OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Ploff wins?!? Fire Tomlin

[Snooki Stackhouse]

Watching these playoffs is pretty depressing. The Rams gave up years of draft capital to win a Super Bowl and are still able to contend in the playoffs.

They've drafted really well with the lower round picks they've had. Plus Stafford has continued to be really good. QB is everything. Look at the Lions, they got the inferior QB back in that trade and despite all that talent, at the end of the day they had the worst QB in remaining in the playoffs.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Watching these playoffs is pretty depressing. The Rams gave up years of draft capital to win a Super Bowl and are still able to contend in the playoffs.

They have a young dominant hungry d line and a top 5 play caller and Qb.

 

[Smoke]

They have a young dominant hungry d line and a top 5 play caller and Qb.

Yeah, crazy what happens when you have a young head coach who understands the modern NFL.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Its pretty crazy we didnt manage a sack against hurts.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

What are you talking about either Troy or Jones will be the LT next season. You don’t seem to be worried about Troy who barely played as a rookie but you are worried about Jones who got reps. Just because you were drafted to play LT doesn’t mean you will start or stick there. The only way Jones would have gotten reps at LT is if Troy was healthy all season. Fashenu and Pair Johnson spent their rookie year at RT they were drafted higher than Jones.

How did you miss the entire point here?

Tomlin just wasted two years of Jones’ development playing at LT, in lieu of a guy who has rated out as the worst LT in the league.

Khan, Tomlin, you, me every f***ing Steelers fan alive all now have no idea if Jones struggles are because he’s being played out of position or not.

Do you think the trade off of having… uh the worst LT in the league in 23 and 24 was worth the trade off of Jones not developing at LT?

 

[bambamcam4ever]

They have a young dominant hungry d line and a top 5 play caller and Qb.

Wut?

 

[Snooki Stackhouse]

How did you miss the entire point here?

Tomlin just wasted two years of Jones’ development playing at LT, in lieu of a guy who has rated out as the worst LT in the league.

Khan, Tomlin, you, me every f***ing Steelers fan alive all now have no idea if Jones struggles are because he’s being played out of position or not.

Do you think the trade off of having… uh the worst LT in the league in 23 and 24 was worth the trade off of Jones not developing at LT?

It's because Tomlin looks at who's better at a position at a specific moment in time instead of thinking about player development or talent optimization. You'd think giving the guy bulletproof job security would incentivize him to think beyond the short term, but you just know he stubbornly thinks way too much about his no losing seasons streak.

 

[Peat]

It's because Tomlin looks at who's better at a position at a specific moment in time instead of thinking about player development or talent optimization. You'd think giving the guy bulletproof job security would incentivize him to think beyond the short term, but you just know he stubbornly thinks way too much about his no losing seasons streak.

Brb going to create ten other accounts to like this post enough times.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

How did you miss the entire point here?

Tomlin just wasted two years of Jones’ development playing at LT, in lieu of a guy who has rated out as the worst LT in the league.

Khan, Tomlin, you, me every f***ing Steelers fan alive all now have no idea if Jones struggles are because he’s being played out of position or not.

Do you think the trade off of having… uh the worst LT in the league in 23 and 24 was worth the trade off of Jones not developing at LT?

Jones struggles are mental he got game reps he wouldn’t have if Troy was healthy. I think it’s weird you’re upset about Jones not getting reps at LT because khan said he was drafted to play LT. This team literally played moore at LT for 4 years so it’s not going to worry if Jones or Troy are LT one will be LT week 1 they will compete.
Some of the sacks Moore gave up where on the Qb. RW lead the league in sacks taken at Denver
Watching Dotson have to pass protect on the stunts sure glad he got paid

It's because Tomlin looks at who's better at a position at a specific moment in time instead of thinking about player development or talent optimization. You'd think giving the guy bulletproof job security would incentivize him to think beyond the short term, but you just know he stubbornly thinks way too much about his no losing seasons streak.

