Game Balls, Game Goats & FU......Week 14................@ Ratbirds......

[Hypocycloids]

The joy I get. I'm rent free in your head. And then you gotta call little names. Hahaha.

Rodgers is the QB. He can choose where to throw the ball. Not all routes are short of the sticks. Those are facts.

Idk. Do you have a job? So on the job site, a guy drops a hammer on his foot and breaks his toe. That's the foreman's fault? That statement is completely untrue in the real world and on a football field. It is so stupid it defies logic. These players aren't machines with no choice. There is no way that a football game is all the fault of guys who don't play. When Rodgers made the great long throw to Metcalf...was that really Tomlin somehow? Since everything is Tomlin's responsibility, does he get all the credit for the good stuff too?

Some may look at it as being the foreman’s fault. I suspect many would say the foreman should have made sure the worker had his steel toed safely shoes on!

But is it the foreman’s fault that the construction worker smashed his thumb with the hammer? No.
The players for the most part alone are responsible for inflicting damage upon themselves. Not the coach.

I’m all for seeing Tomlin retire or get released. It’s just time. He could be blamed for a lot of things, but some of the things he gets criticized for I find irrational, and amusing …understandable out frustration due to years of having to watch this once storied franchise dwell in years of mediocrity.

Like in the other thread where Tomlin even got criticized for saying that the players “stepped it up today”. Does that mean he told the players that they only need to go through the motions in the games we lost?

All he was doing was giving credit to the players for doing what they’re supposed to do to win a game….but someone found another way to criticize him for it.

 

[steel dino]

That's why its hard to be excited with this team, seems like every win they need something out of the ordinary to happen, Jets DB's drop 3 INTs and Boz his a 60 yard FG for the win. They need 13 total turnovers to squeak by Indy and NE, these crazy calls to help them beat Baltimore, they never just line and beat a team, always smoke and mirrors.

That my friends…..
Is a good bingo!

 

[bigben]

Yeah, but not every route was run short of the sticks. He is making the choice to throw short. Maybe it's all that's open. Idk. I just know not every route is run short. So he has other options. I acknowledge the Tomlin component. But part of the reason for the excitement about Rodgers was there might be a little FU in him...I'm not gonna settle for this safe play all the time. We've seen him in the past. Tomlin ain't gonna bench him regardless of what he does. So that says to me some of this is Rodgers choice.

It's not Rodgers fault the plays are designed for short throws/ screens at or near the LOS and the sidelines.
Tomlin and Arthur Smith are garbage playcallers, scared to throw over the middle.
Rodgers has to release the ball faster than every other QB because the pass pro sucks.
He has limited weapons and can only throw to who is open. Not his fault Pat ran a route 5 yards short of the 1st down.
This has been the case back to the end of Ben's career every pass was a short pass, screen or dump off to RB
Nothing new here and not a Rodgers problem.
Combination of bad pass pro
****** playcalling
Trash at WR

 

[diver]

Some may look at it as being the foreman’s fault. I suspect many would say the foreman should have made sure the worker had his steel toed safely shoes on!

But is it the foreman’s fault that the construction worker smashed his thumb with the hammer? No.
The players for the most part alone are responsible for inflicting damage upon themselves. Not the coach.

I’m all for seeing Tomlin retire or get released. It’s just time. He could be blamed for a lot of things, but some of the things he gets criticized for I find irrational, and amusing …understandable out frustration due to years of having to watch this once storied franchise dwell in years of mediocrity.

Like in the other thread where Tomlin even got criticized for saying that the players “stepped it up today”. Does that mean he told the players that they only need to go through the motions in the games we lost?

All he was doing was giving credit to the players for doing what they’re supposed to do to win a game….but someone found another way to criticize him for it.

