Fichtner: Disturbing

[NorthCoast]

So my perception has been that Tomlin's teams generally finish the season on an upswing. Then I did some checking and found something disturbing. Take a look:

December Win/Loss

• 2016 - 4 and 0
• 2017 - 4 and 1
• 2018 - 2 and 3
• 2019 - 2 and 3
• 2020 - 1 and 2 ....

What is significant about these numbers is the change in 2018 when Fichtner took over as OC.

During his time as OC the Steelers have avg'd 18.2 pts/gm in December.

In Todd Haley's last two seasons, the Steelers avg'd 28.2 pts/gm in December.


This, my friends, is not a good sign for this team. Fichnter as OC may be placating Roethlisberger but it is definitely harming the team. I think a change needs to happen sooner and not later.

[flippy]

Yikes.

Wonder if it also has to do with the decline of the Oline?

[Oviedo]

Yikes.

Wonder if it also has to do with the decline of the Oline?

OL is clearly a problem this year. No playcalling can make up for not being able to block the opponent. Moving Feiler to Guard was probably a mistake. DeCastro has been below his standard all season. Pouncey is in decline. That mean the interior is getting blown up. There are no holes to run through. That is the number one reason this offense is faltering

[Buzz]

OL is a problem this year, but also, through the stats given we see that, for whatever reasons, the current regime seems to be incapable of or unwilling to make the kinds of adjustments/improvements to the offense that are needed as we move toward the end of the season. I might give them a pass for last season, though, as it was the Duck and Rudolph show.

[The Man of Steel]

I’m sure if you compare the running game stats during the Munchak era vs the past 2 seasons you’d likely see a similar decline.

[JIMBO]

Watching Cleveland's opening drive last night was a real eyeopener in terms of what a well planned NFL offense is supposed to look like. I've seen more imaginative high school coordinators than Fichtner. The O line is the problem, but there must be a way to overcome that weakness!

[Northern_Blitz]

The trend is obviously not good.

And this year's results are especially discouraging IMO.

But I give the O a pass last year because you can't really do anything when shuffling between 2 bad QBs.

Something certainly seems to be wrong this year though. Hopefully it's something that a game against the Bengals can fix.

[BURGH86STEEL]

Difficult to make comparisons with different players in the lineup.

[NorthCoast]

I’m sure if you compare the running game stats during the Munchak era vs the past 2 seasons you’d likely see a similar decline.

Munch was still here in 2018 and the run game sucked in December that season.

[Northern_Blitz]

Munch was still here in 2018 and the run game sucked in December that season.

Yep. I think it's a personnel issue, or maybe just us picking our poison and choosing pass pro over everything else (which seems reasonable after living through last year).

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

I think that the OL was in decline prior to last season, but after Ben went down everyone on O was given a pass. Can't run? It's because Ben's hurt. Can't pass? It's because Ben is hurt. While that was all true, it seems like people took their eyes off problems that were already occurring. Now, a couple of years later, The O line that has not gotten any push in the run game for 3-4 years has only moved Foster out and Feiler over. AV is still average and gets no push in the run game. Pouncey was already in decline and his game has continued to decline, DD was once an all-pro and now....not.

That brings in the chicken and egg question of: Does Ben throw so quickly because he is afraid of his protection or because he can no longer throw more than 5 yard accurately? I tend towards the former, but we may not find out anytime soon until the line can protect him. Thus, one more question for the powers that be....If the line is unable to protet the QB, and the D is no longer fooled by the 5 WR set quick throw, why not leave and extra man or two? A TE, RB, FB to slow the rush and give our very talented and explosive receivers time to free themselves up further than 5 yards downfield and see if Ben can still hit them if he feels comfortable with his protection..

[steeler_george]

I think that the OL was in decline prior to last season, but after Ben went down everyone on O was given a pass. Can't run? It's because Ben's hurt. Can't pass? It's because Ben is hurt. While that was all true, it seems like people took their eyes off problems that were already occurring. Now, a couple of years later, The O line that has not gotten any push in the run game for 3-4 years has only moved Foster out and Feiler over. AV is still average and gets no push in the run game. Pouncey was already in decline and his game has continued to decline, DD was once an all-pro and now....not.