Again Starks played 3 years at RT before going to LT.

 

[Wattsburgh]

Finally…Starkey calls out Art for not considering a trade of Tomlin lol

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/joe-starkey/2025/01/19/mike-tomlin-nfl-coach-rumors-steelers-bears-trade/stories/202501190126

Great article. Hopefully this goes viral.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Uh, Kevin Dotson not actually good.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Uh, Kevin Dotson not actually good.

Same exact weakness he had here anytime he has to pass block especially a DL stunt he is lost he is a road grader run blocker

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

Jones struggles are mental he got game reps he wouldn’t have if Troy was healthy. I think it’s weird you’re upset about Jones not getting reps at LT because khan said he was drafted to play LT. This team literally played moore at LT for 4 years so it’s not going to worry if Jones or Troy are LT one will be LT week 1 they will compete.
Some of the sacks Moore gave up where on the Qb. RW lead the league in sacks taken at Denver
Watching Dotson have to pass protect on the stunts sure glad he got paid


Again Starks played 3 years at RT before going to LT.

I think it’s weird you don’t understand the incompetence of not developing a #1 pick they moved up for at his natural position, because Tomlin thought it was a better idea to play - once again - the WORST LT statistically the last two seasons.

Literally nothing was gained by playing
Moore - nothing.

Playoff win? Nope.

Moore becoming a good player and solution at LT? Nope.

In fact Moore is walking in March because he was so putrid.

Jones becoming a solution at RT? Nope.

And we have no clue if Jones is a bust or struggling because he was being played on the wrong side.

And stating Jones’ issues are mental is you trying to guess - not a fact.

Is his poor play mental or physical because he’s playing on the opposite hand/pivot foot?

If a talented LT drops do you pass him up because of Jones?

Then Jones busts next season and you are screwed going into spring ‘26 three years later with no solution at LT.

This is how you get major setbacks at a position - poor decision making and not properly developing players.

We would have answers on Jones after two seasons at LT - but Tomlin did Tomlin stuff.

Weird you don’t understand that.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

I think it’s weird you don’t understand the incompetence of not developing a #1 pick they moved up for at his natural position, because Tomlin thought it was a better idea to play - once again - the WORST LT statistically the last two seasons.

Literally nothing was gained by playing
Moore - nothing.

Playoff win? Nope.

Moore becoming a good player and solution at LT? Nope.

In fact Moore is walking in March because he was so putrid.

Jones becoming a solution at RT? Nope.

And we have no clue if Jones is a bust or struggling because he was being played on the wrong side.

And stating Jones’ issues are mental is you trying to guess - not a fact.

Is his poor play mental or physical because he’s playing on the opposite hand/pivot foot?

If a talented LT drops do you pass him up because of Jones?

Then Jones busts next season and you are screwed going into spring ‘26 three years later with no solution at LT.

This is how you get major setbacks at a position - poor decision making and not properly developing players.

We would have answers on Jones after two seasons at LT - but Tomlin did Tomlin stuff.

Weird you don’t understand that.

It usually takes 3 years for a nfl o line men to develop. If he busts ok move Troy to LT and put Washington at RT. They have year 3 and 4 to decide on his 5th year option. He still is going to have to invest in himself to get better in the off season.

 

[MrBrightside]

It usually takes 3 years for a nfl o line men to develop. If he busts ok move Troy to LT and put Washington at RT. They have year 3 and 4 to decide on his 5th year option. He still is going to have to invest in himself to get better in the off season.

The idea that a guy who has didn't play OT in college or his first 2 years in the NFL can suddenly become your starting RT is not one of your better moments, sparky.

 

[Snooki Stackhouse]

Again Starks played 3 years at RT before going to LT.

Starks was a rookie without draft capital entering a team with an established LT who was actually decent, would eventually make a pro bowl, win a super bowl, and was not a turnstile.

