When is the right time to focus on player development/evaluation more than winning?

[Discipline of Steel]

There it is. It's always about winning no matter what. Anything less would be a cancer that creeps into the culture. And if the guys on the field aren't getting it done, it's an opportunity for new guys to prove they can contribute in practice and the meeting rooms and being ready when the opportunity arises. And if those guys can't cut it, find guys that can and bring them in to compete.

Yay Steelers!!! Now go out and get us a W against those pat*s

[flippy]

Yay Steelers!!! Now go out and get us a W against those pat*s

Let's crush em. 45-6 would be just about right.

[fordfixer]

. When is the right time to focus on player development/evaluation more than winning

Training Camp.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

By Dejan Kovacevik
Published: Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013, 11:00 p.m.

Here's hoping Jarvis Jones fails miserably Sunday in Foxborough. Here's hoping he falls flat on his face.

Because then, at least, he'll play.

Because then, at least, the Steelers’ first-round, franchise-caliber outside linebacker won't be buried on the sideline when he could be — should be — facing the first-place Patriots, the future Hall of Famer Tom Brady and, you know, getting better.

As it is, that won't be the case. Jones won't play much, if at all, after being demoted to second-string behind Jason Worilds.

And, as a result, he won't get better.

“I feel like the coaches are doing a good job making the best decisions for the team,” Jones was saying Wednesday on the South Side. “I don't feel any different.”

But wouldn't he learn more by playing than not playing?

“Uh, yeah,” he replied through a small smile. “But you've got to take a different view of things. I think we do a great job of film study. I think we've got a lot of guys, with my teammates and coaching staff, who are ready to help me. So ... I've got ways to learn.”

Way to handle that one, rookie.

I know Jones was terrible Sunday in Oakland. I know he couldn't keep outside contain on Terrelle Pryor, couldn't keep up with pass coverage, couldn't mount any real pressure much less collect his first NFL sack. If he were being graded, he'd get maybe a D-minus.

And so what?

For this team, at 2-5 and heading nowhere, at a pivoting point like no other in a decade or more, this kid needs to play. He needs to learn. He needs to get better. He needs a meaningful stretch in which to get comfortable after being hampered by a preseason chest injury and, more recently, the concussion.

Worilds is a fourth-year guy, he's blown his shot at replacing James Harrison, and he won't even be around next season. He's an unrestricted free agent, and there's no chance the cap-constrained Steelers will keep a third outside linebacker at open-market rates.

So what's the point?

I asked Mike Tomlin at his Tuesday news conference if he'd weigh the future in terms of getting Jones back out there right away, or if it's just about Sunday's game.

“Jarvis has got to play better from an assignment standpoint,” the coach came back. “If he's capable of showing that, he'll be given an opportunity to contribute now. I think that's where our mentality is and where it should be at this juncture.”

The “now” emphasis was Tomlin's, and it's neither new nor surprising.

I can respect his call to an extent. Fact is, if the Steelers somehow pull one out against the Patriots, they've got a whole lot of Browns, Bills and Baltimore up next. It's not inconceivable they could stay on life support.

But is that worth stunting Jones, the player Tomlin and Kevin Colbert were calling one of the handful of “special” players in his draft class?

Or any other youngster on this roster?

Sorry, but the concept of actual contention burned up Sunday in Pryor's vapor trails. The shifting of priorities should be happening now. The Steelers could be — should be — working simultaneously to win Sunday's game and to get the best out of this entire draft class that had everyone glowing not so long ago.

Second-rounder Le'Veon Bell is the No. 1 running back, which is wonderful.

But third-round wide receiver Markus Wheaton was barely getting onto the field before breaking a finger.

And what of fourth-round safety Shamarko Thomas?

He is seeing a decent amount of time in Dick LeBeau's dime and “quarter” formations that go heavy on defensive backs and allow Troy Polamalu to hover near the line. In effect, Thomas has covered Polamalu's old spot.

But why not more?

