OK, Shifting Gears: Moving forward, what can we do this year. For the next game even?

[birtikidis]

Pap I don't know if Wheaton should jump from #4 to #1, but I do think he needs to get on the field a heck of a lot more than he has.
Just read that we might get MIller back for monday night. I'd rather not rush him, but think we may have to.
If Jones doesn't suffer the chest injury in the preseason and he doesn't miss all those reps in practice, he wouldn't have come off the field against the Titties.
Shark is the Nickle guy. I don't know who Blake is actually.

[feltdizz]

Jones should be on the field.. Wheaton should be on the field... Shark should see time in the Nickel.

Decastro isn't a bum but he is far from the player most talked about before the draft.

Gilbert is azzz but I will give him credit for not hurting anyone and finishing the game. Has to be a first.

[papillon]

There is so much under performing at this point that something needs to be done. I am in the camp of being patient, but at this point the Steelers have been patient for however many games have been played since the Denver debacle, patience should have run out by now, IMO.

The same stinking pee-wee mistakes week after week, special teams blocks in the back, if they aren't blocking in the back they are giving up big plays, false starts, abysmal o-line play, missed tackles, can't get off the field on 3rd and forever, punting woes, etc., etc., etc. Something needs to change, IMO.

Pappy

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

20 new faces on the 53. A 37% roster turnover. 21st youngest offense with only 6 returning starters from 2012 as opening day starters in 2013. Guys...That is a recipe for a slow sloppy start. Offenses come along slower to begin with...That didn't help. It is up to the coaching staff to shrink the time table in addition to getting Velasco up to speed. In contrast, the D is 3rd oldest. That will drop with Foote to IR. You can see the experience on the Defensive side.

I not giving Haley any room for excuses but he has to go to work with what he has. He has talent so it is on him to make sure they are executing.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

The first thing that has to happen is that Tomlin, Haley and Lebeau need to swallow their pride and put the best players on the field and acknowledge that some personnel mistakes have been made by who plays in the game. The offensive line is such a disaster right now that I'd bench Gilbert and DeCastro those two were ridiculously bad. It wouldn't be permanent, but it should send them a message that the Titans game is unacceptable and if Gilbert can't play any better they should just cut his sorry @ss. Dwyer should get the bulk of the work in the backfield (should have never been released to begin with) and be the workhorse, I'd cut Redmon immediately.

Cotchery has earned the #2 spot IMO and Sanders would be the #3; if Brown doesn't get with the program Wheaton would get a shot at being the top dog.

I have no idea what to do with the position that is called "tight end", that was a disaster as well. Beachum may be the best tight end they have, if he can catch anything.

Jarvis Jones should start and never come off the field unless, Decastro cut blocks him as he's making a tackle near the sideline and shreds his knee. Worilds is a backup and should remain there. Foote is done for the year; if you can find a 3-4 ILB with experience bring him in and give him a look, otherwise hand the job to a young guy and let him do his thing.

Through all this the Cortez Allen injury hasn't even been mentioned. I guess Gay becomes the defacto #2 corner. Are the Steelers really down to Antwon Blake as the nickle?

I say this partially in jest, but also partially as reality, if I were Tomlin and I see that the offensive line is in no way capable of protecting Ben for more than 2.5 seconds, I would sit him and throw Gradkowski to the wolves and when he got hurt, it would Jones' turn. Based on the Titans game, Ben isn't making it to the bye week, unless, something changes drastically.

This roster is in disarray as far as I'm concerned and personnel decisions were made with emotion rather than logic and football acumen.

The three coaches manning up is the first step to correct the current situation.

Pappy

Wow, sadly there is a lot to be said for that being the only way left to protect Ben during games ... keep him on the bench.

[flippy]

With Tez and Foote out, anyone think Golden should be our slot corner and Shark could play MLB in the nickle?

Man do I wanna see Williams replace Foote. He's a mean mofo who looked about the best of any of our LBs in the preseason.

