CLEVELAND — These words, minus the one in brackets, came from the mouth of Mike Mitchell: “When we did what we were supposed to do, we kicked their [behinds]. They got us on a couple trick plays that really hurt us and got their momentum going.”
Which begs the obvious question. And no, not the one that asks who Mitchell is.
I’m talking about this one: Is there anyone on these Steelers that doesn’t subscribe to the theory that flying the plane successfully comes with the same value as landing it successfully?
My goodness.
Let’s get past the rhetoric — or whatever derisive term you’d attach to Mitchell’s remark — and look at actual performance:
Mitchell actually did have a decent showing, making three tackles but all with impact. One was a dynamic pass breakup over the middle that he made sure everyone in the stadium noticed afterward. Two others were tighter to the line. His overall grade from Pro Football Focus was 2.2, trailing only Lawrence Timmons among all defenders.
So wonderful. Huzzah. Welcome to the franchise, right?
For the season, Mitchell’s PFF rating is 1.5, which places him 27th among all NFL safeties — Troy Polamalu’s 0.9 has him 32nd — and makes him basically average at his job. And upon a deeper look, his ranking drops to 38th when evaluated solely on pass coverage rather than, you know, making the plays right in front o him. That’s because he has zero interceptions and zero passes defensed.
I’ll repeat that: Zero, zero.
And if memory serves, the primary reason the Steelers targeted Mitchell with that five-year, $25 million contract out of free agency was that he’d restore a playmaking dimension to their secondary. Still waiting, obviously.
• No such muddy water when it comes to judging another five-year, $25 million contract Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin doled out this summer: Cortez Allen is beginning to look like the worst corner in the NFL.
Wait, this just in: He is the worst corner in the NFL.
After a minus-3.7 rating Sunday that was among the worst for any player in the league, Allen’s overall PFF ranking among corners fell to No. 103 in the league. Out of 103. He does have two picks and five passes defensed, but all that’s done is mask some of the softest coverage seen in these parts since … ah, I’m not even going to impugn those guys by citing them in this context. Suffice it to say that by game’s end Sunday, Allen actually looked completely satisfied to allow receivers to catch the ball, so long as they wouldn’t run past him.
Allen is a disaster.
Colbert’s summer is shaping up as a disaster.
• Meanwhile, Brice McCain, whose daring pick-6 won the game in Jacksonville and whose practice showings have drawn effusive praise from Tomlin, played only 13 snaps while Allen never left the field.
Bad coaching isn’t always about Xs and Os. Don’t forget that.
• I asked Willie Gay if a daylong burn like this — for the secondary as a whole, though Gay played pretty well — can result in becoming passive:
• It sadly says so much about the state of the Steelers that James Harrison’s workload was increased to exactly half the team’s snaps and that he graded out with the third-best performance and that I can barely recall a thing that he did.
• There are not enough glum words to describe the expression on Art Rooney II’s face as he walked through that locker room afterward. Hadn’t seen that since Tim Tebow.
• As noted in the game column, I liked nothing about Markus Wheaton’s showing, especially that it took 11 targets to get him four catches. A deeper look, however, reveals that I actually went easy on him. Those four catches to the receiver expected to become a big-play threat resulted in a total of minus-1 yards after the catch. Which is kind of like throwing to a statue, but only if the statue falls the wrong way on one of those plays. What’s more, Wheaton was never covered by Joe Haden, instead facing two corners — Buster Skrine and Justin Gilbert — who have struggled most of the season.
• Check this out from Cleveland coach Mike Pettine, on the topic of how much the Browns changed their defense from the opener to this game: “A little less pressure, I thought. We rushed four. I don’t know what our blitz totals were, but it wasn’t many.” I offer this only so that a) you can see how easy the Steelers’ offense is to defend schematically, as it echoes what was said by the Jaguars and b) for full appreciation of Maurkice Pouncey still getting beaten for three QB hurries. Not a good day.
• This was spoken by Jason Worilds at today’s media availability on the South Side: “The talent is there. That is not a question. It’s more so about everybody being accountable and consistent. I think for one reason or another we’ll have a lapse and those lapses will get you beat.” I happen to agree that the talent is there. I just happen to see the bulk of that talent on offense.
