Coach Tomlin Season Ending Press Conference Notes 12/31/12

This team isn't as far off as most people in here think.

The D started out bad and improved as the year went on.
The O starter out better than most expected, stalled when Ben got hurt, then got the engine running again, but never looked to be running on all cylinders.
Special teams...the kickers did fine, the return game was solid but unspectacular, the coverage teams stunk.

We never seemed to get the whole team together on the same page.

Flip that 3-5 close game record to 5-3 and we are still playing. What is sad is, Ben pretty much put this team in a position to lose the last 2 games like that with INTs putting the opponent in FG range. Really sad.

They have some things to fix.

Offense:

Find that 3rd down conversion rate again. When did it work, and when didn't it.
Find our running game. We had like 4 straight games with 100 yard rushers in Dwyer and Redman, and then....nothing.
Work on the redzone...get Ben a physical target for the Redzone. I prefer a TE AND a WR, so you can run 2 tights leaving the D guessing about play action.

Defense:

Find a way to get pressure on the QB more consistently.
Create turnovers. Help the O by giving them a short field every once in a while.

Special teams:

Improve coverage. This is always an area of flux because the backups who typically do coverage change every year as improvements are made to the team.
Make some splash plays in the return game.

 

We were only 5-7 plays from being a 14-2 or 15-1 football team this year. It's not as big of a leap as may think it is.

 

we could have been 5-7 plays from picking in the top 10 too.

 

Exactly right

 

When you win like the Steelers do you're always drafting at the end of the line so while the picks can be good you're still not getting the cream of the crop. As for motivation the really GOOD players find a way to motivate themselves. It comes easy for them and they don't need coach speak BS to get them ready to play. Think about the Colts situation. Their coach wasn't even on the sidelines for most of the year and a guy we couldn't wait to run out of town took them to the playoffs. Was BA some genius coach that the Steelers totally under estimated ? Of course not but he had Andrew Luck and that was just enough to help them get over the hump and make it to the dance. Like I said it's the players.

 

Oh Tarheel not you too, take off those rose colored glasses and
see the world. but I guess you want to live in Mike Tomlins world
which is ok. To each his own. we can do better, he is out there we just have to find him.