Abject humiliation: Steelers defeated the Patriots, 17-10, just 256 days ago. What changed? [and it was not A.B. who was not a factor in that game]
… will never reach another SB under Tomlin
Some Steelers fans were delusional this summer, thinking that because the distractions named Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell were gone, now the team is poised to win another Super Bowl.
That thought was obliterated by halftime of last night’s 33-3 debacle, a loss to the defending champion Patriots.
Making this even worse was the fact that just 256 days ago, on Dec. 16, 2018, the Steelers had defeated the Patriots, 17-10. The Pats then went on to win a Super Bowl.
So, how could a team deteriorate so quickly?
National pundits, who are generally clueless, pointing to the losses of Bell and Brown as the reasons for the loss.
Duh.
Bell did not play in that game -- or any games last year, yet a Steeler running back made the difference in the game — with the help of a great job by the offensive line.
That was rookie Jaylen Samuels, who carried the ball 19 times for 142 of the Steelers’ 158 yards on the ground.
And Brown did not have a stellar game either. He had just four catches for 48 years, while the leading receiver that night was rookie James Washington, who had three catches for 65 yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster had four catches, too, for 40 yards.
What was the difference?
So, the only difference in the players was Brown. Not much there since he was not a major factor last year.
However, look at the running game. Who is missing?
His name is Mike Munchak, who was the Steelers’ line coach for three years before the A.B. / Mike Tomlin drama drove him from Pittsburgh. He took a lateral move to the Denver Broncos. Some writers noted that he had a daughter in the Denver area, and while that might have been enticing, he could have lived there in the offseason.
Losing Munchak was more of a loss than A.B. The offensive line had gelled well with Munchak. James Conner made the Pro Bowl based on his first nine games prior to an injury last year. Yesterday, he was held to 21 yards on ten carries.
According to the Steelers radio team on-field commentator Craig Wolfey, left tackle Alejandro Villanueva was flattened three times by a Patriots defender playing over him.
Making things worse for the future, look at the ages of that offensive line. Feiler is in his first year starting full-time, but the others have been together for at least three years.
David DeCastro, 29
Mark Feiler, 27
Ramon Foster, 33
Maurkice Pouncey, 30
Alejandro Villanueva, 30
Facing reality now
The truth is that the Steelers are in trouble. Back when they made the Super Bowls in Mike Tomlin’s second and fourth seasons, they had the number 1 or number 2 defense in the league. They had defensive players of the year in Troy Polamalu and James Harrison.
Then, Tomlin changed the defensive philosophy that had been so successful under Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher: Defense first — defense wins championships.
Now, that defense has no one who might ever make Defensive POY, to think nothing of the NFL Hall of Fame, which Polamalu should make next year.
In short, the truth is that they have a talent deficit, and that is difficult to overcome.
Is this the start of Tomlin’s Swan Song?
Tomlin has a few years left on his contract, but if the Steelers play like they did on Sunday night, he will be gone. The story is that the Rooneys do not fire coaches.
That is not true. Dan Rooney fired Bill Austin after the 1968 season and hired Chuck Noll. Austin was in just his first season, but that did not matter.
If the Steelers do not make the playoffs again, the minority owners may gang up on Art Rooney II, and if he does not fire Tomlin, they may fire him.
Much of this is on him, too. So, do not be surprised if that happens — if they do not right the ship.
I have picked them to win 11 games. If they lose to Seattle on Sunday at home, then look for perhaps a 7-9 or 6-10 season.
Tomlin has a short week to prepare for the Seahawks, who struggled with the previously-lowly Bengals. However, they have talent, so this may not be an easy game.
That was rookie Jaylen Samuels, who carried the ball 19 times for 142 of the Steelers’ 158 yards on the ground.
And Brown did not have a stellar game either. He had just four catches for 48 years, while the leading receiver that night was rookie James Washington, who had three catches for 65 yards. JuJu Smith-Schuster had four catches, too, for 40 yards.
What was the difference?
So, the only difference in the players was Brown. Not much there since he was not a major factor last year.
However, look at the running game. Who is missing?
His name is Mike Munchak, who was the Steelers’ line coach for three years before the A.B. / Mike Tomlin drama drove him from Pittsburgh. He took a lateral move to the Denver Broncos. Some writers noted that he had a daughter in the Denver area, and while that might have been enticing, he could have lived there in the offseason.
Losing Munchak was more of a loss than A.B. The offensive line had gelled well with Munchak. James Conner made the Pro Bowl based on his first nine games prior to an injury last year. Yesterday, he was held to 21 yards on ten carries.
According to the Steelers radio team on-field commentator Craig Wolfey, left tackle Alejandro Villanueva was flattened three times by a Patriots defender playing over him.
Making things worse for the future, look at the ages of that offensive line. Feiler is in his first year starting full-time, but the others have been together for at least three years.
David DeCastro, 29
Mark Feiler, 27
Ramon Foster, 33
Maurkice Pouncey, 30
Alejandro Villanueva, 30
Facing reality now
The truth is that the Steelers are in trouble. Back when they made the Super Bowls in Mike Tomlin’s second and fourth seasons, they had the number 1 or number 2 defense in the league. They had defensive players of the year in Troy Polamalu and James Harrison.
Then, Tomlin changed the defensive philosophy that had been so successful under Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher: Defense first — defense wins championships.
Now, that defense has no one who might ever make Defensive POY, to think nothing of the NFL Hall of Fame, which Polamalu should make next year.
In short, the truth is that they have a talent deficit, and that is difficult to overcome.
Is this the start of Tomlin’s Swan Song?
Tomlin has a few years left on his contract, but if the Steelers play like they did on Sunday night, he will be gone. The story is that the Rooneys do not fire coaches.
That is not true. Dan Rooney fired Bill Austin after the 1968 season and hired Chuck Noll. Austin was in just his first season, but that did not matter.
If the Steelers do not make the playoffs again, the minority owners may gang up on Art Rooney II, and if he does not fire Tomlin, they may fire him.
Much of this is on him, too. So, do not be surprised if that happens — if they do not right the ship.
I have picked them to win 11 games. If they lose to Seattle on Sunday at home, then look for perhaps a 7-9 or 6-10 season.
Tomlin has a short week to prepare for the Seahawks, who struggled with the previously-lowly Bengals. However, they have talent, so this may not be an easy game.
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