• Random thought: Think Kyle Shanahan, the Browns’ offensive coordinator, wouldn’t rather have Ben Roethlisberger as his QB over Brian Hoyer? Or Antonio Brown over Miles Austin? Or Le’Veon Bell over Ben Tate? Well, Shanahan still outscored Todd Haley, 31-10.
Underappreciated is Cortez Allen's run defense on Browns' first TD. Browns ran a short-side sweep to his side from the five. Short-side...yet the RB ran right around him for TD. Short-side sweep. Untouched by the CB. Unheard of.
I have always been a Tomlin supporter....but something has to change after this 3rd consecutive lost and abysmal season. I'd still trust MT to lead the troops, but a change at OC and DC is a MUST...as well as letting go of some of the aging vets. Colbert needs to go too.
Great points.I look at the Ravens losing top players and they don't miss a beat.We have been declining 4 years. on defense and replacements are bad..How sad is it that 2 aged players were cut and brought back? Need physical and tall CB's, that is what good teams r doing.
They did miss a beat (rough season last year), but they reloaded a lot faster. Everyone questioned them when they let a lot of people from the Super Bowl team walk, but they are back and ready to go again, just two years later. The Steelers are still floundering.
theBikeman
10-13-2014, 1:57 pm
I don't trust Tomlin on anything lately. He's rude and snippy with reporters and yet they all attend his pressers.
He has a big time QB, although he's struggling. He has a big time RB and WR but not much else.
Because reporters should boycott press conferences.
EddieT
10-14-2014, 3:01 am
IMHO, Tomlin is attempting to bully reporters and everyone except his own team. He is the master of the cute phrase and probably a great interviewee, but I just do not see the substance--the coaching, preparation and leadership required of a HC. His shtick has gotten old.
Jeff
10-13-2014, 2:00 pm
Unfortunately, too many holes to fix this season. Need to part ways with Troy, revamp defense and clean house of the malcontents. Rooney needs to replace Colbert and let him pick coaches.Tomlin has lost team and hopefully, they can land Rex,Grudin or another top coach.
Gotta beg please, no Gruden. He's another coach who only won with another guy's team. And, if anything, he's a bigger blowhard than Tomlin. At least Tomlin comes up with his own catchy, soundbitey material, if nothing else. Gruden just blathers mindlessly every Monday night.
marty
10-13-2014, 5:11 pm
REX? Rex Ryan? I'm ready for a change too, but don't forget, things can get worse.
Spike Crain
10-13-2014, 5:50 pm
I thought Shazier & Tuitt weren't bad picks, along with Bryant (maybe). They lost me on Archer, et al. Their Drafting was too cute - by Half! And now, their Play on the Field embodies the same "Philosophy". Stop "Thinking" - Play Football!
Scott in Orlando
10-13-2014, 2:10 pm
DK, while my opine is speculative, I believe you are not supportive of changing coaching at this time. If so, I'm curious at what point would that move be appropriate, if not now? When Ben called t/o at the beginning of 2nd qrtr., it affirmed my view, poor coaching and prep.
While the 2nd qrtr t/o is not the sole affirmation, it was one of many which occurred just yesterday. TPA, JAX and CLE and we come out 1-2. This day and age, people get terminated for giving political donations to a non-PC cause for goodness sake. This surpasses logic in my view
It likely will do nothing, however, I just boxed up a bunch of my Steelers attire and sent them to the organization with a note of disapproval. I will not spend my hard earned discretionary income on an entity which will not be accountable to the best fan base in the NFL.
With all due respect Scott, and I'm really not being a smartass; what does sending them your apparel actually do? You've already spent your money on it, why waste it now?
cgarzat
10-13-2014, 2:21 pm
I think MT coaching has been awful, I can´t recall a team that has to use a time out just after the 1st quarter break!!!! Really sad showing, I don´t believe he even knows what tipe of offensive weapons this team has!!!
The Steelers have "jumped the shark" and the organization has become the new Cleveland in the AFC North. If that doesn't make one sick to their stomach, nothing will relative to this team. We are now the laughing stock and every NFL city is loving to watch our team's demise.
Your comment perfectly fits how bad it is right now. It is horrible to be the standard (not Tomlin's standard) for all NFL teams a few years back and now be exact opposite.
fklanduch
10-13-2014, 2:34 pm
I found it telling that tomlin cited the botched hold on the fg, multiple times, as a major mistake during his press conference. AS if that was even remotely part of the problem.