The Steelers traded up to get Jones in the top half of the first round, entered a team with a turnstile at LT, then the Steelers selected ANOTHER first round tackle the following year. And both young top draft pick tackles battled for the same reps at a position in which at least one of them wasn't suited, while aforementioned turnstile continued to be a turnstile. It's complete organizational ineptitude.

 

[Goalie_Bob]

It usually takes 3 years for a nfl o line men to develop. If he busts ok move Troy to LT and put Washington at RT. They have year 3 and 4 to decide on his 5th year option. He still is going to have to invest in himself to get better in the off season.

The 5th year option has to be enacted after the 3rd season. Thus they will only have one year of Jones at LT to decide if the 5th year option is good value.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

The idea that a guy who has didn't play OT in college or his first 2 years in the NFL can suddenly become your starting RT is not one of your better moments, sparky.

When he was drafted it was reported his best chance to get a 2nd contract because of his knees and inability to run was to transition to RT

Steelers’ Darnell Washington opens up on ideas that he could play tackle

Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Darnell Washington will not rule out the idea that he could play tackle if he put his mind to it.

www.pennlive.com

 

[cookthebooks]

lamar backsliding and the ravens not doing a lot of what worked so well against the steelers

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Starks was a rookie without draft capital entering a team with an established LT who was actually decent, would eventually make a pro bowl, win a super bowl, and was not a turnstile.

The Steelers traded up to get Jones in the top half of the first round, entered a team with a turnstile at LT, then the Steelers selected ANOTHER first round tackle the following year. And both young top draft pick tackles battled for the same reps at a position in which at least one of them wasn't suited, while aforementioned turnstile continued to be a turnstile. It's complete organizational ineptitude.

Jones played fairly well as a rookie at RT and he played fairly well in year 2 once he was healthy. He played RT as a freshman in college
Moore to begin the season was the best LT on the roster

 

[MrBrightside]

When he was drafted it was reported his best chance to get a 2nd contract because of his knees and inability to run was to transition to RT

Steelers’ Darnell Washington opens up on ideas that he could play tackle

Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Darnell Washington will not rule out the idea that he could play tackle if he put his mind to it.

www.pennlive.com

That's not what that article says. He was asked if he could transition to OT and he said he could if he put his mind to it. That's not what you're saying it says. In any event, if it takes 3 years for an OL to develop, that would make it Washington's 6th NFL season before he would be useful.

This is dumb. You don't become an OT in the NFL when you've never been an OL in your life.

 

[Andy99]

lamar backsliding and the ravens not doing a lot of what worked so well against the steelers

It’s obvious that other teams in the playoffs have better coaching than the Steelers…not to mention better players at the more important positions

 

[cookthebooks]

It’s obvious that other teams in the playoffs have better coaching than the Steelers…not to mention better players at the more important positions

the bills got smoked and learned something, but the ravens are gonna have some hard questions to answer if they dont turn this around. a lot of this seems self inflicted and getting away from what works in the name of out scheming the other team.

 

[MrBrightside]

It's so easy to picture Tomlin sitting in his living room watching these games shaking his head in disgust at how often teams this weekend go for it on 4th down and throw the ball over the middle of the field.

 

[ChaosAgent]

It should be most eye-opening to Tomlin that Houston was able to contain Kansas City's offense. That's right, you don't need to spend unbelievable amounts of capital if you actually scheme a defense.

The more I think about it, the more I think that Tomlin's lack of defensive acumen (a DB coach and 1-year DC 20 years ago?) but refusal to delegate or become a cheerleader HC like Campbell is his biggest flaw. Smith is not a terrible OC objectively and we can't fully judge offense until they have adequate personnel - they simply were deficient at way too many positions last year.

The fact that Teryl Austin is coming back is a disgrace. It means Tomlin is again the de-facto DC which means playoff teams will score on us at will. Like Baltimore could have scored 40+ if they needed to last week.