The 8 main problems with Mike Tomlin

[FSF]

Disclosure - this is the rough draft of an blog I began about a month after the Jacksonville playoff game debacle, with the intent of posting here. The points are still relevant. For those of you who are on the SJW side of things, be warned - I will use several valid arguments in that direction so if you are offended, understand it is with the big picture in mind.


First off, I like Mike Tomlin. I think he has been a quality coach for the Steelers. For anyone who tried to diminish his early achievements because he won 1/2 Super Bowls with "Cowher's players" try to remember when Jim Caldwell replaced Tony Dungy or Mike Martz replaced Dick Vermeil. Those didn't work out too well.

And for those with short memories, there was as much "Fire Cowher" sentiment at one time too. This IS a spoiled fan-base that has seen 40 plus years of overall success.

This is a long post which I just never had time to properly edit. The 8 points are below and if want to share a comment under the bold headings, please feel free.

1. Mike Tomlin is missing his initial 2007 motivation
2. Art Rooney II hasn't held him accountable enough
3. Tomlin hasn't evolved -- Running Game
4. Tomlin hasn't evolved -- Passing Game
5. Tomlin hasn't evolved -- Defense
6. Tomlin's Challenges
7. Tomlin's Performance vs. bad teams
8. Tomlin Protected by Left Wing Social Justice Media

POINT #1
MIKE TOMLIN LACKS THE SAME MOTIVATION HE ONCE HAD

This is NOT the same Mike Tomlin that was hired in 2007 and won the Super Bowl in 2008 and nearly did again in 2010.

That man came into Pittsburgh with something to prove. He wasn't wanted here, we all know and remember the players wanted Whiz or Grimm. (Personally, I think Whisenhunt would have had a long and successful career as Pittsburgh's Head Coach - argument for another day). The reality is that he grinded the 2007 team so hard that they knew he was boss. It cost them in the end of that season, but one thing I have learned in business - sometimes to get the big deal (sale, project, etc.) you take the short term loss. He got their attention and respect. He came in, extremely prepared and an exceptional communicator.

Personally, I thought in many ways he wasn't completely ready either -- with a brief comparison to Noll & Cowher.

• Chuck Noll had 20 years playing and coaching under 3 Hall of Fame Coaches and was ready to make the necessary changes.
• Bill Cowher came in with several years of both playing and coaching experience, working his way up the ranks (edit: from A Football Life it showed how he conversed with Bill Belichick to learn from each other as different defensive assistants from different teams).
• Tomlin was barely under Dungy and had one major Assistant Role (DC with Vikings for one year).

All of this was moot at the beginning given the success. But when the very successful rebuild came from 2012-2013 and the drop to 8-8 was low point, that was amazing. Maybe, just maybe, TOO amazing.

The Steelers were right back in the thick of contention by the end of 2013 with no team wanting to play them after the 8-4 finish. The talent that was dripping on the team was crazy ridiculous and granted, there was a lot of bad luck and injuries that have plagued the Steelers going into the stretch run (including this year with James Conner) that had a huge part in derailing the team's post-season chances. But some of that is on MT himself (revisit later)

Will come back to that point. When I look at this team, I cannot help but think of the Denver Broncos of the late 1990s and make the comparison -- moving on from Dan Reeves and eventually hiring Mike Shanahan (resulting in a team that did cheat but wasn't caught and won back-to-back Super Bowls).

With the future Hall of Fame QB Ben Roethlisberger at the helm, how many Super Bowls would Bill Cowher have won? 1995? 1997? 2001? He did it by maximizing Ben's early strengths (he was NOT a game manager, he made plays -- and Cowher just made sure that once they were made, he finished them out with mistake free football).

He may be very well taking for granted the greatness he has at QB and wasting it.

POINT #2
2014-2018: THE BLAME FALLS ON ART ROONEY II
There is no excuse for no Super Bowl appearances between 2014-2018 (technically this year isn't over yet....but point remains). And this goes to Art Rooney II.
I never advocated for Tomlin to be fired after the 13-3 season last year & despicable playoff loss -- but it was time for him to be held accountable and a serious discussion about the future of his job should have been done. Now, I won't pretend to have inside information on the team and perhaps it was done -- but if it were it doesn't look like it was adhered to.

