Hopefully Mike Tomlin grew up from this loss we can only hope...

**Troyisabeast_43** · 01-07-2008, 09:04 PM

The playcalling was gutless and spineless at the end of that game no doubt about it. My theory with the last series there with Ben running the QB sweep on 3rd and 6 instead of throwing that down and the whole series for that matter is if your going to sign and pay Ben Roethlisberger to a huge deal to be your franchise QB then you have to trust him and have enough faith in him to throw the ball in that situation and make a first down or 2 and pretty much ice the game and also win the game. If your not going to do that then why pay Ben all that money and let Alan Faneca go just do the opposite. You gotta have faith in Ben your best player and MVP to throw the ball there to Ward or Miller or Holmes and get 6 yards and make a first down. I dont want to hear Tomlin say it was a good call and they didnt execute it. When your running a QB sweep to the left side with your 3rd left tackle in Trai Essex being the main blocker on the play with the season on the line then you pretty much get what you deserve. Tomlin did a **** poor job in my opinion explaining that in his post game news conference.

As far as Tomlin goes what Ill take from this game with him is hopefully he grew up a lot that night and became a better coach overall and more importantly he will become a better playoff coach for the next time he encounters a situation like he did on Saturday night in the regular season and especially the playoffs because there will be another time at some point. I just hope Tomlin learned from this and it was just a situation of a rookie coach getting caught up in the heat of the moment of a playoff game. This Steelers team needs to quit blaming the refs and everything for this game like we been hearing with Foote and other players the last two days as well. Nothing is going to change what happened and pissing and moaning about the refs like the Seahawks did a few years ago will only hold this team back. They need to move on and learn from it and use it as a stepping stone for next year to push forward and hopefully go further in the playoffs.

The honeymoon for Mike Tomlin is over now and the fans are going to expect a lot more out of him in every single area next season. As far as this season goes Tomlin had a good successfull rookie season winning the AFC North and all, but ultimately when all was said and done in the playoffs he dropped the ball bigtime with his bonehead coaching in that 4th quarter Saturday night against the Jags.

**LarryNJ** · 01-07-2008, 09:21 PM

I agree that that was one of the dumbest calls that I can remember, maybe if your QB is the guy who is sitting in jail but not with Ben. But did Tomlin have anything to do with it or was it just the OC? There was a timeout before the play so I'd assume that they both talked about it. That's what is even worse that they put their heads together and that's what they came up with.

I'm sure that he learned alot and grew as a coach after every game and especially after the last game. He's a very smart, committed young man who will be fine.

**Koopa** · 01-07-2008, 09:55 PM

it was a dumb call by arians......... we ain't making the playoffs next year, that schedule is brutal

edit: nvm, just relooked at our opponents and if we dont' make the playoffs then we truly suck ***..... the only for sure losses are the colts, pats, and jags.....maybe the cowboys, but the rest should be a win, and the browns will have a tougher schedule too so they won't be a threat, the ravens will suck again, and the bengals are falling apart every year, we should win the division

**Troyisabeast_43** · 01-07-2008, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Koopa

it was a dumb call by arians......... we ain't making the playoffs next year, that schedule is brutal

Arians and Tomlin both gotta share the blame for it especially with the season and the game pretty much being on the line with that call. Whoever made it whether it was Arians Tomlin or both combined know they have to live with that call for the next 7-8 months till they get to play another game that means something. It was probably one of the most gutless calls in this franchises history from them to play not to lose and get scared at that point in the game. Especially after you went for 2 points with over 10 mins left from the 12 yard line. Your gonna do that, and not trust your franchise QB who your going to give the biggest contract too in Steelers history most likely to throw the ball 6 yards to Ward or Miller who were money all night long?? The schedule is tough next year looking at it right now on paper, and if they dont upgrade in the areas they need too they probably will struggle to make the playoffs. These schedules however you cant judge them too quick because games that look easy now can be hard when the season is here and vice versa. So while I dont think your that much wrong about the schedule I think the jury is still out on it and it determining whether we make the playoffs because of it or not.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 01-07-2008, 10:16 PM

Does anybody here honestly think that Tomlin got scared, or that Arians got scared??? Head coaches don't get scared, they may make mistakes but considering the dude is a first year Head Coach he probably tried to out think himself too much. Lesson learned but at this point criticizing Tomlin and Arians time and time again is just beating a dead horse. Honestly, if Tomlin and Arians both thought the play would work and they were confident in it then so be it. They thought the Jags would be playing for the pass, and they were, we just didn't execute the play properly and it didn't work. If you're going to criticize Tomlin and Arians then you better criticize Hines, Heath, and the rest of the line who didn't block it right for Ben to have a chance to make significant yardage.

Tomlin did a pretty damn good job in his first year considering he had pretty much nothing to go on but game tape and then watching his players all year long. The playoffs are different and he had to find out first hand how his team would react. They got down early, they battled back and took the lead and then unfortunately blew it at the end. Lesson learned again, a heard lesson yes but considering we were 1 of 6 teams to make it to the playoffs when everybody else was home on their couches Im pretty happy with him and I don't think he has to "grow up" at all. He will file this away in his memory banks and if the situation comes up again maybe he does something different or maybe he doesn't but regardless the dude felt this play would work against the defense he was anticipating, the players screwed it up as much as anybody.

I question the going for 2 on the 12 yd line after the phantom holding call, more than I question this particular play.

Does Arians have something to prove next year, yes? but you can hardly blame this season totally on him or Tomlin's play calling when the players screwed it up just as much if not more.

