What would you fix on Steelers Defense?

What a lame response. Just disagree with no explanation.

 

that would require work - much. Tomlin is not interested in greatness. Or learning at this point in his life. We have seen his peak. It is the Peter Principle. I don't know what it will take for more fans to understand this. Rooney clearly does not understand it and we all suffer for it.

 

he is part of the MTDF

(Mike Tomlin Defense Fund)

 

That's not what Flacco did though. Flacco had that ball out of his hands so quick that all blitzing would do is open up a receiver. Flacco was 1 read then check down on almost all of his passing plays.

 

short range, middle of the field was open all day. he ate us up.

and it did not matter if we got him to 3rd and long. could not touch him and he moved the chains....

 

That’s why you play press man along with the blitz but we were living in our fears and being conservative.

 

You're part of the clueless fans club

 

Watch the game and tell me who is calling the game on defense.

 

If I was talking directly to You my fellow Steelers fan I would have quoted you. I was talking to many that just repeat what others say. Like some that call a swing pass.....a screen, or rpos ....play-action, or man under....a soft zone, and such. You may very well know what a blitz is.....this is why I didn't single you out, or anyone out.

 

Did you ever watch the Kieth Butler interview when he flat out admitted Tomlin calls all the shots on defense? Nothing goes on with that Defense without Tomlin’s hand in it. But, for sake of argument lets say Austin is an actual Defensive coordinator. Why does he then fail to make proper adjustments when a running QB leaves the game and an immobile Qb comes in? Is he really that inept or is he waiting for Tomlin to give him the green light to make those changes? Why do we not have multiple game plans so we can make adjustments quickly to prevent the opposing team from going up 17 points before we finally make a half hearted effort to change things up? The sad thing is we actually know Flacco. We know his tendencicsand his strengths and weaknesses. It just infuriates me.it’s like if the original game plan doesn’t work we never seem to have a a contingency plan.

Tomlin does alot well. But his weaknesses certainly showed up this game. What are his weaknesses you may ask? Well I will list them for you and you tell me wether they didn’t impact the game negatively.
1. Poor Clock management and use of timeouts.
2. Poor use of challenges (when and when not too).
3. Micromanaging Coordinators in particular on Defense.
4. Lack of contingency plan or in game adjustments - when they zig we zig don’t continue to zag and zag and zag. Meaning continued 4 man fronts or lack of stunts, or exotic blitzes and discusses. Continued zone defense after Flacco came in. No help with Herbig on outside contain when we all knew that may be an issue.

 

Easy one. It's like a pancake filled with cheese or something. Your gonna have to try harder than that to stump me.

 

LoL

 

Tomlin does have a hand in the upcoming game scheme, and I'm sure gives yay, or nay to certain calls(as all HCs do), but he is not calling the plays Defensively, or offensively during the game. You can see this during the game. Watch the sidelines during the game, or if not during the live game....watch it in a replay.

 

We have had this discussion many times about the DC role, I think Butler was bitter he wasn't kept around. Sure Tomlin is involved in the defense game planning, but Austin is making the majority of the calls on gameday. Arthur Moats disputed the Butler story he said Tomlin would only make like 5 defensive calls a game FWIW.

 

Fans just want to believe what they want to it's obvious if you watch the game he isn't making the calls, on occasion I have seen him with a small play sheet.

 

My point was meant to address third and long when he likely would have tried to throw at or past the sticks. They were freakin' 6 of 8 on third down with at least three times I can think of being third and eight plus. So, there should be time for a free DB to get home or make him move. I know Flacco was three steps, ball out most of the time. But it's still no excuse to not blitz him here and there and make him uncomfortable because the DB's and backers had an awful game in coverage. I mean, if he's beating them without pressure, what difference does it make if he beats you once or twice when you do pressure him? What difference does it make of they are getting it all in one or two chunks or "death by a thousand cuts" like Indy did Sunday?

 

It ultimately still falls on Tomlin for picking with and staying with poor coordinators. This defense is Tomlin’s baby. It is constructed and schemed by him. Austin may call the plays on game day but he isn’t making any schematic changes to the game plan on game day unless he checks with Tomlin first. Its that micromanagement that hand ties the Coordinators.
With the highest paid defense in the league. With Four Pro Bowlers on that side with a couple other borderline Pro Bowlers including a DPOY. the results have to be better on defense. We didn’t have an answer for their pass game and we didn’t make revisions on defense to combat the pass. We invested heavily in defending the pass over the middle of the field and we just don’t seem to be any better than previous years. At some point it can’t be the players... it’s gotta be the scheme and the coaching.

 

5 defensive calls too many. Regardless were splitting hairs at this point. Tomlin is responsible either way. If he isn’t calling plays on game day he is certainly responsible for the game plan either by direct involvement approving it or allowing it to happen. You never here the pundits bringing up Austin when it comes to Defensive Coordinators in the league. Everyone knows. Its pretty obvious. But if you want to point to Austin then Tomlin is still at fault for keeping him as the Defensive Coordinator then. We should not have that kind of performance on defense with that kind of talent on defense, period.

 

He has a headset and a mike. He can communicate with his Coordinators a zillion different ways. He may not be calling every play, but he definitely is responsible for the scheme and the gameplay each week. My bigger issue is the defensive scheme and the overall game plan in particular in the Colts game. We can not play zone defense. We either don’t coach it up right or we don’t have players that fit that kind of scheme. Yes I know its all about communication and we have alot of new players but come on that really is a lame excuse. That just means these guys aren’t coached up well. If there not ready there not ready thats on them and the coaches.

 

Exactly. Part of the issue is when we did blitz you could see it coming from a mile away. We telegraphed it. No stunts, no deception ... just line up four guys and then walk the DB or ILB up to the gap slowly basically waving HERE I AM. I get it we have Beani Bishop and Wilson in there as Rookies but I think they are smart enough to be able to disguise a blitz.

They need to work on the zone defense as well. Every year we here the same excuse “We have alot of new players and we just have to get better at communication”. Thats a lame excuse. Every team has new players. if your making the kind of money these guys are making on a per game basis and your a professional then lack of communication should not be an excuse. What’s maddening is these issues will linger well into the back half of the season. Good teams and good coaches get these issues addressed so they don’t linger into the following week. Good coaches maximize their players talent and the players play above their pedigreee. I see the opposite with our defensive players right now.

 

It doesn't even happen every game find something else to complain about .

 

They would have been better off if Brian Flores stuck around and became DC.

 

The defense gave up 17 points and 181 yards on the first three drives of the game. The offense didn't do that.... Now, yes, the offense had its own problems - but you cant minimize the fact that the defense played like garbage last week. I am sure they will play much better Sunday, and will continue to be one of the league's best... However they sucked last week. Bad weeks happen. They need to do better this week.

 

Fat boy Zeke…

 

Correct.

The middle of the field has been open on the Steelers defense since the mid 90’s. It’s become a meme.