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Bad game plan or no game plan?

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Steel Acorn, Jan 15, 2018.

  1. Steel Acorn

    Steel Acorn Well-Known Member

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    Oct 17, 2011
    Curious what people think - do the Steelers' coaches outthink themselves with game planning, or do they just practice what they think the Steelers do well, and not pay attention to what the opponent does well or poorly? I lean toward no game planning, as the first series today, against one of the best pass defenses, to pass often seemed odd (same strategy first game, I think). Or do they fall into the trap of, "so they think we know that they can defend the pass, so they'll think we'll run, so we'll fool them and pass". Reminds me of the Battle of Wits in Princess Bride, and we know how that turned out.

    Or maybe just plain stoopid, and you can't fix stoopid.
     
  2. BigBensBigBong

    BigBensBigBong Well-Known Member

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    I think we had a good game plan for the offense (overall strategy). The only things that went wrong were a few tactics, (specific decisions). Bad decisions on 4th and one foot to go. However, good decisions and good results on 4th and long. Ben held one too long and it cost a TD. Still, we scored a whole lot of points.

    On defense, we seemed to be trying to focus on stopping the run, but Jags were ready for that. We just are not good enough on defense to stop both runs up the middle and dump off passes. The defense lost the game, period. The Jags are a horrible match up for us, but if we matched them with zero turnovers and on both 4th and one foot to go we sneak for 1st down, we make at least one of two and maybe all that results in one more score for us and two less scores for them.

    Pretty sad to say we had to play mistake free football to beat the not so great Jags, but until our defense gets better we will probably lose to them again next time.

    Time has or is about to run out for us. If Ben returns and Bell ends up playing under franchise tag next year, we have one more shot before we wander the wilderness looking for a QB good enough to win Super Bowls.
     
  3. steelers5859

    steelers5859 Well-Known Member

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    Oct 23, 2011
    Defensly, you are spot on. Their offensive line beats our front 7 each and every time. They got zero penetration, Dupree is getting manhandled by TEs and our ILBs don’t have the speed to move side line to side line.
     
  4. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

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    Oct 26, 2011
    I think Tomlin's teams are unprepared the majority of the time. Does he have

    the pulse of the team? If he does, does he do anything to correct the situation? I am mad

    and disgusted like everybody else. When the game started did you feel the Steelers were mentally

    ready to play?
     
  5. NY STEELERFAN

    NY STEELERFAN Well-Known Member

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    Dec 10, 2012
    Man this is my first post since the game, I was to upset to do anything but drink. So with a nights sleep and a lower blood pressure this looks like a great place to start.

    On offense can't really complain about much when you put up 42 and your QB passes for 469 and 5 td's. One of the few things was the play calling on forth and short, come on sneak Ben. I am sure this has been talked about a ton on here, but these are the call that I feel someone gets to cute with. I am not sure who called them if it were Haley of is Ben changed it. Don't care bad move and bad calls.

    Defense....wow wtf???? I don't even know where to start, Dupree is bad. We need to move on from Mitchell asap and it is time Artie Burns got taken out of the starting line up in hopes he improves. We obviously need help at ILB. I was one that always said this unit was on the rise and has a ton of young talent. We just got chewed up by the Jags at home after the Clowns make this same unit look bad minus one starter in the final game of the season. Is it coaching, is it scheme or is it talent....I have no clue but my opinion is it is a little of all.

    Coaching, I have not read any other thread so I don't know what all are saying. What I do know is every year we have some kind of breakdown and where does that fall? I am not sure how I feel about Tomlin right now, when I went to bed I was in the fire everyone mood but we all know that is not the Steeler way. I know one thing it is time ownership sits down with Tomlin and let's him know his seat is hot, jmo. As for the O and D coords I feel it is time to let Haley go but I am not sure about Butler. My reason on both is simple, while I have been a Haley supporter I am tired of all the BS that comes with him. If him and Ben can't get along then fine someone has to go and it isn't Ben. As for KB he has been loyal so for me it is hard to just send him packing. One of my problems is are we a 3-4 team or are we a 4-3 team cause I feel when we move Heyward inside we are weak against the run. That could also be cause lack of ILB and S help IDK but something is not right.

    Some real hard decisions need to be made on this whole team and staff, imo.
     
  6. harristotle

    harristotle Well-Known Member

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    Oct 17, 2011
    All I know is we scored 42 points against the best defense in the league and allowed Blake Bortles to score 45.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  7. Thigpen82

    Thigpen82 Bitter optimist

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    Oct 17, 2011
    I think no gameplanning at this level of professional sport is highly unlikely. The plan was likely to build on strengths by getting the ball to a number of different receivers and stretch the Jags secondary, then using that to open up options for Bell.

    I think the strategy looked bad at points simply because the Jags defense played lights out (whether within the rules or not); the only open guy was Eli Rogers most of the time. At other points because momentum got lost at key points. We were chasing the game far too early. Etc. etc.

    That said, Haley's playcalling was just bad for most of the game.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  8. Steel Acorn

    Steel Acorn Well-Known Member

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    Oct 17, 2011
    Upon further reflection, I wonder about the emphasis on Xs and Os compared to the emphasis on emotional stuff. Tomlin is held up as a players coach, which may add that 1 or 2% that is needed to be great. But when the tactics or skill level are not up to snuff, all the confidence (or arrogance) in the world won't make up for it. Same for communication problems - being motivated or fired up won't fix that. So the team coming out "flat" on occasions is an issue, but a more insignificant one compared to not being good enough. The defense is just not that good, either by scheme or by talent, and that was exposed over and over again this year. We might complain about the offense, but they at least have the talent to score, as evidenced by yesterday's game.
     
  9. Da Stellars

    Da Stellars Well-Known Member

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    Oct 22, 2011
    Haley had some weird play calls to start the first few drives, very atypical of what we have seen all season. Would have been nice to just call plays we can execute to keep pace with the Jags early in that game.
     

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