Ben's Presser

[Havoc]

Then the question is....HOW FUCKING STUPID IS TOMLIN?

Why is Fitchner calling plays at all?

Yep. All you need to know about Tomlin's acumen is at the end of the first half not calling a time out with 40 seconds to go.

There was no excuse to not call TO there

He sucks as a HC

Totally inexcusable

Casual no nothing fans know you call TO there

Dumbass

The HC cost his team an offensive possession.

Inexplicable.

[Jizz Mop]

Wasn’t someone hired to assist Tomlin w clock mgmt or is that not correct?

[Kodiak]

Wasn’t someone hired to assist Tomlin w clock mgmt or is that not correct?

That was just to shut-up the critics. Doubtful that Tomlin actually listens to the guy.

[COR-TEN]

let me understand this. Steelers win, and it's tomlin's fault for not calling a TO.

Steelers lose, and it's tomlin's fault BR and the O line plays like shit, and the WR's can't catch a ball to save their lives. Defense has key starters out for the rest of the season.

Steelers won, right? They won 11 in a row, right?

But. . .

[Jizz Mop]

let me understand this. Steelers win, and it's tomlin's fault for not calling a TO.

Steelers lose, and it's tomlin's fault BR and the O line plays like shit, and the WR's can't catch a ball to save their lives. Defense has key starters out for the rest of the season.

Steelers won, right? They won 11 in a row, right?

But. . .

They did win

Does that excuse our dumbass HC from not calling a timeout when one was absolutely warranted?

[955876]

let me understand this. Steelers win, and it's tomlin's fault for not calling a TO.

Let me understand this, scoring three TDs in second half makes up for stupid decisions in the first half? Let me rephrase because winning is quite the masking agent. How does the separate act of the offense coming back in 2nd half excuse the poor decision in the 1st half? The fact he keeps fucking up elementary clock management leads one to believe he will again. Which he has.

Did Tomlin know we would score those 3 second half TDs as time was expiring in the first half?

Did Tomlin know the defense would hold Indy to but 3 points after the half?

Do you realize if Indy managed to get into the EZ in second half we would have needed those three extra points that could have been had at end of the half to force OT?

Are you only able to evaluate a decision based on final outcome?

Idiotic first half choices ok as long as the offense pulls off the greatest comeback of his coaching tenure?

Thinking inside a tiny lil box is why Tomlin is such a poor tactician.

[DP39]

let me understand this. Steelers win, and it's tomlin's fault for not calling a TO.

Steelers lose, and it's tomlin's fault BR and the O line plays like shit, and the WR's can't catch a ball to save their lives. Defense has key starters out for the rest of the season.

Steelers won, right? They won 11 in a row, right?

But. . .

I have several questions.

First, did you watch the game yesterday?

If so, how in the hell can you not blame Tomlin for not using his timeouts properly at the end of the first half? If used properly (any middle schooler could/would have done so) we would've had a very good shot of scoring, at least a FG, as time expired going into halftime. You do realize the object of the game is to score points -- especially when you're trailing by 17 in the first half?

If you didn't watch the game, I understand your comment.

[Havoc]

let me understand this. Steelers win, and it's tomlin's fault for not calling a TO.

Steelers lose, and it's tomlin's fault BR and the O line plays like shit, and the WR's can't catch a ball to save their lives. Defense has key starters out for the rest of the season.

Steelers won, right? They won 11 in a row, right?

But. . .

It's not about the regular season. Those 11 wins don't mean much. We are not the Browns.

That possession was huge at that point in the game. We got away with utter stupidity yesterday, doesn't mean we will in the playoffs.

Mike Tomlin is an albatross on offense, been saying this for years.

[SteelerDayTrader]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

[Jizz Mop]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

That makes no sense

Did they not try and score when they got 20 something seconds left and the ball?

[DP39]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

So, your saying Tomlin OK'd having a known weak inaccurate kicker on the team AND playing him?

Which scenario is worse?

They both are dumb, if you ask me. smh....

[Jobu]

Danny Smiff: We finished kicker tryouts. The Wright kid can kick a PAT, but has a weak leg. Kickoffs to around the 10 and no range past 40 yards.
Mike “We Don’t Live In Our Fears” Tomlin: That’s good enough...Sign him!

[955876]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

So, your saying Tomlin OK'd having a known weak inaccurate kicker on the team AND playing him?

Which scenario is worse?

They both are dumb, if you ask me. smh....

That argument doesn’t hold water. The kick would have been made as time would be expiring.

Aside from a blocked kick, simply missing would have just meant the half ended with a missed FG instead of the offense inside FG range and with a TO I pocket like the idiots did.

and what if Tomlin needed that very kicker to you know, kick a FG in the second half?

Tomlin is about as dumb as it gets when it comes to the play clock & managing time outs.

