Realistic expectations for new coach.

Of course I want to win in the playoffs, I'm also not looking forward to no 6-7 win seasons either.

 

This team isn't making the playoffs next year .

 

Yep.

Will the opposite be true with the much more likely outcome?

I tend to think we'll miss the playoffs because there isn't really all that much talent on this team, especially under center (currently Mason / Howard).

But we will probably hire someone that Rooney thinks has the best opportunity to execute the mission statement (don't play meaningless games in the regular season and compete for a playoff spot always).

Especially if the young QBs in the league end up being legit above average QBs.

Then we have: Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow, Maye, Nix, Herbert, Stroud (looked bad in the playoffs this year though), Lawrence all in the same conference.

I fear that there will be a huge gulf of talent between whoever we have under center and the top 8-10 QBs just in the conference.

And on top of all that, the defense will all be a year older.

When Cowher left, we had a team that was at the beginning of it's competitive window because Ben was young and had a chance to be the greatest of all time (he didn't achieve this, but his career was awesome).

But now, we have a team that's we have been holding together with spit and duct tape for years so that we could pretend that we were being competitive for squeaking into the playoffs when we probably didn't deserve it.

IMO we need a real rebuild (but not a tank). But I don't think Rooney will OK that. So we'll try to just tread water like this. And it's likely that whoever we hire will be worse at getting not-all-that-good teams into the playoffs as Tomlin was.

And with the group of AFC QBs appearing to get even stronger, even if we do get into the playoffs...I think it's hard to think we'll do much against teams QB'd by the young guys on their 1st contracts...or the guys with really good track records.

I really, really hope the team proves me wrong. But without a really, really good draft I don't think we have the horses to compete in the AFC.

 

Tomlin dong suckers seem to be those in the mainstream sports media. Very few fans were content on mediocre Mike.


If Aaron Rodgers comes back and has another receiver to throw too with the defense fixed(Shula) then the chances go up for a win.

 

If it gets us a QB in 27 let’s embrace it. We are not contending with AR or Kirk Cousins etc etc we need a reset.

 

Gonna be wild if the new guy claws out 9 fugly wins and gets creamed in the wildcard round by a better team.

 

Hiya, Hawaii!!

Still a big grumpy grump?

 

It was Tomlin's conservative approach of playing to not turn the ball over, when you have a chance at 3 then kick the FG, if it's fourth and one at midfield then punt and force the other team to try and go 90 yards. On defense don't worry about giving up yards just force a bunch of turnovers. Playing that style of football will win most games thus you have Kenny Pickett going 14-10, Justin Fields going 4-2 and Russell Wilson going 6-5. That style of play of course doesn't work in the playoffs against superior teams but it does scratch out enough wins to make the playoffs.

 

Tomlin’s issues weren’t playing for the TD instead of FGs. His issue is his teams were constantly ill prepared in games 3-4 times a year and couldn’t even compete in the playoffs for a decade.

 

Hope : hire good coordinators expectations : building something