I took it differently. I thought he made it as a clear example of them not being able to put points on the board when they were close. They got lots of yards, just no scores. But, like I said earlier, he had a bit of a deer in the headlights look in the after game presser,
Dejan Kovacevic
10-13-2014, 4:09 pm
Punters are easy prey for frustrated coaches.
corourke82
10-14-2014, 3:36 am
I felt as though it was a huge shift in momentum. Mentally weak and poorly coached teams allow the momentum of a botched play in the 1st quarter to sink the game. Look no further than your 2014 pittsburgh steelers.
Robert
10-13-2014, 2:45 pm
This OL couldn't move a couch with a dolly. Majority of rush yards come between the 20's on draws & other misdirection. It's no wonder they can't punch it in the end zone. Haley is no prize but, perhaps, all these lateral plays are a result of personnel deficiencies.
Robert: YOU'RE HIRED!!!
Music to my ears, this post. And I *swear* Robert is his own man -- not me in disguise -- nor is his posting simply because I bribed him.
(But your check is in the mail, my new friend. ;-) )
Ghost
10-13-2014, 2:48 pm
Re: "Random thought"- If Haley and Shanahan switched places, result would still be the same. Ben, Bell and Brown by themselves do not an offense make. What's worse, we'd still be "defended" by LeBeau muddling around with Cortez, Troy, and the rest of his Parted Curtain defense.
The defense built on QB pressure & attacking WRs is doing neither. The zone-blitz doesn't work if no one can win a 1-on-1. Keisel & Harrison can't see their primes in the rearview mirror. Worilds & Spence are backups at best. That's most of your front 7 w/o saying another word.
And sadly, Worilds is a backup making $10 million this year.
Robert
10-13-2014, 2:57 pm
The point is that football games are mostly won & lost on the OL and DL. The Steelers aren't good on either. There are legitimate complaints to be made beyond that, but everyone else looks better when you win at the line of scrimmage.
"Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
EddieT
10-14-2014, 3:12 am
What is sickening is the level of line play, after considering the number of high picks spent to rebuild the current lines. When Noll built & re-built he started with the lines. RBs and WRs were added when the lines were ready to win. Our current lines are re-built but losing.
Stephen k Powanda
10-13-2014, 2:58 pm
I look forward to all your columns. I appreciate your honesty. Mr Rooney needs to do more than look depressed and angry. Just to start Haley needs to go and I supported him until now. Tomlin says the same things every week and Colbert has not done a very good job. Thanks DK
It says something that the hilite of the game was 36 year old Brett Kiesel running down that tight end. It also says something that it was 43s man, and that 99 appeared to be the only one in pursuit.
By my count there were 2 TD's based on Troy not being where he should be. That's not so much an indictment of Troy as it is that they're still trying to use Troy based on his skills several years ago. He's a Hall of Famer, but he isn't that guy anymore.
William Maloni
10-13-2014, 3:12 pm
They stink and they, apparently, drafted poorly this year.
At some point you need talented players.
That doesn't absolve the coaches who seems too comfortable, just as do too many players.
It's not the Steelers way" to fire anyone in season, but that should stop, too.
I think the days of Drafting players, then aging them - like cheese - are over! I mentioned Shazier, Tuitt & Bryant above - Let 'em Play, I say! (Barring Injuries, etc.) Keep Keisel, Harrison - even Troy - for Backup. The Kids can't play much worse!
Sarah
10-13-2014, 3:22 pm
Peeps ( and DK!) Troy is such a big mystery to me this year!....has he lost THAT much in terms of steps? I'm no D-expert but is he being used a whole lot differently such that he is lost out there ?? I can't believe he's become such a liability? Thoughts??
I can't remember the details on the second one, Sarah, but my point wasn't that he was being used "differently," but that he was being used the same as when he was in his 20's and he isn't that guy anymore. To me that's not on Troy, but upon the coaching.
Sarah
10-13-2014, 3:23 pm
Yeah Arriba! Can you detail? see my question below....I'm flummoxed about Troy this year....
The Steelers Offense really misses Jerricho Cotchery. The B&G have no one who can go into the middle of the field and catch balls. Not even Heath Miller. Someone tell me how many passes were thrown down field between the hash marks.
