@neo said:

Fuck Mike Tomlin. Even though he is having success well after the Cowher era, I think any coach could find success after inheriting Cowher's players. I think even Hue Jackson would have had sustained success inheriting that roster. Stef took an absolute turd of a roster and franchise and turned it into a potential Super Bowl contender this year and possibly a perrenial playoff contender for years to come. Although I do worry about our salary cap situation.

Just noticed my error ? I guess that happens when your in a hurry. 2017 was the 0-16 season, then 7-8-1 after only because Gregg Williams took over and went 5-3. Then Freddie Kitchens went 6-10. Most of our core players were in place but still losing. I still like to think if I were a rookie Head Coach about to coach his first NFL team, I would rather inherit a team that has won a Super Bowl in the past 10 years or so than the mess Hue Jackson started. And FUCK Mike Tomin still stands.?

@jrb12711 said:

Yeah, I'd definitely disagree that Tomlin isn't a top coach. It sucks, but the teams the Steelers have fielded post Big Ben have been well below average and to achieve a winning record is a tip of the cap.

With that being said, the playoff record is going to catch up to him to your point. 4 straight losses in the playoffs going back to 2016 and the last two weren't even close games.

I swear I heard a stat recently something along the lines that this is Tomlin's 17th season with the Steelers, and he's only won a playoff game in four of those seasons. 

But then again, there's an argument to be made that the Steelers choked quite a few times under Cowher, too. 

@neo said:

Fuck Mike Tomlin. Even though he is having success well after the Cowher era, I think any coach could find success after inheriting Cowher's players. I think even Hue Jackson would have had sustained success inheriting that roster. Stef took an absolute turd of a roster and franchise and turned it into a potential Super Bowl contender this year and possibly a perrenial playoff contender for years to come. Although I do worry about our salary cap situation.

We have an owner willing to spend above the cap for now, so we won’t be hurting for awhile on the cap front - unless it doesn’t increase as much as the browns FO are expecting to it. The restructures they do basically let em go above the cap, and it’ll work as long as the salary cap increases every year.

For Stefanski, yea he’s a gem…for once we have a coach that so many teams would take over their current guy in a heart beat if they could.

@flugel said:

If Pittsburgh ends up in the playoffs, we're gonna hear endless praise of how terrific Mike Tomlin is all over again.  He had WRs not running routes and refusing to throw blocks for teammates just a few weeks ago on the train wreck of an offense they fielded all year. They had a fight on the sidelines between Fitzpatrick and WR D. Johnson.  Sometimes, the auto-pilot success in Pittsburgh needs to be credited to the Ownership Family instead of the beneficiary. Earlier on in Tomlin's tenure - he looked like their perfect fit and they advanced in the playoffs. Once all that fizzled and most recently, the main difference between Mike Tomlin and Jeff Fisher looks to me like 1 team was complacent with 8-8 football and the other remains fine with barely making the playoffs and not advancing.  For a while, the state of Ohio (alone) was giving Tomlin 3-4 wins almost every year.  He still got that this year with Cincy being 0-5 in the division.  I just don't see the next Chuck Noll in Pittsburgh the media seems to want to see. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with this and that's fine.

Fuck Mike Tomlin. Even though he is having success well after the Cowher era, I think any coach could find success after inheriting Cowher's players. I think even Hue Jackson would have had sustained success inheriting that roster. Stef took an absolute turd of a roster and franchise and turned it into a potential Super Bowl contender this year and possibly a perrenial playoff contender for years to come. Although I do worry about our salary cap situation.

@jrb12711 said:

Yeah, I'd definitely disagree that Tomlin isn't a top coach. It sucks, but the teams the Steelers have fielded post Big Ben have been well below average and to achieve a winning record is a tip of the cap.

With that being said, the playoff record is going to catch up to him to your point. 4 straight losses in the playoffs going back to 2016 and the last two weren't even close games.

Those aren't bad points you make.  Early on I was impressed but that fizzled.  As I said, they were getting 3-4 gimmes from Cleveland and Cincy every year so all they had to do was win 5 or 6 of the other 12 games.

My good friend from high school and college has been a die hard Sodder-head since he moved to my town from PA in the 70s.  He always says "Man, Noll and Cowher spoiled me."  I replied, yeah they had defenses from front to back that dominated and intimidated teams.  Even their secondary had badass former LBers like Carnell Lake crushing people as a Safety, then they had Pollyneedsahaircut aside from the countless Pro Bowl LBers before we get to the DL and Edge Rushers.  Today?  They have Watt and Highsmith on the edges and rookie DT Keeanu Benton looks like he'll be a great interior DL. As for their offense and defense - Head Coaches typically have majority say on the Assistants they interview and hire.  I think Pittsburgh is stale even if they get in through the back door again.  

@jrb12711 said:

Yeah, I'd definitely disagree that Tomlin isn't a top coach. It sucks, but the teams the Steelers have fielded post Big Ben have been well below average and to achieve a winning record is a tip of the cap.

