AB's deal I think is done

[FreePassCra$h]

I'm not an Xs and Os guy, so I can't speak to the quality of the coaching staff. I cede all knowledge of Steeler football to the coaching staff and hope they get the right players in the right position at the right price. My point is that, as usual, the Steelers appear to be spending their FA dollars on their own (and this year their own are very, very good), but at what cost? We already know that the team as currently constituted isn't up to snuff to beat NE.

Would a better defense and a bit lesser of an offense beat the Patriots? I don't know, but at least for now I think we know improvement needs to be made somewhere to beat them, as you mentioned, maybe its in the coaching staff and not the players. I don't know.

Pappy

I think it's attitude from the coaches. They are scared ****-less as soon the opening kickoff happens. Watch Rex's team or the Ravens play them. They may lose, but they don't kiss the Patriots ring like we do, especially on defense.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

I would bet Tomlin splits his time with each group on the defensive side of the ball and lets Haley, Mann, Munchak, and Fichtner handle most of the offensive duties during the week.

That's very interesting. Why do you say that?

[NJ-STEELER]

The 16M per year is irrelevant to having a WR getting paid that much never winning the Super Bowl.

Its the percentage of the cap that salary is taking up.

For example, What were nelson and Jennings and driver making when they won SB 45 and how much % of the cap were they taking up.
from the looks of what the gal will be, AB's percentage will be a little lower then 10%

[FreePassCra$h]

That's very interesting. Why do you say that?

Because from what I was told back in 2012 Haley has complete ownership of the offense with ownership's approval.

Haley arguably has the best job security in the building next to Colbert.

[RuthlessBurgher]

The 16M per year is irrelevant to having a WR getting paid that much never winning the Super Bowl.

Its the percentage of the cap that salary is taking up.

For example, What were nelson and Jennings and driver making when they won SB 45 and how much % of the cap were they taking up.
from the looks of what the gal will be, AB's percentage will be a little lower then 10%

.

Ben's 2017 cap hit ($18.2M) takes up 10.69% of our total salary cap.
Antonio 8%
Le'Veon 7.12%
Pouncey 6.49%
DeCastro 6.49%
Heyward 6.11%
Mitchell 4.78%
Gilbert 4.29%
Green 3.63%
Foster 2.11%
Everyone else accounts for less than 2% of our cap.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I'm not an Xs and Os guy, so I can't speak to the quality of the coaching staff. I cede all knowledge of Steeler football to the coaching staff and hope they get the right players in the right position at the right price. My point is that, as usual, the Steelers appear to be spending their FA dollars on their own (and this year their own are very, very good), but at what cost? We already know that the team as currently constituted isn't up to snuff to beat NE.

Would a better defense and a bit lesser of an offense beat the Patriots? I don't know, but at least for now I think we know improvement needs to be made somewhere to beat them, as you mentioned, maybe its in the coaching staff and not the players. I don't know.

Pappy

We will build our defense just like we built our offense. Through the draft. Heyward, Tuitt, Hargrave, Shazier, Dupree, Burns, Davis...all homegrown talent who should continue improve together. Plus we will add more pieces in this draft which has been described as deep in edge rushers, corners, and safeties. Outside free agency will continue to be used to add a missing piece here and there (the occasional Farrior, Clark, or Mitchell signings), but mostly just minor signings for depth purposes for guys like Ricardo Mathews and Steven Johnson.

[papillon]

We will build our defense just like we built our offense. Through the draft. Heyward, Tuitt, Hargrave, Shazier, Dupree, Burns, Davis...all homegrown talent who should continue improve together. Plus we will add more pieces in this draft which has been described as deep in edge rushers, corners, and safeties. Outside free agency will continue to be used to add a missing piece here and there (the occasional Farrior, Clark, or Mitchell signings), but mostly just minor signings for depth purposes for guys like Ricardo Mathews and Steven Johnson.

Yea, I understand that's how the Steelers operate. And, still, the question is: Building through the draft, counting on improvement and making mid-level FA signings is that good enough to overtake the Patriots?

Any other team in the NFL, that works, the current version of the Patriots, I don't know, maybe, maybe not, possibly Brady begins to see a drop in arm strength, reflexes slow to where he's a tick late delivering passes this year or next, but in the meantime we know the current Steeler team from top to bottom (including coaches) has very little chance of winning a one and done game against the Patriots particularly in Foxboro. If, while Ben is still an elite player himself, they want to win a SB, it may take a little different thinking for a year or two, IMO.

Pappy

[feltdizz]

IMO the best way to beat the Partriots in the playoffs is not to play them.
It's not the players IMO it's the scheme. There is no way to draft or plan for Pats because they are a hybrid team. It comes down to execution and as long as we keep playing preseason schemes vs the Pats and making boneheaded mistakes on offense we won't beat them.

Is there any FA who will get us to stop putting LB's in coverage vs small WR's? Is there any FA who will get to Brady before he finds a wide open WR 15 yards downfield?

Until we go bump and run on D and our best player on O isnt hurt and we kick FG's in the RZ it's another loss.

[Real Deal Steel]

IMO the best way to beat the Partriots in the playoffs is not to play them.
It's not the players IMO it's the scheme. There is no way to draft or plan for Pats because they are a hybrid team. It comes down to execution and as long as we keep playing preseason schemes vs the Pats and making boneheaded mistakes on offense we won't beat them.

