Let me guess, we gotta get back in the lab?

by Dublin8 on Dec 6, 2009 4:37 PM EST

We're gonna "be aggressive these last 5 games". No wait, "our playoff run starts now". Oh, now I remember, "We're gonna get back in the lab and fix some things". "Unleash Hell?"

Can anyone remind me what this team does well? There is talent all over the field. What the hell is going on?

Do we..A) need to go back to the drawing board

B) need to take one play and one game at a time

C) give 110%

D) or some other bs

I did not expect the Steelers to repeat. Especially without Troy. But how do you explain this slide? I can't take any more Tomlin-isms. They sound great, but just words. Defense did it's job for most of the game. Offense didn't put up many points despite all those possessions. The Jeff Reed 53 yd attempt was suspect. I say run the offense through Mendy before we go to the no rhythm backyard football routine.

Tweet Comment 22 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

2006 anyone?

by jglo on Dec 6, 2009 4:48 PM EST reply actions

I was thinking the same thing

It’s 2006 all over again, but different.

I love being the most-hated guy here. I love beating them while [their fans] are flicking me off. --Hines Ward

by samliam on Dec 6, 2009 4:58 PM EST up reply actions

Stop playing not to lose and start playing to win

"From time to time gunfighters get shot."-Mike Tomlin the third greatest Steelers coach

by WVPiratesfan on Dec 6, 2009 4:56 PM EST reply actions

Okay, this worship of the D must end

Look, we can criticize Tomlin all we want – there were a couple of very questionable decisions in the game, none more questionable than the 53 yard field goal attempt. The distrust that Arians seems to have toward Mendy is also just startling. After all, the guy is both a grinder and a big play waiting to happen, adept at blitz pickup and the catch and run. Why this guys comes off the field outside of giving him a breather is just bizarre to me.

However, to say the D “did it’s job for most of the game” is just ridiculous. They gave up 21 points in the 4th to a Bradkowski led Raiders team that had averaged just 10 points a game for the entire season. This is exactly the same problem the D has had all year, except this time it was a collapse of epic proportions.

What’s more, the real playmakers for Oakland are in the backfield – that three headed beast of Fargas, McFadden, and Bush. So, it stands to reason if they were going to gash us it would be on the ground. However, they carved up our DB’s – Gay was horrible, Ike played like he didn’t take the game seriously, Clark is a hitter and not a cover guy, Carter plays well for a backup but has limited coverage abilities.

If you had told me before the game that the O was going to put up 24 on the Raiders I would have said that’s a win for us – easily. In fact, I think most fans here would have. However, the utter incompetence of our DB’s (minus Troy of course) means that the O really is going to have to put up 30 plus a game in order to insure a win.

Did the O leave some points on the field? Absolutely! Should they have put up 30 plus on the Raiders? No doubt. Would we be well served to look elsewhere for an OC next year? I think so. Should 24 be enough to put away a team who rank just above the Browns statistically? Yes.

In other words, the D deserves it’s fair share of the blame for this season.

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 6, 2009 5:00 PM EST reply actions

Burnett should start the rest of the year and move Gay back to nickle corner where he should stay

and should have been this yeaar but we let McFadden go

"From time to time gunfighters get shot."-Mike Tomlin the third greatest Steelers coach

by WVPiratesfan on Dec 6, 2009 5:05 PM EST up reply actions

I basically agree. He may get burnt a few times, but at least he has the chance to learn from it

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 6, 2009 5:15 PM EST up reply actions

Gay is Awful, but ...

you want to give the starting position to a guy who DROPS THE BALL WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE? My God, we really ARE desperate.

by Citizen of Steeler Nation on Dec 6, 2009 5:17 PM EST up reply actions

He played that pass perfectlly you could expect him to have better coverage on that

adn if you want to talk about someone who dropped the ball with the game on the line Limas Hands of stone dropped the pass in the endzone at the end of the game when it hit him in the hands

"From time to time gunfighters get shot."-Mike Tomlin the third greatest Steelers coach

by WVPiratesfan on Dec 6, 2009 5:30 PM EST up reply actions

ok, stop

now THATS just ridiculous…. its a hailmary, everybody had a shot to get it! Sweed’s left pinky finger managed to graze the ball, thats not a drop.

by steelersfan86 on Dec 6, 2009 5:32 PM EST up reply actions

It hit him square in the hands

"From time to time gunfighters get shot."-Mike Tomlin the third greatest Steelers coach

by WVPiratesfan on Dec 6, 2009 5:33 PM EST up reply actions

The game wouldnt have been on the line

Had the Secondary played properly the rest of the game

Bleeding Black and Gold.....forever

by Michael Hewitt on Dec 6, 2009 5:31 PM EST up reply actions

Yes, the D melted down again in the 4th

When I said the D did it’s job for most of the game, I meant for 3 quarters…You can almost count on a 4th quarter meltdown by the defense, but why wasn’t this game totally out of reacjh by that point. 2-5 redzone scoring? With all of those weapons?

