First shots fired at Canada

Johnson had more than two drops before the playoffs. The stat I heard during the final game of the season was five in the final five games. He also had two killer fumbles, both seemingly the same sort of lack of concentration that seems to be leading to the drops.

 

STD - You're right. They definitely highlighted the impact of the receivers . He said what most experienced observers/fans of the Steelers have felt about a lot of things: Canada has been a huge disappointment (what the heck is the scheme?). Ben has been a great, great franchise QB but his run is over. The O-line has to improve (although the change at center and the play of Leglue has been encouraging.

Yes. You're right, many other things went wrong. Plus, the Chiefs are just way better. But the better team doesn't always win the football game.

 

Yeah I thought about that too. He has less time to react on those slants. It's also the worst part of Ben's game the quick decision short throws. It would be so much easier if they spread the field. Throwing 3 yard routes vs. 9 in the box.

No excuses for DJ. I just can't help but think about Coach Noll giving his players extra free time in New Orleans to loosen up and not think about the game before a Super Bowl; and the contrast to Tomlin himself getting less sleep than a meth addict leading up to the game and ranting about cutting eyelids off. Ben was so casual- it's not a big deal, the pressure is on them, let's have fun etc. Tomlin is ranting about unleashing hell and chopping eyelids like one of STD's metal songs.

 

I thought it was six total, one earlier in the season and five in the final five games, but I could be wrong about that. It seemed as if the mental issue that leads to the drops popped up again in the first game against Kansas City, when he had that ugly fumble, then a dropped pass. The issue didn't suddenly pop up in the playoff game, so the claim that he choked because the game meant more simply doesn't hold up.

Edit: NBC Sports has him with four drops in the regular season, which was third-most on the team. They have Claypool and Harris each with six drops. Keenan Allen and Ja'Marr Chase tied for the league lead with nine. (That is yet another reason why Johnson should have been in the Pro Bowl over Allen, but I digress.)

 

You just can be this bad and keep your job regardless of the circumstances....

 

I’d only want Hines as OC if Ben comes back. The entertainment value would exceed that of the Todd Haley days. “This week on Passive Aggressive Theatre……….”

 

Yup. I found those after my previous post. I trust Pro Football Reference more. They have Chase leading the league with 11 drops. Travis Kelce and Deebo Samuel are among the guys with 10. Cooper cup had eight. Two Steelers had more than Johnson's five. Harris dropped seven and McLoud dropped six.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2021/receiving_advanced.htm

 

DJ yes has been inconsistent but he has shown improvement and growth, Canada just does not have the swash buckling confidence you want in your OC. The chiefs offense looked like the Harlem Globe Trotters compared to our shy awkward short passes and long passes to receivers covered like a blanket. Those long lottery throws on 3rd and 5 are maddeningly uncreative and to me show a lack of confidence in play calling. Canada had a year to prove himself. He looked out matched and out prepared. I wld look for a new OC.

 

I do agree if He make those catches it extends the drive. What We do with it after that is anyone's guess. Chances are nothing, but if the catches are not made....We don't know.
It's over now so....
On 2 next season.

 

Wouldnt have mattered anyway, I heard that KC was the superior team and there was no way we could have won even if he did catch everything thrown in his general vicinity.

 

I wouldn't say Tomlin is "keeping his job" more like "being promoted."

 

He isn't the first receiver in the NFL who would make tough catches, but drop easy ones due to inconsistent concentration. I don't think the passes themselves were particularly difficult to catch, and I don't think he choked. I think the issue is that Johnson loses concentration on plays that call for him to do some damage after the catch. The problem with that is on the second one, he already had the first down if he had just secured the ball. He has to know the situation, third-and-two, and focus on getting the first down before he worries about turning up field.

 

As I noted elsewhere...the 24 was a typo. I meant 14...Johnson drops a first down with 4 minutes remaining in the half. The Steelers lose possession rather than running the clock down to 2 minutes or even more. The Chiefs end up scoring 14. Ya, it was a bad drop.

 

well arthur brings up some interesting points. looks like tomlin is staying in canada's corner and throwing ben under the bus.

"when you have red paint, you paint the barn red" mike tomlin

 

https://steelersdepot.com/2022/01/h...eme-with-strengths-of-roethlisberger-in-2021/

https://steelersdepot.com/2022/01/m...surrender-to-matt-canadas-offensive-concepts/

these two threads reenforce my thinking of what was happening with the offense and having to adjust it around what ben likes and can do. it wasn't blown up to fit mason. it was still fit to ben even if mason had to play.

now we may see the full matt canada offense as i had said before. we were limited to ben, good or bad. don't judge mason on the offense we had to run for ben.

life after ben begins now. last year was last year. 2019 was 2019. lot's of changes coming good or bad stay tuned.

 

Ok maybe give Canada another shot.
But ask someone why, if the Receiver did catch the ball, was the first move 3 yards backwards then sprint to the sideline?
Too many times it looks like they were playing sideline to sideline.

 

Disagree with your last point. NFL WR's catch slant passes every single game. They come in fast and hard. That's the nature of that route. If his instincts, reaction time, nerves, etc. can't handle that particular route, he's clearly not cut out for the job. An NFL WR needs to be able to catch a pass on a slant route. In the red zone, there are no deep routes. What good is he if he can't catch them?

Now to be fair, I don't believe he's incapable of catching them. I know he can, but I also know he has some issues that need to be fixed. It appears that pressure and nerves can get to him easily. Hopefully with more experience and age, that resolves itself, but it's something that needs to be monitored next year. It can't keep happening.