Is there any FA who will get us to stop putting LB's in coverage vs small WR's? Is there any FA who will get to Brady before he finds a wide open WR 15 yards downfield?

Until we go bump and run on D and our best player on O isnt hurt and we kick FG's in the RZ it's another loss.

Thank you. And that comes down to a coach who knows what he's doing X's & O wise against elite QB's and clearly, Tomlin has shown he doesn't know; and that's with Butler and LeBeau being the D.C.

[feltdizz]

Thank you. And that comes down to a coach who knows what he's doing X's & O wise against elite QB's and clearly, Tomlin has shown he doesn't know; and that's with Butler and LeBeau being the D.C.

Ehh... only a few coaches have beaten the Pats and it's not all X's and O's. Sometimes player make plays or a WR drops a key 3rd down.

I think ink we can beat any team not named the Pats on any given Sunday. It's not just Tomlin, Cowwher struggled to beat them as well. I think they have us figured out and until we show up on both sides of the ball we will continue to lose.

How many times have we seen our high powered O kick FG's and squander scoring opportunities?

Its not X's and O's. This comes down to will and unfortunately our players fall short when we play the Pats.

[Real Deal Steel]

I respectfully disagree; sub par schemes by Tomlin/ Butler. Not just against Brady but Rodgers etc. etc. You can't play zone against Elite QB's.

[papillon]

IMO the best way to beat the Partriots in the playoffs is not to play them.
It's not the players IMO it's the scheme. There is no way to draft or plan for Pats because they are a hybrid team. It comes down to execution and as long as we keep playing preseason schemes vs the Pats and making boneheaded mistakes on offense we won't beat them.

Is there any FA who will get us to stop putting LB's in coverage vs small WR's? Is there any FA who will get to Brady before he finds a wide open WR 15 yards downfield?

Until we go bump and run on D and our best player on O isnt hurt and we kick FG's in the RZ it's another loss.

How do you avoid the Patriots in the playoffs? They're an AFC team and always a good chance to get to the AFCCG. It's difficult to avoid them right now.

Pappy

[Captain Lemming]

Ehh... only a few coaches have beaten the Pats and it's not all X's and O's. Sometimes player make plays or a WR drops a key 3rd down.

I think ink we can beat any team not named the Pats on any given Sunday. It's not just Tomlin, Cowwher struggled to beat them as well. I think they have us figured out and until we show up on both sides of the ball we will continue to lose.

How many times have we seen our high powered O kick FG's and squander scoring opportunities?

Its not X's and O's. This comes down to will and unfortunately our players fall short when we play the Pats.

YOU JUST SAID SCHEME, until someone agreed with you and named Tomlin. Now it's players again. Scheme points to coaches Dizz. I know we can put it all on Butler, but Tomlin who has a defensive background can override him.

I personally have always said it's the players more than scheme. Ike played LOTS of man coverage in our mostly zone scheme. We haven't had that mabe the rook will be the Ike of this group and lock down one guy as he matures.

But you can't have it both ways

[feltdizz]

How do you avoid the Patriots in the playoffs? They're an AFC team and always a good chance to get to the AFCCG. It's difficult to avoid them right now.

Pappy

The same way we avoided them the other times we made the SB. Get lucky and try to get the #1 or #2 seed. Sometimes all it takes.

[feltdizz]

YOU JUST SAID SCHEME, until someone agreed with you and named Tomlin. Now it's players again. Scheme points to coaches Dizz. I know we can put it all on Butler, but Tomlin who has a defensive background can override him.

I personally have always said it's the players more than scheme. Ike played LOTS of man coverage in our mostly zone scheme. We haven't had that mabe the rook will be the Ike of this group and lock down one guy as he matures.

But you can't have it both ways

thats because it's both... why can't it be scheme AND players?

I think we have the players, I don't think we put them in the best position all the time by playing zone BUT it was still 17 to 6 and we had the ball 1st and goal. QB sneak? Sure... but it's also lining up and beating the man in front of you and our OL whiffed badly.

Brady had all day on a TD pass and everyone was covered but one guy was wide open in the back of the endzone because Golson sucks donkey stones. Davis was injured and out for that play. Is that scheme or lack of execution?

Coates was open and short armed a big gain. Is it coaching? Yes, that was a bad idea but dammit, catch the freaking ball. Another TD was dropped in the endzone. Another TD was wiped out for running out of the endzone.

While i think bump and run is the obvious mistake by Tomlin and Butler we also see players making stupid decisions and mistakes they don't usually make calls other teams.

So yeah, I think you can have it both ways and blame the players and scheme based on the conversation. If we can beat 30 other teams on any given day but can't beat the Pats or maybe GB depending on which Aaron Rodgers shows up I think it's a bad idea to change our whole philosophy to beat the Pats.

We were one game away from the SB. If we scored a TD before halftime and did something besides 3 and out on the first possession of the second half is it due to the scheme? No. It's the players. Over time tho, I definitely think you have to make adjustments due to how the Pats get it going on the second half of most games.

one issue I have with the coaching is players saying they weren't ready for the no huddle. How? How sway?