GDT - Week 12 - Steelers at Broncos

[43M]

I don't like how fichtner handles the running game... at all.

[warfelg]

1 hour ago, FourThreeMafia said:

I don't like how fichtner handles the running game... at all.

I said it mid game. People are claiming now that James knows he the guy he’s fallen off and is nervous. BS. Now that Fichtner knows he doesn’t need to give Bell the middle finger he’s backing off the run game. 2 straight average or below run defenses with top 10 passing defenses that Ben has thrown 50+ times against. 

[43M]

4 minutes ago, warfelg said:

I said it mid game. People are claiming now that James knows he the guy he’s fallen off and is nervous. BS. Now that Fichtner knows he doesn’t need to give Bell the middle finger he’s backing off the run game. 2 straight average or below run defenses with top 10 passing defenses that Ben has thrown 50+ times against. 

I know.    They gave up on the run game early in the Jags game, and they basically just ignored it vs the Broncos.

Why is it that most OC's are such terrible playcallers.   I mean, I know its not an easy job and they do get some unfair criticism at times, but it seems like Arians, Haley and now Fincthner never knew how to play against other teams weaknesses and accentuate what we do well....at least not consistently.    All 3 of them had a propensity to give up on the run game way too easily.   

I guess we reap what we sew.....Steeler fans complained for years about Cowher leaning on the run game too heavily, and now we are stuck with OCs that dont seem to really like the run game.   

[CKSteeler]

It's not a good look for Roethlisberger this week. I don't care at all about what he said regarding Washington. Making the comment about Brown and the tone he took on the interceptions is bad PR and a distraction. He's coming off like a guy who isn't accountable, and there's enough smoke there over time to where people can legitimately question if he is. It's stuff that should stay in house. The only thing I wonder about is if isn't something he's felt was going on and he has spoken up behind closed doors and feels people aren't listening. Because he does know better. It's either that, or he's really sensitive after throwing a pick to seal that loss. But it wasn't even the worst redzone pick he's thrown to seal a defeat in the last two seasons.

Ben and Brown have not been the same this year at all. The chemistry just isn't there.

I still prefer arrogant, belligerent Roethlisberger overall, though. Maybe just not quite so publicly.

[3rivers]

1 hour ago, CKSteeler said:

It's not a good look for Roethlisberger this week. I don't care at all about what he said regarding Washington. Making the comment about Brown and the tone he took on the interceptions is bad PR and a distraction. He's coming off like a guy who isn't accountable, and there's enough smoke there over time to where people can legitimately question if he is. It's stuff that should stay in house. The only thing I wonder about is if isn't something he's felt was going on and he has spoken up behind closed doors and feels people aren't listening. Because he does know better. It's either that, or he's really sensitive after throwing a pick to seal that loss. But it wasn't even the worst redzone pick he's thrown to seal a defeat in the last two seasons.

Ben and Brown have not been the same this year at all. The chemistry just isn't there.

I still prefer arrogant, belligerent Roethlisberger overall, though. Maybe just not quite so publicly.

with all the BS we had this year, this is just another crumb and nothing I will take seriously. They either make plays or excuses, and time is running out.  They need to win and stop with all the BS, but will they?  Rivers will score at will from the way he has been playing, so in return, we need ben and co. to do the same.

[Dcash4]

6 hours ago, FourThreeMafia said:

Im sorry, but most of this is flat out wrong.

I agree he sometimes says stupid stuff to the media, but he shoulders blame all the time.    He did it the week before vs Jacksonville.   Ive heard him do it countless other times.     He even used to take blame back when the OLine sucked and had him running for his life, and some fans used to get mad that he didnt call them out.

Maybe Brown was SOMEWHAT at fault for the final play....maybe he wasnt at fault at all.    Either way, Ben shouldnt have said anything to the media, because he still made a stupid decision.

Im critical of Ben alot, so I'm not some Ben homer blindly defending him, but the fact is, you are way off base acting like he doesnt shoulder blame.   He does it more often than not.....the times he doesnt just stick out more.

Im really not sure how most of it was wrong but sure, saying he NEVER takes blame is a little too far, but even when he does take it I don’t always believe his sincerity because when he has an out - he takes it 

Like here when he blames the playcalling — something he had full autonomy to change, get out of, or call timeouts on. Also something he helps install during the week (at least I hope so).  

Or against the Ravens last year when he owned missing Brown...by not owning it and saying that he was “just making his reads” and then piling on about how much of a distraction AB is being (hint, saying that in the media is also a distraction).

He did own his awful interception in the patriots game though...and then followed it up by telling us that in hindsight he just should have done what he wanted to do and spike the ball and not listened to the coaches (who were right). Then followed that up by telling us he didn’t know the down or time and that’s why he threw it. The classic, own it— double deflection. 

