Sorry for the late post here but I've been on the road for 3+ hours driving back from family for X-mas after the game today. To say I'm shocked with the outcome of this game today is an understatement especially seeing this team's god awful performance in the first half on both sides of the ball with the exception of TJ Watt who provided us an opportunity for our only score in the first half. No Tomlin led Steelers team has ever come back from 17 points down in the 2nd half against anyone which comes as a surprise to me considering the talent the Steelers have had during Tomlin's tenure as Head Coach. Why oh why does it take the Steelers an entire half to make any kind of adjustments in a game? As for the offense.....the Steelers didn't seem to start to move the football until we moved away from the quick passing game and started going no huddle and throwing the ball downfield. And as for the Defense they pretty much played zone coverage against Rivers the whole first half and Rivers being the veteran he is just picked apart our defense. I don't understand the lack of playing man especially when the receivers aren't that great.....the Steelers should have switched to man to man after the first quarter at the very least especially since we have the personnel to do it. If that wasn't brutal enough to sit through at the end of the first half the Colts faced a 3rd & 18 at their 10 yd line with 52 seconds remaining and Tomlin decided to let 40 seconds tick off the clock and not call a timeout there when they had all 3 TO's remaining. A complete disaster of a half when they could have easily gotten into FG range and possibly a TD. Most of that first half I watched a Colts Defense with on average 10 guys within 5 yds of the Line of Scrimmage and I started thinking since teams are all looking for our quick passing game the Steelers should lineup in a bunch formation on 2nd & short or 3rd & short and use Ben's ability to pump fake at full speed....have one of the blockers miss or slip his block and as Ben pump fakes...have him run a go route up the field....most teams are only keeping 1 safety back deep some have all 11 guys within 5 yds. It would be a easy pass and catch for the QB & WR for an easy TD. Still no running game to speak of and that's really worrisome as we head into the playoffs this season with a one dimensional offense. At least the Steelers were able to throw the ball downfield in the 2nd half of this game.....that should give the OC enough proof that there is more to this team than the short passing game. Ben was on fire in the 2nd Half of this game. The short passing game needs to disappear for bit here or only use it here and there and take advantage when you have the Defense on their heels worried about the deep passing game. This game was won today despite Mike Tomlin.who made some of the worst coaching decisions in the first half of this game I've ever seen.Can anyone explain to me why in the world did it take 4 games to start throwing the damn football down the field? It's not like the pass protection today was noticeably better than the past 3 weeks. I can see how the injuries have impacted our Defense and the pass rush although I do like Highsmith he continues to make mistakes and give up the edge too often. We need Spillane back in place of Vince Williams and then continue to use Williams in spot duty as he's good in run support. Nice to see the team rally in the 2nd half and come away with the win and secure the AFC North Division Champion something we haven't done in 3 seasons. I'll admit that first half I couldn't help but think how incompetent Mike Tomlin is as a Head Coach and how he's under achieved with the tremendous talent he's had during his coaching tenure here in Pittsburgh while having a Franchise QB and future HoF'er. I don't think Chuck Noll or Bill Cowher had the roster talent that Mike Tomlin has enjoyed in the past 40 years. I started looking back to Bill Cowher and how he didn't have a QB like Ben until the end of his career and often wonder if Cowher had Ben this long how many Championships would he have won? What if Chuck Noll was the Head Coach....how would many Super Bowls would he have won with Big Ben and the other talent on this roster during Ben's career? I really am starting to wonder if the game is beginning to pass Tomlin on by especially in recent weeks......I'm really sick and tired of the same old song from Tomlin week in, week out. I know the running game would never be this pathetic under a guy like Chuck Noll......NEVER! NEVER EVER! Well I guess I'm officially losing faith in Tomlin as a Head Coach especially after today. They won today despite him. I don't think anything Tomlin said or did at the half did anything for this team coming out of the locker room to start the 2nd Half. Well it is what it is........Lets see what next week in Cleveland brings.....do the Steelers continue to throw downfield like they did in the 2nd Half of this game or do they go back to the short quick passing game.....I sure as hell hope not. One other thing that bothers me and I know Tomlin does this for the veterans but it's time to make guys like Big Ben, Maurkice Pouncey, David Decastro, Cam Heyward and some other veteran guys practice a full week. I understand why he's doing it but especially when it comes to Ben....it will only improve timing with his WR's. You can see when he's off, he's way off and I wonder if being given the additional rest if it's the reason some of his throws are behind his WR's or not in the best possible spot when he throws the ball.
Per Tomlin's Post Game Presser:
No updates, no injuries
Game Balls:
TJ Watt - If this guy doesn't win DPOY there's something wrong. Once again he was an absolute wrecking ball out there. 2 more sacks today and he stripped Rivers of the ball setting up first Steelers TD. He's 1/2 sack shy of 50 sacks for his career and this is only year 4.
Ben Roethlisberger - He put the team on his shoulders and threw the damn ball down the field. 34 for 49 342 yds 3TD's. He's 4 TD's shy of 400 career TD's. Would love to see him throw his 400th next week vs The Clowns
Juju Smith Schuster - 9 rec 96yds 1TD
Dionte Johnson - 8 rec 75 yds 1 TD.....he did drop one ball early but upon closer look it would have been a tough catch
Mike Hilton - Got stuffed on a few blitzes today but made a nice fumble recovery to setup the Steelers first score and an INT late in the game to give the Steelers the ball back late in the game.
Game Goats:
Mike Tomlin - WTF this guy almost cost us the game today. His clock management at the end of the first half was atrocious! Don't even try to justify it!
Randy Fitchner - Take the short passing game put it on the back burner....it's just making it too easy for opposing Defenses. Get the Defense on their heels first then sprinkle in the short quick passes but don't fall in love with it!
FU's:
None but there's a few people who are coming close to making this list.
Per Tomlin's Post Game Presser:
No updates, no injuries
Game Balls:
TJ Watt - If this guy doesn't win DPOY there's something wrong. Once again he was an absolute wrecking ball out there. 2 more sacks today and he stripped Rivers of the ball setting up first Steelers TD. He's 1/2 sack shy of 50 sacks for his career and this is only year 4.
Ben Roethlisberger - He put the team on his shoulders and threw the damn ball down the field. 34 for 49 342 yds 3TD's. He's 4 TD's shy of 400 career TD's. Would love to see him throw his 400th next week vs The Clowns
Juju Smith Schuster - 9 rec 96yds 1TD
Dionte Johnson - 8 rec 75 yds 1 TD.....he did drop one ball early but upon closer look it would have been a tough catch
Mike Hilton - Got stuffed on a few blitzes today but made a nice fumble recovery to setup the Steelers first score and an INT late in the game to give the Steelers the ball back late in the game.
Game Goats:
Mike Tomlin - WTF this guy almost cost us the game today. His clock management at the end of the first half was atrocious! Don't even try to justify it!
Randy Fitchner - Take the short passing game put it on the back burner....it's just making it too easy for opposing Defenses. Get the Defense on their heels first then sprinkle in the short quick passes but don't fall in love with it!
FU's:
None but there's a few people who are coming close to making this list.
