boswell = scapegoat

[Mr.wizard]

The kickers job is not to save the the team, its to kick field goals. Whatever led up to the kicker having to kick a field goal is irrelevant to him making his kicks. You could literally say, " it should have never come to a field goal" about every field goal, but its the NFL and it often cames down to field goals, which is why kickers get paid millions of dollars a year.

[Mr.wizard]

I love that athread about scapegoating is about taking the players turnovers, missed kicks, and some bad situational defense and dumping it all on Tomlin as poor coaching.

[Buzz]

The kickers job is not to save the the team, its to kick field goals. Whatever led up to the kicker having to kick a field goal is irrelevant to him making his kicks. You could literally say, " it should have never come to a field goal" about every field goal, but its the NFL and it often cames down to field goals, which is why kickers get paid millions of dollars a year.

You could say just about the same thing, couldn't you, for player at every position, as well as every coach? They are all paid to do their job, and if any of them fail to do that in a way that contributes to a loss, they deserve some of the blame. You can't pin those losses only on the failure of the kicker.

I love that athread about scapegoating is about taking the players turnovers, missed kicks, and some bad situational defense and dumping it all on Tomlin as poor coaching.

Well, I'm not dumping it "all" on Tomlin. But it seems to me that after this many years of his team underperforming, the HC deserves a healthy amount of scrutiny -- and probably a healthy measure of the blame.

[Oviedo]

I love that athread about scapegoating is about taking the players turnovers, missed kicks, and some bad situational defense and dumping it all on Tomlin as poor coaching.

Funny isn't it how he is the acceptable scapegoat

[Steel Maniac]

Well, I'm not dumping it "all" on Tomlin. But it seems to me that after this many years of his team underperforming, the HC deserves a healthy amount of scrutiny -- and probably a healthy measure of the blame.

Exactly........

[pittpete]

Boswell was just part of the problem in a problematic season
Defense cant hold leads
Turnovers at the most inoppurtune times
Pass to run ratio way out of whack
Clock management
Bad calls against us
The list goes on

[Steel Maniac]

Boswell was just part of the problem in a problematic season
Defense cant hold leads
Turnovers at the most inoppurtune times
Pass to run ratio way out of whack
Clock management
Bad calls against us
The list goes on

Yep..Boswell doesn't get a pass. But he's not the total blame either.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I don't think that Boswell is the reason that they missed the playoffs, I think that there is a long list of reasons and Boswell is on that list. The margin of error is so small in this case that if you change any one of the many reasons, the team probably makes the playoffs.

[NorthCoast]

And if Brown doesn't complete the Immaculate Reach at 59:51 in 2016 against BAL the Steelers likely don't win the division and maybe not make the playoffs that season either.

Remarkable for the roughly 2,000 plays in a season, it could literally come down to one.

[fordfixer]

Against the Broncos, first and goal at the 2 yard line, and Conner got zero attempts at the goal line. That's the kicker's fault too huh? All the things that had to lead up to the kicker having to save us are the real problems of this team. Not the kicker. If the kicker keeps having to save you, then he's not the problem.

Where did I say it was the kickers fault I said there was plenty of fault to go around

[Mr.wizard]

You could say just about the same thing, couldn't you, for player at every position, as well as every coach? They are all paid to do their job, and if any of them fail to do that in a way that contributes to a loss, they deserve some of the blame. You can't pin those losses only on the failure of the kicker.


Well, I'm not dumping it "all" on Tomlin. But it seems to me that after this many years of his team underperforming, the HC deserves a healthy amount of scrutiny -- and probably a healthy measure of the blame.

I am not not pinning the failures of other players on the kicker, I am pointing out that the point of this thread was to complain about scapegoating while simultaneously scapegoating. Boswell was terrible that is demonstrable and if he had made his kicks we would have made the playoffs, I don't see why mentioning that is such a problem. There are just some people on here that refuse to accept any explanation except "It's all Mike Tomlin's fault". I'm sorry but if your a professional kicker and you miss a kick that's your fault and "It shouldn't come down to him making a field goal" is not an excuse for not making a field goal!!

[Starlifter]

another way to look at it is - the steelers with their crappy defense were an 8-8 team last year, but game winning kicks by box took them to 13-3. heck, I believe he won three in a row before the loss to the pats.

so yeah, last years hero - this years goat......and not the good kind.

[Ernie]

I am not not pinning the failures of other players on the kicker, I am pointing out that the point of this thread was to complain about scapegoating while simultaneously scapegoating. Boswell was terrible that is demonstrable and if he had made his kicks we would have made the playoffs, I don't see why mentioning that is such a problem. There are just some people on here that refuse to accept any explanation except "It's all Mike Tomlin's fault". I'm sorry but if your a professional kicker and you miss a kick that's your fault and "It shouldn't come down to him making a field goal" is not an excuse for not making a field goal!!

Right...and if Cleveland's kicker/field goal unit do job in the opener... we start out the season with an L.

[Mr.wizard]

Right...and if Cleveland's kicker/field goal unit do job in the opener... we start out the season with an L.

Absolutely

[RuthlessBurgher]

Where did I say it was the kickers fault I said there was plenty of fault to go around

More baseless allegations thrown about...manufacture something you didn't actually say, throw it back in your face, repeat.