Initial thoughts on browns Game

[Steeltime]

Game Summary 2:

I want three hours of my life back.

 

[NoKap#7]

All we know is cleveland was lining up to go for it. They could have tried to draw us off- sides or go for it. They also could have ran a different play or we could have ran a different coverage than 3rd and 7. Regardless they still gave the Browns an extra down

I'm still trying to figure how if you couldnt stop them on 3rd and 7 how you were going to stop them on 4th and 2? You prob got twice the number of plays to run to get 2 yards as opposed to 7 and they seemed to be better in the trenches all night on both sides of the ball. The defense wasnt exactly looking like a steel curtain up front or in the secondary. At the end of the day it's just a bunch of wishful thinking.

 

[johnsteeler]

Minkah is the most overrated player in the NFL.

TJ needs to stop making commercials and start getting to the QB.

Worst coaching and play calling I’ve seen in a long time.

Russell holds the ball too long for this o line.

 

[SojournerSteel]

How many OCs are we going to keep blaming? Who is the common denominator?

Tomlin couldn't coach his way out of a wet paper bag in the final 3 minutes of games.

 

[Stainless]

I'm still trying to figure how if you couldnt stop them on 3rd and 7 how you were going to stop them on 4th and 2? You prob got twice the number of plays to run to get 2 yards as opposed to 7 and they seemed to be better in the trenches all night on both sides of the ball. The defense wasnt exactly looking like a steel curtain up front or in the secondary. At the end of the day it's just a bunch of wishful thinking.

Maybe we shouldn't have even tried playing defense last night. Our time of possession would have been impressive.

 

[6Lombardis]

Just infuriating time and game management by Tomlin at the end of both halves:

1) The Steelers correctly call timeout with 1:27 left in the half with the Browns at 3rd-and-7 from the 17. Cleveland runs it up the middle for one yard, and inexplicably, on 4th-and-6, Pittsburgh doesn't use a timeout, and Cleveland bleeds another 35+ seconds off the clock by somehow convincing Mikey that they were going to run a play from scrimmage...when it was totally obvious to any serious football fan exactly what they were doing.

2) Why on God's green (or white) earth would you give Cleveland an extra down on a long 4th-and-1, and accept a 5-yard penalty? They showed the kicker ready to come out on the field, FFS. Then Tomlin blows a crucial timeout with 1:55 left in the game prior to the play...with the clock already stopped! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

3) Once Cleveland has it first-and-goal on the 9 with 1:43 left, you let Chubbs score. You don't tackle him on the two yard line and let the Browns take another 40 seconds off the clock. You needed those precious seconds on the last drive.

I just cannot fathom that this guy has been a head coach in the NFL for 18 years now, and he still has NO CLUE how to manage the game in its most important moments. It's an embarrassment.

All of this, 100% got to let him score. Taking the penalty on 3rd down was stupid. They might have tried the kick there anyway.

 

[6Lombardis]

I'm still trying to figure how if you couldnt stop them on 3rd and 7 how you were going to stop them on 4th and 2? You prob got twice the number of plays to run to get 2 yards as opposed to 7 and they seemed to be better in the trenches all night on both sides of the ball. The defense wasnt exactly looking like a steel curtain up front or in the secondary. At the end of the day it's just a bunch of wishful thinking.

Make them go for it on 4th and 2, maybe stuff a run. They probably run it on 4th there making that play mote predictable. If you stop them on the new 3rd, they still go for it and that more time off the clock. Biggest bone head play was stopping Chubb on the 1 yard line. That ended the game.

 

[Sarge]

The Steelers refuse to be great. The potential is there, they just, for whatever reason, cannot hit that extra level.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Any idea on how they fared on 3rd or 4th and short?
Seemed to be many failures in their execution given that opportunity.