It has been said the Steelers success comes from their stability of 3 head coaches in 50 years. I propose that that same stability has taken away an edge.
=>Tomlin is "safe and secure" because of constantly winning the division or making the post-season with a win or two -- something most teams would consider HUGE successes (revisit later)

Quick question #1 of the rhetorical kind: How many coaches have come from Mike Tomlin's "Coaching Tree" and been hired by other teams?
Quick question #2 of the rhetorical kind: How many times has Mike Tomlin fired an assistant without ARII actually doing the deed?

Mike Tomlin has rarely/if ever shown the accountability of his staff that they needed to do their job or be let go. I have faced it in my career. I am sure most of you have? ARII had to fire/retire Arians and LeBeau. Noll went through many iterations of assistants and Cowher fired Erhardt to keep rising Chan Gailey, let go of Bobby April (one of best special teams coaches in league); fired Tim Lewis and lured LeBeau back. Tomlin - never aggressively sought out any new blood for assistant coaches that made a difference except Mike Munchack (someone who should be a head coach somewhere).

Cowher was constantly trying new things to adapt to the team on hand - 5 WRs with O'Donnell, simplifying offense for Kordell, taking risk with Tommy Maddox after his 2002 passing season was most prolific since #12 was QB. Did everything work -- HELL NO. But he tried it. He was so motivated to get that ring till the end he left nothing on the table.

Tomlins big risk has been 2-point conversions.

Mike Tomlin has coached comfortable and unafraid -- and it's been just good enough to be good (problem is that he has a roster that IS CHAMPIONSHIP LEVEL GREAT).
AND EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD KNOWS IT

And Art Rooney II has allowed and enabled this like giving excuses to a drug addict being okay to get one more fix. Art; it's your call now, your team. Dan (RIP) is not around anymore to counsel with, you have to make the tough choices like Dan did in 1999 when it was Cowher or Donahoe.

POINT #3
MIKE TOMLIN'S STYLE HASN'T EVOLVED - THE RUNNING GAME
Remember in 2007 when Tomlin said he would run Willie Parker until his wheels came off. Well, he did -- probably costing Parker the 2007 Rushing Title with a broken leg in week 15 and he was never the same again.
.
He ran Mendenhall into the ground until his ACL tear.

He got Le'Veon Bell and -- despite having a VERY capable back-up in Blount, ran Bell into the Ground and Blount out of the building. Even with De'Angelo Hall capable of performing at a high level, he never took Bell out. Bell used this in his contract negotiations -- the number of touches.

Noll saw to it Rocky Bleier took some of Franco Harris load. Heck, even with Ambercrombie and Pollard he did it. Cowher rode Barry Foster for a year, but split with Morris and Foster, Pegram and Morris, Pegram and Bettis....all the way to Parker and Bettis.

When will he learn to pace his RBs.....the late season injury again happened with Conner. We've had injuries to our top back going into the playoffs every year 2011-2015, with one getting injured in the playoffs in 2016.

POINT #4
MIKE TOMLIN'S STYLE HASN'T EVOLVED - THE PASSING GAME
In 2014, Ben Roethlisberger tied for the NFL in passing yards with Drew Brees. This year, it looks like he'll be #1 topping 5000 yards -- and a great statistic is that Ben is the only QB in NFL history to have 3 yard passing games; he is 3-0 in those games with 9 TDs and 0 INTs -- all under Tomlin.

Would it surprise you to know that when Ben has thrown for 400 yards under Tomlin - the Steelers are 1-9 (24 TDs and 15 INTs). -- only win was vs. Cleveland in 2009.
In fact, in games not reaching 500 yards passing, the Steelers are 3-14 when Ben throws for 380 or more yards.
The Steelers have never won a playoff game when Ben has thrown for 300 or more yards (0-5).

Obviously not all of that is on Ben Roethlisberger -- but the TEAM is better when Ben throws for 250-275 yards and has a balanced attack on the Running Game with 120 yards from RB.

Moral of the story: RUN the DANG BALL with BALANCE -- and don't put it all on ONE RB.

POINT #5
MIKE TOMLIN'S STYLE HASN'T EVOLVED - DEFENSE
When ARII let LeBeau go, Keith Butler invoked the same 3-4 base scheme into Pittsburgh's defense; drafting 5 LBs in top 3 rounds since 2010 with 2 stars Watt/Shazier (who will never play again) and 1 competent - Dupree.

On the other hand, with Heyward, Tuitt and Hargrave -- why doesn't this team go to a 4-3 ever?

