8 candidates for the Steelers' offensive coordinator vacancy

[NorthCoast]

I believe Tomlin made ONE bad OC hire of three. The narrative that Tomlin has some HISTORY of bad OC hires is a myth.

Does Rooney sign off on those hires? Of course. And I DO believe that as the guy writing checks Tomlin cant fire a coach without Rooneys agreement.

But if Tomlin lacks the competence to pick his staff and so much so that you trust a number cruncher WHO HAS NEVER COACHED to recognize a quality coach Tomlin aint head coach material. You are conceding that Tomlin is a bad football mind.

What qualifies a non-coach to recognize a good coach? The only reason anyone wants Kahn picking a coordinator is you think Tomlin is not up to the task. If that is the case he is not head coaching material.

I personally, will credit or blame Tomlin for this hire. His fate should be dependent on its success.

Depends on how you want to rate Fichnter. I'd say one bad hire, one less than good hire out of three. Canada was his mulligan. The AS hire will decide his future.

[feltdizz]

I believe Tomlin made ONE bad OC hire of three. The narrative that Tomlin has some HISTORY of bad OC hires is a myth.

Does Rooney sign off on those hires? Of course. And I DO believe that as the guy writing checks Tomlin cant fire a coach without Rooneys agreement.

But if Tomlin lacks the competence to pick his staff and so much so that you trust a number cruncher WHO HAS NEVER COACHED to recognize a quality coach Tomlin aint head coach material. You are conceding that Tomlin is a bad football mind.

What qualifies a non-coach to recognize a good coach? The only reason anyone wants Kahn picking a coordinator is you think Tomlin is not up to the task. If that is the case he is not head coaching material.

I personally, will credit or blame Tomlin for this hire. His fate should be dependent on its success.

Tomlin is definitely close to the end of his tenure. I don?t think his future depends on Smith but it will more than likely be the last OC he hires.

[WindyCitySteel]

Depends on how you want to rate Fichnter. I'd say one bad hire, one less than good hire out of three. Canada was his mulligan. The AS hire will decide his future.

Fitch was fine until Tomlin panicked after the 2018 season ending. Steelers were 6th in scoring, but the average D (16th) couldn't make up for turnovers, so they went horizontal and safe after.

[feltdizz]

Fitch was fine until Tomlin panicked after the 2018 season ending. Steelers were 6th in scoring, but the average D (16th) couldn't make up for turnovers, so they went horizontal and safe after.

Panicked? More like realized we had some serious issues protecting the ball. Ben was hurt 2 games into the 2019 season so I don’t think it had anything to do with panicking.

Crazy how we went from 7-2-1 to 9-6-1 to finish the 2018 season. 14 turnovers during that 6 game stretch and only cracked 100 yards rushing once in six games.

[Northern_Blitz]

Fitch was fine until Tomlin panicked after the 2018 season ending. Steelers were 6th in scoring, but the average D (16th) couldn't make up for turnovers, so they went horizontal and safe after.

I don't understand why you always "forget" that Ben got hurt in 2019 and we had Mason/Duck behind him.

[WindyCitySteel]

I don't understand why you always "forget" that Ben got hurt in 2019 and we had Mason/Duck behind him.

It's almost as if the 2019 season wasn't the only one in the last five. Tomlin's words came after the 2018 season, too, not during 2019. He blamed TOs for the collapse.

[Captain Lemming]

It's almost as if the 2019 season wasn't the only one in the last five. Tomlin's words came after the 2018 season, too, not during 2019. He blamed TOs for the collapse.

You just make this stuff up. Yes turnovers was a problem. Nothing to do with future play calling though.

Ben was 1-7 on deep throws in game one of the 2019 season the first of which was on the first drive.

0-4 on deep throws before his injury in game 2.

So Ben was 1-9 on deep throws on the season before he got hurt.

Mason threw a deep pass on his FIRST DRIVE that got picked.

All can be confirmed at Pro Football Reference.

There was no conservative mandate that was a result of 2018 turnovers Windy. You are just making it up with ZERO facts to back your case. Ben got hurt and was never the same.

[Northern_Blitz]

It's almost as if the 2019 season wasn't the only one in the last five. Tomlin's words came after the 2018 season, too, not during 2019. He blamed TOs for the collapse.

Do you think we had equivalent QB talent from 2019-present vs. pre-2019?

Or do you think that QB talent was about the same as the rest of Ben's career?

I think maybe the difference between the way we look at things are different because I think we should be tuning the offense to the ability of the QB. But in Kenny's rookie year, you kept wanting them to do things that Kenny was really bad at in the admittedly small samples that we had (e.g. throwing in the red zone, throwing over the middle at intermediate distances).

But now, it seems like you agree that Kenny isn't good, or at least you seem worried that we'll run it back with him.

And I think everyone agrees that Mitch isn't good.

I don't know if you think that Ben was good in 2020 and 2021. But I think once teams realized he couldn't throw accurate deep passes, the offence ground to a halt.

And since 2019, our QBs have been: early-Mason/Duck, Old-Ben, Old-Ben, Mitch/Kenny, Kenny/Mitch/Mason.

