The Manner in Which We Lost

This loss is different for me. We didn't lose a close game. We didn't lose a game where we got beaten by a better team. We didn't even lose because we got cheated. We lost due to ineptitude. That's not Steeler football. There are no similar loss categories for this team since the 1960's. This loss was 'Cleveland Brownesque' and that's a hard pill to swallow. Steeler fans even have a difficult time discussing this loss. There is no enemy to pin this on. It wasn't the zebras, it wasn't the cheaters, it wasn't the thugs; it was Steeler ineptitude and that's a whole new category. I don't yet quite know how to process this loss.

 

I think it shows, that no matter how good you thought we were, That we still have to get better in every department.

If you don't think there is much difference between an 11-5 team and a 14-2 team or even a 13-3.
Now of course the Cowboys were one and done. But, it's much easier road playing at home Falcons had two home games then to the Super Bowl, same thing with New England.

There clearly is, a lot less flaws and a much tougher opponent to beat with a #1 seed or a #2 seed. Steelers need to shoot for 12-4 or 13-3 next year.

Make them come to Heinz field and pray it it's not the Patriots.

 

Agree, this loss is really different to me also. I just think there was so much wrong with the way we played and the way we were coached. From dropped passes, fumbles, poor blocking at the goal line, poor play calling on offense and defense, poor blitz schemes, poor tackling, overall poor execution, missed assignments in the secondary, and just unprepared. Very Brownesque and not very Steeler like is why its so hard to process.

 

I agree. Get HFA and hope someone knocks the cheats out for us. We will never beat them with brady and bill in the postseason. I say that because we haven't learned after all this time lol.

 

We have had playoff losses just as bad. Dan Marino made the Steelers D look like the practice squad back in the '84 AFC championship game.

 

"We" intentionally lost. "We" being the owners, the head coach and coordinators. All having been dictated to by the league. It looks like a duck, walks like a duck...

 

I don't see this as THAT bad of a loss. Certainly not Brownsesque. It was just a perfect storm that started with the bengals game. The playoffs for us started then and even the damn Browns extended us to almost a full 5th quarter. The linemen didn't get that game off.

It was a tough stretch of games that took its toll right up and through KC. AB's social media fart didn't help. Given all of that, If James gets that TD it pulls us within 1 or maybe even. Maybe the Pats play calling changes. Can never know. NFL games can hinge on a handful of games and things can snowball and that's what happened imo.

I was hoping that our defense could hold them to 24 and our offense could score 31. Neither happened. When you're playing Belicheck and Brady and a well rested Patriots on their turf for the right to go to the Super Bowl you have to win all 3 phases of the game. We didn't win any.

 

I never saw us winning this game anyways. This team is not really that good. Sure they beat the Dolphins and the Chiefs but they just barely beat KC by kicking 6 field goals. That is offensive and frankly your not beating anyone with that kind of performance

 

One of the worst losses for me ever, any sport. This was their weakest team ever and best chance for revenge and they spanked us. Didn't gameplan to win.

 

It was soooo different that I couldn't even get irritated about it until the next day. We were not in the game from the beginning. We played like a JV and that was just wierd. I couldn't even watch til the end and I always watch til the end. Agree with the post completely.

 

IMO this loss falls squarely on the coaching staff. I'm not even questioning the players. I'm don't care how wide open the opposing WRs were. The players should of never been in the position to play a scheme that never ever ever ever worked.

 

Like I've said before, we just aren't on their level yet, especially one game from the superbowl

 

Prep and discipline, lack their of, festers with this team year in and year out. Only way I feel good is if Atlanta wins the title. Otherwise, the loss was for not. Fans are stuck in no mans land. We know there are issues with Tomlin's prep abilities. Its been there for a long time. Adjustments are lacking as well. Plus the biggest one is losing your MVP 5 min into the game. Losing him for the 3rd year in a row at the crucial times. Now it's an epidemic. It isnt Bell's or anyone's fault but it's just the sucker punch that really hurts.

