Coaching Do's and Don't for the playoff game with Cincinnati

[GTDome]

I've criticized Tomlin a ton over the years but have never been prouder than when he came out on the forefront of the "PATs are long now, so go for 2" movement. It's usually the right call, and game situation has little to do with it.

 

[steelhurt]

Our strength of this football team is or offense so please Ben, do not force the ball to Brown. We have other receivers so please spread it around. I think that's been the problem as of late and defensive coordinators have seen this forcing the ball to Brown all too much so now the ints are going up for Ben. Spread the ball around to Bryant, Wheaton, Miller and the RB whomever that may be. Lets not make the offense our Achilles heel but the strength of this team.

Tomlin, watch your clock management, no ill-advised trick plays. Please don't feel as though you have this allegiance to veterans like Blake who will most likely sign elsewhere next year anyways, thank God.

 

[ark steel]

You guys act like the Bengals are some offensive juggernaut that the Steelers D can't stop. In two games this year, the juggernaut scored 16 (with their starting QB and TE on the field) and 20 (with a starting QB and TE injured early)

Do you know how many times that Bengals team scored 20 or less in a game during the season? Four. Twice against the Steelers and against the Texans and Broncos.
Do you know how many games that Dalton had a QB rating below 95.9? Three, all 64.7 or lower. One against the Texans. Want to take a wild guess as to who he was playing the other two times (one for a short stint before injury, but long enough to throw an INT...)?


Having not watched the first game, the stats look like it might have been Blake's best game, which may not be saying a lot. (eight tackles and an INT). Sub 65 rating for Dalton, overall. Sure, McCarron threw for 280 yards in relief of Dalton in the second, but the team only scored 20 points and Dalton/McCarron teamed up for 3 INT's.

I'm not saying Blake is a good player, but get some perspective. Blake "started" the second game but played the 4th most plays behind Boykin (by 8 plays), Cockrell (by a lot of plays) and Gay (by a lot of plays). Overall, the D seemed to do a fairly good job of keeping the juggernaut from scoring during the season.

One good thing for the Bengals, if you have to do without your starter in the playoffs, is that McCarron didn't have to start until late in the season, so doesn't have a lot of wear and tear on his body or had to have played a long NFL season when he had to play more games than in college.

 

[Coach]

Geez Al, I gave you the data. How did 4th down work out for the Steelers this season? 4 out of 12! Now quickly see how money Boswell was and do the maths. Yes-- I think with Vick the calls by Tomlin on 4th down sucked! Do you really want to see all 12 4th down attempts, then watch me rip them and show you how it did not help the team overall.

Maybe the weather might slightly increase the odds of a missed extra point. I'll give you that, but that also means its tougher to pass too. And Ben hasn't bene playing great lately. How might he play in bad weather on the road in the playoffs? You can't have it both ways. Also, instead of questioning my math, the onus is on you to show us why its not so! The data presented is pretty easy to read, Not sure why you're having an issue with it.

You understand nothing. If you believe the past (even a tiny sample size and regardless of the past circumstances) is a perfect indicator of the future, then you should be telling Tomlin to go for 2 EVERY TIME. 8 out of 11 on 2-point conversions. By your own faulty logic, we should always go for 2.

I was not talking about 2 point conversions. Where did I even mention 2 point conversions in the above? Do you know what a 4th down is? Work on reading a bit slower. Geez

 

[Coach]

We need the WR's and Ben to be on the same page, we've all heard about the Bryant route, but Wheaton ran the wrong route later that could've been a TD, he ran an out and was supposed to run to the back corner of the end zone. We can't leave points on the field.

We can't line up with our bigs and think we are going to accomplish anything, we won't have much success and it just slows our passing game down, we need to come out in spread formations and run the ball from those formations.

The defense has to tackle, and not go for the knock out shot every time. I can't remember if it was 4th and 1 in the browns game and they threw it in the flat to Duke, we had him behind the marker, but I think it was mitchell went for the kill shot and whiffed and he ended up picking up like 15 yards.

