I like Tomlin, and I don’t want to join the panicking hordes, but Baltimore was gonna be about “redemption” and Oakland was gonna be about “unleashing hell.” But as a coach he needs players to redeem themselves and to do the unleashing and for those games they clearly did not. But for this week he talked about line-up changes and scheme changes to break a clearly unacceptable pattern of behaviour leading to bad outcomes etc.

Well those 2 things a coach can effect: they can make lineup changes and they can make scheme changes. Instead it was Keenen Lewis inactive, Ike Taylor showing no interest in covering or tackling anybody while Joe Burnett came in only to a return a kick (something that hasn’t really been a problem actually). And then there was all those predictable series of run on first and second down out of running formations then go empty backfield on 3rd down leading to a sack. I didn’t see any impactful attempts at line-up or scheme adjustments. So why say you’re gonna do those things and not do them??

Tomlin’s words and actions have been pretty consistent over his first 3 years and have shown an ability to inspire the team and get results. But for the last 3 weeks they have had no impact, in fact if anything they have had the opposite effect. And his words leading up to this week were about things he was going to do, and then he didn’t do it. I’m not sure we can know for sure if he has lost the locker room etc. And I’m not saying scheme changes and personnel changes would have made a difference. But it’s a bad sign when for several weeks in a row now the words of our eloquent and inspirational coach have failed to have any effect and when it has reached the point where he isn’t even responding to his own calls for action.

what has he done? nothing..this line has sucked for 4 years now and everyone knows it….its a wonder they won in spite of them for this long…yes in spite of them…..also i guess the defense needs a youth movement or some schematic changes…i see no leaders on D..no Lloyd..no Porter…no Woodson…nobody to stand up and call them out and raise the level of play…and this includes TOMLIN..if what a coach does when the chips are down as opposed to what he does when he inherets a super bowl contender defines him than he isnt the great find everyone made him out to be..he has no answers…none for 5 weeks…5 WEEKS!! of pathetic football from the steelers..unbelieveable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, Jerome Bettis was NOT a “middle of the road” running back. He still had good numbers with the Rams 1429 yards and 1025 in the first two seasons (he had injuries in his third). Actually, his best yard per carry was in his first season with the Rams. It is awfully foolish to call a probable HoFer a “middle of the road” running back. Jus’ sayin’.

Moving on, our O-line has been pretty damn good this year (especially considering how they played last year when they won the SB). They have one bad game and they suck all the sudden? I don’t follow. Maybe we could replace one or two guys there, but a full scale fire sale on the line just seems a little bit ridiculous. Did we forget that Max Starks blanked Jared Allen and basically blanked Dumerville (his half sack was because Ben held the ball too long). How soon we forget, eh?

You know what would prevent Ben from extending the play and taking sacks all the time? Telling him to get rid of the damn ball or he will ride the bench. That is the only thing that will work. No OL in the league can hold their blocks for 5+ seconds. Do you want to know why Peyton Manning is the least sacked QB per drop back? Because he does not hold onto the ball for that long. He goes through his progressions quick and then checks down or tosses the ball away in under 4 or 5 seconds. Ben does not do that. And until he learns to do that he is going to take sacks and be a concussion risk.

Gee whiz

When you keep seeing the blitz on third down, you might want to run some plays to combat that. I predicted sacks on at least 3 3rd down plays last night ( and was right), bacause I could see the blitz coming, and I could see they were locked into a play. Audible anyone?

The Steelers clearly are in the top 10 in the league in terms of talent, even with Polamalu and Aaron Smith out. (Other teams have injuries, too.) Our offensive skill players are all above average, several lineman have played well, the LB corps is outstanding. Yet the team is at 6-7. No other coach in the NFL is doing as poorly with this much talent.

Professional football players should be motivated at all times, but in fact, they are not. The head coach is responsible for keeping the players at peak determination. At critical points in the game—red zone, fourth quarter—the 2009 Steelers have consistently shown a lack of determination. That has to go on the head coach, at least in part.

Many Bungle fans have one, but this year thy’re using it on other teams’ blogs instead of on their own.