Tomlin is a GREAT coach, but unfortunately there is a shelf life for coaches and when you can't advance year after year the message gets drowned out. He is an old school coach like Harbaugh in Baltimore who is now gone and will have a new job in days if not hours, he just needs a new change of scenery......................if I was a team like Cleveland or the Giants, I would welcome a coach like Tomlin or Harbaugh
Yeah he did have Roethlisberger, I said he’s had some bad/injured QB situations along the way too, which he absolutely has especially in recent years. There may be some similarities but I think Tomlin is a much better coach than Rivers.
Tomlin is significant levels above Doc Rivers in regards to coaching his sport. However, being in the same place for that long, messages start getting stale. I think Pittsburgh needs a new voice, and I think Tomlin needs a new challenge(if I’m the giants or raiders, I’m at his door the moment he gets let go). Doc Rivers is one of the worst coaches in the NBAs history to win a title. Now getting back to the game, I think there’s some strong recency bias with the Steelers. They’ve looked decent on offense against some bad pass rushers, but people are forgetting the Browns game two weeks ago. I get the whole Tomlin on Monday night, that Rogers cooked us up last Halloween, that their pass rush is actually pretty good with TJ Watt. They’re a terribly mid team. They struggle with decent pass rushers, they’re very susceptible to in cutters and deep routes overall, they really can’t run the ball well. The Texans have showed they can come out completely flat, that’s a real and absolutely possible outcome, but I think the only way the Texans lose is if they beat themselves(again, entirely possible). I think they come out like they have in each of the first playoff games the last 2 years. Texans - 24 Steelers -13
My apologies for somewhat derailing the thread with the coaching comparison. That said, I’ve enjoyed reading the freezing cold takes from those of you outside of the Pittsburgh sports orbit that simply don’t get it. If you followed this team more closely you understand why many fans have turned on him and why the man hasn’t won a playoff game in almost a decade. Best of luck on Sunday. For real. I legit have no idea how this one plays out due to the sheer volatility of this team.
The only bad thing about this matchup is we get to hear the announcers slobbering over Aaron Rodgers non stop for 3 hours. And the cameramen inexplicably showing him on the sideline after every single play.
Having flashbacks to 1993/1994. Houston team starts out the season slow. Then goes on a long win streak to finish. Faces a veteran QB many consider washed in the playoffs. Veteran QB stages a late comeback to seal the win for the opposing team Steelers - 24 Texans - 13
I keep seeing pundits bringing up Tomlin's good Monday Night Football record but not one mention of the Tomlin Steelers being winless in their last 5 playoff appearances dating back to 2018. Which record seems more important here?
Oilers started 0-4 and ended the season on a 12-game winning streak. Texans started 3-5 and ended the season on a 9-game winning streak. The parallels are a little nerve-wracking. I almost wish we would have lost a game in the middle of this streak just to keep us honest, if that makes sense. Assuming we still make the playoffs, of course.
Keep us honest? Do you sense any complacency or levity coming out of the players or coaches this week? If anything, they seem hyper-focused and locked in on the task at hand. They actually played their best when the lights were brightest (Bills, @Chiefs, @Colts, Chargers), which is not something you could say about Texans teams in the past. I'm not saying this is going to be an easy match-up, but the winning streak did not make this team rest on their laurels. Also, that game happened 32 (!) years ago. I'm about to turn 43 in 3 days, and I remember it well. I'm here to tell you....it's time to move on.
Texans D has the lowest blitz rate and still dominated. That said, Rodgers poses no ground threat so I think we should bring some exotic blitzes to confuse them. Give them "new" tape because Rodgers is too smart and will break down conventional defense looks. He will check it down and hit the soft spots repeatedly.
