The problem is that on defense Tombert didn't replace the players they lost with equal talent. Instead we got Hood, Jones, Worilds, Thomas, etc.
So you're saying that each player has to be replaced with one of "equal talent"? Troy Polamalu has to be replaced by some one Polamalu like, etc? Well hell, they've failed for most of the last 30 some years then. I haven't seen the reincarnations of Greene, Greenwood, Holmes, White, Ham, Lambert, Blount and Shell on this team consistently.
They FAILED miserably in the 2008 and 2009 drafts and by trying to fit a square peg in a round hole by drafting Hood. They seem to have rectified the Hood mistake with the selections of Heyward and Tuitt. The Jury is still out on whether Shazier/Timmons will be as good or better than Timmons/Foote or Timmons/Farrior. Let's give that one a little time instead of seeking instant gratification from a Rookie player. Plus they've built good depth at the ILB position. Jones? I'm tired of saying give him more time ... I don't personally think he'll ever be the pass rushing demon that they thought. So, I hope they get it right this year when it comes to drafting a couple of OLB. Draft a ball hawking FS and move Mitchell to SS to battle with Shamarko. All of the sudden you have the makings of a pretty decent defense ... Steel Curtain good? Probably not. 2000's good? Again, probably not ... at least this year.
So again, I see a plan in place. Hopefully it works and we get to a couple more Super Bowls while Ben is still a top QB.
But, as I said earlier, there are a lot of things you can fault Tomlin for. Being a losing coach isn't one of them.