Well said.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

I knew it was bad but I didn’t think it was that bad. You could feel it though, you had that sinking feeling in your stomach, or at least I did.
Truth be told we shouldn’t have won that football game. We had three major calls go our way that influenced the outcome directly. We also got two favorable holding calls on the last punt and on the first play of the Raven’s Drive to try to win the game, that’s at least 20 yards in penalties against them at that critical time of the game.
You give them that yardage back and that last drive is a lot more suspenseful.
Our favorite football team was very fortunate in Baltimore Maryland yesterday.
Now the question is can the Steelers take a vantage of it the remainder of this season?

Come on Dino, they only need to play .500 ball the rest of the way out.

 

[madinsomniac]

Something tells me Rogers went off script and is in the dog house this week. He threw long and he threw over the middle a couple of times.

This is still a bad team in a ****** division and the Steelers will make the playoffs due to Burrow's injury and the hole it dug for that team. The Steelers will get another Tomlinship, AFC North Champs, be grateful you unappreciative Jagoffs and relish in the gory of another non-losing season and drafting in the high teens or low twenties for almost two decades. Sign Tomlin to another four year extension quick!

Barf

I think Tomlin is scared of Rodgers going off in the press... he will never be doghoused.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

That's why its hard to be excited with this team, seems like every win they need something out of the ordinary to happen, Jets DB's drop 3 INTs and Boz his a 60 yard FG for the win. They need 13 total turnovers to squeak by Indy and NE, these crazy calls to help them beat Baltimore, they never just line and beat a team, always smoke and mirrors.

I kind of look at this as is the glass half empty or half full? They wouldn't need all those turnovers if they had more 3 and outs.

 

[TimesAreChanged]

Compared to Ike, Pierre is Jerry Rice

That was a hell of a play

 

[steel dino]

Compared to Ike, Pierre is Jerry Rice

That was a hell of a play

42 is my guy!
That kid should’ve been starting the secondary couple years ago… never understood the hesitation by the coaching staff to play him as an every down player..

 

[steel dino]

Come on Dino, they only need to play .500 ball the rest of the way out.

Yeah, you’re right. That is our superpower.!

 

[insaniti]

Throwing short of the sticks has been an issue for far longer than Rodgers has been a Steelers. The idea is getting players in space and create YAC...But some of those ideas just don't translate. Like when you run a wide screen to Gainwell, with 3 blockers in front of him, but one of those blockers is the 150lbs Calvin Austin. I love Muth and feel he is absolutely under utilized, however...he is not a YAC guy. He doesn't make people miss, he doesn't run them over. But he runs good routes, has good hands. He's the possession receiver of the TE group. He finds the soft spots in zones, he's fast enough to run up the seem and make the catch. He just isn't going to outrun any one after that.

 

[Shane Falco]

Thinking about this game, it was a typical Tomlin turnaround. The difference is it appeared he let Aaron Rodgers take the keys early in the game (the mid 3rd quarter through 4th looked like the typical Tomlin cruise control conservative attack). Had they kept their foot on the gas, put another score or 2 on the board (TD/FG at least), figure out how to milk the clock, you take Derrick Henry out of the game and make Lamar try and win it with garbage time passes. Tomlin never goes for the kill shot. This game nor the rest of the season will change my opinion of Tomlin needing to go. If he does go, I do hope for the teams sake that it is on a positive note vs a complete collapse.