This isn’t an isolated incident. He is a multiple offender of this which can only lead one to believe he seriously doesn’t get it

[Jizz Mop]

Danny Smiff: We finished kicker tryouts. The Wright kid can kick a PAT, but has a weak leg. Kickoffs to around the 10 and no range past 40 yards.
Mike “We Don’t Live In Our Fears” Tomlin: That’s good enough...Sign him!

Ha

Amazing that’s the best we could do

I cringed with each one of his 5 kickoffs

Maybe we could have signed the female kicker from Vanderbilt for XP’s and had Berry kick off

[Orangesteel]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

That makes no sense

Did they not try and score when they got 20 something seconds left and the ball?

Yes. IIRC they took at least two shots downfield; one of them completed to JJSS for about 20. All other things being equal, preserving time on the clock after that completion gives Ben probably 50 seconds to work with and no time outs on the IND 40 yard line. Could have easily 1) gotten another 15-20 yards for a longish (by Wright’s standards) attempt, or 2) gotten another chunk play and taken a few shots at the endzone. Neither happened and Tomlin took his “halftime dump” with his final timeout in his pocket.

Be afraid. Be very afraid, that this stupidity will cost us in a monumental situation. Gulp.

[Stosh-67]

Wasn’t someone hired to assist Tomlin w clock mgmt or is that not correct?

They have a cardboard silhouette up in a booth, talking on a phone, similar to that Howie Mandel game show, Deal or No deal.

I believe Tomlin has neither a time out guru or a set of replay eyes on game days.

[Jizz Mop]

Wasn’t someone hired to assist Tomlin w clock mgmt or is that not correct?

They have a cardboard silhouette up in a booth, talking on a phone, similar to that Howie Mandel game show, Deal or No deal.

I believe Tomlin has neither a time out guru or a set of replay eyes on game days.

Ha, reminds me of this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=02UwykKKT9Q

[Stosh-67]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

Not directed at you............
But,
How on earth are their only 32 people on this earth that can be good at kicking field goals...............
and even better at kicking a ball far on kick-offs...............when..............there is absolutely no pressure involved in kicking off, not really a time clock to kick off and do not have defenders rushing you when kicking off.

[Jizz Mop]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

Not directed at you............
But,
How on earth are their only 32 people on this earth that can be good at kicking field goals...............
and even better at kicking a ball far on kick-offs...............when..............there is absolutely no pressure involved in kicking off, not really a time clock to kick off and do not have defenders rushing you when kicking off.

Danny Smiff and Co wanted to move quickly to secure a weak, inaccurate kicker before the rest of the league got wind of their intentions

It’s these type of moves that gives me hope for a deep playoff push

[SteelerDayTrader]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

So, your saying Tomlin OK'd having a known weak inaccurate kicker on the team AND playing him?

Which scenario is worse?

They both are dumb, if you ask me. smh....

not many choices late in the season

[blu]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

Tomlin was fooled by Phil Rivers rushing to the line as he thought why waste a TO when Rivers is going to rush a play. Of course, the veteran QB knew who is the rocket scientist who coaches the Steelers. Then when Rivers took his time, Tomlin didn't call a TO halfway in as he didn't want to show that he was fooled. One doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to call a timeout but a bigger brain won't be fooled as easily.

[SteelerDayTrader]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

Not directed at you............
But,
How on earth are their only 32 people on this earth that can be good at kicking field goals...............
and even better at kicking a ball far on kick-offs...............when..............there is absolutely no pressure involved in kicking off, not really a time clock to kick off and do not have defenders rushing you when kicking off.

oh i agree.....but the Steelers were familiar with him .......they value that very highly

[franco32]

I don't buy the "Ben made me hire Rustbelt as OC" argument. If true, then Tomlin has no balls to stand up to his QB and call his bluff. I want a HC with more of a spine than that. Heck, there are dozens of other coordinators out there that Ben and Tomlin could have compromised on if he even wanted to take the middle road route.

Did Tomlin adjust in the second half to what Reich was doing? Yeah...but it took almost 3 quarters to do it. Indy kept waiting for our blitz and then running crossers against our slow LBs all first half. Why not dial back the blitz OR have Minkah challenge the crossers more like he did in the second half?

Same thing against Buffalo in the second half. It should have taken ONE series to adjust to what McDermott was doing with Diggs. 17 points later we are down and out.

It shouldn't take that long to adjust. It should take a series or maybe two. I'm ELATED we won yesterday. But, we aren't digging ourselves out of those holes very often...especially against playoff defenses. We have got to have more urgency for SIXTY minutes...something this team rarely does.

[jewelsongs]

Wait, are you guys saying not ONE reporter asked Tomlin about the end of first half braindead sequence? Disgusting if true.

Great leaders are judged often by who they surround themselves with. Mike Tomlin...think about this...actually hired Rustbelt. With all of the young innovate offensive minds out there (both in college and NFL assistant ranks), he chose Randy...an in-house solution that he had known from way back.

