Where are all the critics this week??

[Livinginthe past]

Originally Posted by clevestinks

Understood! But we did go into the AFC Championship game with a rookie qb, who was under a ton of media pressure. And yes we did lose, but it wasnt like we lost to a lesser team. The Pats, as you know, have won three of the last four superbowls. Was Cowher out coached? Possibly, but BB has out coached everyone the last four season. Not just Cowher. Its not as if Cowher is given the chance at bringing in high priced, great free agents either. He has to stay with a conservative budget, and more or less develop players! I think this says alot about his coaching skills!

I certainly take your point about last year, that Patriots team was one of the finest to win a SB in my opinion - but the Steelers have been regular players in the post-season for quite a while now.

The AFC North has been a poor division for most of its existence which must certainly help a teams regular season record - after this year I know all about poor divisions - the Bengals and Browns v2.0 failing to break .500 more pften than not (the best record has been 9-7 by a Steelers division rival since the AFC North began)

Having said all this, I fully understand the loyalty most fans show Cowher when not in the heat of battle (ie I know how crazy we all get during the game!) - its something I have been moaning about regarding some Patriot fans - who seem to now think that it is their god-given right to dominate every game they play and cruise into the playoffs with a 14-2 record!

The ironic thing is that Cowher has been a victim of his own success - if the Steelers had been less dominant in the regular season - the post-season performances wouldnt seem so bad by comparison.

NM

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Originally Posted by Livinginthe past

Despite the fine win against the Bears im still a critic of Cowher.

So he won an important regular season match up against one dimensional opposition?

So what, I say - the Steelers should have too much for the Bears 8 times out of 10.

Last year was the regular season bench mark for the Steelers and alot of other teams - the way they took care of the Eagles and Patriots in consecutive weeks was pretty impressive to say the least - but when push came to shove Cowher didnt have the savvy to get it done in the playoffs.

All the criticisms of him still stand - when the heat is on he is unable to think on his feet, he is in fact more likely to have some sort of brain freeze than produce a game winning piece of coaching.

I fully agree that the Steelers should keep their roster thug free, because it actually makes good football sense in the long run if nothing else.

.

Cheers

NM

Past makes a very good point in his post. Ive supported Cowher whole heartedly from day one and always believed he is the perfect fit for this team and the city and what it stands for. I still believe he is a great coach and he deserves all kinds of props for that big win against the bears and holding this team together. My problem is mainly when it comes to playoff time. We just never seem to be prepared for that final stretch game to get to the SB. Either the game plan doesnt work and we cant adjust at half time, or the players just dont perform. Obviously he cant control the players on the field in terms of how they do that day but the game plan just never seems to work in crunch time in january.

[Prosdo]

Originally Posted by BlitzburghRockCity

Past makes a very good point in his post. Ive supported Cowher whole heartedly from day one and always believed he is the perfect fit for this team and the city and what it stands for. I still believe he is a great coach and he deserves all kinds of props for that big win against the bears and holding this team together. My problem is mainly when it comes to playoff time. We just never seem to be prepared for that final stretch game to get to the SB. Either the game plan doesnt work and we cant adjust at half time, or the players just dont perform. Obviously he cant control the players on the field in terms of how they do that day but the game plan just never seems to work in crunch time in january.

I agree. I think that's his greatest downfall. Look at last year 15-1. Then we got sloppy. I don't know what it is. Maybe when Cowher's game plan doesn't work he doesn't adjust well. Just something falls apart.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

As much as I like cowher, going 15-1 and not even making it to the SB was a disgrace. I hate to admit it but Jerome said it himself just last nite on nfl network. "last year we were 15-1 but NOT playing our best football at the end of the season. That comes down to coaching and prepardness.. if you feel your team isnt prepared or a player isnt prepared then you damn sure better make sure you either get them ready or replace them.

The colts are undefeated and we're into december and they are still playing their best football... that comes down to coaching as much as anything too!

