Did you honestly ever believe there was a real QB competition?

[Ron Burgundy]

So by what week does Wilson get benched for Fields is the new question......

Never unless Wilson gets hurt.

 

[SojournerSteel]

This is a ridiculous discussion. I've been a Steeler fan since I knew anything in 70s. So around 50 years. Do you know how many QB competitions there were in that time? I guess you could say '74 when Gilliam won the job? Not sure it was a competition, Gilliam just took advantage of the strike and played lights out in preseason. It evolved, it didn't start out that way. Even in the lean years of the 80s, were there really any? I would argue most QB changes for the Steelers over the years kind of evolved instead of as competitions. It's a dumb criticism.

Strike from the record lol but Cowher had 8 assistants get HC jobs and Shades has 0. Put all of it together with the historic playoff drought and Tomlin has trended flatline with the never had a losing season streak as his one distinct calling card.

 

[BLITZ]

I didnt realize anyone thought there was a QB competition

 

[SteelerFan448]

No...though if Fields just absolutely blew up it could've turned into one. He just did nothing to even make himself a threat to begin the year as the starter.

 

[topseed]

The media made up the competition. As I remember when they traded for Fields Tomlin called Wilson and said you are the starter. Same reason Pickett asked for trade. I think they got an extended look at Fields and if things don't go well he is in. They will want to know if either will be worth the 40-50 million a year contract.

Neither Wilson nor Fields are getting anywhere near $40 million a year, let alone 50, on their next contracts. What the hell are you talking about?

 

[topseed]

Agreed. I was impressed by Plumlee. He looks like he will be more than Allen will ever be.

I found myself rooting for Plumlee too. But while he was fun to watch at UCF, his career TD:INT ratio wasn't even 2:1. That's not nearly good enough for a college QB these days.

 

[MT~Forged]

Keep in mind, Plumlee wasn’t;t going against 1’s. Has going against some 2’s and a lot of 3’s, so things might change in that respects. Giving the young man some time behind Wilson & Fields will definitely help him in many ways. I like his play as well.


Salute the nation

While I agree with your statement, It doesn’t tell the complete story. While he did compete against 2nd & 3rd stringers, he also played WITH players who don’t have jobs right now. I really would have liked to see him get time with the players who have jobs. I get it, he was a 4th QB, and Tomlin just used him as a warm body. We really don’t have any idea what he can and can’t do with and against starters.

 

[diver]

Never having a true QB competition is not anything to brag about.

I would argue in most situations the coaching staff has an idea of who they want to start for various reasons, and unless the competition blows them out of the water, they stick with who they want to start. As the year progresses, things may change. Most teams proceed this way, not just the Steelers.

 

[diver]

Strike from the record lol but Cowher had 8 assistants get HC jobs and Shades has 0. Put all of it together with the historic playoff drought and Tomlin has trended flatline with the never had a losing season streak as his one distinct calling card.

Imo, there are plenty of reasons Tomlin should have been fired without having to invent any. Fact based issues that all can see that cannot be disputed. For example, he hasn't won a playoff game since 2016. Hasn't won a Super Bowl since 2008. Hasn't been to one since 2010. Hasn't built his own championship team. Hired Matt Canada, and then allowed the mess to continue. I just don't know how he survived that. But the coaching tree argument? I don't know. Belechick had a tree, but the damn tree died everywhere it went. What good is the tree if it dies? Lombardi didn't really have a tree. Noll didn't have much, either. And anyway, who cares about a tree? Do you think when the 49ers in the 90s and early 2000s lost to the Packers they consoled themselves by saying, "Well at least we lost to Holmgren, he's part of Walsh's tree?"

You and I are on the same page as it pertains to Tomlin. I just think there are a few arguments made against him that are too easy to pick apart. The coaching tree thing is one, another for me is he won with a Cowher team. He did, but so what? I'm just glad he won. To me the valid point that he hasn't built up his own team is a separate discussion.

 

[slashsteel]

Never unless Wilson gets hurt.

Or stinks it up really bad. We are talking 7 to 10 point per game average bad.

 

[stillwright]

Never unless Wilson gets hurt.

So if he has horrible outings in the first couple of weeks.....first half of season....at no point you make a switch?

 

[slashsteel]

No...though if Fields just absolutely blew up it could've turned into one. He just did nothing to even make himself a threat to begin the year as the starter.

His lack of preseason ball security didn’t help his cause.

 

[slashsteel]

So if he has horrible outings in the first couple of weeks.....first half of season....at no point you make a switch?