That is a lazy hire. I'm sorry but it is. We all talk about Tomlin's game day ineptitude, but far too often, we forget how poor some of his key hires have been over the years.

Franco, I would respectfully disagree with this. Fitchner was a Ben hire. He was threatening to retire, and wanted his buddy Fitchner as the new OC. Tomlin made the only choice, keep his HOF QB by hiring his buddy. Ben doesn't want Canada either (who is seen as a innovative offensive mind). When Ben is calling the plays, you don't see him calling any of the Canada stuff. If Ben stays for next year, I am pretty sure Fitchner will be here as well.

The Steelers don't operate that way, have never operated that way, will likely never do so. Coaches are hired and evaluated by the organization as a whole. Even Noll didn't get that power over his assistants.

How they do operate: hire from within if at all possible.

I am certain Rooney and Colbert were part of the decision making with Tomlin, but it was Ben forcing the issue. When Ben didn't get along and didn't want Ken Whisenhunt, He did not get the job as head coach. When Ben didn't want Todd Haley, he got let go. He has a lot to say with Steelers decisions that impact him. Rooney, Colbert and Tomlin all know what happens without a franchise QB. The Steelers have operated that way with Ben. Most of the local writers said that Fitchner was Ben's choice when he was hired, and how important continuity was that late in his career.

[Havoc]

I don't buy the "Ben made me hire Rustbelt as OC" argument. If true, then Tomlin has no balls to stand up to his QB and call his bluff. I want a HC with more of a spine than that. Heck, there are dozens of other coordinators out there that Ben and Tomlin could have compromised on if he even wanted to take the middle road route.

Did Tomlin adjust in the second half to what Reich was doing? Yeah...but it took almost 3 quarters to do it. Indy kept waiting for our blitz and then running crossers against our slow LBs all first half. Why not dial back the blitz OR have Minkah challenge the crossers more like he did in the second half?

Same thing against Buffalo in the second half. It should have taken ONE series to adjust to what McDermott was doing with Diggs. 17 points later we are down and out.

It shouldn't take that long to adjust. It should take a series or maybe two. I'm ELATED we won yesterday. But, we aren't digging ourselves out of those holes very often...especially against playoff defenses. We have got to have more urgency for SIXTY minutes...something this team rarely does.

Urgency....

Steelers offense: 7 points due to a play by the defense. Our HC sqandered our last possession of the half.

Contrast with...

The team I pull for in the NBA (I live in the area) had 77 points at the half yesterday. They had a 50 point lead at halftime, largest halftime lead in NBA history.

LOL

[Kodiak]

Did Tomlin adjust in the second half to what Reich was doing?

Did he? Or did IND outsmart themselves and just get away from what was working?

[Jizz Mop]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

Tomlin was fooled by Phil Rivers rushing to the line as he thought why waste a TO when Rivers is going to rush a play. Of course, the veteran QB knew who is the rocket scientist who coaches the Steelers. Then when Rivers took his time, Tomlin didn't call a TO halfway in as he didn't want to show that he was fooled. One doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to call a timeout but a bigger brain won't be fooled as easily.

Sadly I think this may be exactly what unfolded

I’d like to think Tomlin at least thought about calling a TO

That would make me feel a little better.....not much....but show me he is at least thinking

[Jobu]

Its possible Tomlin didnt call the TO to avoid exposing a weak inaccurate kicker

Tomlin was fooled by Phil Rivers rushing to the line as he thought why waste a TO when Rivers is going to rush a play. Of course, the veteran QB knew who is the rocket scientist who coaches the Steelers. Then when Rivers took his time, Tomlin didn't call a TO halfway in as he didn't want to show that he was fooled. One doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to call a timeout but a bigger brain won't be fooled as easily.

Sadly I think this may be exactly what unfolded

I’d like to think Tomlin at least thought about calling a TO

That would make me feel a little better.....not much....but show me he is at least thinking

So Tomlin was fooled...

[RemoAZ]

Warren Sharp
@SharpFootball
if you want to know why the Steelers offense looked better in the 2nd half, it’s because in the 1st half, pre-snap the Colts were calling out OC Randy Fichtner’s terrible, predictable plays...

so Ben called his own plays that were not part of Fichtner’s game plan in the 2nd half

https://twitter.com/SharpFootball/statu ... 5803930625

[Professor Half Wit]

Warren Sharp
@SharpFootball
if you want to know why the Steelers offense looked better in the 2nd half, it’s because in the 1st half, pre-snap the Colts were calling out OC Randy Fichtner’s terrible, predictable plays...

so Ben called his own plays that were not part of Fichtner’s game plan in the 2nd half

https://twitter.com/SharpFootball/statu ... 5803930625

Gawd, Fichtner is such flaming garbage.