Game Balls
Aaron Rodgers- We saw Aaron Rodgers be Aaron Rodgers. He is the catalyst of the offense if not the team. The money shots to DK and the 20 yarder to CA3 were all in the basket shots vs 50/50 balls and it paid off. The TD to Warren could've been layups to Muth or MVS but saw Warren was just completely uncovered. This resulted in a TD so really no criticism there
DK Metcalf- This is why he is here. 7 for 148. To me, this has a lot to do with both Thielen and MVS lining up early and running correct routes and drawing doubling from DK early-though they combined for 1 catch at 4 yards, just their presence needs to be accounted for. We will continue to see more involvement over the next couple of weeks from these 2. Taking a snap as gunner showed selflessness and put the team first vs making a 'business decision' when 15 was hurting a little bit. This my fellow SN members is what will make this WR corp even better. When they take DKs example of putting team first. We would not have seen this from that guy who was traded to Dallas. As a matter of fact, we have all seen his self implosion we have all seen the past 3 seasons.
The Offensive Line- Kept Aarons jersey clean. The only difference I see in 2 games is rushing. The past 2 games without Broderick, they have rushed for 58 and 34 yards. This is something to pay attention to going into Miami.
TJ Watt/Alex Highsmith- Both impacted Henry on the edge often and Highsmith for the game sealing sack/fumble.
James Pierre- The guy has blossomed into a very good corner. He ain't going to be the second coming of Dion Sanders or Rod Woodson, but the guy has seemed to figure it out.
Carson Bruener and Ben Skorownek- These guys are just human missiles on special teams. Skorownek plays hard every play he's on the field, offense or special teams.

Goats-DL. They Mitchell and Henry were running right at them.
Mike Tomlin/Teryl Austin-no complaints on pass rush or secondary, but allowing another 200 plus yard rushing attack by the opposing team.
Mike Tomlin/Arthur Smith-Great first half attack, we started to see it taper off to Martyball in the 4th quarter, allowing Baltimore to stay in the game.

I don't really have any F/Us.

I would give a special game ball to Patrick Queen. The guy showed up to play bum hip and all. He got busted up during the game but came back in and played at a high level. Reports after the game is that he was barely walking after the game. If there was an award on this board for guys that just play hard when injured-he definitely deserves it. I would call the award the Detective John McClane Award because- Yippy Kiyayay Mother ----!

 

[diver]

Of course not everything on the field is his responsibility . I am not sure any fan thinks that.

I guess I’m a bottom line fan.

And my bottom line is the head coach just is below the line of what I and most of the fan base finds as acceptable.

A trend has developed which really is the most concerning aspect of his tenure.

Every coach has his up and downs.

And every coach has it is his time to go stamp.

For me what intricacies happen between point A and B is just that. Debatable but not bottom line changing.

That stamp should be used but for reasons outside of what is really important isn’t being used.

it is sapping my love of the game…

It screams of a Bob Nutting scenario which is hard on fans who knew this team at one time was the furthest from that.

I grew up in the great era of the '70s. When Bradshaw made a great play, Noll never entered my mind as a reason for it. If Bradshaw threw a pick, same thing. When the '80s came, it was clear those players were not of the same talent level as what they had in the '70s, so again, you just didn't really blame Noll. With Cowher in the '90s you knew they didn't have that special QB, so I didn't blame him. Even in 2004, when a lot of people wanted to run him out on a rail, my feeling was he had a rookie QB who hit the wall. I just don't look blaming the coach for everything. It's not some concerted or devious effort to cover for Tomlin. I just don't see football that way, and never will. Players are out there, they play. Am I absolving the coach? No, I don't think so. The Steelers desperately need a fresh start, a new voice. But when people say he is responsible for everything, and people do say that, I just disagree. This whole thing about throwing short of the sticks. Rodgers is the QB. Not all routes are run short of the sticks on 3rd and 8. He has other choices.

We all get mad at his conservative offense. Me too. But listen to Williamson and some of the stats. You see what Tomlin is trying to do. The time of possession deficiencies and amount of plays deficiencies are alarming. The defense is playing way too much. We all know this style of defense shouldn't be on the field so long. So he tries to run the ball, throw short passes and extend drives. It isn't working, but you can see the reasoning.

I would love to see what someone new could do. It's beyond time. But fans have gotten to the point of blaming coaches for everything, and it's wrong. I live over east in PA. In Philly they wanna run Sirianni out. He just won a SB. It's all his fault though.

