The vibes across the Pittsburgh Steelers proper now are not particularly strong following a 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears. It’s their fourth loss up to now six video games and has dropped them out of the AFC playoff area for the primary time all season. When mixed with the truth that the Steelers haven’t received a playoff sport because the 2016 season and have settled right into a stage of sustained mediocrity, profitable 9 or 10 video games each season earlier than shedding within the first-round of the playoffs.
That appears to be the ceiling once more this season.
Not solely is it getting previous for followers, however former gamers are additionally beginning to pontificate as properly.
James Harrison, Trai Essex have harsh criticisms for teaching employees
The harshest of the criticism got here from Harrison, a Tremendous Bowl champion underneath Tomlin in the course of the 2008 season (and a member of their 2010 workforce that misplaced the Tremendous Bowl), as he sounded off on each the offensive and defensive teaching staffs for not solely Sunday’s efficiency, but additionally the season as a complete.
He was particularly vital of the defensive technique and system, which he boldly called “trash” on his podcast.
“Protection, [chuckles] tender,” mentioned Harrison. “I’m bored with seeing the offensive lineman pushing our d-line two, three yards deep. We’re undisciplined, or poorly coached, or each. We’ve a horrible defensive scheme; it’s trash, it’s rubbish. We are able to’t modify at halftime; it’s nonexistent, or we’re simply being out-coached, or each.”
Tomlin’s popularity is as a defensive coach, and so they have constructed their workforce primarily across the protection, investing extra cap area and cash into that facet of the ball than some other workforce within the league.
It has not produced outcomes this season.
After Sunday’s sport, the Steelers rank twenty eighth within the NFL in yards allowed per sport and twentieth in factors allowed per sport. Given their monetary funding and Tomlin’s background, that’s merely not adequate.
They’ve already allowed 30 factors 5 occasions this season, and if they don’t seem to be producing takeaways they wrestle to persistently cease groups from shifting the ball.
Essex, a former offensive lineman in Pittsburgh with two Tremendous Bowl rings, echoed a number of Harrison’s feedback and centered extra on scheme than participant personnel.
