The Lost Decade

[lifelongsteel]

As the title implies, this is not a happy post.

The Steelers, who were clearly the 2nd best team in the NFL for the first decade of the century, just a smidge behind the NE Patriots, ended the decade with an AFC championship and a tough loss to the Packers in the Super Bowl.

Entering the 2011 season, no team was more poised to claim the team of the decade title for 2011-2020 span.

The Steelers had:

- A 3 time AFC Champ 2 time SB winning QB entering his prime. A player who had led his team to the Super Bowl in 3 of his 7 seasons
- A young head coach who had led his team to the SB twice in his first 4 years
- A GM who had proven both the ability to draft well "and" plug in experienced FA's to fill holes
- A ridiculous stable of young WR's - including AB, Wallace and Sanders
- A young franchise back in Mendenhall
- A young edge defender who looked to be one of the most fearsome pass rushers of his era in Woodley
- A tremendously talented ILB with all the athletic gifts for the position in Timmons
- An anchor for the offensive line in rookie Pouncey
- A hall of fame safety with 4-5 premier seasons left with Troy
- A great group of vets in different stages of their careers - Harrison, Heath, Hines, Brett, Farrior, Big Snack, Ryan Clark, Ike

At the same time it looked like the other top teams of the decade, the Patriots and Colts, were set to decline.

Despite the heart wrenching loss, the future seemed bright.

Somehow, with this situation, the Steelers have managed just 3 playoff wins and 1 AFC Championship appearance in the decade. They have failed to win the SB in every way imaginable. Horrible playoff losses to, um, terrible QB's - Tebow, Bortles. They have fumbled away playoff games they were about to win - Fitz. They played a soft zone defense against a Pats team that murders soft zone defenses in the AFC Champ game. They have played short handed without Brown and Bell in playoff games. They have missed the playoffs by losing regular season games to teams in the bottom quarter of the league.

To add insult to injury, it is easy to see a closed window going forward. The AFC has it's new set of HOF capable QB's in Luck, Mahomes, Watson. There are others that can easily emerge to join them.

The Steelers will have 2 more years with Ben to redeem their decade. Then likely 4-5 years in the abyss as they try to find their next QB.

Sure - compared to other fans we're lucky to have what we have. Division titles. Playoff games. Singing competitions. But, seen in the light of what was squandered, all the griping feels appropriate.

What a waste.

There is a lot of blame to go around.

Yes, I wish Ben had emerged like Brady did and turned into the QB Goat. But that's not a fair expectation. Yes, I wish the FO had made some better decisions. Yes, I wish Woodley and Shazier had never gotten hurt.

But in this business there is only one person to blame. the HC. This is on Tomlin, who, to my mind, could have delivered another SB or two if he and his staff had coached at a top ten level. It's clear from the record that they did not.

It's time to move on.

Fire Tomlin.

Fire him before Ben's last years are gone. Fire him so that the next decade's team can get started in the right way.

Enough is Enough

#NoMoTomlin

[Stosh-67]

Print and fax to PS head quarters.
I will do the same.

[swissvale72]

Truth....Lifelong!!

[the-other-burg]

Absolute truth.

Two things fell apart entering this decade, the defense and the O-line.

Munchak was the savior of the O-line, and that was fixed quickly.

We have been trying to rebuild the defense for the last 7 years. The singular focus of a supposedly defensive minded coach that has at best, stagnated. Only fitting that Tomlins ‘specialty’ - the secondary- has been the uttermost failure of this team. The only thing they got right is Haden, and he was drafted and coached up by someone else.

I wish to the heavens they had seen the writing on the wall and shit-canned Tomlin 4 years ago. But alas, here we are. As you said, the wasted decade. Tomlin, the bad houseguest, found this place immaculate, and will leave it in ruins.

[Legacy User]

good post and sadly true. if u told me ben would be bowless since the greenbay bowl loss id of thought u crazy. nope!

[Obviously]

Kudos to you, Lifelong! Well said, sir. Get rid of Shitshow Mike!

