50-YARD LINE

Oakland, Tennessee, Cleveland, San Diego. What do these teams have in common? Well, they’re all under .500. They’ve also beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers this year. Yes, the Steelers have also lost to Baltimore and Denver but those are playoff teams. No one will ever confuse Cleveland and San Diego with Baltimore and Denver, unless, of course, they are watching game film of the Steelers games. How can a team that supposedly has Super Bowl aspirations continue to lose to teams with losing records? There are many questions to ask but I don’t think you’ll like any of the answers. Why is it that the Steelers play so flat and disinterested against sub .500 teams?  Why do they look totally unprepared? How come they continue to play mistake-plagued, undisciplined football? Sorry but it all comes down to coaching. It is the coach’s responsibility to light a fire under his players to get them to play with a sense of urgency. Do you see that, because I sure don’t?  It is the coach’s responsibility to make sure the players are focused and well prepared to execute to the best of their abilities. Hello? Is anyone out there? If players continue to make mental mistakes and costly penalties, they should be dealt with accordingly. It doesn’t look like a player’s coach is someone that’s going to reprimand his charges for boneheaded mistakes. Penalties, dropped passes, lack of communication, failure to convert on 3^rd downs and failure to hold opponents on 3^rd downs. The list goes on and on. Word is that a lot of the younger guys, you know, Tomlin’s guys aren’t getting it. Isn’t it the coach’s responsibility to make sure that they do? Maybe he’s just not getting through to these guys. Maybe they’ve heard it all before. Maybe the Steelers need to do something about this before its too late…..Get on the stick Tomlin and get it together. They’re not playing with enough intellectuality and urgentality, as you might say.  Get ready for the Cryboys in Big D. Go Steelers!!!!!!