 

[Avoid_Lloyd]

Blah

I grew up in the great era of the '70s. When Bradshaw made a great play, Noll never entered my mind as a reason for it. If Bradshaw threw a pick, same thing. When the '80s came, it was clear those players were not of the same talent level as what they had in the '70s, so again, you just didn't really blame Noll. With Cowher in the '90s you knew they didn't have that special QB, so I didn't blame him. Even in 2004, when a lot of people wanted to run him out on a rail, my feeling was he had a rookie QB who hit the wall. I just don't look blaming the coach for everything. It's not some concerted or devious effort to cover for Tomlin. I just don't see football that way, and never will. Players are out there, they play. Am I absolving the coach? No, I don't think so. The Steelers desperately need a fresh start, a new voice. But when people say he is responsible for everything, and people do say that, I just disagree. This whole thing about throwing short of the sticks. Rodgers is the QB. Not all routes are run short of the sticks on 3rd and 8. He has other choices.

We all get mad at his conservative offense. Me too. But listen to Williamson and some of the stats. You see what Tomlin is trying to do. The time of possession deficiencies and amount of plays deficiencies are alarming. The defense is playing way too much. We all know this style of defense shouldn't be on the field so long. So he tries to run the ball, throw short passes and extend drives. It isn't working, but you can see the reasoning.

I would love to see what someone new could do. It's beyond time. But fans have gotten to the point of blaming coaches for everything, and it's wrong. I live over east in PA. In Philly they wanna run Sirianni out. He just won a SB. It's all his fault though.

blah blah blah

You pretend to be reasonable then draw a correlation to Cowher who won tons of playoff games with a flawed roster and always had us in the mix with the elite in the NFL or fans in Philly wanting their coach out after winning a ring a year ago to Tomlin not not even being competitive in a playoff game much less winning a playoff game in 8 years- pure trash argument.

Everyone sees right thru you who pays any attention to your posts over the years…you’ve toned down your act the last few months because the tide of the fan base has turned, people have had enough, and you’re very alone in your bs-but it’s all the same trash from you, want an example:

Look no further than the dbag comments you made to those who criticized the Pickens trade or the arrogant comments you made to people who were criticizing Tomlin before the team collapsed late last season, unless you go delete them like a b…

 

[diver]

Blah

blah blah blah

You pretend to be reasonable then draw a correlation to Cowher who won tons of playoff games with a flawed roster and always had us in the mix with the elite in the NFL or fans in Philly wanting their coach out after winning a ring a year ago to Tomlin not not even being competitive in a playoff game much less winning a playoff game in 8 years- pure trash argument.

Everyone sees right thru you who pays any attention to your posts over the years…you’ve toned down your act the last few months because you’re alone in it and you look like an idiot coming at people who criticize Tomlin but it’s all the same trash from you, want an example:

Look no further than the dbag comments you made to those you criticized the Pickens trade or the arrogant comments you made to people who were criticizing Tomlin before the team collapsed last season, unless you go delete them like a b…

Your panites really get bunched up, don't they? Relax, Francis.

 

[Avoid_Lloyd]

Your panites really get bunched up, don't they? Relax, Francis.

Say you’ve lost the argument without saying you lost the argument lol

If this team goes on a tear and wins 2 or more playoff games I’ll be the first one here to eat crow and say I was wrong about Tomlin-and I’ll be thrilled to do it

You and what’s left of the Tomlin fan club (see your posts over a year old if you dispute you weren’t that) will never do that no matter how log this futility continues

Am I an *** to you? Yup, you deserve it for being part of the crew here who for years and years insinuated or labeled people bad fans for criticizing Mike Tomlin.

You think you’re the only one whose watched, lived, and died with this team since the 70’s-**** you

 

[topseed]

Game Balls:
Joey Porter Jr. - Half of this board is trashing him because refs called two questional penalties on him. He had the defensive play of the game and has been playing good football this season.

