OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: 2022 Handball season has arrived!

[Captain Hook]

Not a fan of Matt Canada at all. I'd probably make the OC change but I guess I understand the logic of keeping him. To be fair to Matt Canada, I don't think the offense was going to be good last year no matter who the OC was. Pickett and Pickens were both rookies. Najee was playing hurt and not that effective before the bye week. The O-Line needed a lot of development.

I do think they'd make the change if they had a veteran QB but they probably don't want Pickett to have to learn a whole new offense already. I think that's a huge factor here. It's risky either way. A bad OC may hinder Pickett's development but so can too much turnover with the system/coaching. Pickett at least knows this system and can spend his time working on other things this off-season instead of having to learn a new offense. Hopefully that will better allow him to hit the ground running next year.

 

[Peat]

It performed well under the circumstances of what it is. One of the most under-resourced offenses in the league. Set aside the QB for a second. Our best OL is James Daniels. We have a 4th rounder at LT. We have no third receiver really after we wisely traded our guy for an early 2nd. Our highest paid receiver is precociously good at getting open but bad at catching the ball, running with the football, and has mental gremlins.

Pretty sure the cap hit for TJ, Cam and Minkah combined was higher than the entire offense.

Pretty fair point. Our offence finished with, what, 2 1st rounders and 2 2nd rounders on the field? With neither 1st rounder taken before 20. Then you look at the Bengals with the entirety of their skill positions taken in the first two rounds before even considering their line, Ravens got 5 1st rounders... sure, I'm being lazy and looking at draft positions on guys who became free agents with due consideration of how good they are now, but it gets the point across.

That said, you look at how they play, you look at how people have progressed (or regressed) and there's still a ton of questions. What were Claypool and Johnson doing in training? Why did they get caught with a man downfield so often? Why so bad at actually scoring touchdowns?

There seems so much meat left on the bone even with the correct idea we should be revising expectations.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Pretty fair point. Our offence finished with, what, 2 1st rounders and 2 2nd rounders on the field? With neither 1st rounder taken before 20. Then you look at the Bengals with the entirety of their skill positions taken in the first two rounds before even considering their line, Ravens got 5 1st rounders... sure, I'm being lazy and looking at draft positions on guys who became free agents with due consideration of how good they are now, but it gets the point across.

That said, you look at how they play, you look at how people have progressed (or regressed) and there's still a ton of questions. What were Claypool and Johnson doing in training? Why did they get caught with a man downfield so often? Why so bad at actually scoring touchdowns?

There seems so much meat left on the bone even with the correct idea we should be revising expectations.

I think we just all try to reason away the obvious here - the Steelers under Tomlin are complacent and accept being mediocre.

Tomlin doesn’t want assistants who will overshadow him and challenge him, and he can get away with it because he works for a Rooney and doesn’t have to be accountable for his failures.

We literally have fans buying into this culture of mediocrity and beating their chest that Tomlin once again got 9 wins.

It’s sad and pathetic, but these fans have been brainwashed into believing that Tomlin not winning playoff games isn’t a big deal - 9 wins though!

I think most of us with eyes wide open about who Tomlin really is, could tolerate his Teflon Don status if he at least surrounded himself with talented assistants.

Yet we can’t even hope for that, sadly.

That’s why not only has Tomlin had a modern franchise record six years without a playoff win, only nine teams in the entire league have gone this long without a playoff win.

Once again Tomlin Purgatory is a very real thing.

 

[Josey Wales]

I think we just all try to reason away the obvious here - the Steelers under Tomlin are complacent and accept being mediocre.

Tomlin doesn’t want assistants who will overshadow him and challenge him, and he can get away with it because he works for a Rooney and doesn’t have to be accountable for his failures.

We literally have fans buying into this culture of mediocrity and beating their chest that Tomlin once again got 9 wins.

It’s sad and pathetic, but these fans have been brainwashed into believing that Tomlin not winning playoff games isn’t a big deal - 9 wins though!

I think most of us with eyes wide open about who Tomlin really is, could tolerate his Teflon Don status if he at least surrounded himself with talented assistants.

Yet we can’t even hope for that, sadly.

That’s why not only has Tomlin had a modern franchise record six years without a playoff win, only nine teams in the entire league have gone this long without a playoff win.

Once again Tomlin Purgatory is a very real thing.

Sad that I can only like this, But this is Love worthy! SPOT ON !!

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

It's not about improving or trying to get better or anything.. As long as they go 9-8 every year that makes the quota.

As long as the Tomlin fan boys have something to beat their chest about about cool, I guess.

Mediocre Mike at your service!

 

[OnMyOwn]

Everyone in the national media also pounds their chest about Tomlin. I saw several say this was his best coaching season ever…best.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Everyone in the national media also pounds their chest about Tomlin. I saw several say this was his best coaching season ever…best.

