Big Test Coming for Mike Tomlin
by Zak Woods on Dec 14, 2009 12:48 PM EST
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PrintPFTreported that changes could be coming to the Steelers organization with the Special Teams and Offensive coordinators on the hot seat as well as the offensive line coach. While I am sure most Steelers fans would like to see these three coaches out of the black and gold their firing will be an interesting test for Mike Tomlin.
If one or all three of these coaches are dismissed it will be the first time that Tomlin will be making major overhauls to the coaching staff since he took the job in 2006. Tomlin's shrewd decision to keep as much of the core-coaching staff together was one of the reasons why the Steelers were able to maintain a high level of success.
But after this year Tomlin's fingerprints could be all over the offense and special teams. How will Tomlin's hiring abilities compare to Bill Cowher, who did an excellent job at finding great coordinators consistently, which was one of the reasons why the Steelers were able to maintain a high level of success in the 90's and early 00's.
It is going to be interesting to see what will happens....
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Well MT knows something about offense he played WR at William & Mary
so that should help him find an OC and if we need a DB coach when Darren Sharper retires I’m sure he would work for his old team mate at W&M
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame
DIck Lebeau, Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel and Chris Carter
Offensive Identity and Success
First, Tomlin needs to state what type of offense they are going to have and then find the people to run it. This is philosophical in basis. Whatever you believe in is what you have to teach and preach. The Roethlisberger as a gunslinger test is about over. The O Line is incapable of protecting him, especially with the way he and they are playing right now. They have always done better with BB complimenting the run game with play action and occassionally going deep in the drop back game.
BB has talent but it needs to be directed. A few more concussions and his career could be over. This alone dictates where they need to go from here offensively. Dixon played well and may have a few years at #1 after Ben retires. Would be cool to see what he can really do. Not suggesting Ben be replaced but if they lose one more – how much does Dixon play?
"Franz" in NoCal
the floor is open for debate on all topics, again
i wasn’t convinced either way that m.t. was a great find as a coach or just a man very successfuly prepared and perfectly practised to sucessfully interview to get the job……and given the overall nfl record even at our end of the bell curve, i,thought, the law of averages weighed against our hiring a lengendarily successful coach 3 times in a row.
some funny things happened in between then an now,,,,, i noticed we started making fewer mistakes and penalties, our generally average talent was making above average plays with above average frequency,,,, ben was continuing to bring us back to win, not a historic steeler trait, and we won a super bowl,
and though i couldn’t glean exactly how , cause i don’t see practise , team meetings or the locker room, this is where the coach works and i thought he must do something beside practise for interviews well.,,,,cause i have to think that theese improvements had to be the results of good coaching.
by the time he took the job for his first year he was already behind staffing the way he may have wanted ,,,,,and he couldn’t very well make uncritisized big changes after last year,,,, so we really don’t know if he has the staff he wants to execute his thoughts.
and we really don’t know if we have the coach we want to execute ours…
late 60s, the chief rooney handed off to dan rooney and he begot chuck noll and bill cowher and a philosophy, and personell that succeeded in what the nfl was and would become till the end of the century.
now dan’s handed off to art jr. and his first acquisition and direction for the new nfl century was ben,,,,,
arts next challenge , is to make sure this investment developes to his full ,,and unbradshaw like pre free agency ,,, cost.
the whole shebang is bet on who coaches ben.
ben can be one of the best ever if directed and desireous to be the best ever at completion %, interception %, qb rating, and team wins.
geez, remember the numbers he was throwing up his first couple years when he had a running game, ……..multiple game streaks with near perfect qb ratings…….
but if he wants and works toward high completions , yardage , touchdowns,,, hell still end up very good but we won’t.
one other thing , just an instinctive flash,,,, it occurred to me when first becoming familiar with ben that he may be a bit slow maturing socially ( not football,,,,he great from the get go to me) but ,,i had a thought that i couldn’t eliminate the possibility that he was a type who could turn into a ty cobb when he grew up. and thats crossed my mind on the vapors of the locker room hints this year.
AR. jr.’s prime directive is to have a coach that developes Ben, their first huge post free agency investment nessecary to adjust to the new century nfl.
Tomlin's Legacy to be tested
Mike Tomlin’s legacy will be determined in the next month. Who he picks as OC, OL, DB & SP coaches will play a huge role in determining is Tomlin a one hit wonder winning with Cower’s team or another GREAT STEELER COACH. Will these men develop the new blood brought in to replace the greats. Will these coaches get the Steeler players to focus on the fundementals. If so, Tomlin will win another SB. If not he will be gone.
by Steeler Nation VA on Dec 15, 2009 8:09 AM EST reply actions
he didn't win with Cowher's team
Tomlin won it with his team, plain and simple. No matter what happens from now on, Cowher was displaced over a year, almost 2 when Tomlin won his super bowl. This isn’t college where you have to wait to get your players to get credit, when you can get fired in 2-3 years, it becomes your team after year 1.
Steelers football is 60 mins.
by tannofsteel84 on Dec 15, 2009 3:39 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
idk about that, most, if not all of the players on last years super bowl team were from the cowher era. there is nothing wrong with saying that.
Out of the defensive starters last year only Woodley was drafted under Tomlin. The rest were all drafted or signed when Cowher was the coach. Now, Tyrone Carter, Lawrence Timmons and Willie Gay got in the rotation. One was a FA the other two were draft picks.
The offense is interesting bc Tomlin added Mwelde Moore and Sean Mahan. Mahan was a bust and replaced by Justin Hartwig. Rashard was drafted but didnt play last year. The rest of the offensive pieces (yes, even the dreadful O-line from ’08) were Cowher remnants.
While the periphery of the team changed the core was def. from the previous administration.
That being said, Kevin Colbert is the GM so really the team is the one he assembled
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