Also quit with the ******* 2-4-5 defense when the game is close and it's not a throwing down, we get shoved all over the field in that formation in the running game.

We can't play the rush 4 guys and cover with 7, I don't care if that's what good defenses do and as per Tomlin, that's what we strive to be. We aren't that good of a defense, we are at our best when we are bringing blitzes from anywhere and everywhere. We all saw how not blitzing worked vs the Ravens.

I do not understand the 2-4-5 formation on a likely rushing down either.

 

[FordFairLane]

I think you just need to show him a lot of different fronts. Bring everyone up and then back off. Show zone and bring the house last second. Show blitz from the right have it come from the left. Keep him guessing and get him hearing foot steps so he starts running around and trying to force the ball a little. Also, bench Blake for Cockrell and have Boykin play the slot.

 

[Pens]

We have a tendency of coming out flat under Tomlin in playoff games, see the Packer Super Bowl, the Broncos game and the last Ravens playoff game. Cool Shades is not much of a motivator. Try to keep Tomlin out of in game decisions where his sloppy gut takes over and we lose because there is no rhyme or reason to his stupid decisions.

Try and outscore them because in a close defensive game Tomlins stupidity is more apt to bite us in the ***. Blake will again start despite all the empirical evidence which shows he is garbage but since Tomlin is his ***** expect Green to again big play the tool.

We have a team that does not fear us, will be a lot healthier in the secondary than they were the last game, Eifert will be healthy unlike last game and we can't cover mediocre TEs much less great ones like Eifert and we have the huge liability of Tomlin on the sidelines, not good..

 

[21STEELERS21]

Do win the game, don't lose the game

 

[Vader]

As I've said before, if the Steelers show up and Ben doesn't get hurt there is no way they can lose this game. The bungles are horrible in the playoffs. They haven't won a playoff game in decades. They are playing a backup QB who is a rookie in his first playoff game. Hell they sucked in the playoffs with Dalton. I can't image how bad they are going to be with McCarron. It isn't his fault but how are they going to outscore Ben and the offense? They scored 24 points twice since he took over. Both of those games were against bad teams like the rats and 49ers. They scored 17 against Denver and 20 against the Steelers. Their offense won't be able to keep up with Ben. It should be a blow out.

I understand the need to break down the game and talk about matchups and philosophies. But seriously, if Ben isn't hurt this shouldn't be a game. He can even play average or slightly below average and the Steelers should still win easily.

 

[Pens]

How many points did we score against the Rats 2 weeks ago ?

 

[madinsomniac]

Priority #1 stop the run, make aj beat us
Priority #2 take away the Tight end please
Priority #3 cover ajgreen with anyone but blake

Priority #4 dont come out running and conservative.
Priority #5 dont settle for field goals in the red zone
Priority #6 dont force passes, dump it off. Heath is a beast intraffic if all else fails

 

[SteelerSask2]

As I've said before, if the Steelers show up and Ben doesn't get hurt there is no way they can lose this game. The bungles are horrible in the playoffs. They haven't won a playoff game in decades. They are playing a backup QB who is a rookie in his first playoff game. Hell they sucked in the playoffs with Dalton. I can't image how bad they are going to be with McCarron. It isn't his fault but how are they going to outscore Ben and the offense? They scored 24 points twice since he took over. Both of those games were against bad teams like the rats and 49ers. They scored 17 against Denver and 20 against the Steelers. Their offense won't be able to keep up with Ben. It should be a blow out.

I understand the need to break down the game and talk about matchups and philosophies. But seriously, if Ben isn't hurt this shouldn't be a game. He can even play average or slightly below average and the Steelers should still win easily.

I'm glad you aren't delivering the pre game talk. They lost to the Ravens two weeks ago and didn't take control of last weeks game until late third quarter early fourth. Are you high? This team has so many warts its unbelievable and they likely will have no or little ground game to speak of. Games are not won or lost by what teams did in the past. The only way they dominate this game is if there are multiple turnovers by the Bengals and Ben, the line and the receivers play one of their best games of the season.