Yeah, there are even a bunch of talking heads claiming he deserves coach of the year - it’s comical nonsense.

Let’s ignore that a guy like Pederson was in the exact same situation at 2-6, and now his team has a *gasp* playoff win.

This is why Tomlin walks around like the Emperor without clothes.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Everyone in the national media also pounds their chest about Tomlin. I saw several say this was his best coaching season ever…best.

Vegas picked us to win 7 games and even lowered it to 5 mid season. We on paper had the worst Qb in the division lost our best player on defense and still had a winning season. They had an extremely young offense but to the championship or bust group ut was a failed season.
Next year when they don’t win a sb it will ve another failure

Yeah, there are even a bunch of talking heads claiming he deserves coach of the year - it’s comical nonsense.

Let’s ignore that a guy like Pederson was in the exact same situation at 2-6, and now his team has a *gasp* playoff win.

This is why Tomlin walks around like the Emperor without clothes.

Peterson coaches in the 2nd worst division in football and took advantage of the Titans failure to win the division

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Vegas picked us to win 7 games and even lowered it to 5 mid season. We on paper had the worst Qb in the division lost our best player on defense and still had a winning season. They had an extremely young offense but to the championship or bust group ut was a failed season.
Next year when they don’t win a sb it will ve another failure

Success to me is winning a damn playoff game. But doubt that happens next year

 

[Night Shift]

Vegas picked us to win 7 games and even lowered it to 5 mid season. We on paper had the worst Qb in the division lost our best player on defense and still had a winning season. They had an extremely young offense but to the championship or bust group ut was a failed season.
Next year when they don’t win a sb it will ve another failure


Peterson coaches in the 2nd worst division in football and took advantage of the Titans failure to win the division

The AFC North has been one of the weaker divisions for over 20 + years because it had the Bengals and Browns. Even though both teams are more respectable now than they used to be.

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

Vegas picked us to win 7 games and even lowered it to 5 mid season. We on paper had the worst Qb in the division lost our best player on defense and still had a winning season. They had an extremely young offense but to the championship or bust group ut was a failed season.
Next year when they don’t win a sb it will ve another failure

The Steelers were fortunate to get 4 wins from the NFC South. That's the same division won by the 8-9 Bucs

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Vegas picked us to win 7 games and even lowered it to 5 mid season. We on paper had the worst Qb in the division lost our best player on defense and still had a winning season. They had an extremely young offense but to the championship or bust group ut was a failed season.
Next year when they don’t win a sb it will ve another failure


Peterson coaches in the 2nd worst division in football and took advantage of the Titans failure to win the division

Championship or bust ppl? Comical.

How about a playoff win?

Well, let’s start slowly, don’t want to seem too greedy - how about not getting blown out in a playoff game?

Pederson actually you know, brought his team back from 2-6 and did something Tomlin can’t do, win a playoff game.

And last I checked Tomlin got to feast on the NFC south for almost half their win total, yet still couldn’t get to ten wins which would have easily put his team in the playoffs.

Harsh reality here is you have been brainwashed to expect mediocrity and excuse it away as an accomplishment for Tomlin.

 

[Pens x]

I really hope they aren’t keeping him in part because he’s still under contract. Money better not be a factor - hopefully it’s just stupidity.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

I really hope they aren’t keeping him in part because he’s still under contract. Money better not be a factor - hopefully it’s just stupidity.

Isn’t that all the same thing?

 

[Night Shift]

I really hope they aren’t keeping him in part because he’s still under contract. Money better not be a factor - hopefully it’s just stupidity.

Isn’t that all the same thing?

It's all Rooney Tunes from here. I kept thinking when AB clowned him on social media a few years ago and he didn't realize it, It got me wondering if he knows where he is a lot of the times?

I mean it's possible he doesn't know who Matt Canada is.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

Maybe I'm crazy but I didn't expect this team to compete for a title or to make the playoffs this season. For me, it was way more important to know what the QB situation is going to be going forward and I believe we know that, at least for the foreseeable near future (2-4 years).

But from a success perspective, I do not think it was successful. As others have mentioned, making the playoffs and winning a playoff game would be a successful season. That being said, I don't think the season was a failure either. They did exactly what I thought they would, 8-9, 9-8 no playoffs.

Here is what I said in August for how I figured the season would end up:

My thought is they will have a really good defense (Rank: Top 5) and a mediocre offense (Rank: 17-22). But as we all have been talking about, ad nauseum, for the past 8 months is it all comes down to the QB and the O-line play.

