The Steelers are 8-2

I understand this team has some issues. Even with those issues they are good enough to be 8-2. They can be better at producing points on offense and by getting more consistent play out of the QB. The defense needs to do better by not giving up so many deep passes in the passing game.

Expecting perfection isn't realistic. This team could be dangerous if the offense (mostly depending on Ben) gets rolling though.

 

If this offense chooses to play the same way ( dink and donk) as they did in the final 20 mins the next 2 games, then I'll believe we're a true contender. It'll look like they'll be sticking to it.

Lets hope this was the turning point and Ben doesn't go back to being the holding the ball for too long gunslinger.

 

8-2 is in the past, most important thing right now is to prepare to be 9-2

 

Yep watch the games and root for the rest of the contending teams in the AFC to lose this weekend.

 

I've been critical of Tomlin. Underachievement has been a problem the last 5-6 years. Playoff wins have been few and far between. We have had a SB caliber team, I think it's fair to expect playoff wins. So far this season has been one of Tomlin's better looking seasons. I'm thrilled. We have IMO the most talented team in the NFL. We're 8-2. What's there not to be happy about? You can be happy with the big picture and still critical of aspects of the team - coaching included. We are 8-2 and still have not played the best football, so that IMO is even more impressive. Historically great teams win even when they are not their best. So I'm hoping that's what we are turning in to. If we do continue to improve nothing will stop us.

There's nothing wrong with a fan being critical. . This attitude that if you don't sing praises to everyone then you're some how less of a fan is ridiculous. If a team loaded with talent has an 9-7 season I don't consider that an accomplishment. I consider that failure. Same goes for a team that is loaded with talent and can't win a playoff game. If a SB favorite doesn't make it to the big dance, then IMO it's disappointing. We have not lived up to our talent level under Tomlin so it's fair to criticize . So far this season we have lost to the horrible Bears and should have probably lost to the horrible Colts. Those were classic Tomlin games...he's had MANY of them. We have not looked like a playoff caliber team in many of our games this season, yet here we are at 8-2. Luckily we've had a nice schedule and our defense has greatly improved. If the offense gets it going I don't see anyone beating us. If we choke in the playoffs again, I'll be one of the loudest critics, because I'm sick of playoff failure.

I will also acknowledge that Tomlin's story is not over...he's still coaching and he's still hopefully evolving. He still has time to be a HOF coach IMO. I hope this season is the start of that. If his career ended today, I'd say he mostly underachieved with a team capable of winning several SB's. As it is now he's an average coach with a great team. I truly do hope he becomes a great coach. I'm just running out of patience so I hope this is the year.

 

Shook my head at some things, nodded at others.

First, this has NOT been one of Tomlin's better years. Oh Lord no. He's had the best stable of talent he's ever collected. He's not getting the best out of them. 8-2 or 2-8 doesn't mean anything when evaluating performance, especially individual performance .

 

What are you talking about? Try too make sense. In what universe does.being 8-2 or 2-8 the same when evaluating performance?

 

In a league that does everything it can to make playing defense illegal, it's no coincidence that the only teams with 8 wins have the best front 7's in each conference

It's also a good reason to believe the defending champions are not going to repeat

 

Your record has nothing to do with individual performance. You evaluate performance by metrics, not wins and losses.

Are you trying to say that Martavis Bryant is performing at a high level because we're 8-2? If so, I've got a bridge in Arizona to sell you.

Using MB as an example, would your evaluation of him change if his stats were exactly the same, but our record was 2-8? No. It couldn't.

Why? Because 8-2 or 2-8 doesn't mean anything when evaluating performance.

 

I hope that our advanced scouts are looking at possible match ups that could occur and are preparing accordingly.

 

The haters universe.

 

For individual player performance grades, I can agree with you. But with the head coach rests ultimate responsibility for the team performance. They're 8-2. It's extremely rare, IMO, for a team to win in spite of its coach, and rarer still to do it consistently. So while I can give Tomlin low marks for total (i.e., social-media) control of his team, I can't grade Tomlin down very much overall.

 

I'll wait to see how we respond to a solid victory and another extended period of downtime before I cut Tomlin any slack. Right now, this past victory is the outlier and not the norm. And to be quite honest, Mariota did at least as much to tip victory in our favor as we did.

I'm still not convinced that this team is being coached well. I sure hope that changes.

 

But your statement was directed at Tomlin. And coaches are evaluated by record.

 

Actually, it wasn't.

I was talking about Tomlin when I made the point that your record isn't a viable indicator of performance. I could probably have worded it better.

Simply trying to say that our team is still not performing well, even though our record is good. Our coach needs to build off every success, learn from every failure, and implement changes based on both. Don't see that happening.

 

Yep

Now it makes sense.

 

Glad to hear it.

Now, even though I'm still critical, I am very happy with the breakout game for the team. We finally didn't steal one or win in spite of ourselves. That's encouraging.

 

The 79 rams played us in the superbowl with a 9-7 record, as well as the 9-7 cards in 08, I guess you would have been highly critical of them stealing a win in spite of themselves and losing games in bunches and inspite of themselves they made it to the big dance, anytime a team gets a win they deserve it, they dont steal it or win it despite of themselves.....

 

Not to be argueing with you, but some of the "holding the ball too long" is because no receiver is open. Although, checking down to the back more ofetn would be nice.

 

What is well to you, the Steelers are graded out in the top 4 in every efficiency category, they have out gained every team they've played except the bears and lions games, it all boils down to one thing settling for fg instead of touchdowns.

Besides red zone futility the Steelers have been pretty dominant ranked 2nd in defense, 9th in offense and top 6 on all team efficiency rankings. So saying the Steelers aren't playing well it's simply in the Red Zone
.

 

Not to mention the Titans win. He seems to think every game should be perfect and end in a blowout victory, but the truly great teams are the ones who overcome adversity and get the win when not playing well. No team plays perfect every week even the best regular season team in history the 2007 Patriots had 4 games where they had to come from behind and steal a victory. This is what makes teams great.

But we all know its just a way that Tomlin haters have to discredit and bash Tomlin, simple as that.

 

This. Well done.



No more need be said. Tomlin has proven to be quite the coach. He has his issues no doubt. However, within the same vein, his strengths more than make up for it.



Great teams find a way to win not just because they need to. Great teams find ways to win because they are coached to.

 

Yep I know ..thats when he usually goes into trying to force things in. It looks like his right knee is bothering him,, I'll ease off some.

 

Which guarantees we'll be no less than 8-8!

Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled with where we are now.


Just sayin...