Coach Cowher calls the Steelers "finesse" on offense and "soft" on defense while discussing them on our post game show. Wow. Strong coffee
4:19 PM - 12 Oct 2014
Bill Cowher evaluating Steelers: " I thought I would never say this. They have a Finesse Offense and a Soft Defense."
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"And Tomlin used MY PLAYERS to get his only Super Bowl win!"
[I made that last part up!!! At least I said it before some other idiot did!] First quote true
Need to hit bottom before the Rooneys realize they need to make changes from Colbert on down.
jcore
10-13-2014, 8:24 pm
Wow, they are so already broken. They may turn it around similar to last year (I honestly didn't see a 6-2 finish coming) but that they have gone 1-2 against TB, Jax and Cleve will come back to haunt them, even if they do start playing better.
soaszah
10-13-2014, 5:15 pm
Thanks for spotting Jason Worilds! You even got him to speak? Amazing! Haven't seen or heard of him since he was tagged back in March...
Awful defensive showing in general. Cam Thomas needs to go now, I've never seen a DT get pushed away like him. Let Tuitt get some reps. Polamalu is a shell of himself, he simply looks awful out there, consistently gets beat. Allen is pitiful, so is Worilds.
When a poster here implies or overtly says he and Steeler fandom care more about winning than the Steeler coaches, Front Office, Owners . . . . I consider his comment and anything else he adds worthy of toilet paper.
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How egocentric/out-of-touch can you be?!
Alright, let's look at some positives. I thought Bell and Blount ran well. I looked at Lance Moore's "drop" in the third quarter. It actually was tipped on a good play by Browns' DB. I think Moore needs to get more looks, maybe fewer to Justin Brown.
Marcus Wheaton got WIDE OPEN on what would have been a long (36 yards?) touchdown pass if Ben didn't miss him.
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If Ben puts the pass within arm's length, Dejan would not have written his critical remarks above. (and Steelers would have been back in game.)
Jim
10-13-2014, 5:40 pm
So here is a thought: Why did we not push the tempo after the Browns D-lineman went down early in the game? It's common sense to me that if your opponent is already down 2 or 3 starters on the D-line you up the tempo and wear them down and out. WTF is wrong with this team?
Push the tempo? What tempo? They couldn't find a tempo (or a pulse for that matter) with a metronome. By the time this team installs a quick tempo offense that a lot successful teams are now using, Ben will be pushing shuffleboard pucks in Florida.
DJ
10-13-2014, 11:39 pm
Here's another riddle for you, Jim.
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Why didn't we get pressure up the middle or stop their middle run attack when their all-everything center broke his leg?
Bridge
10-13-2014, 5:49 pm
I know Tomlin doesn't live in his fears but shouldn't he fear losing credibility when his team gets lambasted 31-10 and all he can come up with is... We botched the hold on that field goal.
I get the same feeling in Tomlin's pressers I did with Bylsma in the late days. I think he has lost this team, and the media is less and less hesitant to talk about the Emperors lack of clothes.....
Ghost
10-13-2014, 5:59 pm
You would think so.
But this is the guy who so famously p.r.o.m.i.s.e.d. to "unleash hell." Still waiting, all these years later. He should be a speech writer for a head coach, just not a head coach.
Steve B.
10-13-2014, 6:05 pm
Nothing more foolish than a coach (or anyone) that says they're not worried about the job. The fear of losing, and losing one's job in the process is a key indicator of how seriousness one is to succeed. The elite smugness of it all says "fire my butt now, cause I don't care."
Spike Crain
10-13-2014, 6:00 pm
It looked like the Coaches were "guessing" yesterday, didn't it?
I envy Tomlin not living in his fears. I went ahead and built a nice 3-bedroom house in my fears, since it's obvious I found a home there and ain't moving anytime soon.
I DO think that some of our problems yesterday involved bad Execution. But - and I hate to say this - I think this might have been predicated on lack of Faith in the Play Calling. . . !
The only real answer is to clean house. I'd start with Haley now. Does it really matter if he shows up for work or not? We can only get better. The other coaching cuts can come after the season.
Due to my long-ago transplant, I've viewed the Redskins up close and personal for many years. That is a dysfunctional organization. Steelers aren't there yet, but I do see some warning signs. Canning a coach (even TH) in the middle of the season would be a 'Skins move. FWIW.