#NoMoTomlin

[Quixotic]

As the title implies, this is not a happy post.

The Steelers, who were clearly the 2nd best team in the NFL for the first decade of the century, just a smidge behind the NE Patriots, ended the decade with an AFC championship and a tough loss to the Packers in the Super Bowl.

Entering the 2011 season, no team was more poised to claim the team of the decade title for 2011-2020 span.

The Steelers had:

- A 3 time AFC Champ 2 time SB winning QB entering his prime. A player who had led his team to the Super Bowl in 3 of his 7 seasons
- A young head coach who had led his team to the SB twice in his first 4 years
- A GM who had proven both the ability to draft well "and" plug in experienced FA's to fill holes
- A ridiculous stable of young WR's - including AB, Wallace and Sanders
- A young franchise back in Mendenhall
- A young edge defender who looked to be one of the most fearsome pass rushers of his era in Woodley
- A tremendously talented ILB with all the athletic gifts for the position in Timmons
- An anchor for the offensive line in rookie Pouncey
- A hall of fame safety with 4-5 premier seasons left with Troy
- A great group of vets in different stages of their careers - Harrison, Heath, Hines, Brett, Farrior, Big Snack, Ryan Clark, Ike

At the same time it looked like the other top teams of the decade, the Patriots and Colts, were set to decline.

Despite the heart wrenching loss, the future seemed bright.

Somehow, with this situation, the Steelers have managed just 3 playoff wins and 1 AFC Championship appearance in the decade. They have failed to win the SB in every way imaginable. Horrible playoff losses to, um, terrible QB's - Tebow, Bortles. They have fumbled away playoff games they were about to win - Fitz. They played a soft zone defense against a Pats team that murders soft zone defenses in the AFC Champ game. They have played short handed without Brown and Bell in playoff games. They have missed the playoffs by losing regular season games to teams in the bottom quarter of the league.

To add insult to injury, it is easy to see a closed window going forward. The AFC has it's new set of HOF capable QB's in Luck, Mahomes, Watson. There are others that can easily emerge to join them.

The Steelers will have 2 more years with Ben to redeem their decade. Then likely 4-5 years in the abyss as they try to find their next QB.

Sure - compared to other fans we're lucky to have what we have. Division titles. Playoff games. Singing competitions. But, seen in the light of what was squandered, all the griping feels appropriate.

What a waste.

There is a lot of blame to go around.

Yes, I wish Ben had emerged like Brady did and turned into the QB Goat. But that's not a fair expectation. Yes, I wish the FO had made some better decisions. Yes, I wish Woodley and Shazier had never gotten hurt.

But in this business there is only one person to blame. the HC. This is on Tomlin, who, to my mind, could have delivered another SB or two if he and his staff had coached at a top ten level. It's clear from the record that they did not.

It's time to move on.

Fire Tomlin.

Fire him before Ben's last years are gone. Fire him so that the next decade's team can get started in the right way.

Enough is Enough

#nomotomlin

[Legacy User]

Well.....I would say around 2011or 2012 many of the core of players who went to three super bowls got old and needed to be replaced, so I think as of 2011 we were looking at a rebuilding process. Because rebuilding pocesses can take a few years, I was willing to give them a few years to complete the rebuild. However, we are a few years past the time that I would have hoped a rebuild would be complete, and the defense is still a mess. So I don't look at it as a lost decade, but a lost few years (these extra years after a rebuild should have been complete). Things don't seem to be getting better, so something needs to change.

[SteelBull]

Very well said Lifelong. Those 10 years passed quickly - and for what? ;(

#NoMoTomlin

[lifelongsteel]

I've "mostly" defended Tomlin for a long time.

Whether you agree with the lost decade idea or not, it's impossible to argue that this Steelers team has been, or is today, buttoned up enough to win at a high level consistently. Add this AB/Ben turmoil and and changes have got to be made.