 

[ark steel]

As I've said before, if the Steelers show up and Ben doesn't get hurt there is no way they can lose this game. The bungles are horrible in the playoffs. They haven't won a playoff game in decades. They are playing a backup QB who is a rookie in his first playoff game. Hell they sucked in the playoffs with Dalton. I can't image how bad they are going to be with McCarron. It isn't his fault but how are they going to outscore Ben and the offense? They scored 24 points twice since he took over. Both of those games were against bad teams like the rats and 49ers. They scored 17 against Denver and 20 against the Steelers. Their offense won't be able to keep up with Ben. It should be a blow out.

I understand the need to break down the game and talk about matchups and philosophies. But seriously, if Ben isn't hurt this shouldn't be a game. He can even play average or slightly below average and the Steelers should still win easily.

The defense doesn't even have to play lights out. An average performance, or slightly above, ought to win the game/

 

[slashsteel]

1 Bench Blake
2 Bench Blake
3 Bench Blake
4 Bench Blake
5 if confused ..... see number 1

 

[Vader]

I'm glad you aren't delivering the pre game talk. They lost to the Ravens two weeks ago and didn't take control of last weeks game until late third quarter early fourth. Are you high? This team has so many warts its unbelievable and they likely will have no or little ground game to speak of. Games are not won or lost by what teams did in the past. The only way they dominate this game is if there are multiple turnovers by the Bengals and Ben, the line and the receivers play one of their best games of the season.

The past allows insight into the future. It doesn't determine it but it gives insight. If the past meant nothing then why do teams go back and watch tapes of teams from the past? Hoodie watches games from opponents from years ago. The bungles struggle in the playoffs and have for years. Lewis has not won a single playoff game in his tenure. That means something. Now, with this same team as last year without his starting QB he is going to beat the Steelers with Ben at home where the Steelers win almost all the time? I don't buy it.

Let's turn the tables. The Steelers are hosting the game with Landry Jones as the QB in his rookie year. The bungles have a 2 time SB winning QB at the helm. Who you taking?

 

[Steel Vanguard]

Priority #1 stop the run, make aj beat us
Priority #2 take away the Tight end please
Priority #3 cover ajgreen with anyone but blake

Priority #4 dont come out running and conservative.
Priority #5 dont settle for field goals in the red zone
Priority #6 dont force passes, dump it off. Heath is a beast intraffic if all else fails

This is really the game plan. The strength of our defense is our front 7. I would argue that it's one of the best in football. But they are ROUTINELY sabotaged by our atrocious secondary. So, stop playing it safe. Get after the QB and the running game, and take your chances on the back end. Three and four man rushes are just going to get our DBs burned. Pressure all day.

And TDs. Every week it's the same thing: we're beasts between the 20s, then bog down in the red zone. We need to be working on red zone plays all week. And Ben needs to THROW THE DAMN BALL AWAY rather than forcing it. He's been real stupid lately, which is not like him. He needs to remember that bad decisions can lose a game just as easily as big plays can win one.

 

[Steeltime]

Sometimes the deep throw is what the defense is giving him

http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN ...-not-bad-when-throwing-deep-on-3rd-and-short/

I don't offer a knee-jerk criticism of Roethlisberger's decision to go long on 3rd and short; I criticize him because he has better options, ones that will result in a first down, and instead takes the much riskier option of the deep pass. Some examples:

He has Williams wide open in the left flat for an easy 1st down, and instead goes deep to Bryant. Result? Punt.

He has Miller wide open for an easy 1st down, and instead tries to drop the ball in to a well-covered Bryant. Result? Punt.

He has Williams uncovered on the left flat, with James available to block the only defender, and instead forces a ball deep to a covered Bryant. Result? Punt.

Dear Ben: Don't force the deep ball to a covered Bryant. He will drop it. Instead, take the easy 1st down and keep the drive alive.