Who would be the interm head coach? Haley? Dick? they have no replacement in house. Thats the problem. Tomlin has a staff that no one else wants.
theplanisworking
10-13-2014, 6:48 pm
Can't wait to see another LB drafted in the 1st round again.
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That will surely take care of the deficiencies at DL, CB, and Ol.
;)
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Someone start the Tomlin/Haley "fire" clock.
Tick, tock, tick, tock ......
Honestly, I don't see a deficiency at OL. Gilbert has been good since his terrible start, DeCastro is a keeper, Pouncey is an all-pro, Foster is solid, Beachum holds his own. You could maybe upgrade LT, but there's no reason to spend any more high picks on the line.
Easy R
10-13-2014, 7:06 pm
Just think what Bell could do with an Offensive Line.
Max, this brings up a great point.
Bicknell was fired, they said he stunk.
Minchak was hired, and he was going to fix everything.
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How is that one working out?
So was McCain being disciplined for not sticking to the script and "tackling the catch"? You rarely see Steeler CBs jump routes, and I have to believe that they're strongly dissuaded by the staff from doing so. Comically, because they might "give up a big play".
McCain is a nickel back and the Steelers played base defense a lot yesterday Im pretty sure.
DJ
10-13-2014, 11:49 pm
With Cortez Allen, the thinking should be he cannot possibly do any worse.
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He should be playing press coverage and jumping routes all day.
jordanwhite1025
10-13-2014, 8:26 pm
I THINK this team has talent, but we're being consistently out coached on both sides of the ball so I can't even tell. Maybe these drafts suck, but how would we actually know with this level of coaching?
Also, the steelers haven't fired a head coach in what, 60+ years? So get that out of your head. Last oc/dc fired? Haslett? "BA" was forced to faux retire. Do they even have the fortitude to fire haley?
Aly
10-14-2014, 2:33 am
Best comment yet! Talent is unknown with inept coaching.
Dempsey
10-13-2014, 8:30 pm
Did anyone think this was anything better than a .500 ball club?
No, I said from the beginning of the year. 8-8 would be a stretch. Worst part is--look at the teams we have played so far--they are nothing. Imagine if we actually played a strong schedule. Might be a 4 win team.
Steelkings
10-13-2014, 8:53 pm
DK thought they would be 11 - 5
Ken
10-13-2014, 8:36 pm
I think there is some weird balancing game here where Pittsburgh cannot have 3 good teams at the same time. For the past 20 years at least one needs to be bad. I blame Sid Bream. And the punter.
The talent just isn't there. The "Steeler way" was always to develop talent and when someone got to old, replace them with a ready back up. IE Joey Porter with James Harrison.
Flash forward to 2013- we cut Harrison, have no replacement, and bring him back a year later.
We have also lost a lot of coaching talent over the past 5 years, Wiz, Bruce A, Browles, Kurby Wilson, ect..and it hasn't been replaced. Can't develop players if they don't have right coaches
Great point. Still don't understand the Arians drama. Thought everyone liked that guy. Glad to see him doing well.
MikeyC
10-13-2014, 8:45 pm
Two great post game columns and you still haven't touched on how bad the special teams were. Both return games are aweful. And Mr. Wing, well, I think we all know the outcome to this decision by now.
I hope DK board isn't subject to the typical message boards that ban one for posting negative points on ones site. Steelers board is really sensitive to negative replys on the team when things turn south.
Chet---you need to get out more. Or at least read DK's columns and other's posts.
Steelkings
10-13-2014, 9:02 pm
" Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull?
*
Last night, Darth Vader came down from Planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't resign Big Ben to a mega contract, that he'd melt my brain.
Just about everybody in the league has some good/great players, and lots of high draft picks scattered up and down the roster. Doesn't translate into Ws. People get myopic about the hometown team. We have Ben and AB and Bell so we should score 30 a game? Perception v. reality.
Developer's recommendation. Also, I use Apple. Not a tough call at all. Besides, the gap between the two isn't expected to be much.