**RckyMtnStlrFan** · 01-07-2008, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by TOP GUN

Does anybody here honestly think that Tomlin got scared, or that Arians got scared??? Head coaches don't get scared, they may make mistakes but considering the dude is a first year Head Coach he probably tried to out think himself too much. Lesson learned but at this point criticizing Tomlin and Arians time and time again is just beating a dead horse. Honestly, if Tomlin and Arians both though the play would work and they were confident in it then so be it. They thought the Jags would be playing for the pass, and they were, we just didn't execute the play properly and it didn't work. If you're going to criticize Tomlin and Arians then you better criticize Hines, Heath, and the rest of the line who didn't block it right for Ben to have a chance to make significant yardage.

Tomlin did a pretty damn good job in his first year considering he had pretty nothing to go on but game tape and then watching his players all year long. The playoffs are different and he had to find out first hand how his team would react. They got down early, they battled back and took the lead and then unfortunately blew it at the end. Lesson learned again, a heard lesson yes but considering we were 1 of 6 teams to make it to the playoffs when everybody else was home on their couches Im pretty happy with him and I don't think he has to "grow up" at all. He will file this away in his memory banks and if the situation comes up again maybe he does something different or maybe he doesn't but regardless the dude felt this play would work against the defense he was anticipating, the players screwed it up as much as anybody.

I question the going for 2 on the 12 yd line after the phantom holding call, more than I question this particular play.

Does Arians have something to prove next year, yes? but you can hardly blame this season totally on him or Tomlin's play calling when the players screwed it up just as much if not more.

Well said TG.

**Troyisabeast_43** · 01-07-2008, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by TOP GUN

Does anybody here honestly think that Tomlin got scared, or that Arians got scared??? Head coaches don't get scared, they may make mistakes but considering the dude is a first year Head Coach he probably tried to out think himself too much. Lesson learned but at this point criticizing Tomlin and Arians time and time again is just beating a dead horse. Honestly, if Tomlin and Arians both though the play would work and they were confident in it then so be it. They thought the Jags would be playing for the pass, and they were, we just didn't execute the play properly and it didn't work. If you're going to criticize Tomlin and Arians then you better criticize Hines, Heath, and the rest of the line who didn't block it right for Ben to have a chance to make significant yardage.

Tomlin did a pretty damn good job in his first year considering he had pretty nothing to go on but game tape and then watching his players all year long. The playoffs are different and he had to find out first hand how his team would react. They got down early, they battled back and took the lead and then unfortunately blew it at the end. Lesson learned again, a heard lesson yes but considering we were 1 of 6 teams to make it to the playoffs when everybody else was home on their couches Im pretty happy with him and I don't think he has to "grow up" at all. He will file this away in his memory banks and if the situation comes up again maybe he does something different or maybe he doesn't but regardless the dude felt this play would work against the defense he was anticipating, the players screwed it up as much as anybody.

I question the going for 2 on the 12 yd line after the phantom holding call, more than I question this particular play.

Does Arians have something to prove next year, yes? but you can hardly blame this season totally on him or Tomlin's play calling when the players screwed it up just as much if not more.

Tomlin did have a good first year all things considered like you mentioned with all the circumstances and what not he had to deal with. However, this team under Tomlin ever since that Jets game they lost for whatever reason was just not the same football team and regressed a great deal and ended up losing 5 out of his last 8 games. Tomlin's teams time and time again looked flat on the road in games at Arizona,Denver,Jets,and Baltimore all inferior teams to the Steelers. Tomlin maybe doesnt have some growing up to do but he has a lot of areas he needs to improve on and get better in if he is going to get this team where he eventually wants them to go. As I stated in my other posts the honeymoon period for Tomlin is over and if things start off bad for him next season like a 1-4 start or something along those lines, the fans will jump down his throat ten times more then they are doing right now for the playcalling in the game Saturday night.

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Does anybody here honestly think that Tomlin got scared, or that Arians got scared??? Head coaches don't get scared, they may make mistakes but considering the dude is a first year Head Coach he probably tried to out think himself too much.

I dont know if Tomlin got scared so much the only explanation I can think of for going for 2 at the 12 yard line and the calls on the last series especially the 3rd and 6 sweep call by Ben was a rookie head coach getting caught up in the heat of the moment in the playoffs, and a guy who was playing more not to lose then win. Its the only logical explanation.

**Koopa** · 01-07-2008, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by Troyisabeast_43

Tomlin did have a good first year all things considered like you mentioned with all the circumstances and what not he had to deal with. However, this team under Tomlin ever since that Jets game they lost for whatever reason was just not the same football team and regressed a great deal and ended up losing 5 out of his last 8 games. Tomlin's teams time and time again looked flat on the road in games at Arizona,Denver,Jets,and Baltimore all inferior teams to the Steelers. Tomlin maybe doesnt have some growing up to do but he has a lot of areas he needs to improve on and get better in if he is going to get this team where he eventually wants them to go. As I stated in my other posts the honeymoon period for Tomlin is over and if things start off bad for him next season like a 1-4 start or something along those lines, the fans will jump down his throat ten times more then they are doing right now for the playcalling in the game Saturday night.

not totally his fault, that's when the injuries started to pile up on us, and with no depth it was hard to compete..... and you can't count the last game, it was obvious we would lose, when you sit ben, ward, and troy, and no willie, and ppl just taking it easy, it was a given we would lose

**RckyMtnStlrFan** · 01-07-2008, 11:49 PM

Tomlin will be fine. All rookies, coaches included, have to learn from their mistakes. IMO Tomlin had a very good first year as a head coach. Do I wish he had done some things different? Hell yes. But overall I'm impressed with what he has done so far. He will grow and he will get better. I'm looking forward to having a good offseason and Tomlin building this team. Let's reserve judgment for one more year. If he doesn't improve or he backslides then we can start bitching.