Why the reversal?

I would bet dollars to donuts the people clamoring for the heads of Tomlin, fichtner, and Butler are the exact same people that thought firing arians, Lebeau etc would be the cure to all of our woes.

 

I agree with you about Juju as we were among the few who had questions about Juju being a #1......this was beat to death this off season. However with the signing of Moncreif and drafting of DJ they did try to improve the loss at WR. As for the WR position taking a step back this goes right with the talk of Juju being a #1. When you lose a guy like AB it will take a step back and we all can see that now.

Now as for Conner he was about as much of a lock as can be, 973yds on 215 att with a 4.5 avg in a pro bowl season. The knock on him was his health but the was not a single question about him not being the man going into this season.

I agree about our offense being a question, I have said in other posts is look at how we ended the season vs the Bunholes. We scored 16 vs a bad defense made up of a lot of back ups due to injury. Many don't want to admit it but our offense is so much different without AB. Look how Ben looked the first game and a half....not good.

 

Oh how I look forward to a Patriot message board having a thread like this. Brady and Bellicheck can't go on forever. I do look forward to them being just another team. Jets, Dolphins, and Bills just have to step it up sooner or later. I think.

 

Do I get the dollars, or do I get the donuts?

 

Take the dollars then you can buy some donuts and a coffee

 

That's where I went wrong.........

 

Good question!! Not sure myself if they have. Seems too much of the "Sunk Cost Fallacy" though to speculate otherwise.

 

I think it's that "we promote from within and we don't fire coaches" is at the top of the list followed closely by "we really want to win"

 

Reversal?! Of what specifically?! Pittsburgh has done this since the merger. Not very difficult to decipher what the current plan is for said plan has always been the plan to build a successful team. Four simple steps:


1.) Find the QB of the Future.


2.) Build an Offensive Line to protect said QB. Pittsburgh has started from the Center to the Offensive Tackle. Personally, I support this level of Offensive Line building.


3.) Give your QB weapons to use. He cannot do it all by himself.


4.) Build the defense.





Nothing really has changed. That has been the Steelers formula for a while now. The major aspect though is building through the Draft and developing talent. The main difference this season is the teams aggressiveness.


That being said, I do not expect Pittsburgh to trade First Round picks and picks in general willy nilly for a while. These trades are for a window that is still open given Ben's injury not being Tommy John. That said, it is also one for the future. In that regard, steps one and four (mostly anyway) have been complete. Two and three are likely still on the menu. Offensive line as a whole is getting up there in age and beyond JuJu, who else currently?! Hopefully Diontae and James can produce but those two will not be enough.

 

Why did Bill Cowher do the exact opposite?

 

Different Era.


That QB who shall not be named benefited from the aforementioned three. Beyond him though and until Roethlisberger, same principal. That being said though, I did say "QB of the Future". I never said "Slam Dunk HOF QB". Big difference between the two.

 

"Pittsburgh has done this since the merger. Not very difficult to decipher what the current plan is for said plan has always been the plan to build a successful team."
Of course it's a different era, you said it's been the same plan since the merger. You're contradicting yourself. Cowher didn't build around a QB.

 

I can`t belive that the same O-line we have had (basically) for the past 4 years has completley fallen apart...
Not sure why Conner has struggled, or not been used enough..(last part is on play-calling.)...
I do agree we needed help in the defensive backfield, and that was adressed with Fitz...
We also traded for another tight end, after we had to put Grimble on IR...
So, it`s not totally one-sided...
I don`t expect to just "roll over" the Bungles at home this week, although I would say it is a "must win"...
And I think we have the talent to do it, even without Ben...
(As far as I am concerned, EVERY game is a must win),
I think a lot of people focus so much on our rivalry with the Ravens, that they forget how hard fought a lot of our games with the Bungles are..
And they don`t wanna go 0-4 this year, any more, than we do. This will be a fight.
We need to come out with a win in this one, and I am hoping our players realize it.
I have more faith in the players, than the co-ordinaters, or coaches, at this point.
Yeah, we lost our O-line coach in the offseason, but didn`t he already teach them what they need to know?
I really don`t know what to think of Fichtner, at this point...
Not too impressed to be honest.
Butler`s unit?
They are just inconsistent...
They can play a first half, generating 4 turnovers, sacking the hell out of opposing QB`s, but then not hold the lead at the end of the game,
when they have it. I can`t even say that is a new thing, even when LeBeau was in charge(Who I personally LOVED as DC)...
They gave up so many 3rd and long plays, that i wished we held the other team to 3d and 5 or less..
Seemed we had more success there..
TJ Watt was quoted saying "We just have to stop the damn run", earlier this week,
And he has a point... that is what the STEELERS do, forever... force you to throw, and we will beat you..
We haven`t been doing that this year.
I`m not a stat guy, I just go by the "eye test", and I see way too many yards by runningbacks , and quartrbacks, the last few years...
(missed tackles, in general, and not "swarming to the ball". where someone else can make the tackle if 1st man misses... that used to be a hallmark of ours..)
Anyhow, I just wanted to chip in my 2 cents, and say that it was good to see members debating intelligentley, even when they disagreed,
instead of just calling each other names..!
Good reading, even if I don`t have the I.Q./writing skills, to debate with yinz, I love reading it!!!
GO STEELERS, GO RUDOLF!!

 

So the likes of that QB whom shall not be named, Kordell and Tommy Maddox do not count?! Again, never said HOF QB. Quality one.

 

You brought his name up, not me!!

 

Cowher built a successful team despite those QB's. Defense first.

 

Fair enough. Biggest aspect though is still illustrated in point one. The abilities of the Quarterback is a major factor in how well the team performs. Defense only takes the team thus far barring extreme circumstances. Sadly, Cowher had great defenses but not legendary ones.


That guy, Kordell and Tommy all took him to the playoffs. Never won the big one though. When he got Ben, everything changed. Big Ben, that defense and that Offensive Line were enough to carry that 2005 team to the Super Bowl.... and win.

 

Valued TOP on offense.

 

actually, Haley did more to get the most out of Ben than Arians ever did by establishing a solid run game with quick passes mixed in. With respect to Lebeau, I think we are just seeing the same thing now that Butler is running things

 

How many trips to the sb did we make?

 

Excellent posts that encapsulates the problem.

The Steelers have no superstar playmakers on offence any more and they can’t even scheme to get the best out of the guys that are there.

 

Ben would already be retired under BA for this long.

 

Because the Steelers don't understand that this an offense first league now. Even after Tomlin's gone whenever that is I guarantee you they'll still hire a defensive coach.

 

Defense still wins Super Bowls.