[Shoe]

Re-sign Dwyer for sure now. Every time Redman had zero, Dwyer would have had two. Every time Redman had two (did that ever happen?), Dwyer would have four.

Unless Redman truly is as good a third down blocker as people say, he should be cut. If he's kept on the team, he should certainly never touch the ball again, unless he's recovering someone else's fumble.

Yes, he's been given every chance to excel, or at least be dependable. He's not even that! He's garbage.

Second, put Wheaton in the lineup somewhere. We obviously need an infusion of talent and energy. I do not agree with the sentiment of putting Shark Thomas, Jarvis, and Williams in the mix... at least just yet. It is too early to write-off the season for giving the young guys some playing time. Having three rookies getting significant minutes in our D would only work to make our only positive (the Defense, which while not big-play, is dependable in many ways) into a sieve.

[papillon]

Yes, he's been given every chance to excel, or at least be dependable. He's not even that! He's garbage.

Second, put Wheaton in the lineup somewhere. We obviously need an infusion of talent and energy. I do not agree with the sentiment of putting Shark Thomas, Jarvis, and Williams in the mix... at least just yet. It is too early to write-off the season for giving the young guys some playing time. Having three rookies getting significant minutes in our D would only work to make our only positive (the Defense, which while not big-play, is dependable in many ways) into a sieve.

I'm not certain the defense was a positive, they were playing against Jake Locker, gave up gashes of yardage on the ground, missed many tackles and couldn't get off the field a couple times on 3rd and long. An NFL caliber quarterback would have scored more than 16 points on the defense this past weekend, IMO.

Pappy

[papillon]

Pap I don't know if Wheaton should jump from #4 to #1, but I do think he needs to get on the field a heck of a lot more than he has.
Just read that we might get MIller back for monday night. I'd rather not rush him, but think we may have to.
If Jones doesn't suffer the chest injury in the preseason and he doesn't miss all those reps in practice, he wouldn't have come off the field against the Titties.
Shark is the Nickle guy. I don't know who Blake is actually.

I'm not sure Wheaton should go from #4 to #1 either, but it appears to me that there is an abundance of complacency and a lack of urgency on this team. I'm not sure how to change that, but sometimes a young hungry player can add a level of energy that complacent vets can't provide.

Pappy

[Ghost]

I'm not certain the defense was a positive, they were playing against Jake Locker, gave up gashes of yardage on the ground, missed many tackles and couldn't get off the field a couple times on 3rd and long. An NFL caliber quarterback would have scored more than 16 points on the defense this past weekend, IMO.

Pappy

More than 16???? HAHAHA!! More than 30. Locker stopped the Titans O as much as the D. Did people watch any other games this week? There are countless teams out there that would score at will, every time against this D. Locker is a bit mobile but he also had time on numerous plays. Give that to a better guy and he picks this D apart. And then there was the 13 play drive for a TD where the Titans ran it 12 times - right down their throat. Dalton had 282 yards this past week and I wouldn't be surprised at all if it was 300 + this Monday.

[birtikidis]

I'm not sure Wheaton should go from #4 to #1 either, but it appears to me that there is an abundance of complacency and a lack of urgency on this team. I'm not sure how to change that, but sometimes a young hungry player can add a level of energy that complacent vets can't provide.

Pappy

I do think that Cotch should jump up to #2. I think he has more desire than Sanders, which is sad. Wheaton does need to see the field, but I don't think he's the savior.

[GermanCrash]

I've never seen what they like in Manny. Too many mistakes, lapses in concentration, etc.

Brown, Cotch, Wheaton as #3, 1 TE, RB.

Move Ben around, enough with 2-3 TE crap.

If Wheaton isn't ready? That's on Haley, no one else.

Wallace was ready for Arians in 2009. Nate Washington caught passes in the playoffs for Whiz in 2005. Randle El was the #3 in 2002 for Mularkey. Holmes was the #3 in 2006.