With that being said, the playoff record is going to catch up to him to your point. 4 straight losses in the playoffs going back to 2016 and the last two weren't even close games.

He is a bit too much of a players coach sometimes, but it’s impossible to argue with his results overall.

His loyalty to shitty quarterbacks just because of the draft spot (Pickett) and the money spent (Trubisky) looks pretty dumb if Rudolph continues to play competently against the ravens practice squad.

I don’t know about the Matt Canada stuff, seems like they may have been hobbled by painfully stupid quarterbacks.

Ben was shot by the end, his reconstructed arm was a noodle - so even his final years were subpar QB play. 

@flugel said:

If Pittsburgh ends up in the playoffs, we're gonna hear endless praise of how terrific Mike Tomlin is all over again.  He had WRs not running routes and refusing to throw blocks for teammates just a few weeks ago on the train wreck of an offense they fielded all year. They had a fight on the sidelines between Fitzpatrick and WR D. Johnson.  Sometimes, the auto-pilot success in Pittsburgh needs to be credited to the Ownership Family instead of the beneficiary. Earlier on in Tomlin's tenure - he looked like their perfect fit and they advanced in the playoffs. Once all that fizzled and most recently, the main difference between Mike Tomlin and Jeff Fisher looks to me like 1 team was complacent with 8-8 football and the other remains fine with barely making the playoffs and not advancing.  For a while, the state of Ohio (alone) was giving Tomlin 3-4 wins almost every year.  He still got that this year with Cincy being 0-5 in the division.  I just don't see the next Chuck Noll in Pittsburgh the media seems to want to see. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with this and that's fine.

Yeah, I'd definitely disagree that Tomlin isn't a top coach. It sucks, but the teams the Steelers have fielded post Big Ben have been well below average and to achieve a winning record is a tip of the cap.

With that being said, the playoff record is going to catch up to him to your point. 4 straight losses in the playoffs going back to 2016 and the last two weren't even close games.

@hoorta said:

Oh, I'd be a travellin' man.  A month in Tahiti for starters.    

What worries me BB, is should the Jags lose, that creates the possibility for the stinking Squealers to backdoor into the playoffs. ?

Of course they have to beat the Ravens first... Then their direct path is a Bills loss.  Buffalo wins at Miami and they're done, short of the Colts and Texans tieing. 

If Pittsburgh ends up in the playoffs, we're gonna hear endless praise of how terrific Mike Tomlin is all over again.  He had WRs not running routes and refusing to throw blocks for teammates just a few weeks ago on the train wreck of an offense they fielded all year. They had a fight on the sidelines between Fitzpatrick and WR D. Johnson.  Sometimes, the auto-pilot success in Pittsburgh needs to be credited to the Ownership Family instead of the beneficiary. Earlier on in Tomlin's tenure - he looked like their perfect fit and they advanced in the playoffs. Once all that fizzled and most recently, the main difference between Mike Tomlin and Jeff Fisher looks to me like 1 team was complacent with 8-8 football and the other remains fine with barely making the playoffs and not advancing.  For a while, the state of Ohio (alone) was giving Tomlin 3-4 wins almost every year.  He still got that this year with Cincy being 0-5 in the division.  I just don't see the next Chuck Noll in Pittsburgh the media seems to want to see. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with this and that's fine.

@mjp28 said:

Somehow I'd be  shocked  if he would file  BANKRUPCY  in the next 2 or 5 or whatever years.  [Unlike some total idiots.)

QUESTION :  What would any of you here do with a  $591,000  signing bonus ?   [ Ask Joe ? ]

Oh, I'd be a travellin' man.  A month in Tahiti for starters.    

@bbedward said:

Only if the Jags win, otherwise it’ll be at Indy or Houston barring a tie.

What worries me BB, is should the Jags lose, that creates the possibility for the stinking Squealers to backdoor into the playoffs. ?

Of course they have to beat the Ravens first... Then their direct path is a Bills loss.  Buffalo wins at Miami and they're done, short of the Colts and Texans tieing. 

In 1996, Biden purchased four acres of secluded, lakefront land in the upscale suburb of Wilmington, Delaware, and built this 6,850-square-foot home. According to Zillow, the lot was purchased back then for $350,000 and the property is now estimated to be worth more than $1 million,

@hoorta said:

Yeah, Joe doesn't seem to be the type that needs a $50 million house,  a million dollar boat, and ten high end cars.  ?

FWIW, easy enough to research... His place in Delaware is worth around $2 million.    

Or the other Joe's  modest  $2M  house in Deleware ?   

For a guy with about a  $175 M on a 16 year   NFL income earnings stream it screams  "reasonable spender"  to me.  Not one of these  a-holes that burn throw stacks of money with absolutely  NO INTEREST in savings anything to take care of their  "baby's mama"  just to have  mo' and mo'  babies to try to take care of ......  they make me sick.