Overall, a team effort.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Too many coaching blunders in this game.... Going for the long FG, going for it again at midfield, wasting time outs. Playing musical QBs. Accepting the penalty at the end of the game, not letting Chubb score..... If they would have declined the penalty Cle may have went for it or tried to draw us offsides, but it was a do or die down for them. We gave them an extra down

My thought s too. With all the ****-ing round Tomlin explanation and then the ****-ing added time out…….. I took our defense out of rhythms and cold started them.

Defense would have stopped that 4th and 2, biut after that standing around and time to think………. You saw the results.

THIS was a moment of being “out-coached” plain and simple, no mincing word. This happened in multiple different in-game spots.



Salute the nation

 

[Drink IRON City]

Any idea on how they fared on 3rd or 4th and short?
Seemed to be many failures in their execution given that opportunity.

Overall, a team effort.

At one point, Cleveland was 3 / 3 on 4th down.

ALSO, Cleveland’s decimated OL seemed to be able to make TJ Watt a non-factor where as our beloved solid OL couldn’t hardly slow down Miles Garret.

That is a scheme thing, they took our biggest defensive player out of the picture and we decided to go a majority of 1 on 1 against their be3st defensive player. Results are appropriate for being out coached.


Salute the nation

 

[ExUSAF]

The Steelers refuse to be great. The potential is there, they just, for whatever reason, cannot hit that extra level.

I don't think the potential is there. We have two QBs who are one-year rentals, an average to mediocre OL, an expensive but mediocre defense filled with underachievers. The common denominator, of course, is a coaching staff and an owner who find mediocrity acceptable.

 

[NYSteel]

This game illuminates what we have in 2024. Or, more importantly, what we don't have.

In simplest terms, we don't have a franchise HOF caliber QB, in his prime. We are similar to the Jets in this regard.... We're playing a HOFer who's is well past his prime.

Thus, when you don't have the QB, you need to bring the dominant defense to compensate. We don't have that either. We have a good defense... Not great. Add in some special teams flops, and weather (being an equalizer), and the 8-2 team loses to the 2-8 team.

Questionable decisions from the sidelines for all 3 units. To me, most glaring was lack of pressure on Winston. Felt like with Browns running a backup o-line, they would be vulnerable to the 5 man rushes. Saw it maybe once... But need to watch again.

Lots of other items.... But still annoyed.....

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Bitonio handled cam

 

[GILBERT]

Wouldn't be a Steelers season without an *** kicking from a two win team. Hopefully this a wake up call, but this offense hasn't looked good the last couple weeks.

exactly. What is that stat/record of Tomlin vs. 2 win teams? Add another one to it.

 

[NoKap#7]

Any idea on how they fared on 3rd or 4th and short?
Seemed to be many failures in their execution given that opportunity.

Overall, a team effort.

I don't know about 3rd and short but on 4th and short they ended up getting it all four times they tried.

 

[steel dino]

Game Summary 2:

I want three hours of my life back.

I don’t know..
lost some sleep.. buts it’s always cool to watch an outdoor football game in a snow storm!
Just wish the results were different obviously.,

 

[Lambert58]

Tell you what, Cleveland gave a blueprint on how to neutralize Watt.

 

[steelhurt]

Man I’m trying very hard to hold back what I’m really thinking but this is bad, real bad. I’m sorry boys, I said I would praise Tomlin and criticize him and all I can do is criticize after last night.
Poor coaching decisions throughout this game, one after another.
Don’t know how to utilize Watt to maximize him and what I mean is move him around rather than keep him stationary.
Lack of a FB because Tomlin doesn’t use them but sure would have been nice to have a legit FB last night in those short yardage situations and no not Connor ******* Heyward.
Tomlin has his blueprint all over this offense and it’s not good.
I’ve said it many times, he’s a good coach but not this great coach they try to make him out to be. They will never win a championship or come anywhere near one as long as he’s here. This organization needs a complete reset.

 

[stillwright]

My thought s too. With all the ****-ing round Tomlin explanation and then the ****-ing added time out…….. I took our defense out of rhythms and cold started them.

