Tweet
PHOENIX — It has been more than two months since the Steelers were soundly beaten by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. It has been almost that long since coach Mike Tomlin talked publicly about his team and why they failed to get to the Super Bowl for a record ninth time.
Since then, Tomlin said he learned two things about his defense:
The Steelers need defensive backs who can play man coverage and players who can pressure the quarterback. Each were on short — and disastrous — display against Tom Brady and the Patriots.
“Our inability to play man-to-man effectively and our inability to apply pressure on the quarterback without blitzing were issues in that game,” Tomlin said Monday during a break in the NFL owners meetings at the Arizona Biltmore — his first public comments since his season-ending news conference more than two months ago.
The Steelers are expected to address those areas, specifically cornerback and outside linebacker, in the early rounds of the NFL draft in April, though Tomlin said it’s not necessarily because of what happened in the game.
“We weren’t good enough. As that road gets narrow, those things become evident at times, sometimes painfully evident,” Tomlin said, sitting on a padded couch near the back patio, the picturesque Camelback Mountain behind him. “Moving forward, as we build our team for 2017, we don’t do that in reaction to that game. We’re trying to strengthen ourselves in all areas, to have the type of depth and balance that will allow us to be team that the confetti rains down on this year. Those were some of the key elements that outed us in 2016.”
Asked what qualities he looks for when evaluating if defensive backs can play man coverage, Tomlin said, “Staying close to people, it’s that simple.”
Tomlin has been back and forth to Phoenix twice in the past two weeks, returning from meetings as a member of the competition committee to attend Ohio State’s pro day, then turn right around and come back for the annual owners meetings.
Because of that and traveling to pro days on college campuses, he said he has no information on the health status of tight end Ladarius Green or the return from year-long suspension of wide receiver Martavis Bryant.
“That’s in the hands of the league office,” Tomlin said of Bryant’s case. “Their timetable is their timetable.”
But Tomlin said he has had several discussions with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger since the end of the season, though none about whether Roethlisberger plans to return in 2017 — even though nearly everyone associated with the Steelers expects him to come back.
Roethlisberger is on a hunting trip in New Zealand with, among others, Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly of East Brady.
“We have had some good fluid discussions, but really normal discussions we have this time of year — keeping him abreast of free agency, how the draft is potentially shaping up,” Tomlin said. “We haven’t talked quite a bit at all about play or no-play. I’m just letting him sort through that process.
“I think it’s a very reasonable discussion when you get 35. I think people probably read too much into it and are making more out of than what it is. I imagine he goes through that thought process … it’s probably not the first year he’s gone through that process and it probably won’t be the last if he continues.”
Meantime, Tomlin said he is confident Vince Williams can be a capable replacement at inside linebacker for departed Lawrence Timmons, even though the Steelers made a play in free agency for New England’s Dont’a Hightower. Timmons, the first player ever drafted by Tomlin, signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.
Tomlin did not reference Hightower by name in explaining their intentions.
“We are going to play free agency. We are going to create competition. Because we are playing free agency, without mentioning specific names, it doesn’t mean a lack of confidence in the existing players on our roster. The truest motivator is competition. Depth is an element of hunting what we are chasing. Depth and competition are critical to remaining viable as the road gets narrow. And it’s nothing more complex than that from our perspective.
“You have opportunities to pursue good players. Players that could make us better. Players that could create big-time competition in some instances. It’s awesome.”
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/03/27/mike-tomlin-steelers-mock-draft-position-of-need-cornerback-defensive-back-linebacker/stories/201703270158?pgpageversion=pgevoke
Since then, Tomlin said he learned two things about his defense:
The Steelers need defensive backs who can play man coverage and players who can pressure the quarterback. Each were on short — and disastrous — display against Tom Brady and the Patriots.
“Our inability to play man-to-man effectively and our inability to apply pressure on the quarterback without blitzing were issues in that game,” Tomlin said Monday during a break in the NFL owners meetings at the Arizona Biltmore — his first public comments since his season-ending news conference more than two months ago.
The Steelers are expected to address those areas, specifically cornerback and outside linebacker, in the early rounds of the NFL draft in April, though Tomlin said it’s not necessarily because of what happened in the game.
“We weren’t good enough. As that road gets narrow, those things become evident at times, sometimes painfully evident,” Tomlin said, sitting on a padded couch near the back patio, the picturesque Camelback Mountain behind him. “Moving forward, as we build our team for 2017, we don’t do that in reaction to that game. We’re trying to strengthen ourselves in all areas, to have the type of depth and balance that will allow us to be team that the confetti rains down on this year. Those were some of the key elements that outed us in 2016.”
Asked what qualities he looks for when evaluating if defensive backs can play man coverage, Tomlin said, “Staying close to people, it’s that simple.”
Tomlin has been back and forth to Phoenix twice in the past two weeks, returning from meetings as a member of the competition committee to attend Ohio State’s pro day, then turn right around and come back for the annual owners meetings.
Because of that and traveling to pro days on college campuses, he said he has no information on the health status of tight end Ladarius Green or the return from year-long suspension of wide receiver Martavis Bryant.
“That’s in the hands of the league office,” Tomlin said of Bryant’s case. “Their timetable is their timetable.”
But Tomlin said he has had several discussions with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger since the end of the season, though none about whether Roethlisberger plans to return in 2017 — even though nearly everyone associated with the Steelers expects him to come back.
Roethlisberger is on a hunting trip in New Zealand with, among others, Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly of East Brady.
“We have had some good fluid discussions, but really normal discussions we have this time of year — keeping him abreast of free agency, how the draft is potentially shaping up,” Tomlin said. “We haven’t talked quite a bit at all about play or no-play. I’m just letting him sort through that process.
“I think it’s a very reasonable discussion when you get 35. I think people probably read too much into it and are making more out of than what it is. I imagine he goes through that thought process … it’s probably not the first year he’s gone through that process and it probably won’t be the last if he continues.”
Meantime, Tomlin said he is confident Vince Williams can be a capable replacement at inside linebacker for departed Lawrence Timmons, even though the Steelers made a play in free agency for New England’s Dont’a Hightower. Timmons, the first player ever drafted by Tomlin, signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.
Tomlin did not reference Hightower by name in explaining their intentions.
“We are going to play free agency. We are going to create competition. Because we are playing free agency, without mentioning specific names, it doesn’t mean a lack of confidence in the existing players on our roster. The truest motivator is competition. Depth is an element of hunting what we are chasing. Depth and competition are critical to remaining viable as the road gets narrow. And it’s nothing more complex than that from our perspective.
“You have opportunities to pursue good players. Players that could make us better. Players that could create big-time competition in some instances. It’s awesome.”
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/03/27/mike-tomlin-steelers-mock-draft-position-of-need-cornerback-defensive-back-linebacker/stories/201703270158?pgpageversion=pgevoke
Comment