THE 50-YARD LINE

It's another Football Sunday for some lucky teams and their fans around the NFL. Unfortunately, that is not the case for your Pittsburgh Steelers and their Terrible-Towel-waving tribe. Mrs. Black-N-Gold suffered from the flu last weekend more so than Steelers withdrawal. This week, it's different. For the second straight season, the Steelers are watching, tweeting, Instagraming about the playoffs, instead of participating. I don't know about the Steelers, but this is getting old to me. What have the Steelers done since the heartbreaking last week of the season? Perhaps, in response to their putrid 2-6 start and the 43 sacks that were allowed, the Steelers parted ways with offensive line coach Jack Bicknell, Jr. after only 1 season. Some feel Bicknell may have been made a scapegoat. After all, the Steelers went through 3 centers this season, losing starter Maukice Pouncey in the opening game. The Steelers had to use several different offensive lines this season to combat all of the injuries. Members of the media have said that while protection and the rushing game did improve over the second half of the season, it was more due to the players and the offensive line assistants, not the actual coach himself. Another move, or non-move, that the Steelers have made this offseason is the announcement that much-maligned offensive coordinator Todd Haley will return next season. Just how much coaching was Haley doing in the second half of the season, when the Steelers decided to go more no-huddle? There continue to be many questions about the defense as well. Will defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau return and return the defense to it's former glory? Will linebackers coach Keith Butler tire of the "coordinator-in-waiting" title and go elsewhere? Just who will be playing defense for the Steelers in 2014? Many changes need to be made. However, Coach Mike Tomlin has, so far, played his cards close to the vest. Just what are the Steelers organization doing with their free Sunday afternoons? Sure, it's only January and the draft isn't until May. But the coach and staff may want to take advantage of the free time that they have so they don't spend their time doing the same thing next year, for the third year in a row. I hope they're taking notes at home and getting ready for the upcoming season now. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!