That brings in the chicken and egg question of: Does Ben throw so quickly because he is afraid of his protection or because he can no longer throw more than 5 yard accurately? I tend towards the former, but we may not find out anytime soon until the line can protect him. Thus, one more question for the powers that be....If the line is unable to protet the QB, and the D is no longer fooled by the 5 WR set quick throw, why not leave and extra man or two? A TE, RB, FB to slow the rush and give our very talented and explosive receivers time to free themselves up further than 5 yards downfield and see if Ben can still hit them if he feels comfortable with his protection..

Well thought out TO, I do believe they tried that with freakin Samuels!
Νοτ calling you out TO, but just got me on a rant.

The thing is kills me, is they are a lost cause. They are stubborn in thinking that their ways work and that they should don't progress or tinkle with the O. Just wait when they do the same thing in the run- passing game against Cincy, and it works fine, but in reality even if i suited up against Cincy I would look fine. They need to experiment, throw a wrinkle, next level to this offense, can't rely on the same thing and gimick plays. What ever happened to the Canada's influence of movement and jet sweeps, they just dropped it instead of building or evolving from it.

They need to learn that it is ok if players don't play... Ray-Ray screens? Sameuls everywhere!
They need to understand critical-situation football... that 4 and 1 pass to McFarland, that pass to the tackle, that bomb to Washington that was intercepted in Buffalo, what was that a 3rd and 8 play?
They need to unerstad that is ok to play Claypool with Washington, or move any WR from outside to inside, and vice versa.

As for the OL, I think they had a plan to ease out AV and bring Chucks in. Or recently, the same could have been said of Dotson easing into Feilers role and perhaps Chucks taking snaps at LT while Feiler at RT.

[feltdizz]

Difficult to make comparisons with different players in the lineup.

AB and Bell. Pretty much 70% of
our offense.

[feltdizz]

Well thought out TO, I do believe they tried that with freakin Samuels!
Νοτ calling you out TO, but just got me on a rant.

The thing is kills me, is they are a lost cause. They are stubborn in thinking that their ways work and that they should don't progress or tinkle with the O. Just wait when they do the same thing in the run- passing game against Cincy, and it works fine, but in reality even if i suited up against Cincy I would look fine. They need to experiment, throw a wrinkle, next level to this offense, can't rely on the same thing and gimick plays. What ever happened to the Canada's influence of movement and jet sweeps, they just dropped it instead of building or evolving from it.

They need to learn that it is ok if players don't play... Ray-Ray screens? Sameuls everywhere!
They need to understand critical-situation football... that 4 and 1 pass to McFarland, that pass to the tackle, that bomb to Washington that was intercepted in Buffalo, what was that a 3rd and 8 play?
They need to unerstad that is ok to play Claypool with Washington, or move any WR from outside to inside, and vice versa.

As for the OL, I think they had a plan to ease out AV and bring Chucks in. Or recently, the same could have been said of Dotson easing into Feilers role and perhaps Chucks taking snaps at LT while Feiler at RT.

I think part of the problem is you can’t just throw a WR anywhere on the field. Especially rookies.. Claypool had success in the slot when Ben told him what route to run but you can’t tell guys where to go before every play.

[Northern_Blitz]

I think that the OL was in decline prior to last season, but after Ben went down everyone on O was given a pass. Can't run? It's because Ben's hurt. Can't pass? It's because Ben is hurt. While that was all true, it seems like people took their eyes off problems that were already occurring. Now, a couple of years later, The O line that has not gotten any push in the run game for 3-4 years has only moved Foster out and Feiler over. AV is still average and gets no push in the run game. Pouncey was already in decline and his game has continued to decline, DD was once an all-pro and now....not.

That brings in the chicken and egg question of: Does Ben throw so quickly because he is afraid of his protection or because he can no longer throw more than 5 yard accurately? I tend towards the former, but we may not find out anytime soon until the line can protect him. Thus, one more question for the powers that be....If the line is unable to protet the QB, and the D is no longer fooled by the 5 WR set quick throw, why not leave and extra man or two? A TE, RB, FB to slow the rush and give our very talented and explosive receivers time to free themselves up further than 5 yards downfield and see if Ben can still hit them if he feels comfortable with his protection..

FWIW I think this all makes sense.

I'm I'm probably guilty of giving them too much of a pass last season.

Distracted by the insane level of defensive play and the injury to Ben I guess?