Ghost
10-13-2014, 11:32 pm
Any love for a Windows phone user? Just joking. Don't know what I was thinking when I gave Windows a try. Now stuck with it till this phone dies, though that probably won't be too long.
dave
10-13-2014, 11:46 pm
Tomlin has in fact lost this team. Once he is fired that will take care of the rest of the coaches as a new coach will bring in his own staff. How about his presser comment"ecetera,ecetera'.
Any chance you could publish all the PFF grades for the Steelers each week? Or would that create copyright issues that a fledgling independent news outlet can't afford?
No chance. For all the reasons you state. I offer the link. They're not expensive, by the way. $27/year. Amazing info.
DJ
10-14-2014, 12:02 am
As the end was fast approaching for Byslma over his final months, I stopped being frustrated and saw his pressers for their pure comedic value. There were some absolute hoots, to the point of tears given the comments were so hysterical.
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Sworn to do the same now with Tomlin.
I don't know the exact numbers Biz but it is front loaded.
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I think if they cut him after this season they have a cap hit but not big.
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If they cut him after next season the hit is negligible.
EddieT
10-14-2014, 3:23 am
Franklin Rossevelt said about the gov't response to the Depression: Just try something. If it doesn't work, try something else. Recall meaning of 'crazy'. Try Coaching 101: Can we just play the D players who have the best practices/games that week? Try McClain, Tuitt, any safety?
Some fateful decisions by them, no question, Jim. Probably started with the Ike and Troy re-signings. Might be better to bottom out and rebuild than continue to put lipstick on a pig.
DJ
10-14-2014, 7:51 am
Comes back to drafting and poor decisions on signings.
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You cannot draft an Alameda Ta'amu and think because he's 340 lbs he's going to be second coming of Casey Hampton. Cannot draft a Chris Rainey and romanticize that you're capturing the essence of Jamaal Charles.
BillyBaduka
10-14-2014, 8:14 am
Funny but Jax, Oak and Jets still worse.
Ray Caliendo
10-14-2014, 7:31 am
Okay, here's a problem for The Fledgling News Organization: this football team is so "un-fun" that I'm not even really interested in reading about them. Even if The Best Writer in the Business is painting the picture, underachievement is still uninteresting to me.
Seriously, I wonder if a lousy Steelers season will stifle DK subscription momentum.
DJ
10-14-2014, 7:52 am
Ebb and flow of our sports teams.
Dom
10-14-2014, 7:45 am
Sheesh. I knew our secondary was bad but not THIS bad. Would anyone object if we would draft two corners and a safety with our first three picks next season as long as we’re not reaching?
No, the Steelers will draft another LB in the 1st round.
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Rod Woodson is available.
DJ
10-14-2014, 7:54 am
We've got 7 rounds, right? Let's draft 10 CBs.
Tom Armstrong
10-14-2014, 8:18 am
Many, many, many, many, many issues going on at Heinz Field. Wow. So glad the Pens are playing well. This takes some of pain away from what is happening. Too bad the NLCS is not here right now, also. Watching the Cards and Giants...just makes me bummed.
Problem is Mike T is infatuated with Bell. And lest anyone forget, he'll be first to remind us all it was HIS draft pick.
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Sequencing of plays has been horrid. If Tomlin wants Bell to be even more effective, need to mix in pass. And not just on 3rd and 8.
does anyone else thing that by having DCDL's system and it being so complicated that its actually a hinderence to the development of our rookies. in the salary cap era shouldnt we be trying to get the most out of the rookies while they are still cheap?
Totally agree.....seems to take years for them To contribute and by then they're not cheap anymore.....
chethejet
10-14-2014, 9:27 am
It is not the play that is the big issue, it is the lack of return from the draft picks. Way to many marginal talents and bad cap decisions that continue today. The Rooneys had to know that the Steelers weren't just a couple players away from real contention.
The most heartening part of this piece was the line, "There are not enough glum words to describe the expression on Art Rooney II’s face ..."
Gives me a glimmer of hope that he's starting to realize how much of a mess this franchise is, and that changes may be necessary.
October 13, 2014
Steelers PATs: Burned secondary, burned cash
by Dejan Kovacevic • News/views • Steelers
DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS
CLEVELAND — These words, minus the one in brackets, came from the mouth of Mike Mitchell: “When we did what we were supposed to do, we kicked their [behinds]. They got us on a couple trick plays that really hurt us and got their momentum going.”