Defense would have stopped that 4th and 2, biut after that standing around and time to think………. You saw the results.

THIS was a moment of being “out-coached” plain and simple, no mincing word. This happened in multiple different in-game spots.



Salute the nation

Maybe Tomlin should start "blinking" a few times a game. It might have helped us out.

 

[stillwright]

Tell you what, Cleveland gave a blueprint on how to neutralize Watt.

Every team has been doing a decent job at that lately. Even if it is simply holding him. Our defense needs to use the double and triple teaming on Watt to our advantage. We simply rush a standard 4 person attack. Vanilla actually.

 

[Aussie_Steeler]

I don't know about 3rd and short but on 4th and short they ended up getting it all four times they tried.

Don't know how many third and shorts Cleveland had, but they didn't convert any third and short. Cleveland were 1 from 10 on third down and the one conversion was the third down arising on the penalty decline then accept schemozzle (6 or 7 yards), which was also Cleveland's last third down if the game.

 

[Walt]

Loss is mainly on the coaches. Arthur Smith called a horrible game. Maybe it's good they lost this game. It could wake them up to the fact they can't win every week scoring 18 points. You may have to throw the ball on 1st down sometimes and not wait around for the 30+ carries it takes to wear down the defense,

Agree. And the redzone issues, in my opinion, are due in part to the fact that 1st down of every trip into the low red zone is ALWAYS a run, and 2nd down is a run 85% of the time. And 3rd down is a pass if it's more than 3rd and 1. They are too predictable.

ZERO targets for Mike Williams.

What was the point of trading for him if they're not going to use him. In the end this highlights Khan's biggest failing. He didn't have a plan to replace Diontae or he didn't have a plan B when his initial plan (trade for Aiyuk) didn't work. Jerry Jeudy was obviously available last off-season. Why wasn't Khan in on that? Jeudy tore up the Steelers secondary last night.

Also, I don't give a sh*t how much time Roman Wilson missed... if he's not better than a few of the stiffs getting helmets on game day right now, then they shouldn't have drafted him. As soon he's eligible to come off IR and ready from an injury standpoint, the guy needs to be playing.

Do we need to have a Minkah conversation? I get it that he's patroling the middle and teams have been avoiding throwing there, but he had opportunities for plays today and made none. TE made some big catches in his area. Porter passed off Jeudy to him and Jeudy ran right past him.

When the anti-Minkah talk started a few weeks ago I was willing to give him a pass b/c I bought the argument that he's playing deep center field and taking away big plays.... and he's so good teams are afraid to throw near him. But the last two games he's had chances to make plays. Mark Andrews regularly beat him like a drum. He's not worth what he's getting paid. Maybe Khan could trade him for a WR this spring. Of course, knowing Khan he won't have a plan to find Minkah's replacement if he does move him.

4th down play with Fields in the game, Patterson splits out wide and Heyward in the backfield. Nobody thinks Heyward is getting the ball there so he doesn't sell a play fake, and it's not like he's some awesome lead blocker. Just put an extra OL back there to block, or put Najee or Warren to help sell a fake. Heyward seems to accomplish neither.

Ultimately the play was there to be had if Fields goes left (where the play was designed to go). And the play was doomed from the start b/c half the offense didn't get the memo and thought they were punting so they were late getting out of the huddle and rushed to get the play off before the play clock expired. But.... I agree that the personnel deployed was less than ideal. My initial thought when watching it was that it was way too obvious that Fields was running the ball. That's why the wildcat fad died. It was always too obvious what was coming. The argument for using Fields in this situation is because you make the opponent defend the entire field. They should have Pickens split out, maybe another WR too. They should have had Najee or Warren in the backfield - both are threats with the ball and both are capable blockers.

Short yardage, 2 point plays, etc. Every one of those should be Fields with a run/pass option. Play action, sprint out, with Fields having the ability to run or throw.