The defense should be good enough to win them some games and keep them in some games that they shouldn't be in. But if the O-line is not good then it will be a cascade effect that affects the QB and the running game. If the O-line can at least be semi decent, then it really hinges on the QB play. And the QB play is a complete wildcard at this point. And I believe it will be like that during the entire season.

They also have a brutal schedule the first 6 weeks of the season. If they can come out of it at 3-3, I think they have a chance for a wildcard spot. But I think there is a chance they start the season 0-3. At Cincy, Patriots at home then on the road in a Thursday night game at Cleveland. I know Cleveland's QB situation is up in the air but road teams do not fair well in Thursday night games. If that happens they could very well be 1-5 after 6 games. And they will go into the break at probably 2-6.

I still think they end up near .500 at the end of the season. 8-9, 9-8 but they don't make the playoffs. The QB and O-line play could tip them down into the 7-10, 6-11 area or tip them up into the 10-7 area.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Maybe I'm crazy but I didn't expect this team to compete for a title or to make the playoffs this season. For me, it was way more important to know what the QB situation is going to be going forward and I believe we know that, at least for the foreseeable near future (2-4 years).

But from a success perspective, I do not think it was successful. As others have mentioned, making the playoffs and winning a playoff game would be a successful season. That being said, I don't think the season was a failure either. They did exactly what I thought they would, 8-9, 9-8 no playoffs.

Here is what I said in August for how I figured the season would end up:

It’s not about this season as much as it’s about Tomlin being so comfortable with the status quo he can bring back Canada.

However, the 49ers lost their top two QBs, and were down to the last guy taken in the draft. Now they not only have a playoff win with a seventh round rookie QB, many are predicting they will get to the SB.

So let’s not pretend Tomlin had a worse situation than Shanahan.

One guy got it done and the other needs excuses made for him - again.

 

[Josey Wales]

Farabaugh: This Is the Problem with Matt Canada Returning Tomlin

 

[Josey Wales]

The Bucs have fired offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. The team is making sweeping changes to their coaching staff following an 8-9 regular season and wildcard loss to Dallas. As many as five offensive assistants and two on defense are expected to be let go.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

The only stat you have to look at to know Canada should have been fired is DJ's 0 td receptions last season.

Is DJ a flawed player? Yes. Is something seriously wrong with the scheme if DJ is not getting a single td in a 17 game schedule? Also yes.

The red zone has been a problem for years under several qb's. 0 multi-td games for Pickett last year, and I don't put most of the blame for that on Kenny.

 

[OnMyOwn]

Leftwich was highly touted and had one down year from a W/L perspective and rushing attack. Brady still put up big numbers and so do the receivers there. Points were hard to come by but I feel like it was injuries mainly.

I would absolutely take him back here, but I’m sure he’ll get a better gig somewhere else immediately.

 

[SomeDude]

The Bucs have fired offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. The team is making sweeping changes to their coaching staff following an 8-9 regular season and wildcard loss to Dallas. As many as five offensive assistants and two on defense are expected to be let go.

To play devil's advocate, they're also preparing for a post-Brady offense so it makes more sense if those were "Tom's guys"

Either way, I never got my hopes up the Steelers would make any sweeping changes because it seems they're just content on mediocrity as long as they have a chance of having a winning season. That's the new standard, and the standard is the standard.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Here is something for people to wrap their heads around, especially those who want to pull the "spoiled Steeler fans" routine:

After the wildcard round this past weekend, with teams like the Giants and Jax getting wins, Steelers have now entered into the top ten teams with the longest playoff win drought.

If that still doesn't register with you how far this org has fallen, do the simple math...

The fans of 22 other teams have all witnessed their team winning a playoff game since Tomlin last won.

22...

Even the lowly Texans have a win in that time. In fact, they have more playoff wins since their first appearance in 2011 (4) vs Steelers (3).

Tomlin's plan for rectifying this kind of embarrassing failure is to keep around a guy who helped his offense put up some of the worst numbers this franchise has ever seen.

Good luck excusing away the kind of twisted reality Tomlin is allowed to live in.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I actually think Leftwich coming to be some sort of assistant OC isn't totally out of the question. Flores had a special case, but he did go from a NFL head coach to a LB coach after all. I don't think Leftwich coming in as an assistant, with the plans for him to take over for Canada after Canada's contract isn't renewed after next year, isn't a crazy thought.

The question is whether Leftwich can get a better offer now than "assistant OC in 2023 and OC starting in 2024".

 

[pistolpete11]

It's simple. Tomlin is getting praise for righting the ship after the bye week and getting the team oh so close to making the playoffs despite a rookie QB, Watt missing time, and yadda yadda yadda. I'm not even saying he shouldn't (although I do think it was largely due to strength of schedule). The point is there's no pressure to make any changes when you're getting pats on the back. He can save Canada being the scapegoat for at least 1 more season.