The realistic options are three fold

1) Window dressing - change a few assistants

2) Keep Tomlin but make wholesale changes elsewhere - ex. Trade AB, fire Butler, demand changes from Tomlin re: approach/discipline, etc etc etc

3) Fire Tomlin and bring in the best staff possible

For those who don't want to do this with Ben only having a couple years left, let's remember that the Steelers won it in Tomlin's 2nd season. Who says they couldn't win it in the next guys second season.

#NoMoTomlin

[Obviously]

Well.....I would say around 2011or 2012 many of the core of players who went to three super bowls got old and needed to be replaced, so I think as of 2011 we were looking at a rebuilding process. Because rebuilding pocesses can take a few years, I was willing to give them a few years to complete the rebuild. However, we are a few years past the time that I would have hoped a rebuild would be complete, and the defense is still a mess. So I don't look at it as a lost decade, but a lost few years (these extra years after a rebuild should have been complete). Things don't seem to be getting better, so something needs to change.

Maybe I set the bar too high by comparing them to the Patriots, but how many times did the Patriots build from 2003 to present?

[Legacy User]

Well.....I would say around 2011or 2012 many of the core of players who went to three super bowls got old and needed to be replaced, so I think as of 2011 we were looking at a rebuilding process. Because rebuilding pocesses can take a few years, I was willing to give them a few years to complete the rebuild. However, we are a few years past the time that I would have hoped a rebuild would be complete, and the defense is still a mess. So I don't look at it as a lost decade, but a lost few years (these extra years after a rebuild should have been complete). Things don't seem to be getting better, so something needs to change.

Maybe I set the bar too high by comparing them to the Patriots, but how many times did the Patriots build from 2003 to present?

True. But the Patriots are not normal, are they? Something to aspire to, yes, but 31 other teams wish they knew how not to fall into rebuilding periods like the Patriots.

[Baltostiller]

Well.....I would say around 2011or 2012 many of the core of players who went to three super bowls got old and needed to be replaced, so I think as of 2011 we were looking at a rebuilding process. Because rebuilding pocesses can take a few years, I was willing to give them a few years to complete the rebuild. However, we are a few years past the time that I would have hoped a rebuild would be complete, and the defense is still a mess. So I don't look at it as a lost decade, but a lost few years (these extra years after a rebuild should have been complete). Things don't seem to be getting better, so something needs to change.

Maybe I set the bar too high by comparing them to the Patriots, but how many times did the Patriots build from 2003 to present?

True. But the Patriots are not normal, are they? Something to aspire to, yes, but 31 other teams wish they knew how not to fall into rebuilding periods like the Patriots.

Rooney needs to go full Pat Bowlen and shitcan Captain Bullshit and win a few rings before Ben hangs ‘em up. The problem is EMR never worked in the private sector and was born with a silver spoon up his ass so he will value “stability” over wiinning.

[punum123]

Excellent post lifelong.
Speaks for itself....

[COR-TEN]

The problem is EMR never worked in the private sector and was born with a silver spoon up his ass so he will value “stability” over wiinning.

Can you expound that thought and how it applies to everyday life as opposed to sports team ownership, if applicable. I'm serious.

[Legacy User]

Well said LLS.

[Legacy User]

Fuck Tomlin.

[jeemie]

Rooney needs to go full Pat Bowlen and shitcan Captain Bullshit and win a few rings before Ben hangs ‘em up. The problem is EMR never worked in the private sector and was born with a silver spoon up his ass so he will value “stability” over wiinning.

Um...Rooney is a practicing attorney...a partner in a firm with 450 attornies and offices all over the US...and that has been around since 1850.

I guess that doesn’t count as private sector?

[Legacy User]

Rooney needs to go full Pat Bowlen and shitcan Captain Bullshit and win a few rings before Ben hangs ‘em up. The problem is EMR never worked in the private sector and was born with a silver spoon up his ass so he will value “stability” over wiinning.

Um...Rooney is a practicing attorney...a partner in a firm with 450 attornies and offices all over the US...and that has been around since 1850.

I guess that doesn’t count as private sector?

It was a silly post. Moving on.

[Legacy User]

I've "mostly" defended Tomlin for a long time.

