Tweet
The reason some of us hate turtle ball is we remember its history - and not just Tomlin and the Steelers. Cowher came from the Schottenheimer coaching tree. Marty was a really good coach at one time - one of the very few coaches in the modern era (80's through now) who made the Browns legit contenders. MS built teams with physical Ds and power rushing. Not only did he build teams as such in the later 80's in Cleveland, but he replicated that model in KC as well, where he also turned them into legit contenders. (Remember those KC teams with the "Nigerian Nightmare," Barry Word, Neil Smith, Derrick Thomas, John Alt, Dave Szott, etc.)
Like the Browns, some of those KC teams also were legit contenders. But...like the Browns, they never got over the hump to make it to the big show. And, increasingly, the blame was placed at the feet of MS for not having enough of a passing threat to do so. Racking up wins in the regular season would be achieved with the great OL play, rushing game and solid D, but come postseason, it seemingly wasn't enough.
Enter Bill Cowher. He also built teams like MS did. And, come the postseason, he also seemed to fall to the "turtle game" model. We would enter the playoffs, high flying as a contender, and make it to how many AFCC games - many at home - only to come up short. BC had great Ds, OLs and rushing games, but come playoffs, the formular failed. We had decent QBs (O'Donnell) but not franchise QBs. (He did make it to one big show, but lost before Ben.) We never added new hardware until we did in fact add a legit franchise QB. We still could rush the ball, with the likes of the Bus, but to get over the hump, we needed a legit passing threat.
Any how, for what it's worth, some still feel the pain of the turtle ball mentality, where it often led to loses. Even some of the most prolific teams built with D and rushing had to have that QB that could get it done come the postseason. Cowher thought pure bullheadedness could get the job done, not needing an elite QB. It never produced a ring.
Like the Browns, some of those KC teams also were legit contenders. But...like the Browns, they never got over the hump to make it to the big show. And, increasingly, the blame was placed at the feet of MS for not having enough of a passing threat to do so. Racking up wins in the regular season would be achieved with the great OL play, rushing game and solid D, but come postseason, it seemingly wasn't enough.
Enter Bill Cowher. He also built teams like MS did. And, come the postseason, he also seemed to fall to the "turtle game" model. We would enter the playoffs, high flying as a contender, and make it to how many AFCC games - many at home - only to come up short. BC had great Ds, OLs and rushing games, but come playoffs, the formular failed. We had decent QBs (O'Donnell) but not franchise QBs. (He did make it to one big show, but lost before Ben.) We never added new hardware until we did in fact add a legit franchise QB. We still could rush the ball, with the likes of the Bus, but to get over the hump, we needed a legit passing threat.
Any how, for what it's worth, some still feel the pain of the turtle ball mentality, where it often led to loses. Even some of the most prolific teams built with D and rushing had to have that QB that could get it done come the postseason. Cowher thought pure bullheadedness could get the job done, not needing an elite QB. It never produced a ring.
Comment