Fly on the wall

That’s what I would like to be at halftime in the locker room.We all have seen this time after time. Have a real good first half with the led then come out for the second half at it is a different team. Everyone is flat. Winning the then they tie us and it goes into OT. Thanks TJ, I know it is a team effort but there are exceptions and this is one of them.

 

I would imagine on Sunday at halftime the defense was told let's just keep doing what we're doing because it worked in the 1st half. Meanwhile the Seahawks most likely said let's pull out the tried and true ways to beat the Steelers game plan and said we will show heavy motion one way and have our backs cut back into the open lanes made by the Steelers being over aggressive.

In all honesty I don't think the coaching staff thought that any changes were necessary and paid a steep price for not preparing for it.

 

It really does make it harder 2 change a game plan at Half time if So far most is working. I just wish they did before the 3rd straight scoring drive.

 

One of the things I always was worked up about was that need to so completely shut down the running game that is caused issues with pass defense. That obsession about not allowing a 100 yard rusher but give up 450 yards passing. My attitude was who cares if they get a hundred play the pass and defend it. I never thought I'd change that stance but yeah stuff the run.

 

I would have loved being in the Falcons and Patriots locker rooms at halftime during that fateful SB.

 

What about in Buffalo when we look like **** in the first half and came back to win in the second half?

 

it was on TV. the women interviewed pete carroll on the way to the locker room and he said we have to run the ball in the second half. then they interviewed MT and he said i think they are going to go with the deep passing game so we will defend that.
i knew there was a problem because both did just what they said.

 

Less than you think goes on at halftime...interesting piece here.

https://tinyurl.com/rpj5yh6f

 

They said there would be Popcorn...

 

I think it can depend on who your playing. I would think that if you are playing a team that the backup QB is playing and has not played much football in the last few years then you would shut the run down and force him to beat you.

The bigger issue though is our coach is not the best at halftime adjustments or in game adjustments. Seems like he is playing Checkers while the other coach plays chess and he's spotting them 3 moves free as well.

 

Very true. Tough to make plans for in game changes when your chosen coaching style focuses more on improving your overall performance and less about what the team you are facing in going to do.

 

This team plays 30 minutes.

They either start like crap and get it going more in the 2nd half

Or they start better and then do nothing in the 2nd half.

 

TRUE! I cant remember a single game in the Tomlin era where this team played a full game from all 3 sides (offense, defense special teams). Maybe its happened but i don't remember one off hand. Tomlin's legacy in my mind will always be that of teams that are never prepared and never play a full game.

 

they should know the game plan for that week but they don't have to adhere just to that if they are getting gashed. they have practiced more then that weeks plan since training camp. they can switch to better defenses for what the other team is doing to them. that's why they get the big bucks. good teams do adjust. maybe one of those assistants should watch the tv when the other teams coach is being interviewed at halftime instead of just guessing wrong. don't you think that adjustment can be made at halftime? they plan on running the ball so lets play the pass. great strategery.

 

Sunday night vs the Chiefs the year Kevin Greene was inducted into the hall of fame and he was on hand for Alumni night and presented at half time. I want to say when they retired Joe's number the offense and defense played inspired ball while st was average.

 

I was at that Sunday night game against the Chiefs. That was a sound ass whoopin.

 

If anyone where to describe Tomlin's coaching style I think "stubborn to a fault" would be in there somewhere. His game plans are not typically masterpieces of strategy and we are always slow to adjust. He has never made radical changes during a season, let alone during a game. I think half-time is generally about the coaches looking at tape and seeing what the opponents are doing that might create opportunities in the 2nd half. The adjustments are probably very simple and more related to plays that they might want to pull out of their bag of tricks or maybe as simple as noticing their RT is struggling on a certain pass rush.. lets try to exploit it again ... or maybe when we show this formation they do this... so lets change the primary read.

Seattle's 2nd half was a perfect example of this... it was obvious when they ran in the first half we were getting beat in the middle. They said lets keep doing it until they can stop it because I dont think we stopped it once. We clearly could not stop it as they ran the ball down our throats for 3 or 4 drives in a row. Tomlin came out thinking Seattle would do exactly what HE would do in that situation..abandon the run. Seattle knew Tomlin would be slow to adjust because he's always slow to adjust.

I'd say most of our losses in large part have something to do with Tomlin's refusal to adjust during a game until it's too late. This is why we often lose to inferior teams and get blown out by strategists that like to attack your weakness at the time. I think a lot of coaches actually use the same philosophy as Tomlin - mano a mano - impose your will on the other by force of repetition - like a boxer using jabs. Occasionally throw a knock out punch if they drop their hand. This worked for a long time because we had a knock out punch. We no longer do. Other tams with elite QB's can quickly change the plan during a game and attack what ever weakness you are showing at the time. (the difference between Arians and Canada or Tomlin and Belicheat). How many games did Brady just come out and attack the same DB or LB all game while we refused to change the coverage until we were down by 3 TD's.

 

Seattle picked out a weakness in our D and used to there advantage. We did nothing to adjust.

 

There’s a mini-essay here where Fichtner talks about half time adjustments. Just following up maddog’s earlier post

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports...ftime-adjustments-ravens/stories/202011050157