if they really wanted to lose that 2nd one.

They only want to win their way. Total clown show.

[WindyCitySteel]

Sorry, I started a thread on this but didn't see this one.

Just more evidence as to why we'll never be a legit Super Bowl contender again with the current coaching administration

And all reports are that they don’t want Wilson back but Smith will obviously coach two more years.

Where’s Captain telling us Tomlin loves scoring points? BTW, here’s what Coach Live In Your Fears said after that first Cincy game:

"I don't know that I'm ever comfortable planning to shoot out," Tomlin said Tuesday. "It's just my background and my expertise. To be quite honest with you, I respect offenses and talented players, and I acknowledge when we're faced with stiff challenges, but it doesn't mean that I'll ever be comfortable in those circumstances.

"I have certain expectations because of my professional journey on defense, that I expect us to slow those things down and minimize some of that and the rare instances that we don't. I'm thankful that we have an offense that's capable of matching it."

And then after the 2nd Cincy game:

"You know, for us, it's about playing to a personality that we prescribe to engineer victory, to possess the ball, and a component of possessing the ball is not only time, but managing risk and obviously, there's less risk with running the football than throwing it, and sometimes that's the component of this discussion as well," explained Tomlin.

The offensive foibles of the last several years are 100% on him. Can’t wait until he’s gone and will be have zero expectations of great things until then.

[hackjam]

Why on earth would Russ want to come back here and be shackled again? I’m sure Tomlin is lockstep with Smith on this, given his comments following the very same game.

Why would any WR or QB want to come here?

Regardless, this overarching philosophy is why they’ll never win another Super Bowl with this leadership group. Time for an enema to the front office.

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/du...n-between-two/

Ugh... We're hearing this story every year now. Made some sense with KP but on the whole do not understand why they are taking the eyes away from the QB. I want to say that even Ben expressed some frustration on this front, though he always had a flair for the dramatic.

[Buzz]

I know I'll get blasted for this, but I think Tomlin has an ego problem. Does he want to win? Sure, but it's got to be in a manner where he gets a lot of the credit. If we're winning in shootouts, he doesn't think he'll be heralded as being as big a part of why we won. But if we win low-scoring games where our defense plays a dominant role, he'll get the same kind of love from the media that they've been giving him for years.

[WindyCitySteel]

I know I'll get blasted for this, but I think Tomlin has an ego problem. Does he want to win? Sure, but it's got to be in a manner where he gets a lot of the credit. If we're winning in shootouts, he doesn't think he'll be heralded as being as big a part of why we won. But if we win low-scoring games where our defense plays a dominant role, he'll get the same kind of love from the media that they've been giving him for years.

Of course he does, “that’s why he’s highly compensated”. A draft expert was on with Poni and Mueller this afternoon, relayed a story from the Senior Bowl where Tomlin was telling an edge rusher about Derrick Brooks being one of the best he’s coached. He’s still living off of those Tampa years, thinking the Steelers can win the same way. LeBeau was chased and it’s been Tampa-2 ever since.

[WindyCitySteel]

Thinking we can forget a WR in the draft, maybe a low level FA. They’ll say Roman Wilson is like a 2025 draft pick and declare themselves done. Big power runner to help set up 3rd and short, that’s the offense.

Soda pressing.

[feltdizz]

I think the pick 6 in the Rats game changed our philosophy on offense with Russ.

[Eich]

I know I'll get blasted for this, but I think Tomlin has an ego problem. Does he want to win? Sure, but it's got to be in a manner where he gets a lot of the credit. If we're winning in shootouts, he doesn't think he'll be heralded as being as big a part of why we won. But if we win low-scoring games where our defense plays a dominant role, he'll get the same kind of love from the media that they've been giving him for years.

I don't think anyone is going to blast you for saying Tomlin has a huge ego. You might get challenged that it's a problem. But I tend to agree with you.

You could be right about the WAY he wants to win. But that doesn't explain the way he keeps losing in the playoffs. How many atrocious, humiliating beatdowns does it take before he approaches the games differently? This season's playoff loss was the most epic, humiliating beatdown this defense has ever taken in a playoff game IMO. It was as though not one single player on defense bought into the game plan. They all just looked uninterested.

[NorthCoast]

Why on earth would Russ want to come back here and be shackled again? I’m sure Tomlin is lockstep with Smith on this, given his comments following the very same game.

Why would any WR or QB want to come here?

Regardless, this overarching philosophy is why they’ll never win another Super Bowl with this leadership group. Time for an enema to the front office.

https://steelersdepot.com/2025/02/du...n-between-two/

And yet Wilson said he wants to be back in Pittsburgh. And they've started contract discussions. Must not have been too upset with Smith.

[WindyCitySteel]

And yet Wilson said he wants to be back in Pittsburgh. And they've started contract discussions. Must not have been too upset with Smith.

Yeah, something doesn’t add up, unless Russ thinks this is his last chance.

He also said the Steelers have a great, championship caliber team. He’s in sales mode.

[WindyCitySteel]

The staggering thing about this is that they hired Smith to run a rigid offense and didn’t want improvisation, and then acquired two improvisational QBs. Why not get Cousins or Darnold? Or just keep Kenny and Rudolph.

This is just an incompetent organization right now.

[Northern_Blitz]

And yet Wilson said he wants to be back in Pittsburgh. And they've started contract discussions. Must not have been too upset with Smith.

And why would Windy be arguing that Wilson was being held back when his position for most of the season was that Wilson was terrible and only the worst coach in the league would have Wilson ahead of Fields on the depth chart?

Re: Wilson. There's only one team he's allowed to negotiate with right now. It would be silly to publicly state that he would also be interested in another team. You only talk about that part when the tampering period starts. What people say in press conferences isn't the truth (or at least it isn't the whole truth).