Yes, let's give a game ball to the guy who handed two automatic first downs to the Ravens on third downs, and got beaten clean by a tight end on what should be a touchdown in any reasonable universe. Porter did manage to knock the ball out after the opponent took 2.9 steps with it in the end zone, and got rewarded with a pass defensed on a stupid rule technicality. Awesome.

 

[steel dino]

Yes, let's give a game ball to the guy who handed two automatic first downs to the Ravens on third downs, and got beaten clean by a tight end on what should be a touchdown in any reasonable universe. Porter did manage to knock the ball out after the opponent took 2.9 steps with it in the end zone, and got rewarded with a pass defensed on a stupid rule technicality. Awesome.

I have no problem with giving Junior game ball. As I stated, previously, I believe his extra effort in the end zone saved the Steelers season.
And if someone makes an extra effort play that potentially saves the season or keeps you relevant in a playoff hunt for the remainder of the season, that deserves some sort of accolade, and a game ball sounds appropriate to me

 

[topseed]

I have no problem with giving Junior game ball. As I stated, previously, I believe his extra effort in the end zone saved the Steelers season.
And if someone makes an extra effort play that potentially saves the season or keeps you relevant in a playoff hunt for the remainder of the season, that deserves some sort of accolade, and a game ball sounds appropriate to me

You're free to believe what you want to believe. What is not belief, but a fact, is that with the game on the line, Porter was taken to school by a tight end, and Likely was a fraction of a second away from having that third foot down. Porter, trailing the entire way, was beyond lucky to get a finger in there to dislodge the ball at the last possible moment as the guy clearly had possession, was extending the ball, and had two-plus feet down.

It's just a stupid rule, and it was just as asinine a result as the Jesse James reversal. Both of those plays should have been touchdowns. I know it, you know it, every football fan with half a brain knows it. And I'm not going to give an ounce of credit to Porter on a tenth-of-second technicality made possible by an inane section of the NFL rulebook.

Hopefully it didn't save Tomlin's job.

 

[diver]

Blah

blah blah blah

You pretend to be reasonable then draw a correlation to Cowher who won tons of playoff games with a flawed roster and always had us in the mix with the elite in the NFL or fans in Philly wanting their coach out after winning a ring a year ago to Tomlin not not even being competitive in a playoff game much less winning a playoff game in 8 years- pure trash argument.

Everyone sees right thru you who pays any attention to your posts over the years…you’ve toned down your act the last few months because the tide of the fan base has turned, people have had enough, and you’re very alone in your bs-but it’s all the same trash from you, want an example:

Look no further than the dbag comments you made to those who criticized the Pickens trade or the arrogant comments you made to people who were criticizing Tomlin before the team collapsed late last season, unless you go delete them like a b…

You stated everything that happens on the field is the responsibility of Mike Tomlin. Everything is pretty definitive. What responsibility is left to the players? I refuse to buy the argument that grown men making millions and are actually on the field bare no responsibility. It defies logic. It also goes against everything you learn growing up playing sports, and you try to teach young people as they play sports.

The point I was trying to make with Cowher and Sirianni is that fans overall have gotten to the point where it is blame the coach for everything, even one as good as Cowher and people wanted to run him off. The Sirianni example is how crazy it has gotten. He won a Super Bowl last year and people in Philly are calling for his removal 10 months later. Anyone who has coached kids will tell you it is getting worse and worse. It's never the kids, always the coach. Is that where this attitude comes from?

I don't have to tone anything down. It's my opinion and makes no difference in who coaches the Steelers. Neither does yours. You act as if because I have the opinions I have it prevents the Steelers from making a change.

The comments I made on Pickens? I wasn't disrespectful to anyone. Unless you have proof they could have gotten more than they did, it's just hot air. You said they didn't have a plan. I disagreed. I think their plan was never to sign a higher priced #2. Their history shows that. Ward over Burress. Brown over Wallace. Never both. the consensus at the draft was the talent wasn't there after round 1, and their plan was to get younger on DL. You may dislike their plan, but they had one. And after seeing Kaleb Johnson maybe they made a mistake there and should have went WR. We'll see.