Whether you agree with the lost decade idea or not, it's impossible to argue that this Steelers team has been, or is today, buttoned up enough to win at a high level consistently. Add this AB/Ben turmoil and and changes have got to be made.

The realistic options are three fold

1) Window dressing - change a few assistants

2) Keep Tomlin but make wholesale changes elsewhere - ex. Trade AB, fire Butler, demand changes from Tomlin re: approach/discipline, etc etc etc

3) Fire Tomlin and bring in the best staff possible

For those who don't want to do this with Ben only having a couple years left, let's remember that the Steelers won it in Tomlin's 2nd season. Who says they couldn't win it in the next guys second season.

#NoMoTomlin

I think we end up getting something between options #1 and #2. If assistants are getting fired, it needs to happen by this weekend. There are plenty of candidates out there looking for jobs right now. Don't wait too long.

#NoMoTomlin

[Donnie Brasco]

3 playoff wins since that time

I mean that's almost impossible to do with the rosters they had

[Steelafan77]

Never had a losing season either....

[Ice]

Sad but true, the whole thing.

[bradshaw2ben]

For reference, teams with most playoff wins since last PIT SB win:
NE 13-7 (2-2 SB) Brady
GB 9-7 (1-0) Rodgers
SEA 9-5 (1-1) Wilson
BAL 8-4 (1-0) Flacco
DEN 6-4 (1-1) Peyton Manning
NO 6-4 (1-0) Brees
PIT 5-6 (0-1) Roethlisberger
IND 5-5 (0-1) Peyton Manning
SF 5-3 (0-1) Kaepernick

Couple of observations: QB matters most, outlier great defense helps. The teams who outperformed Ben & Steelers in this time frame also had great QBs or good QBs with truly great defenses. Not to say they couldn't have or shouldn't have performed better but having to get through Brady and Manning probably not going to be more successful than .500, even in the best-case scenario. The disappointment is not getting to face Manning or Brady more often, for sure... but you could argue injuries (and the contigency plans for dealing with them) played a huge part in this.

[jeemie]

For reference, teams with most playoff wins since last PIT SB win:
NE 13-7 (2-2 SB) Brady
GB 9-7 (1-0) Rodgers
SEA 9-5 (1-1) Wilson
BAL 8-4 (1-0) Flacco
DEN 6-4 (1-1) Peyton Manning
NO 6-4 (1-0) Brees
PIT 5-6 (0-1) Roethlisberger
IND 5-5 (0-1) Peyton Manning
SF 5-3 (0-1) Kaepernick

Couple of observations: QB matters most, outlier great defense helps. The teams who outperformed Ben & Steelers in this time frame also had great QBs or good QBs with truly great defenses. Not to say they couldn't have or shouldn't have performed better but having to get through Brady and Manning probably not going to be more successful than .500, even in the best-case scenario. The disappointment is not getting to face Manning or Brady more often, for sure... but you could argue injuries (and the contigency plans for dealing with them) played a huge part in this.

I’d say “LACK of contingency plans for dealing with injuries”.

2014 was the most grevious sin with this...Steelers chased Blount away by insisting on running Bell’s wheels off...then waited until Bell got injured to even think about a competent back-up for him.

And Tomlin hasn’t really learned- given oodles of time to think about how to replace Shazier...they come up with Bostic?

[Donnie Brasco]

For reference, teams with most playoff wins since last PIT SB win:
NE 13-7 (2-2 SB) Brady
GB 9-7 (1-0) Rodgers
SEA 9-5 (1-1) Wilson
BAL 8-4 (1-0) Flacco
DEN 6-4 (1-1) Peyton Manning
NO 6-4 (1-0) Brees
PIT 5-6 (0-1) Roethlisberger
IND 5-5 (0-1) Peyton Manning
SF 5-3 (0-1) Kaepernick

Couple of observations: QB matters most, outlier great defense helps. The teams who outperformed Ben & Steelers in this time frame also had great QBs or good QBs with truly great defenses. Not to say they couldn't have or shouldn't have performed better but having to get through Brady and Manning probably not going to be more successful than .500, even in the best-case scenario. The disappointment is not getting to face Manning or Brady more often, for sure... but you could argue injuries (and the contigency plans for dealing with them) played a huge part in this.