Ryan Clark, the other veteran safety, is 34, is having a miserable season and, like Worilds, will become an unrestricted free agent. There's nothing left for him to see, maybe nothing he can do to salvage the Steelers' season. In contrast, imagine the jump-start Thomas would get on his career by facing the likes of Brady, Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers.

Yeah, I know. It's all about Sunday's game, right?

Must explain why LaMarr Woodley, author of zero tackles and zero assists in Oakland, will line up as the other outside linebacker in Foxborough.

Let the kid watch and learn.

Read more: [URL]http://triblive.com/sports/dejankovacevic/dejancolumns/4962440-74/jones-kovacevic-steelers#ixzz2jMOjkTuu[/URL]

[Slapstick]

So, Dejan thinks the rookie who screwed up a bunch of assignments should be rewarded with more playing time?

Good call...

[BradshawsHairdresser]

What about the veteran players who screw up a lot, or have been ineffective, or played poorly?

Oh, right, they're veterans...you don't touch them...

[Oviedo]

What about the veteran players who screw up a lot, or have been ineffective, or played poorly?

Oh, right, they're veterans...you don't touch them...

Don't you know they "know the system", can't you tell by how they have performed.

[steelsnis]

So, Dejan thinks the rookie who screwed up a bunch of assignments should be rewarded with more playing time?

Good call...

It's more than that though. JJ had is best game of the season vs. the Jets, and missed the next game with a concussion. Yes he had a bad game against the Raiders, but even in that game he only played like 11 snaps!

I understand that you don't "reward" errors, but you HAVE to allow a guy to play through his mistakes. If a player starts thinking that he's going to be benched every time he makes a mistake, he'll constantly play scared and not be able to just let it all hang out so to speak.

Jones is on an incredibly steep learning curve that all outside LB's on this team have to go through. I'm sure his head is spinning with all of the minutiae of this defense. If he now starts playing paranoid about making an incorrect read or hesitates at the snap, he'll be useless. I for one don't see the benefit in sitting him on the bench behind a guy who is barely more productive than he is, and who is NOT going to be here next season.

Now maybe he'll still get lots of snaps this wknd vs. the Pats and an immobile Tom Brady and this discussion will be moot. But if he languishes on the bench, losing valuable experience while Worilds slogs his way to a 2 tackle and no sack game, it'll be a joke.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

We know the Steelers. They will battle until week 17 even if they are 2-13 going in.

[Oviedo]

We know the Steelers. They will battle until week 17 even if they are 2-13 going in.

I'm OK them battling and being 2-13 in week 17. That will guarantee we get the elite LT we need

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

I'm OK them battling and being 2-13 in week 17. That will guarantee we get the elite LT we need

I think if the Steelers WANT a LT in 2014 they will have a shot at one of Matthews, Lewan, or Kouandjio. If they lose to the Pats Sunday, I fear they may have a shot at the #1 LT coming off the board WHOEVER that may be.

[Oviedo]

I think if the Steelers WANT a LT in 2014 they will have a shot at one of Matthews, Lewan, or Kouandjio. If they lose to the Pats Sunday, I fear they may have a shot at the #1 LT coming off the board WHOEVER that may be.

Sometimes you just have to give up ground to better position yourself to take more ground. I have embraced this year as our year for doing that.

[Sugar]

We know the Steelers. They will battle until week 17 even if they are 2-13 going in.

Which is part of why I love them. Each game is meant to be won.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

Are you guys who say every game is meant to be played all out to be won in all circumstances ... r u saying if we're in week 17 w/ the 1st seed locked up we shouldn't sit people to let them get healthy?

Or, as another example, if we are down (or up) 30 points w/ 4 minutes left in the last quarter, we shouldn't sit Ben to keep him from getting injured?

On reflection, I don't think our goal is to win every game, it is to win the Superbowl. If/when it becomes clear we mathematically can't, I have no problem sitting better players to give young guys some playing time, either for evaluation purposes, or to help them get better for next year.

And if it comes to pass that is in the third quarter of a season, gulp, so be it - prepare to win next year's SB.

Just my 2c.