2 point conversion play is a fade to Patterson. He was moved to RB because he was a crappy WR. Why throw him a pass that requires great ball skills? You have Pickens, Muth and Williams who can be dangerous on fades.

There is absolutely no way to justify this play call. This is worse than anything Canada called. I get the concept. Overload one side so you have a 1 on 1 on the back side, but you don't do that with Patterson. Pickens would be ideal but then you're probably drawing the opponent's CB1, so I get using someone else. Why not the 6'7" 300 lb match up problem??

Also, I don't get the love affair with Patterson. I get it...he looked good against the Colts. But since he came back from injury he looks old and washed up. The reverse to Patterson on the goal line was as bad, if not worse than the fade. Aside from it being Patterson, that's a difficult play to execute when the footing sucks no matter who was running it.

I think the steelers win this game on a dry field. It seemed like the steeler DBs had trouble in the snow.

Both teams had to play in it and it's not like the Steelers home games are in a dome or in Florida. Given the Steelers supposed "smash mouth" mentality, the weather should have been played into their hands. Also... the most ironic thing is all day I kept seeing tweets about how Jameis has never played a game in temps below 40. He looked more comfortable (and better) than either of the Steelers QBs.

Steeler WRs still do nothing when Russ breaks the pocket. Herbstreit pointed that out a few times. I'm a guy on my couch and I know that when you're done running your route, you don't just stand there, you run to an open area for your scrambling QB. How do NFL WRs not know that. And how do NFL coaches allow their NFL WRs not to know that?

This has been an issue all season. I don't get how WRs can get to the NFL and not understand a scramble drill. Look back to the Big Ben era... probably 75% of Ben's biggest plays came off the scramble drill to AB, Hines, Santonio, Heath, etc. Again, this goes back to Khan's failure to replace Diontae. This WR room is not capable of doing the little things to help their QB and/or get open.

Steelers 3 losses are to 3 losing teams with a combined 34% win rate. Don't cry when you are on the road on the playoffs because you couldn't show up and beat crap teams.

Typical Tomlin. Was there anyone in this group who wasn't worried about this being a loss? I bet Browns money line as an emotional hedge, thinking that at least if (when) the Steelers lose I'll at least make a little $$ to ease the pain.

 

[Walt]

Man I’m trying very hard to hold back what I’m really thinking but this is bad, real bad. I’m sorry boys, I said I would praise Tomlin and criticize him and all I can do is criticize after last night.
Poor coaching decisions throughout this game, one after another.
Don’t know how to utilize Watt to maximize him and what I mean is move him around rather than keep him stationary.

It's criminal what they're doing with Watt. Since September I've felt they need to move Watt around. He's too easy to game plan against since he's always on the same side and pretty much always rushing from the edge. They briefly toyed with moving him around against the Giants. I hoped/assumed that they'd build on that coming out of the bye.

Then Tomlin says they can't scheme around Garrett... that's b/c the Browns were moving him around and stunting and looping him. He wasn't coming from the same spot EVERY SINGLE PLAY.

That being said, TJ did have a few 1 on 1s and he didn't do squat with it. He doesn't look like himself. Is he past his prime? Is he hurt?

 

[Walt]

And.... I get the offense is bad and deserves blame, blah blah blah. But at the end of the day this is the highest paid defense in the league. They've prioritized defense over offense for years. The highest paid guys and biggest name free agents on the the defensive side of the ball, not offense.

The defense got worked last night by a 2-8 team, that traded their best WR, and was starting a back up QB. The Browns WR is no better than the Steelers WR room, but somehow the Browns constantly had guys running free in the secondary. The Browns o-line dealing with injuries yet they were great on 4th and short, great on the goal line, and allowed ZERO pressure on their QB.

The defense is SUPPOSED to be good. The defense is SUPPOSED to be carrying the offense. During the Kenny Pickett/Matt Canada era the defense's excuse was that they were on the field too much. The Steelers owned time of possession. There is no excuse. The defense is just not as good as they think they are.