 

It was a sound beating and very tough for us fans. The thing I've noticed a lot is that the media is really heaping it on Tomlin and staff. I've seen several articles about "Belicheat outcoaches Tomlin again" and such. Also the same sentiments in analysis' offered by the crews on espn, nfl network, cbs etc. The big question is why didn't the defensive gameplan change? This is being asked by us diehards and the national media who cover all the teams in general.

So I heard someone say "well we ran man coverage 3 times and got beat every time". OK fine, what was the time of the game and who were the matchups? How many rushed during the man coverage? Unfortunately I got pissed and deleted the game at the end so I can't re-watch easily. Were they obvious mismatches? Timmons on Edelman etc? Was Demarcus Ayers (inactive for the game) being used in practice to simulate Edelman or Hogan? I know the Patriots gave props to their RB crew for simulating Lev Bell. I don't know the answer, but I'm sure the mismatches would have been obvious in practice if it was Gay or Timmons. What was Butlers counter plan?

We know the answer to that one. Go back to zone and get torched. 18 games into the season and are you not confident enough to try some substitutions to get better match ups? That's what you find out in practice. You're not going to cover small quick guys for an extended time on each play. Get creative, double one guy and get an extra rusher to shrink that throwing window. Keith Butler has no creativity and that's a big weakness. Or it's his reluctance to try anything.

 

You couldn't be more offbase if you tried. We lost to a better team. We lost to The best coach and qb in the NFL and it's not even up debate. The second best in both categories is a distant second.

 

I believe the Cheats had 3 weeks to game plan for the Steelers...they knew the Steelers were the best team out of the rest and they knew it as soon as the Steelers beat the Ravens.

The Steelers had 3 days and 3 rookies to try and change schemes...not going to happen!!!

As I stated before...they withstood the 1/2 half storm with everything going wrong and was only down a score. The 3rd Qtr did them in but that was also when they had key drops, WR running out of bounds, etc.

 

You are right about them being the best in both categories you mentioned. But is it that much of a disparity? I mean it look like Brady was playing North Appalachian State.
We are not the Browns. We have coaches with distinct resumes. I can understand if they played good or mediocre but it wasn't even close. The first game we looked better and we had Landry Jones at QB.

 

your right were not the Browns, but we sure coached and played like them.

 

Agree on the best QB and best coach, but do you think they have better overall team players?
Man for man I think were pretty close and we may even have better talent. But being prepared, making less mistakes, being less penalized, that's another story.

Just curious what you and others think which team had more talented players other than QB.?

 

I don't know. This is what I came up with.

QB- Patriots
RB- Steelers
OL-Steelers
TE-Patriots
WR-Steelers
DL-Patriots (only because we have a rookie and no Heyward)
LB-Steelers
CB-Patriots (barely)
S- Patriots

Special Teams-Patriots

Patriots -6
Steelers-4

 

Interesting, so next year with Heyward back and Hargrave not a rookie, we will be at 5 to 5 with player talent. Pretty much even talent wise. Goes to show you QB and coaches account for a lot more.

 

I think we have great talented players but we need good coaches to move them forward.

 

The Pats are who they are. As some have said, they have the best head coach and the best quarterback in football. But, was it too much to ask to at least make the game competitive??? I mean, aren't we supposed to have an upper echelon head coach and one of the best quarterbacks in the league too? Top to bottom we have more talent than the Pats. We should be very familiar with who they are and what they like to do!

This was a miserable failure from top to bottom!!! I keep hearing this crap about the quality of the Pats organization and I don't disagree, but we're supposed to have a quality organization too. We sure didn't play like it Sunday. Brady has more fire in his belly than does Ben and Belichick has a much higher football intellect than does Tomlin. That was the major difference in this game.

 

Apparently no one recalls all the games we looked awful when playing inferior opponents. We looked kinda like those games. Only difference was it was not a poor team, and it shows what a good team will do when the organization, from coaches through players, has an off week of preparation, game planning, and game time execution.

 

Me neither. I hate to rip on coaches, but I have seen it too much now.