First couple weeks would depend on what your definition of horrible is. I think he gets longer than a two game tryout, especially with the Oline banged up.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

If I was running things, I would see what they could get for Fields in a trade. That doesn’t mean I would accept peanuts though. I just don’t get the feeling that Fields is the answer going forward. The extended look in PS was just not enough for me to get onboard. I’m not sure we aren’t better with Wilson/Allen/Plumlee, if you can get a decent return on Fields.

Didn’t the Bears try to trade for him for quite some time with very few actual suitors in the offseason? Then the Steelers finally step up and acquire him for peanuts-still in the offseason.

Now with the season upon us you think someone will cough up something for him with no time to prep/learn a playbook when that is allegedly a weakness of his?

I’m guessing his trade value would have to be lower than what we gave. Thinking having him as a
possible serviceable QB2 is more valuable than the handful of Cheetos he would bring in a trade return. Russ is coming off injury and old AF taboot…might need that QB2

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Never unless Wilson gets hurt.

So what week does Russ get hurt?

 

[Hypocycloids]

Hmmmm, someone forgot to tell the media then.

Hmmmm someone forgot to say they were referring to the media, not to those on this board.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Neither Wilson nor Fields are getting anywhere near $40 million a year, let alone 50, on their next contracts. What the hell are you talking about?

Willis…………………



Salute the nation

 

[Djfan]

So if he has horrible outings in the first couple of weeks.....first half of season....at no point you make a switch?

I think that this switch will be much more significant than a Ben --> Mason Rudolph switch. They both at least played nfl QB. You would have to redo the offensive philosphy to put Fields in after Wilson. Wilson is much more of a traditional QB, and you can count on Fields to be that. He just isn't.

I hope that they can teach the run out of him. I hope that they can teach him to read defenses better/quicker. I hope that they can teach him to use a pocket, not run out of it. I hope that they can teach him ball placement when passing to keep the DBs out of the play. I hope. But, I also am realistic enough to recognize that teaching/coaching guys up to better, is not one of Tomlin's historically strong points.

This is one of those times that I hope to be wrong.

 

[stillwright]

First couple weeks would depend on what your definition of horrible is. I think he gets longer than a two game tryout, especially with the Oline banged up.

Yeah I can easily agree with this.

 

[SteelerSask2]

Neither Wilson nor Fields are getting anywhere near $40 million a year, let alone 50, on their next contracts. What the hell are you talking about?

What cave are you living in. Daniel Jones got more then 40 per.

 

[Lloyd]

I think that this switch will be much more significant than a Ben --> Mason Rudolph switch. They both at least played nfl QB. You would have to redo the offensive philosphy to put Fields in after Wilson. Wilson is much more of a traditional QB, and you can count on Fields to be that. He just isn't.

I hope that they can teach the run out of him. I hope that they can teach him to read defenses better/quicker. I hope that they can teach him to use a pocket, not run out of it. I hope that they can teach him ball placement when passing to keep the DBs out of the play. I hope. But, I also am realistic enough to recognize that teaching/coaching guys up to better, is not one of Tomlin's historically strong points.

This is one of those times that I hope to be wrong.

Word my brother, word. Did you notice Tomlin made mention of the special "Tomlin time" he spends with each QB in the mornings every workday? Before we get too excited about the notion of such "Tomlin time," we should note that he did the same thing with Kenny, as we all saw how well that worked out.

 

[Lloyd]

Didn’t the Bears try to trade for him for quite some time with very few actual suitors in the offseason? Then the Steelers finally step up and acquire him for peanuts-still in the offseason.

Now with the season upon us you think someone will cough up something for him with no time to prep/learn a playbook when that is allegedly a weakness of his?

I’m guessing his trade value would have to be lower than what we gave. Thinking having him as a
possible serviceable QB2 is more valuable than the handful of Cheetos he would bring in a trade return. Russ is coming off injury and old AF taboot…might need that QB2

Well, it could be worse. We did have the "Duck" era that fans were excited about. Remember that?

 

[Djfan]

Word my brother, word. Did you notice Tomlin made mention of the special "Tomlin time" he spends with each QB in the mornings every workday? Before we get too excited about the notion of such "Tomlin time," we should note that he did the same thing with Kenny, as we all saw how well that worked out.

KP8 was not an nfl QB. I just don't think that he had the "it" factor, so I won't compare them. KP8 would lose everytime.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

Well, it could be worse. We did have the "Duck" era that fans were excited about. Remember that?

Agreed- I’m fine with his as QB2
Better than Mitch
Maybe good as Rudy??? Maybe

Just don’t think he really holds much trade value

Fortunately and UNFORTUNATELY I remember way further back than

 

[Ron Burgundy]

So if he has horrible outings in the first couple of weeks.....first half of season....at no point you make a switch?

I think he’ll be fine but it would have to be really bad to pull him.