Is it really shocking that our offense got worse?

[Oviedo]

Do you think we had equivalent QB talent from 2019-present vs. pre-2019?

Or do you think that QB talent was about the same as the rest of Ben's career?

I think maybe the difference between the way we look at things are different because I think we should be tuning the offense to the ability of the QB. But in Kenny's rookie year, you kept wanting them to do things that Kenny was really bad at in the admittedly small samples that we had (e.g. throwing in the red zone, throwing over the middle at intermediate distances).

But now, it seems like you agree that Kenny isn't good, or at least you seem worried that we'll run it back with him.

And I think everyone agrees that Mitch isn't good.

I don't know if you think that Ben was good in 2020 and 2021. But I think once teams realized he couldn't throw accurate deep passes, the offence ground to a halt.

And since 2019, our QBs have been: early-Mason/Duck, Old-Ben, Old-Ben, Mitch/Kenny, Kenny/Mitch/Mason.

Is it really shocking that our offense got worse?

Don't let facts get in the way of some people's narratives

[feltdizz]

It's almost as if the 2019 season wasn't the only one in the last five. Tomlin's words came after the 2018 season, too, not during 2019. He blamed TOs for the collapse.

We were -10 in turnovers the last 6 games.

Did you think he was lying?

[WindyCitySteel]

You guys are equating deep balls with diverse offense. Deep balls, especially on the sideline, are some of the safest throws in the game.

When did the MOF usage dry up? MOF throws don't require experience or arm talent, in fact, they make the QB's job easier, but with them come the added risk of turnovers because or the traffic inherent with that part of the field.

That is what was largely avoided 2019 and after.

[NorthCoast]

You guys are equating deep balls with diverse offense. Deep balls, especially on the sideline, are some of the safest throws in the game.

When did the MOF usage dry up? MOF throws don't require experience or arm talent, in fact, they make the QB's job easier, but with them come the added risk of turnovers because or the traffic inherent with that part of the field.

That is what was largely avoided 2019 and after.

The sweet spot in the MOF looks to be around 11-15 yard pass. Beyond that the INT rate starts to rise. Unfortunately for PIT, KP's completion rate was about 10% lower than the rates shown in that range and location.

[Northern_Blitz]

You guys are equating deep balls with diverse offense. Deep balls, especially on the sideline, are some of the safest throws in the game.

When did the MOF usage dry up? MOF throws don't require experience or arm talent, in fact, they make the QB's job easier, but with them come the added risk of turnovers because or the traffic inherent with that part of the field.

That is what was largely avoided 2019 and after.

When the QBs we had demonstrated that they sucked at throwing intermediate over the middle. I wonder if the splits with and without Mason this year were different with MoF usage...

Since 2019, we have had QBs that have had big accuracy issues throwing intermediate over the middle.

I don't understanding why you think it's a good idea to lean into things we know we aren't good at.

The team was trying to win games. Not rack up your Fantasy Football stats

[WindyCitySteel]

When the QBs we had demonstrated that they sucked at throwing intermediate over the middle. I wonder if the splits with and without Mason this year were different with MoF usage...

Since 2019, we have had QBs that have had big accuracy issues throwing intermediate over the middle.

I don't understanding why you think it's a good idea to lean into things we know we aren't good at.

The team was trying to win games. Not rack up your Fantasy Football stats

Ben had MOF problems? Really?

[Northern_Blitz]

Ben had MOF problems? Really?

In before the hate: Ben is a clear 1st ballot HoF player IMO. And almost certainly the best QB I will ever see play for the Steelers.

Did you watch his last two years as a starter? He didn't play anywhere near HoF level after the injury. We did eek out 11 wins with the strategy you don't like before the league figured it out. But then they realized he wasn't really able to connect on deep passes (which was one of the things that had made him great).

He wasn't accurate anymore. Particularly intermediate and deep. And when you aren't an accurate passer, it's not a good idea to throw where there are a lot of defenders (MOF intermediate and deep). So we ran a whole lot of shot passes (often not MOF). It's why Harris had 94 targets in his rookie year.

IMO this is the same reason we don't throw MoF with Kenny. Because when we do it's often behind, high or both.

Check out the highlights from the Browns playoff game with Ben.

Here are the interceptions:

1. Sails a ~ 5 yard pass over the intended target between the has marks. Easy pick. (0:28 )
2. High pass (that could have been caught but wasn't). Something like 20 air yards. On the right hash. Pick off the tip (1:35)
3. This one isn't an accuracy issue. Batted at the line (which weirdly happened to him a lot at the end of his career). Tipped up and picked. Also on a MOF pass though. (3:00)
4. Outside the left hash. Super easy INT for a Browns defender he doesn't see. (10:26).

He makes a lot of good passes in this game too. Particularly once we're already getting destroyed and Cleveland is playing off on defense. But it's not worth the trade off when the chances of having the massive turnover games are real.

It's not like they just woke up one day and said "let's never pass over the middle again". It's because the guys we had in those years demonstrated that they were bad at it.

Bonus: Not a pick and not over the middle, but a good example of Ben's lack of deep accurate late in his career @ 2:42.