 

[south dakota STEEL]

Get HEATH involved...all day every day!

 

[SteelerFan448]

I don't offer a knee-jerk criticism of Roethlisberger's decision to go long on 3rd and short; I criticize him because he has better options, ones that will result in a first down, and instead takes the much riskier option of the deep pass. Some examples:

He has Williams wide open in the left flat for an easy 1st down, and instead goes deep to Bryant. Result? Punt.

There is a linebacker that is right out there with Wiliams who probably has decent closing speed. Not as sure of a play as what you think, especially with Williams not being the first read. BTW, it was Wheaton.

He has Miller wide open for an easy 1st down, and instead tries to drop the ball in to a well-covered Bryant. Result? Punt.

You expect your receiver to come down with this ball.

He has Williams uncovered on the left flat, with James available to block the only defender, and instead forces a ball deep to a covered Bryant. Result? Punt.

I'll give you this one, plus it wasn't a good throw.

 

[jitter77]

There is a linebacker that is right out there with Wiliams who probably has decent closing speed. Not as sure of a play as what you think, especially with Williams not being the first read. BTW, it was Wheaton.



You expect your receiver to come down with this ball.



I'll give you this one, plus it wasn't a good throw.

What about the Ravens game where we HAD to convert to keep the game alive on 3rd and 15 and we throw a 40yrd bomb. We had two plays there to get 15 yrds but go for a very low percentage play. I am fine with deep shots every now and then, but not on 3rd and short when we need to keep drives alive. Take the deep shots on first or second down. Im not saying just throw the ball 2-3 yrds we should have several 10-15 yrd routes if the check downs are not available, but long bombs are not the way to go especially if the weather is bad,

1.no Blake
2.no passive defense we get torched every time. Just play tighter at the line not saying all out blitzes, but no 10 yard cushions
3.take the high percentage plays, move the chains, keep D off field
4.Ride Ben not the RB!

 

[Coryea]

the first two videos the WR's should've caught the ball. I don't like the deep passes on 3rdred and short much either, but when the ball hits the WR's in the hands and they don't catch it, why complain?
jitter77, you mean like the deep throw that hit bryant right in the hands and he again dropped the ball. Ben has made some bad decisions lately, but now people want to ***** about plays that hit the receiver in the hands?

 

[jitter77]

the first two videos the WR's should've caught the ball. I don't like the deep passes on 3rdred and short much either, but when the ball hits the WR's in the hands and they don't catch it, why complain?
jitter77, you mean like the deep throw that hit bryant right in the hands and he again dropped the ball. Ben has made some bad decisions lately, but now people want to ***** about plays that hit the receiver in the hands?

I don't care if the play was a TD... Of course the Wr should have caught it, but that's not the point. The point is that it is a low percentage play when not needed. We have the talent to move the chains. Get the first down then worry about the rest. Long drives keep our D off the field...

 

[Stryker]

The receier had a chance to catch all 3 of those balls.

 

[madinsomniac]

I don't care if the play was a TD... Of course the Wr should have caught it, but that's not the point. The point is that it is a low percentage play when not needed. We have the talent to move the chains. Get the first down then worry about the rest. Long drives keep our D off the field...

Then you fall into the bend but don't break trap... as the field gets shorter the other team jumps more routes and you end up with more turnovers... the "safe" play on tape after the fact is often times not that safe when played out in real time. someone is always coming open and getting covered after being open on every play... you cant look and say the pre snap reads were going to show that and if every time you throw short on third down you will end up with a stagnant offense... its like always running or always throwing deep... you have to do a little of all of it to keep ds guessing, and you cant ***** when occasionally it doesn't work... are the third and <3's we converted for huge gains up there? Nope just the ones we didn't.... that's dumb

 

[madinsomniac]

Let me throw this out here woo... someone best pull Antonio Brown aside and tell him no matter what is said or done... don't get involved... he cpould have been tossed for a punch earlier this season... cant lose that guy