Which begs the obvious question. And no, not the one that asks who Mitchell is.
I’m talking about this one: Is there anyone on these Steelers that doesn’t subscribe to the theory that flying the plane successfully comes with the same value as landing it successfully?
My goodness.
Let’s get past the rhetoric — or whatever derisive term you’d attach to Mitchell’s remark — and look at actual performance:
Mitchell actually did have a decent showing, making three tackles but all with impact. One was a dynamic pass breakup over the middle that he made sure everyone in the stadium noticed afterward. Two others were tighter to the line. His overall grade from Pro Football Focus was 2.2, trailing only Lawrence Timmons among all defenders.
So wonderful. Huzzah. Welcome to the franchise, right?
For the season, Mitchell’s PFF rating is 1.5, which places him 27th among all NFL safeties — Troy Polamalu’s 0.9 has him 32nd — and makes him basically average at his job. And upon a deeper look, his ranking drops to 38th when evaluated solely on pass coverage rather than, you know, making the plays right in front o him. That’s because he has zero interceptions and zero passes defensed.
I’ll repeat that: Zero, zero.
And if memory serves, the primary reason the Steelers targeted Mitchell with that five-year, $25 million contract out of free agency was that he’d restore a playmaking dimension to their secondary. Still waiting, obviously.
• No such muddy water when it comes to judging another five-year, $25 million contract Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin doled out this summer: Cortez Allen is beginning to look like the worst corner in the NFL.
Wait, this just in: He is the worst corner in the NFL.
After a minus-3.7 rating Sunday that was among the worst for any player in the league, Allen’s overall PFF ranking among corners fell to No. 103 in the league. Out of 103. He does have two picks and five passes defensed, but all that’s done is mask some of the softest coverage seen in these parts since … ah, I’m not even going to impugn those guys by citing them in this context. Suffice it to say that by game’s end Sunday, Allen actually looked completely satisfied to allow receivers to catch the ball, so long as they wouldn’t run past him.
Allen is a disaster.
Colbert’s summer is shaping up as a disaster.
• Meanwhile, Brice McCain, whose daring pick-6 won the game in Jacksonville and whose practice showings have drawn effusive praise from Tomlin, played only 13 snaps while Allen never left the field.
Bad coaching isn’t always about Xs and Os. Don’t forget that.
• I asked Willie Gay if a daylong burn like this — for the secondary as a whole, though Gay played pretty well — can result in becoming passive:
• It sadly says so much about the state of the Steelers that James Harrison’s workload was increased to exactly half the team’s snaps and that he graded out with the third-best performance and that I can barely recall a thing that he did.
• There are not enough glum words to describe the expression on Art Rooney II’s face as he walked through that locker room afterward. Hadn’t seen that since Tim Tebow.
• As noted in the game column, I liked nothing about Markus Wheaton’s showing, especially that it took 11 targets to get him four catches. A deeper look, however, reveals that I actually went easy on him. Those four catches to the receiver expected to become a big-play threat resulted in a total of minus-1 yards after the catch. Which is kind of like throwing to a statue, but only if the statue falls the wrong way on one of those plays. What’s more, Wheaton was never covered by Joe Haden, instead facing two corners — Buster Skrine and Justin Gilbert — who have struggled most of the season.
• Check this out from Cleveland coach Mike Pettine, on the topic of how much the Browns changed their defense from the opener to this game: “A little less pressure, I thought. We rushed four. I don’t know what our blitz totals were, but it wasn’t many.” I offer this only so that a) you can see how easy the Steelers’ offense is to defend schematically, as it echoes what was said by the Jaguars and b) for full appreciation of Maurkice Pouncey still getting beaten for three QB hurries. Not a good day.
• This was spoken by Jason Worilds at today’s media availability on the South Side: “The talent is there. That is not a question. It’s more so about everybody being accountable and consistent. I think for one reason or another we’ll have a lapse and those lapses will get you beat.” I happen to agree that the talent is there. I just happen to see the bulk of that talent on offense.
• Random thought: Think Kyle Shanahan, the Browns’ offensive coordinator, wouldn’t rather have Ben Roethlisberger as his QB over Brian Hoyer? Or Antonio Brown over Miles Austin? Or Le’Veon Bell over Ben Tate? Well, Shanahan still outscored Todd Haley, 31-10.