Without Troy, this defense is hit and miss. But why can’t the offense put teams away? And why do they not run it through Mendy?

by Dublin8 on Dec 6, 2009 5:18 PM EST up reply actions

You make a good point

I have no idea why they seem reluctant to let Mendy tote the rock, catch the rock, all he ever does is produce. He did fumble at the beginning of the year, but he’s been fumble free for most of the season. This kid is a winner.

I guess as to your other point, I just think that 24 points against the Raiders should have been more than enough. It’s not like you’re asking them to hold them to 14 or less – just fewer than 24. For a team that has barely managed to have an offense this year, this should have been a given.

But this was just a huge collapse. 21 points in the 4th? The O put up 14 in the 4th, which was great production for them – but you honestly can’t expect them to put up 7 with every drive. And given the way this team as played late in the game, that may be what they have to do.

Green Bay will feast on the corpse of what was once thought to be a great secondary.

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 6, 2009 5:37 PM EST up reply actions

Help me out with this...

Bluegrass and anyone else reading this…When I’m watching the games, I have kids flying around the room, so it’s hard to see everything. But does this offense have any rhythm whatsoever? What is their identity? Look at great teams past and present and you can say “The Colts are going to play action you to death” or “the Patriots are going to throw underneath or spread you out then kill you over the top” or “the Cowher Steelers are gonna run over you” …etc.

Obviously Ben is a supreme athlete and makes plays that noone else can make, period. Add to that, all the other talent on that side and I can’t understand why they don’t absolutely dominate some of these teams. Is Heath Miller the best all-around TE in the league? Is Santonio clutch? Is Ward the smartest, toughest WR? Is Wallace playing like a stud? Is Mendenhall explosive? So much so that FWP is riding pine? What gives??? Does Indianapolis have this kind of firepower? New England? I’d take this roster any day.

by Dublin8 on Dec 6, 2009 5:55 PM EST up reply actions

I just tend to think that our offensive woes are a combination of a couple of factors:

1) Arian’s dogmatism: This guy refuses to admit that the long ball isn’t always the way to go, that sometimes letting the run game and intermediate passing game grind away at the clock is necessary. He also refuses to get creative with our personel – why no wildcat? (or as I’d like to see it called, WildDuck) Why so few gadget plays?

2) No commitment to the Run (or Mendenhall): Mendy is averaging over 5 yards a carry. He has 4 or 5 touchdowns on the ground (a great one today), and one receiving (he is as deft a receiver as MeMo). If he doesn’t get hit in the backfield he constantly churns his legs to get AT LEAST a couple of yards, often 3 or 4 – great running production on a first down. It is absolutely astounding to me we take him off the field except for a breather every now and then. He’s a grinder with explosive power and speed – that’s a rare combination. We need to figure out that he can make plays as well.

3) Situational Ignorance: Arians biggest fault though, may be his inability to understand the demands of certain game situations and what they call of the O to do. A deep bomb on 2 and 4 in overtime with an inexperience QB? That’s just asking for trouble. Empty backfield on 3rd and short? (Why bother making them account for the run). To me, this is the worst part of his performance, he just has no situational intelligence.

Still, the O put up 400 yards and 24 points while only turning it over once. This should have been a win.

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 6, 2009 6:14 PM EST up reply actions

and lets keep in mind that Ben played well coming back from a concussion

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 6, 2009 6:16 PM EST up reply actions

Yah

I just don’t get the empty backfields on 3rd and short. Opposing teams can sell out on the pass. But they do this all the time.

by Citizen of Steeler Nation on Dec 6, 2009 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

Great analysis

I agree with you on all 3 points.

I’ve had a few hours to digest this game. I see now that you can’t blame the offense. 24 should be plenty to beat OAK. I’m still a little concerned that we had just 10 points through 3+ quarters (with all that talent).

The headline however is the meltdown of the D in the 4th qtr. Honestly, I think I’m getting used to it. Knowing that no lead is safe, those redzone opptys are even more critical.

by Dublin8 on Dec 6, 2009 10:44 PM EST up reply actions