And why can't they draft a DB? Hayden falls into their lap. Artie Burns had the physical talent but not the skills and apparently not the mindset to adapt.

They force no fumbles, barely get any INTs or make any big plays despite rushing the passer so well. Tomlin is not a great schemer on defense, that's just proven.

POINT #6
MIKE TOMLIN CAN'T CHALLENGE CALLS
I'm NOT even going into that data.

POINT #7
MIKE TOMLIN HAS A TERRIBLE RECORD VS. BAD TEAMS
AGAIN, NOT touching that data.

POINT #8
Lastly: I don't care what anyone thinks, it's the environment we live in and it's real.
MIKE TOMLIN IS PROTECTED BY SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE MEDIA

Every time Tomlin gets on the hot seat, some talking head like Stephen A. Smith blasts on about how great a coach he has been and hasn't had a losing record. They like the non-white Head Coach and will protect him in the national media till they are blue in the face.

Personally I am sick of that argument -- so what? With the talent that has been stacked, he shouldn't have had a losing record. He SHOULD have 1-2 more Super Bowls.

There is success in terms of being competitive -- but there is also leaving championships on the table, and since 2014, the Steelers have done that. Don't tell me these Steelers couldn't have beaten the Eagles, Seahawks, 49ers or Panthers in those respective Super Bowls -- they were nowhere near as talented.

He runs his RBs into the ground by the end of the year, hasn't addressed the changing game in coverage, leaves his defense out to dry as a result and depends too much on Ben to carry him -- and Ben is a better QB when the team has balance.


I said last year that the 2017 Steelers were the most talented Steelers team I had ever seen (too young to appreciate the 1970s - so exclude). But with their "hero-ball" style, I also said they were NOT the best.

They lack the pride, team work, closeness and commitment to make their own legacy that the 1990s and 2000s Steelers had. Without it, they will never win the big one again.

And maybe ARII needs to find that new coach that will challenge them to find it.

 

[xjx]

Clearly the RB's are mismanaged under Tomlin. He still does it.
The defensive scheme is weak and gets exploited by opponents week after week.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Obviously.

 

[slashsteel]

To boot there was a question of Conner's durability going into the season. If he could hold up. You don't test it to see how it unfolds. You scrap the force feed it to Conner and quickly spell him with JaySam or bring in another RB. Wasn't fond of Ridley and that opinion has been reinforced. On D Williams or Bostic has no business starting if you plan to drop them in coverage. But there it was all season. WR position opposite AB proved a liability quickly. But no let's keep Hunter and not bring in a better option. Sit on those hands we can get better within. Which proved no they couldn't. Then you have those horrific in game decisions. And the refusal to fine tune Ben in preseason to guarantee a slow start. Just a pile of **** that won't change, because they believe their way doesn't need tweaking. What of this will change without replacing Tomlin?

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[steelhurt]

Good assessment Slash. So my question to the board, please name the best three qualities Tomlin possesses as a head coach? I can’t come up with any, well maybe one; he’s a players coach but what does that even really mean? I don’t want my coach to be a buddy to his players.


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[xjx]

Well, Tomlin can talk in riddles and rhymes, wowing the media and a segment of the fanbase. No other head coaches use this technique.

Tomlin displays bug eyes often. No other coaches do that.

 

[SteelerSask2]

I maintain there is one major problem. He doesn't have the chops to schematicaly/technique run the defense. One year as a coordinator. He wants to run some form of Tampa Two. That was always his goal. That defense is outdated. If they lined up pressure at the line of scrimmage they would create indecision. Indecision equals mistakes. Mistakes makes turnovers. That is what this team needed. He wrongly believed that playing safe and not allowing the big play was the key. But that keeps your offense on the sideline.

 

[Lmob0621]

How could you narrow it down to only eight talking points? lol

 

[SteelerFan448]

I disagree that Tomlin hasn't evolved as a coach. They aren't a ground and pound team anymore and began to use the running back differently, particularly in the passing game. Of course the passing game has changed over the years, especially this year with Roethlisberger placing the entire offense on his back at times. The defense has clearly evolved into some hybrid garbage that has faced the same problems for 3+ years in a row now. Who has been the stimulus to these changes is the issue.

Removing Arians from the job was clearly a Rooney move. Nothing from that situation indicates that Tomlin made that decision on his own and the same could probably be said for bringing Haley in. Haley was probably let go in the end because it's what Ben wanted. He took so many shots in his media sessions at Haley that it was bound to happen. He gets the OC he wants and got to throw the ball as much as ever. Overall, positive changes all around.

