Tomlin: Pickens behavior a problem

Cowher had more problems on his teams than any of us would/could ever hear about. He had the benefit of coaching in a world without social media with a different generation of player. I do not think Cowher's way would be successful with this younger generation. This isn't just a Steelers issue, it's all over the NFL.

 

the WR,s ----don't ---have a problem it's the whole Hoge-podge offense. I will never blame Johnson for being happy to get a TD or Pickens for wanting the ball.

 

Sometimes, he would blow guys up when he was blocking them. Other times, he just stood around looking bored. I remember seeing one video of him last season that he was fussing with his gloves right after the ball was snapped. It wasn't always pass or run, either. Sometimes players could tell he wasn't the primary target on a pass play because he just stood straight up at the line rather than getting in a stance.

Sure, getting him the ball more would help, but it would help him get the ball more if he started running better routes.

 

I blame them for dogging it when the ball isn't coming to them. It means they aren't available if the play breaks down and it often helps tip the defense to what is coming.

 

Today's sign of the apocalypse: AB offering good advice on WR behavior

 

Wow!!!!
I've seen it all now. LoL

 

I think being a strict disciplinarian for the sake of discipline can be a turn off, Tom Coughlin was a good example of that.

But many players respected Cowher and when he did bench a guy, they knew it was fair because they knew they were letting the team down.

It is all about the team and if you can sell that and the players buy in, the players will respect you.

 

Maybe a ghost writer?

 

I wouldn't mind seeing both moved this off season, lets make some deals.
Addition by subtraction.

 

What a nut case/wack job he is.He should listened to his advice
All those years he was a pain in the ass for the Steeler organization .
Now we have 2 just like him.

 

ab the biggest quitter offering advice lol.Oh and standing around doing nothing is unacceptable but being upset or happy is only human.

 

This has got to be the worst post I've read on here in years!!!Ward was not a saint, but what he was was a Hard worker that did all the dirty work. Played every game with a chip on his shoulder. Was a difference maker every time he laced up his cleats.. Never a showboater or a slacker .. For Christ sake he balled his eyes out on national TV after they lost AFC championship...You think any of these primmadonnas would give a Sh!t or care that much ... Maybe your memory needs jogged

 

Heck just design plays that force defenses to play him 1 on 1 .if the D refuses run multiple routes underneath that bracket coverage. Practice the drop in a bucket and the back shoulder throws .George has showed he is a top talent he has every right to be upset. If I was him I would consider setting out if they don’t trade him.. The thought process is they are not using him they are killing his value why risk injury ?

 

Probably in the minority in thinking Kenny is a good QB. I'd wager quite a bit he would garner lots of trade attention. I would love to see him go somewhere and thrive just to snicker at the handful of people that (incessantly) compare his stats to the QB flavor of the week.

Have heard numerous times from the likes of Mike Williamson and DK how the receivers just aren't getting open. Bad routes. Bad scheme. Bad coaching. Bad offense. I've seen film of open receivers, missed opportunities. EVERY QB misses opportunities. However, as most of the people here have rhetorically stated, "Why are our receivers not open like theirs!" (See previous sentences)

Look at Robinson. He's washed. However, he's playing a majority of the snaps. For what reason? Gives the offense nothing.

Seriously, WTAF with two Offensive Coordinators? Professional top of the line league and you can't get ONE person to call the shots? I don't know. Just weird weird weird.

 

Not all of Cowher's players were saints, of course - you would sometimes have players like Hines Ward and Joey Porter - guys who would earn - whether deservedly or otherwise -- a reputation for playing "dirty". In most of these cases, though, the faults were displayed on the field - they rarely if ever spilled over into the locker room. If anything, Cowher's problem was that some of his players played a bit too passionately. However I believe that these issues were more or less a reflection of Cowher's passion and uncompromising drive to win.

With Tomlin, though, it would sometimes appear as though ithe opposite is true. Yes, some of the problems stem from outside cultural factors- namely the addictive thrall of social media and the attention that they can generate - but this is a problem with examples that, in some cases, predate the meteoric rise of Tic Tok, X, and Instagram.

Although Ben Roethlisberger's recklessness in driving without a helmet could be viewed in retrospect as a foreshadowing of later issues, Ben was nevertheless at his worst only after Tomlin took the reigns. From there, we would see the (often highly publicized) emergence of one hugely problematic player after another. Players repeatedly missing games for drug use. Players acting like psycho-erratic divas.

Generational talents like Antonio Brown and Le'veon Bell would arrive in Pittsburgh and then leave a few years later, out of control and empty handed - but not before causing great damage to both the locker room, and the franchise as a whole. Although not as calamitous as the others, Juju was sometimes criticized for seeming to put social media first.

Now, we're looking at the liles of Dionte Johnson - who is quite possibly the least disciplined player in the league - moping despondently on national television as his team mates chase after a fumbled ball that he could not have possibly cared less about, while at other times overtly celebrating at the least appropriate times.

Pickens, meanwhile, is also moping about and acting like a mini-Antonio Brown - except unlike in Brown's case, he doesn't even have the sort of output to even begin to justify his deva behavior. Unfriending 95% of your team mates on Instagram or whatever it was, is just so incredibly unprofessional and embarassing - that it was something picked up by the national media only makes it worse. For this reason alone, it should have been grounds for Tomlin to bench the dude for at least a game or two - but that's not how Tomlin tends to operate.

Although he'll occasionally punish a C-tier players, when it comes to guys that he personally likes or whom he sees as in any way gifted, those players usually get a pass. This sort of outwardly passive, generally off-handed, permissive approach literally helps no one - it can pacify raging egos in the short term, but only for a short time. And yet, that's Tomlin's MO.

I mean, it's good that he's acknowledging that Pickens' behavior is a problem - but where does the buck stop? I hate to break it to him, but it stops at him. Unfortunately, with the locker room clearly lost, things aren't likely going to change until he's gone.

 

If it is done right the first time there shouldn’t be a second or third time.

 

A. Brown had some advice for Pickens.

 

That’s actually sound advice from AB, but we all know if he was on this team and playing with Mitch in this scheme he would be a nightmare.

 

That's the shocker. I had to ask 12 times: "A. Brown said that? Really? Really, Really, Really?"
I'm watching for Haley's comet next.

 

He has to consider optics for his next contract. Some teams would refuse to invest in him if he acts too much like a baby, so sitting out doesn't bode well for him.... especially being a guy on a rookie contract. He could request a trade, but he doesn't have much leverage so a good agent would advise against that.

He has to play well enough with what he has to garner some interest, but at the same time not scare teams away with his behavior. His complaining now is to try to enact some change organizationally. He thinks our QB's suck and he's right. He is tired of Pickett and his inability to get the ball to the WR's with the forward pass, and wants the team to go out and get someone who can get him the ball. He can't enact change mid season, but he is certainly pushing for the team to do something about the QB position.

 

Mitch? He would be a nightmare having to catch passes from Pickett too. AB would be having sideline tantrums all the time, hell he had them sometimes when Ben was QB... Our QB situation is screwed man.

 

Pickens' behavior is a problem????

Tomlin's lack of discipline is a bigger problem.... this monster was absolutely created by the head coach and unfortunately, there is no accountability

 

He already has a well-deserved reputation for having a poor attitude and taking plays off. Sitting out would do a lot more to kill his value than anything the team is or isn't doing. Your post also ignores his poor route-running and that he takes plays off when he isn't the primary target. How often do you see him finding an opening when a play breaks down? Ever?