Possible theory on Tomlin's decision making

I have been pondering some of Tomlin's decisions and have a theory. He seems to be known as a player's coach, not a tactician, so maybe his in-game decisions are more about players than tactics. By going for it on 4th and 1, kicking a FG from 57 yards in bad conditions, and deciding 3rd and 7 is better than 4th and 2, he is showing faith in his players and trusts they will get the job done. That has got to let the players know he has confidence in them. Unfortunately, none of that worked out last Thursday as far as outcomes, but it did send a message to the team that he thinks they can get the job done in those circumstances. That's a good message from a head coach, and may have season-long benefits rather than single game implications.

I also wonder if he delegates the choice of the actual play in those circumstances, and the coordinators make those calls. He has the say "go for it on 4th and 1", but the OC chooses the play. Or "3rd and 7 pushes them back five yards for a tougher field goal - let's hold 'em" and the DC calls the coverage. That would implicate the OC and DC for some of the bad choices we tend to blame Tomlin for, though the buck stops with him.

That doesn't explain his weird time out use and challenges - that will forever remain a mystery.

 

I don’t know… I’d think players would be happier and more confident if they had actually beat the Browns.

 

I think players realize they missed plays and lost the game. They don't blame coaching, they own their mistakes.

 

I don’t know… players aren’t that dumb, and if anything too arrogant (like Pickens), to not see how it’s a team game and the coaches are part of the team, and can impact games.

 

you are trying to understand the great unknown.

I wouldn't dare venture into that dark hole!

you cannot explain......the UNEXPLAINABLE! it's complete foolishness at times

 

As a Tomlin fan....I must say I dislike the new Tomlin. I always liked the conservative way He approached football. Now He has gone crazy this year....He keeps going for it on 4th down, running fake punts , and running a stupid Qb carousel. Where is the Tomlin I always stuck up for???
You would think the Tomlin haters would love Him now....because they always complained about Him being too conservative, but I guess their hate really had nothing to do with that.
I want the old Conservative Tomlin back.

 

I want the 2007 - 2010 Tomlin back - the one that won playoff games and Championships. Short of that....I was completely done by the end of the 2017 season.

hate is not even part of the discussion

 

This does seem to a switch in philosophy, and given he knows his team better than we do, I assume it is a calculated one. Maybe he feels they need to pursue a higher risk approach because they have some weaknesses (secondary, WR), and if the risks pay off they are more likely to win. If just one of the 4th and 1 or other aggressive calls pays off, the game has a quite different feel. I wish they'd be more aggressive on defense with more blitzing - D seems very vanilla.

 

According to one player it was the cold. Not thinking the other team was in the same cold.

 

There was a video from the Haley era where Tomlin was telling Haley to have two plays ready. He didn’t dictate what they were just to have two plays due to time constraints. That doesn’t give me the impression he’s the micromanager some like to make him out to be. As for going for it on fourth down I generally have no problems with it. It does show faith in the players, but holy crap if they want to be a run first team the line has to be able to get one effing yard. As for kicking in bad weather that’s kind of a joke to me. Everyone else on the team is expected to do their job no matter the weather, but some fans have a different set of rules for the kicker. Makes no damn sense at all

 

That dude is long long gone. We got Mr. Cool in the shades now.

 

You had a lot more patience than I did, that's for sure! I was done with him by 2011

 

Not only did the Browns have the home field advantage they had the snow field advantage. Sorry I will just let myself out now lol

 

If Waitman kicks a 40 yard punt. Steelers win.

 

Same Tomlin, same result. Playing down to the competition, losing games he should win, head scratching decisions, happy with being .500. Tomlin is mediocrity personified.

 

That's the new Next Gen stats - analytics..... and they apparently haven't gotten that down yet.

For others,
The conversation usually goes to the unit coaches..... "You have a play ready for this? (4th and 5)
And that might come after 2nd down, "I wanna go for this if we don't get it on 3rd if we are close"
Special Teams and/or OC usually have something plotted.

Something analytics doesn't consider, momentum.

You may get your old Tomlin back....

 

Was that one of the numerous “weighty” downs the Steelers failed on?