i know people need to vent

I get it. people are pissed and need to blame someone. there are a few things I don't understand though.

1. how is this lose on tomlin? I mean really. he lost a franchise qb and with 3 days to prepare with what we all know to be an average qb at best. they were 2 missed fgs from winning. are we even having this conversation if scobee can kick? the game plan was what I expected. you cant turn vick loose. he is a turnover machine.

2. they play calling to me was aggressive. I have read on THIS board several times when we have went for it on 4th with a run and not got it how it was a crap call. I get it. second guessing is what we do as fans but I guess I am wired different. I hate being predictable. handing the ball off doesn't guarantee a 1st anyway.

3. for me this is all on the kicker. he hits one and its over. how can you trot him out there for a 50 yrd fg when he has just missed two makeable ones?

I did think there were some big bright spots. Timmons is all over the place. Dupree seems to be around the ball all the time. I thought blake played better this week and cockrell looks solid. Jarvis even played better. I think james has taught him how to get held and not get a call though.lol he was held 2 times I know of.

 

Good post Steel. I thought there were a lot of good things that came from this. Pass D looked good, and we created a couple of turnovers. We have some big nastys on the interrior D-line in Heyward and Tuit. LBers had there moments even without Shazier in the game. It's a rivalry game so you can throw the records out, it was going to be tough to get a win against a desperate team without Ben.

Oh and we can't forget that #cocktober was trending in Pittsburgh last night after the INT and fumble recovery by Cockrell.

 

It sucks that they lost,but overall I'm happy with where they are. The defense is improving. There are still some issues, but the arrow is pointing up. I would bet just about anything that with Ben and Bryant playing this game it isn't even remotely close. For that matter if we hadn't lost Wheaton in the 2nd quarter things probably would have been different.

 

Play calling sucked. You need to look at the plays you're asking you now left-handed QB to make in the clutch. The pass to Brown isn't one that they typically make based on the release point and where you're leading the receiver from across the body.

You don't empty the backfield and call a bootleg to the short side of the field on a critical 2 yard play!

 

The thing about your second point though is that if people are complaining about that call it's because Ben is a franchise qb and you want to have the ball in his hands. You surely don't want to have the ball in Vick's hands. You want to have it in Bell's hands. I would have had no problem with throwing it to AB if Ben had been in there. It would have been a great call. But Vick was averaging less than 5yds per pass and they ask him to throw across his body with the game on the line and Bell lined up in the slot. It's like we sent him out there to say "HEY! WE'RE THROWING! MAKE SURE YOU COVER EVERYONE! HIKE!" Just poor design for the situation. Poor execution. Poor throw. Ben makes that throw and that's why it would be fine if Ben were in. However, Vick was not gonna make that throw. The ball should have went to Bell and I don't see how anyone can argue the odds aren't better of Bell picking up one as opposed to Vick throwing for about 7 when he is averaging less than 5. That's my beef with it.