Even last years Jags “maybe I don’t have it” was owning it, but in an obviously sarcastic “stop asking me these questions” way. Then he proceeded to get upset with the media who brought up what HE said later in the week, and added it back to what HE said about potential retirement. 

I mean, this week he had it. In regards to the last play he even mentions how the guy gets blocked into the interception and it’s just a strange occurrence. That should be it, full stop. But when we add the playcalling and it’s not what Ben would have done and then we add the AB route running because that would have lead to an interception and Ben wants you to know it would have been Browns fault, not his. 

He can’t be the guy who says he has a right to call people out and names names in Public but is also be the guy who basically says he won’t apologize for turning the ball over at an extremely high rate (only behind Blake Bortles in ints since 2015). He even mentions how he will be just as critical of other players as he will be of himself....having just explained that throwing interceptions is all good. (Again, a mentality I appreciate in a qb, but strange timing since you double down on criticizing teammates and coaching but your own mistakes are fine because it comes with the territory). 

So, sure. He does take blame more than I give him credit for, but he also does this stuff far to often for a guy who likes to make sure you know he is the captain and tells you he is the leader of the team. Ben is hands down my favorite NFL player of my lifetime, but this stuff is junk and it sucks coming from a player who has openly discussed others causing distractions but just skips past the fact that he creates his own fair share. 

 

[3rivers]

if the team implodes and is one and done,  do you think Tomlin be strict with the team next season in a way that minimizes all the media BS? It's a distraction that the team would probably be better off without.

[3rivers]

I just noticed the nice blitz pick up that Chuks had during bens last INT at the end of the game.  He had a good game for his first start and as a rookie. Munchak  once again deserves credit .  More media BS this week with that INT and loss.  If we win this week, it should quite things down for a while anyways

[JLambert58]

On 11/28/2018 at 4:34 PM, FourThreeMafia said:

I don't like how fichtner handles the running game... at all.

What I don't understand is how he uses the running game effectively one game and then abandons the run in another game.  Winning Steelers football is running the ball.  Losing Steelers football is having Ben throw it 50 times a game.  Why is it hard to figure that out?  (And no, short passes are not a running game.) 

[JLambert58]

On 11/29/2018 at 3:48 AM, 3rivers said:

if the team implodes and is one and done,  do you think Tomlin be strict with the team next season in a way that minimizes all the media BS? It's a distraction that the team would probably be better off without.

Tomlin is who he is, he probably makes small adjustments every season, as any good high-level executive would do, but I can't see him changing his stripes.  He seems to handle the media storms pretty well both internally and externally. 

[JLambert58]

One funny thing that happened in Denver last Sunday.  

Not sure what it looked like on TV but the refs took an extra long time to make a decision on one of the plays and literally the whole stadium, Broncos and Steelers fans alike, booed the zebras heartily.   Good times. 

[43M]

On 11/30/2018 at 11:47 PM, JLambert58 said:

Tomlin is who he is, he probably makes small adjustments every season, as any good high-level executive would do, but I can't see him changing his stripes.  He seems to handle the media storms pretty well both internally and externally. 

He wont change his stripes, but if there is any season to go "all in" for Tomlin, its 2019.  He will be in the last year of his current contract (unless he gets extended this offseason) and Ben is going to be 37.   

If they dont go all in next season, they never will.   But I expect the same boring adjustments and minimal upgrades that ultimately wont make us much better.

[3rivers]

3 hours ago, FourThreeMafia said:

If they dont go all in next season, they never will.   But I expect the same boring adjustments and minimal upgrades that ultimately wont make us much better.

what if we are one and done again in the playoffs this season? Could that be enough to make some changes, get a legit CB for example and a Safety that can actually stay on the field. Why they would sign an injury riddled vet is something I can't figure out

[MOSteelers56]

I could see a slightly bigger than average movethis offseason. We’ll have a fair bit of cap and some space to shake things up.

[JLambert58]

13 hours ago, FourThreeMafia said:

He wont change his stripes, but if there is any season to go "all in" for Tomlin, its 2019.  He will be in the last year of his current contract (unless he gets extended this offseason) and Ben is going to be 37.   

If they dont go all in next season, they never will.   But I expect the same boring adjustments and minimal upgrades that ultimately wont make us much better.

Tomlin always has this team competitive year and year out.   Yes, he maddeningly underachieves at times, but I can't see them not extending him.   Who would you rather have?

The FO/braintrust doesn't seem to have a sense of urgency for putting this team over the top as Ben's career is starting to wind down.  2016, 2017, 2018 and probably in 2019, we'll end up being one or two important pieces away from being a SB winner.   We can only hope the extra $15M in cap space will be put to good use.