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by BlitzburghRockCity

The colts are undefeated and we're into december and they are still playing their best football... that comes down to coaching as much as anything too!

no disrespect to dungy who ive always liked, but i think it has much more to do with the experience aNd continuity of peuton, marvin, and james, along with their co-ordinators.

mix that with some nice under the radar defensive drafting the past several years and the table is set. kind of like the table was set for gruden in tampa. hell barry switzers coaching had nothing to do with dallas beating steelers in 95 or how the cowboys preformed that year. the cowboys won in spite of him. just like the ravens with billick. i think the rooneys realize this or cowher wouldve been out of there long ago. (and the steelers still wouldnt have won a sb- no way theyd trade 2 ist round and 2nd round picks for a head coach

[StillerPaul]

Originally Posted by Prosdo

I think Cowher will have critics until he wins a Superbowl. He always has very competitive teams, but we always fall apart right before we get there. I support Cowher, but I do see the critics not quieting until he wins a big one or atleast takes us to another one.

Agreed. And i am one of those critics at times.

Sometimes i think "Well, maybe we are relying on too many young players who are still developing". That is one theory on why the reg. season success and not in the playoffs. The intensity and pressure magnifies.

Then at other times i wanna blame the Defense. We rarely get good pressure on the opposing QB in playoff games. In the rare instances we have? We've won.

Then i go into the blaming the offense. We have went into the playoffs alot of years with QB's we've seemingly pulled off the scrap heap. Now thats changed.

The Rooney's have the toughest job in the world right now IMO. They have a fanbase that is growing more and more hungry by the year and wanting answers to these type of questions. At what point does Rooney look at coach Cowher and ask more of him? The man has given us a ton of success, just not a trophy.

I think we can win a trophy with Cowher. But i also think we need some veterans that have won the big one before added and Cowher needs to listen to them maybe as well. Change has to be accepted as well. We always draft players who fit our system then take a couple of years to develop. Well once we've waited for players to develop, we can't afford em' all at times. Guys like Mike Vrabel comes to mind?

The one thing i'm really jealous of the Pats about is that they always seem to make a trade or sign a key FA who comes in and gives them INSTANT production. They have a franchise QB to pay too, how the hell do they always end up with so much cap space? I don't think we're doing as good a job at playing the cap as most folks think. Well it's a theory anyway.

[clevestinks]

Originally Posted by Prosdo

I agree. I think that's his greatest downfall. Look at last year 15-1. Then we got sloppy. I don't know what it is. Maybe when Cowher's game plan doesn't work he doesn't adjust well. Just something falls apart.

Ben was a 23 year old rookie though. And he started playing sloppy, towards the end of the season. But the longer the winning streak went on, the more interviews, and stories, with Ben just kept adding to pressure on this young kid. Its almost as if a regular season loss somewhere, would have shrunk the pressure. Also Cowher might have been better off losing to the Pats in the regular season, cuz we may have came in with the same game plan as the first meeting, and the Pats didn`t, they changed! And we weren`t ready, not just Cowher but the players also.

[Prosdo]

Originally Posted by clevestinks

Ben was a 23 year old rookie though. And he started playing sloppy, towards the end of the season. But the longer the winning streak went on, the more interviews, and stories, with Ben just kept adding to pressure on this young kid. Its almost as if a regular season loss somewhere, would have shrunk the pressure. Also Cowher might have been better off losing to the Pats in the regular season, cuz we may have came in with the same game plan as the first meeting, and the Pats didn`t, they changed! And we weren`t ready, not just Cowher but the players also.

Very true. I mean what more could you expect from Ben. He took us on a wild ride and gave new hope in Pittsburgh for a good QB. Couldn't agree more. All cannot be put on Cowher. Players didn't play up to the level they should of. But it seems the bottom always falls out at the worst time. Why? Who knows. Unfortunately Cowher will be the one getting the heat.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

There is no discounting all the success that Cowher has had here in Pittsburgh.. all the wins, divisional championships, top 5 or better defense every year, top 5 or better running game, pro bowlers out the wazoo, etc..

It just seems like except for the 95 season when we made it to the super bowl, it just seems like every year its just another thing that goes wrong.. we werent prepared or players make too many mistakes, or the game plan didnt work and we didnt adjust, we became too predictable, or when it comes down to it we couldnt beat a team thru the air.

I think Ben can help change that for us, but I just wonder how many more times we'll be the bridesmaid instead of the bride