Defensive, LeBeau was forced out and it was probably time. The defense had trouble rebuilding, probably because they drafted players Tomlin liked even though they didn't fit the system. Tomlin has said he took more control of the defense and you hear this quite often from reporters and announcers. This has been the major issue with this team since LeBeau's defense aged out. Overall, negative changes.

Aside from all of this, the Steelers are still good enough to win at least one playoff win a year and they haven't. I think a big part of this is the biggest issue and that's losing to the teams they should beat. We often hear how the Patriots benefit from an easy division (even though they have the same winning percentage outside of the division). The Steelers don't take advantage of the cupcakes on their schedule and it has cost them seeding and playoff spots. This team looks elite when they have the five-star matchups against the NFL's best, but looks like a bottom five team when up against cellar dweller. Once again, the Browns, Broncos, and Raiders are three wins that the Steelers could've really used this year and wins that could have helped propel them into an AFC Championship game and now odds are they're sitting at home for the playoffs.

 

[Hines57]

The standard is the standard

 

[NYSteel]

Good summary. Tomlin benefits immensely by employing a rare commodity.... A HOF QB. Take Ben out of the picture this year alone, we would be lucky to be 3-13.

As far as game planning, and in-game adjustments, I find MT to be very predictable in the former, and very late in the latter. It's not a recipe for success.

The failures against inferior teams bear this out. I like the guy personally. He had some success in Pitt, riding the shoulders of a HOF QB. But the point remains, too much was taken for granted by the this coach. He runs a country-club team, players miss meetings, are more interested in celebrating personal achievements on the field than winning etc.

One point I wanted to add, that is a major detriment to the entire league, is the inability to maintain consistency of referee calls, most especially as they relate to 3 specific parts of the game: tackling/hitting; defensive pass interference and hits to the QB. You can't watch a game anymore without having to await for the refs to clear every play of some interpretation of the rulebook. The Saints game is as painful an example of this you could ever want to watch. Point being, the game is now micro-managed by the refs trying to enforce unintetpretable rules, which yields varying outcomes across the league. Simply stated, the games are no longer fun to watch.

Actually strongly considering dropping Sunday Ticket for 2019 after 22 years.

Cheers and happy new year to all.

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[puckk]

and obviously doesnt know when to call timeouts

how about hiring a Challenge Challenger for calling timeouts and challenging the plays?

because ******** is so incompetent, how many times has he ****** up?

dumbass is 0-9 in last 9 challenges

 

[Punxsutawney]

The fact the Steelers have players up front like Watt, Tuitt and Heyward who can consistently pressure the QB and they still struggle to pick and deflect passes shows how bad the coverage schemes and DBs are.

Tomlin established himself in the league as a secondary coach, yet the secondary play has been garbage since Taylor, Polamalu and Clark ( all inherited from Cowher) declined and moved on.

A Saints WR running wide open 20 yards downfield on 3rd and 20 says it all.

 

[Steelworth]

I disagree that Tomlin hasn't evolved as a coach. They aren't a ground and pound team anymore and began to use the running back differently, particularly in the passing game. Of course the passing game has changed over the years, especially this year with Roethlisberger placing the entire offense on his back at times. The defense has clearly evolved into some hybrid garbage that has faced the same problems for 3+ years in a row now. Who has been the stimulus to these changes is the issue.

While they've used the running back more in the passing game, they've never been a ground and pound team under Tomlin. They've attempted more passes than rushes (in some seasons by far) in all but one year under Tomlin, his first. And I only saw the running back getting incorporated into the passing game more once Arians left.

 

[WarEagle]

I'd like to know the stats on #7 That's the main problem with him in my opinion, playing down to the competition, every year.

 

[Coryea]

I'd like to know the stats on #7 That's the main problem with him in my opinion, playing down to the competition, every year.

