Does Anyone Care?

[flippy]

Do you think any of the players/coaches care as much as they typically haven in the past?

Sometimes it feels like we aren’t trying with the play calling with dump offs on 4th and long.

We don’t pick up our QB when he gets knocked down.

Etc.

So many things point to guys not really caring. And I think this apathy is contagious.

Can we change this culture?

Even in an eventual post Ben world, does the current attitude carry over to our future teams?

Some of these guys have to care, but it feels like there might be some leadership/spirit/energy void here.

Even other players like Tyler Boyd see it and have called it out.

If we suck, we suck. I think this lack of passion is a bigger issue.

I’ll root for guys that are giving 100% but just aren’t winning any day.

Hopefully I’m wrong about this lack of passion.

[SteelBucks]

I can tell this bothers the hell out of Cam Heyward.

[T.Ferguson]

I actually mentioned to my brother earlier that maybe the most concerning thing about this team is how it looks like they just don't care if they win or lose. There is no fire, no desperation, etc. The offense takes forever to snap the ball too, even with the score late in the game, it's like the whole team is sleepwalking most of the time. To me that's a pretty damning statement on the coaching staff.

[whatever]

I think coaches below the HC care.
They must realize someone is going to be this years scapegoat and they don’t want to be it. Tomlin knows he is safe regardless.
I would imagine a lot of the young guys care because they are playing for a paycheck. The older guys with money are probably the guys that will mail it in early. They are tired of the HC drivel, they know they have less talent than previous years when they couldn’t win with loaded rosters. I’m sure they see this team going nowhere.
Ben cares, but does he care about team wins or personal stats?
The owner, gm and HC don’t. The stadium is full. They are more concerned with saving face(Ben) then doing what needs to be done to win.

[Iron City Inc.]

It's lack of talent. But I will say this Ben is making business decisions not getting to read 3. If 1 isn't there it's force it to 1 anyway or check down regardless. So perhaps his passion is not what it once was. His talent level is not near where it once was. That's sadly obvious.

[Prowler]

I quit being passionate about Steelers football because there is no intensity or urgency on this team anymore. It starts with the HC. He should have been fired years ago when the team underperformed with superior talent. Management bringing back Ben and putting him in front of an inexperienced OL was a big mistake as well. My biggest question is why do we keep utilizing the Todd Haley offense? The dink and dunk is crap!

In conclusion, Tomlin, Canada, Ben and the offensive system should be exiled.

[Captain Lemming]

Ben, Juju, and Johnson all seemed frustrated with open guys being missed, or in the wrong place.

Anybody else get the sense Ben and Juju gave looks at each other about who was at fault? Was there some comment the coaches had to talk to both,

Troubling but shows they care.

Y'all telling me that all the fighting for every last yard you repeatedly saw comes from players who don't care?

Towards the very end you saw "dejected" looks on players which might look like apathy.

I wonder if it is feeling the reality that they are juat not very good.

[whatever]

Ben, Juju, and Johnson all seemed frustrated with open guys being missed, or in the wrong place.

Anybody else get the sense Ben and Juju gave looks at each other about who was at fault? There were some ugly glares. Was there some comment the coaches had to talk to both.

Troubling but shows they care.

You'all telling me that all the fighting for every last yard you repeatedly saw comes from players who don't care?

I think it boils down not to who cares but what do they care about.

[Starlifter]

I will not go so far as to say they don't care. I think they all want to win. Sometimes you're just dealt a bad hand. The Steelers pushed all their chips in on one more year with Ben, expecting that decision to pay dividends. It hasn't thus far. He can't/won't scramble. He can't/won't step up in the pocket. He can't/won't make necessary accurate throws. He can't/won't extend plays with his feet anymore. This game is too unforgiving and the opposing players are too good to give them any sort of advantage. If you do, they will eat you alive. Opposing defenses know his weaknesses, tendencies and they are crushing any chance for the offense to succeed.

Tomlin has his first tough QB decision ever. Does he stick with Ben or make the change? What does Ben do moving forward? Does he take responsibility and do everything possible to win? Is he the first one in the UPMC facility and the last one to leave? Or will he continue to enjoy Wednesdays off? Because if Tomlin sticks with him and the rest of the team sees him sticking with the same routine that led us here - then yeah, it becomes a business decision at that point. They will always care - but when the season is lost, they will care more about protecting themselves from injury and preserving their careers.

And I wouldn't blame them for doing so.

[hawaiiansteel]

The owner, gm and HC don’t.

how the hell would you know that, do you know them personally?

of course they care, stop spreading your unfounded lies and vitriol around this message board.

oh wait, that's all you ever do.

[flippy]

Y'all telling me that all the fighting for every last yard you repeatedly saw comes from players who don't care?

Towards the very end you saw "dejected" looks on players which might look like apathy.

I wonder if it is feeling the reality that they are juat not very good.

Good point. I’m sure the apathy at the end is what kinda sticks in my mind after the loss.

Clearly guys like Najee fighting for every yard shows he cares. And the Ben/Juju frustration example shows they care.

And as has been pointed out, a guy like Cam is out there caring. So it’s not fair lumping everyone. Heck, I think a guy like Spillane cares when he gets to play and is out there thumping guys on ST.

But there’s so much complacency and it sticks out cause there seems to be more of it.

Maybe there’s something to losing more emotional guys like Pouncey, Conner, Bud, etc. I think we had the same talent issues last year but I felt like guys were trying but overmatched. I sense more now that they feel defeated.

Mayhe it’s a gut reaction and isn’t fair. But I think we all see something is missing.

[Steel Maniac]

I quit being passionate about Steelers football because there is no intensity or urgency on this team anymore. It starts with the HC. He should have been fired years ago when the team underperformed with superior talent. Management bringing back Ben and putting him in front of an inexperienced OL was a big mistake as well. My biggest question is why do we keep utilizing the Todd Haley offense? The dink and dunk is crap!

In conclusion, Tomlin, Canada, Ben and the offensive system should be exiled.

Boom…………….

[Steel Maniac]

Ben, Juju, and Johnson all seemed frustrated with open guys being missed, or in the wrong place.

Anybody else get the sense Ben and Juju gave looks at each other about who was at fault? Was there some comment the coaches had to talk to both,

Troubling but shows they care.

Y'all telling me that all the fighting for every last yard you repeatedly saw comes from players who don't care?

Towards the very end you saw "dejected" looks on players which might look like apathy.

I wonder if it is feeling the reality that they are juat not very good.

Well, we play the Broncos next week with Bridgewater being concussed today, we got a shot maybe. There’s that.

[NJ-STEELER]

Ben, Juju, and Johnson all seemed frustrated with open guys being missed, or in the wrong place.

Anybody else get the sense Ben and Juju gave looks at each other about who was at fault? Was there some comment the coaches had to talk to both,

Troubling but shows they care.

Y'all telling me that all the fighting for every last yard you repeatedly saw comes from players who don't care?

Towards the very end you saw "dejected" looks on players which might look like apathy.

I wonder if it is feeling the reality that they are juat not very good.

in their pressers both ben and Ju took the blame

[hawaiiansteel]

Well, we play the Broncos next week

did you get a chance to watch Lamar Jackson pass for 316 yards against the Broncos?