Does this bother anyone else?

The Steelers have FAILED to make the playoffs in 2 of the last 4 years with Ben Roethlisberger as the QB and the Ravens have made the playoffs the last 5 years with Joe Flacco, let me repeat that, JOE FLACCO as their QB! And they've won at least one playoff game in each of the last five years with, ahem, JOE FLACCO AS THEIR QUARTERBACK!!!

I think all of us will acknowledge that Ben is head and shoulders above Flacco on the QB level. He is considered by many to be a top 5 quarterback in the league, but the fact is that we are just not getting it done with him at the helm. Does it go back to coaching? Do you think Tomlin needs to realize that what he is doing is not working as well as it should and will he be willing to tweak some things and make some changes in the offseason to get us back on track? He doesn't seem willing to make coaching personnel changes when it seems to be called for. I think every assistant coach on the team should be evaluated. Kirby Wilson, Randy, Fichtner, Amos Jones, the S&C coach and even the coordinators. I think Sean Kugler should have been fired had he not accepted the head coaching position at UTEP based on the offensive line's performance this year and in previous years under his tenure. I'm not saying that Tomlin needs to overreact and fire everybody, but the WRs and the RBs regressed this year. The special teams were a joke that got less funny as the year went on. The overall conditioning of the players does not seem to be up to par and appears to be leading to nagging injuries that COULD be caused by insufficient conditioning (see Woodley, Lammar).

I certainly don't think it's time for the Rooneys to consider a head coaching change, but I do think it's time for Tomlin to reconsider some of his methodologies and make the necessasry adjustments. Something at this point he seems unwilling to do. After all, the standard is the standard. And the standard is apparently, mediocrity.

 

is the new standard ...

 

No, it doesnt bother me. In those same 5 years, the Steelers have been to 2 SuperBowls and won 1 of them. Thats alot better then Flacco has ever done.

 

It is a team sport. I will say this, Baltimore doesn't seem to struggle with focus the way our team does. They don't seem to struggle with teams they should beat as much as we do.

 

Baltimore doesnt seem to win when it counts the most the way our team does.

 

This.

 

I completely agree.

 

Our team did, but not this year.

 

Give up 2 yrs of playoffs for 2 Superbowl appearances and 1 win. I ll take that over playoffs any day.

 

it wasen't flacco that kept them out of the SB last year. it was a drop by a wr that kept them out. this year is a little different though, the D is old like ours.

 

The shank on the FG didn't help much either. OMG!

 

I agree with this as well.

 

This

 

They need to start winning some games and they can no lose anymore games... oh wait...

 

This

 

Oh, what the heck...This!

 

That's about to change.

 

I think Ravens kind of keep it simple though, and it is an easy path to success... They have not lost the tough running mindset with Ray Rice. They don't force Flacco to do too much. On the defensive side, I think the Ravens are doing a better job replacing guys that get old or get injured through the draft. Ngata in his prime doesn't hurt either. Steelers guys are too old.

Sometimes Ben and Steelers gets too cute with the 3 or 4 wide receiver sets, and before you know it, it is 3 and out.

I still think the offense they had when they won SB 40 is a recipe for better success. Tough running, create short manageable 3rd downs, throw when you have too, throw for big plays off playaction.

 

I think Baltimore will be in transition
next year, They will be decent but,
Why do I seem to have more faith in Ozzie to find
players than I do Colbert?

 

I wish Ben could throw a deep ball as well as flacco, Maybe we'd be in the playoffs.
I wish Coach Kugs would've had healthy OL to work with, Maybe our rungame would've been better,Ben would have not been hurt for three games and we'd be in the playoffs.
I wish Coach Kirby wouldn't have been injuryed, Period!!
Our ST coach needs to go.
Our conditioning coach needs to go.
Our secondary coach, Lake, needs a raise.
You can't get to play in the Superbowl if you don't make the playoffs so I want to be in the Playoffs EVERY Year so Coach T needs to be on warning from the FO.

Cajun-

 

Really? The standard is mediocrity? Mike Tomlin has a 68-36 record, including playoffs, as a head coach and you call that mediocrity?

Ask any Cleveland Clowns fan if they would think that a 68-36 record, including 2 Super Bowl appearances with 1 win, and 4 playoff appearances is mediocre. I'm pretty sure they would say no. In fact, most fans in most cities would say that those numbers represent a pretty damned successful team. We're spoiled as Steelers fans, because we expect to make a run every year. It doesn't happen. That doesn't mean that Mike Tomlin has accepted MEDIOCRITY as the "standard".

 

Yeah, upset they let it slip this year, but let's be honest, they let it slip last year as well! They were 12-4 and didn't even feel like it. At least this year they had the decency to lose games they played like crap in.

I'll take 2 Superbowl runs over consecutive appearances. It's a matter of perspective though. Let's go back and ask the Bills if they could have had one win in the Superbowl over 4 straight appearances and see what they say.

 

I agree that last year didn't feel like it at the end - but we were playing with a one-legged quarterback for the last quarter of the season. I still don't think that this team or this coach accepts mediocrity as the "standard".