The last 3 games at Oakland that we've lost, Ben has 8 or 9 TDs, 1 INT, almost 1,000 yards.
The game a few years ago where ****** Tampa and Mike Glennon beat us by scoring 10 points in the 4th. Ben 314 yards 3 TDs 0 INTs.
Same season at Cleveland, we lost Ben threw for 230 yards 1TD 1INT, we lost by 21 points. Our defense gave up nearly 400 yards to a Brian Hoyer lead offense.
The year Miami came here n December in beat us 2013, Ben 349 3 TDs 0 INTs.
Same season we lost to Chicago, he threw for 409 2 TDs 2 ints and we gave up 40 to them and Cutler.
My favorite of all is 2012, a crap Oakland team lead by Bruce Gradkowski comes here, trailing by 10 in the fourth and they score 13 points in the fourth to win the game. Ben only threw for 384 yards and 4 TDs.
There's definitely some games he's played bad, but that happens, Belicheat won 11 games without Brady, Cowher took Kordell to the AFCCG and best record in the AFC twice. So basically if Ben doesn't play out of his mind Tomlin can't win? Hell alot of those games he did play great and we still lost.
Oh yeah what does that come back to? Our defense, that Tomlin has yet to rebuild. We sure do give up alot of yards and 4th quarter points to ****** teams and QBs.
Hell what the **** is wrong with Ben, he should have his *** playing DB. He can do what he wants and just put himself in. At least that's what the Tomlin apologist say


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[Lambert58]

I disagree with one point you stated - that Bud Dupree is competent. He's not. For a first round draft pick, he's terrible and has one move to get to the QB- which is to run WAY outside the tackle. He has 5.5 sacks this year, and for a 3-4 defense, he needs to have double that. Other than that, good points.

 

[Tibs]

POINT #8 Tomlin Protected by Left Wing Social Justice Media

Sorry had to chuckle at this. So now those that defend Tomlin - in the media or otherwise - are somehow deemed to be left wing? That's a rather odd sentiment.

 

[warriors42]

Sorry had to chuckle at this. So now those that defend Tomlin - in the media or otherwise - are somehow deemed to be left wing? That's a rather odd sentiment.

Why is it odd? Those that speak out against him are considered racist and that doesn't seem odd to you.

 

[FSF]

Sorry had to chuckle at this. So now those that defend Tomlin - in the media or otherwise - are somehow deemed to be left wing? That's a rather odd sentiment.

C'mon now - please. You're smarter to know that nothing is in absolutes.

But to deny he gets praise due to the SJW domination of the ESPN and similar outlets is highly skewed. And the fact is, the majority of the media has a very obvious agenda. It's not about agree or disagree, it is what it is.

 

[FSF]

I disagree with one point you stated - that Bud Dupree is competent. He's not. For a first round draft pick, he's terrible and has one move to get to the QB- which is to run WAY outside the tackle. He has 5.5 sacks this year, and for a 3-4 defense, he needs to have double that. Other than that, good points.

Competent is a subjective term so I understand what you mean.

Overall, I am not disappointed with Dupree - he has major ability and his biggest weakness is playing under control. This goes back to coaching.

Man I love me some Joey Porter; but like most HoF level players (and he was - if he didn't sacrifice stats for team play he'd be an easy slam dunk, not first year but you know) he's not a great coach. It's rare for star players to be great coaches - Joe Greene wasn't. The old adage holds true, those that can't do - TEACH.

Porter needs to be replaced by a LB coach who is all about technique - the way Noll taught Andy Russell to play under control.

Dupree is not a star - but he's not a bust. The 5.5 sacks doesn't give true credit to the pressure he has caused on the QB as well. But can agree to disagree.

Though we CAN agree he's better than Jarvis.

 

[FSF]

I'd like to know the stats on #7 That's the main problem with him in my opinion, playing down to the competition, every year.

I actually had that looked up, imported data to Excel from pro football reference and did a data analysis breakdown.

Unfortunately - I couldn't find it, it has to be on the other computer that I got working again and it crashed … again. It only took me several hours (you think doing data analysis is easy lol).

Suffice to say, it was as bad as we believe it to be.

 

[stuntmanmike]

Ya Dupree only has 5.5 sacks but he isn’t playing as a outside linebacker either. Most the time he l8ned up like a defensive end and some sets he’s actually in the middle... in a weird defense where tuitt, Haywood, and watt are on the line and Bostic and Dupree are kind of milling around in the middle and even other times covering wideouts or hbacks. Had he rushed the qb say 75 percent of the time he probably would have had 10-12 sacks easy. Problem with this defense is everyone is out of position! Defensive ends playing tackle, linebackers covering wrs, nobody seeming to be covering players wide open in the end zone. It’s as horrible of a defensive scheme as I’ve 3ver seen. I mean, think about it, has anyone seen a worse one? Any team little along a steeler team???