Right now it’s piss poor play calling and dumb QB decisions

I thought Mitch was ok. He didn't make any costly errors.

I'm more concerned with the offensive game plan and play calling. I think the Canada offense is too dependent on window dressing (all the motions, shifts, etc) and underneath it all the play designs are too rudimentary for the NFL.

 

At the time I was thinking the same thing, but after seeing the replay and how close Chase was to making a play on the initial tipped ball the interception was the right way to go. IMO

 

Not to mention, there is an opportunity for a run back after the INT. I mean, not looking at a pick 6 but maybe get some of the yards back

 

I thought Randy Fichner was on the sideline today

 

Jameis Winston put up better numbers.

He was a free agent....

 

Quit thinking

 

Mitch looked exactly like he did in the preseason, a game manager. He played it safe all game, but maybe thats by design.

 

I can’t criticize Canada.

We had no run game if it wasn’t for the hand offs to Claypool.

We probably don’t move the ball without the flea flicker.

He is making the best of a bad situation.

 

I don't think Trubisky was sacked, the OL was bad though in the run game, Najee had no holes to run through.

 

But if they want teams to not crowd the box, they will need to throw the ball down the field more.

 

Indeed... it was painful to watch. Hell, even when he committed to running the ball he looked indecisive or maybe just scared. That one play he was carrying the ball like a loaf of bread and it looked like he was going to stop short of the 1st down.

Maybe Pickett will get the nod sooner than I had hoped!

 

TBH our play calling hamstrung him quite a bit. Although, he didn't have a strong showing at all. We need to do better if we plan on competing for a playoff spot.

With the way Mitch looked today, there's a growing chance we see Pickett before the year's end

 

True.. Just cant let them do that to you without attempting to punish them. He looked a lot better the more we threw the ball downfield. But he didn't have a lot of opportunity

 

Plus I’m sure it’s instinct.

 

What happened 2 the big plays in the middle of the field, and this awesome offense once we got a Qb that could actually move would be lights out....as I was told 5 million times last year????

 

It's our run blocking that's horrible...if people watch other Olines...our pass blocking is average.

 

I agree. We need to give teams something else to worry about. Mitch needs to use that athleticism more effectively.

 

Steelers fans like to complain about them having the worst OL in the league, they need to watch other teams OL, they're just as bad or worse.

Dallas
Green Bay
Cincinnati

 

Exactly.

 

I feel the problem is more Mitch than the playcalling. But, I also question the playcalling as well. If we want to roll out a game manager, we might as well just put Rudolph in there. Mitch didn't exactly cost us the game. But the offense struggled with him in there. I felt that Mitch had a far better pocket than Burrows, and felt our OL was actually decent at pass blocking. Mitch got to execute better. It was his first start in a few years, so I'm not going to say start Pickett next week. I think Mitch should get a four game leash, unless he's absolutely pathetic. I'd grade Mitch at a C-.

 

Seems the offensive strategy is to play mistake free football and not turn it over. Reminds me of when MR and Duck were playing. Can't play not to lose or take chances and expect to consistently win without a lot of help from the other team, which we did get. Pickett is not the answer either or else he would be in playing, right? Who thinks the play calling will change with a rookie in vs Mitch and the same OL? Plays for Pickett will be worse as they will call plays for confidence building and to keep him out of the ER. Mitch is playing it safe for fear of hearing Pickett's named called which is another problem that isn't good for anyone. Anyway, one game, we won, maybe a little more time before all the ingredients come together as we'd hope. JMO>

 

Tomlin said they purposely turtled the entire game in order to protect the ball.

typical tomlin approach: do the least possible and hope to block a PAT and get missed FGs and then hope to have one good drive in OT to win it.

 

I agree that it looked like we were playing to just "not lose" the game on offense. It really is baffling. You went out to sign a vet QB so you didn't have to do this right? I understand that we don't want to rush the young kid to the field, but if we have to "protect" Mitch this hard with our play calling... then he truly doesn't give us a better chance to win than Pickett does and he should be out there instead. It really just seems like we don't want to play Pickett this early (which is fine, I guess). We are going to do whatever the hell that was on offense on Sunday as many times as the organization can stomach it, then just trot out Pickett and hope that he is 100% ready. Can't say I am surprised. Tomlin is a great motivator and the players love him, but he is about as bad as there is in the league in terms of game-planning, personnel decisions, challenges, etc. It really is hard to see the logic in some of the decisions that he makes sometimes. Hopefully the offense turns it around bc I can't stomach too many more performances like Sunday in Cincy. We have too much talent on that side of the ball to suck that hard.

 

This is something you see much more live at the games than on tv

Too many times I hear the QB maligned but no one is open