I never delete anything. Never dawned on me to do that.

 

[diver]

Say you’ve lost the argument without saying you lost the argument lol

If this team goes on a tear and wins 2 or more playoff games I’ll be the first one here to eat crow and say I was wrong about Tomlin-and I’ll be thrilled to do it

You and what’s left of the Tomlin fan club (see your posts over a year old if you dispute you weren’t that) will never do that no matter how log this futility continues

Am I an *** to you? Yup, you deserve it for being part of the crew here who for years and years insinuated or labeled people bad fans for criticizing Mike Tomlin.

You think you’re the only one whose watched, lived, and died with this team since the 70’s-**** you

Nobody deserves that due to having an opinion on something we have no controi over. And I never once questioned anyone's fandom. That is an outright lie.

Thankfully, I enjoy the back and forth and could care less that you are an *** to me.

 

[Avoid_Lloyd]

You stated everything that happens on the field is the responsibility of Mike Tomlin. Everything is pretty definitive. What responsibility is left to the players? I refuse to buy the argument that grown men making millions and are actually on the field bare no responsibility. It defies logic. It also goes against everything you learn growing up playing sports, and you try to teach young people as they play sports.

The point I was trying to make with Cowher and Sirianni is that fans overall have gotten to the point where it is blame the coach for everything, even one as good as Cowher and people wanted to run him off. The Sirianni example is how crazy it has gotten. He won a Super Bowl last year and people in Philly are calling for his removal 10 months later. Anyone who has coached kids will tell you it is getting worse and worse. It's never the kids, always the coach. Is that where this attitude comes from?

I don't have to tone anything down. It's my opinion and makes no difference in who coaches the Steelers. Neither does yours. You act as if because I have the opinions I have it prevents the Steelers from making a change.

The comments I made on Pickens? I wasn't disrespectful to anyone. Unless you have proof they could have gotten more than they did, it's just hot air. You said they didn't have a plan. I disagreed. I think their plan was never to sign a higher priced #2. Their history shows that. Ward over Burress. Brown over Wallace. Never both. the consensus at the draft was the talent wasn't there after round 1, and their plan was to get younger on DL. You may dislike their plan, but they had one. And after seeing Kaleb Johnson maybe they made a mistake there and should have went WR. We'll see.

I never delete anything. Never dawned on me to do that.

Another pure trash analogy:

Comparing the attitudes and behaviors of the idiots who rip volunteer coaches helping kids to fans criticizing the 4th highest paid coach in the NFL coaching at the pinnacle level of professional sports…this is exactly what I’m talking about…everyone sees right through where you’re going with that statement regardless of if you said it directly

Probably half of your posts are you spewing these excrement anaolgies- in defense of a coach without a playoff win in 8 years

God you’re an arrogant jack ***

 

[diver]

Another pure trash analogy:

Comparing the attitudes and behaviors of the idiots who rip volunteer coaches helping kids to fans criticizing the 4th highest paid coach in the NFL coaching at the pinnacle level of professional sports…this is exactly what I’m talking about…everyone sees right through where you’re going with that statement regardless of if you said it directly

Probably half of your posts are you spewing these excrement anaolgies- in defense of a coach without a playoff win in 8 years

God you’re an arrogant jack ***

Thank you. Have a good night.

 

[Avoid_Lloyd]

Thank you. Have a good night.

Funny how you write paragraphs when you think you’ve said something brilliant but write cute 1 line responses when your idiocy gets exposed and you have no credibie response

Have a good night professor, dream up some new stupid arrogant analogies for tomorrow… I wonder who you’ll compare Tomlin critics to tomorrow… maybe people who don’t return their shopping carts to the bin, bad tippers, serial killers…the possibilities are endless