I’d say “LACK of contingency plans for dealing with injuries”.

2014 was the most grevious sin with this...Steelers chased Blount away by insisting on running Bell’s wheels off...then waited until Bell got injured to even think about a competent back-up for him.

And Tomlin hasn’t really learned- given oodles of time to think about how to replace Shazier...they come up with Bostic?

I'm not gonna give Tomlin shit for not replacing Shazier- options were limited

But Tomlin was determined to replicate his RB usage errors. Conner was getting mega carries/touches until he got brained. This was again an NFL player who never played a full season before, yet they decide to run his wheels off

Thank Christ Samuels performed like he did vs NE, but they only revealed his skill with a decent workload. Tomlin talks about "easing in" to games, yet doesn't want to "ease in" his players.

What a fuckstick

[bradshaw2ben]

To me, the most grievous sin was not completely rebuilding the D after 2012. They should have fired Lebeau, hired a bright young defensive mind, cut or traded or encouraged the older guys to leave, and just freaking started over. Sure, it would have meant a down year or two, but hanging on there was bad.

So, what did they do? They fired Bruce Arians. Of course.

And, then there was the 2013 draft, which was nearly a complete disaster on the defensive side:

Jarvis Jones
Shamarko Thomas
Terry Hawthorne
Vince Williams
Nic Williams

Art Rooney 2, Kevin Colbert, the entire scouting staff, Mike Tomlin, & Dick Lebeau ALL share in this defensive side failure to draft playmakers other than Shazier and perhaps Watt/Heyward.

[jeemie]

To me, the most grievous sin was not completely rebuilding the D after 2012. They should have fired Lebeau, hired a bright young defensive mind, cut or traded or encouraged the older guys to leave, and just freaking started over. Sure, it would have meant a down year or two, but hanging on there was bad.

So, what did they do? They fired Bruce Arians. Of course.

And, then there was the 2013 draft, which was nearly a complete disaster on the defensive side:

Jarvis Jones
Shamarko Thomas
Terry Hawthorne
Vince Williams
Nic Williams

Art Rooney 2, Kevin Colbert, the entire scouting staff, Mike Tomlin, & Dick Lebeau ALL share in this defensive side failure to draft playmakers other than Shazier and perhaps Watt/Heyward.

Can't blame them for trying to not radically change the defense in 2012, B2B. By that point, they had gone 20 consecutive years without a major rebuild, just retooling and continuity. Very few people are visionary enough to see inflection points when they are actually happening.

Maybe now they see, however, that after 2010 the game fundamentally changed...and they didn't change with it.

[jeemie]

I'm not gonna give Tomlin shit for not replacing Shazier- options were limited

But Tomlin was determined to replicate his RB usage errors. Conner was getting mega carries/touches until he got brained. This was again an NFL player who never played a full season before, yet they decide to run his wheels off

Thank Christ Samuels performed like he did vs NE, but they only revealed his skill with a decent workload. Tomlin talks about "easing in" to games, yet doesn't want to "ease in" his players.

What a fuckstick

Darius Leonard was there for the taking...they went with Edmunds who had a later round draft grade.

[Donnie Brasco]

I'm not gonna give Tomlin shit for not replacing Shazier- options were limited

But Tomlin was determined to replicate his RB usage errors. Conner was getting mega carries/touches until he got brained. This was again an NFL player who never played a full season before, yet they decide to run his wheels off

Thank Christ Samuels performed like he did vs NE, but they only revealed his skill with a decent workload. Tomlin talks about "easing in" to games, yet doesn't want to "ease in" his players.

What a fuckstick

Darius Leonard was there for the taking...they went with Edmunds who had a later round draft grade.

We don't know what Leonard or Edmunds will be yet- each has 1 year on tape.
If Edmunds ends up sucking big time, ok get the torches. But I can't add this to his fuck up resume just yet