The NFL  tries  to warn  every single   new player about the dangers of   "sudden wealth"  and what might happen to them.  I've seen some of them, well done,  I've compared them to some of my financial education at the  BSBA level snd  MBA level.  Those  "children"  have NO ONE to blame but themselves when they go  BROKE.    NO EXCUSE !         

@bbedward said:

Only if the Jags win, otherwise it’ll be at Indy or Houston barring a tie.

Right.  Sticking my neck out that they will beat the Titans.  

@orion said:

So, I'm going on the assumption that we will be playing at Jacksonville.  

Only if the Jags win, otherwise it’ll be at Indy or Houston barring a tie.

@gumby73 said:

Rambling

1.) If your putting this team at risk of playing a possible future Playoff home game? Than, Yes ! this team has something to still play for. 

2.) Fuck the Steelers ! ? I'm already tired of hearing this media circle jerk on Mason Rudolph being team savior.. Ravens at home with backups ? So what.. Beat Tomlin and throw Mason & Pickett both under the year end Bus Lane in the Pen  

The Steelers are in like their own couch/holcomb thing or something, hopefully they follow the rest of our 20 year path.

1.) If your putting this team at risk of playing a possible future Playoff home game? Than, Yes ! this team has something to still play for. 

2.) Fuck the Steelers ! ? I'm already tired of hearing this media circle jerk on Mason Rudolph being team savior.. Ravens at home with backups ? So what.. Beat Tomlin and throw Mason & Pickett both under the year end Bus Lane in the Pen  

@hoorta said:

Yeah, Joe doesn't seem to be the type that needs a $50 million house,  a million dollar boat, and ten high end cars.  ?

FWIW, easy enough to research... His place in Delaware is worth around $2 million.    

After his first couple games before joining the active roster I believe he made a comment like he didnt even know how much the browns had paid him to that point. 

And the whole thing started apparently with a photo that seemed to show him flying economy class to Cleveland.

The man seems absurdly careful with his money despite earning boat loads of it from Baltimore. I’m sure his dividends net him more than whatever the vet min with incentives the browns are paying him.

@hoorta said:

Yeah, Joe doesn't seem to be the type that needs a $50 million house,  a million dollar boat, and ten high end cars.  ?

Somehow I'd be  shocked  if he would file  BANKRUPCY  in the next 2 or 5 or whatever years.  [Unlike some total idiots.)

QUESTION :  What would any of you here do with a  $591,000  signing bonus ?   [ Ask Joe ? ]

@mjp28 said:

~     I don't think  Joe Flacco  needs the money.   Career earnings  -   $175,375,063.......  He should be set ....16 SEASONS..... $175,375,063.  see below !

SEASONSTEAMSALARYSIGNING BONUSROSTER BONUSWORKOUT BONUSRESTRUCTURE BONUSOPTION BONUSINCENTIVETOTAL CASH  11 seasons$48,735,000$69,000,000$1,005,000--$26,960,000$2,100,000$147,800,0001 seasons$1,500,000---$17,000,000--$18,500,0003 seasons$2,826,944$1,730,000$683,820----$5,240,7641 seasons$418,056$2,425,000-----$2,843,055. ︎ LAST 3 seasons   $591,000 signing bonus  $400,000  CASH $991,244  $$$..ENOUGH TO LIVE ON !  DON'T WORRY ABOUT JOE !  ■ CAREER EARNINGS ■  $175,375,063  <--●  ■   HE SHOULD BE WEALTHY !  ★★★

Yeah, Joe doesn't seem to be the type that needs a $50 million house,  a million dollar boat, and ten high end cars.  ?

FWIW, easy enough to research... His place in Delaware is worth around $2 million.    

@syd said:

Accept for Flacco.   ( see way down below for BIG details )

The veteran’s contract is set up so that he makes an extra 75K for every game he plays in that Cleveland wins. The bonuses are bigger in the postseason.

While the Browns reportedly plan to rest as many starters as they can, they are an organization that does right by its players. Could Flacco take one snap and either take a knee or hand it off before giving way to PJ Walker? Maybe he could just stand near the sideline for a WildDawg play.

HC Kevin Stefanski said he would discuss the decision with his quarterback:

“But I think it’s really important that you listen to your guys, both in this building, when you’re working and you’re in meetings and when you’re out there in the practice field. I think it’s important to listen to them on game day as well.

Cleveland’s backups would still need to knock off whatever Bengals players are on the field in a meaningless game.

Perhaps GM Andrew Berry can adjust the contract to award Flacco with the 75K or the veteran quarterback decides it doesn’t matter to him.

Big picture, an unimportant decision but one that will be interesting to see what happens.

~     I don't think  Joe Flacco  needs the money.   Career earnings  -   $175,375,063.......  He should be set ....16 SEASONS..... $175,375,063.  see below !

SEASONSTEAMSALARYSIGNING BONUSROSTER BONUSWORKOUT BONUSRESTRUCTURE BONUSOPTION BONUSINCENTIVETOTAL CASH  11 seasons$48,735,000$69,000,000$1,005,000--$26,960,000$2,100,000$147,800,0001 seasons$1,500,000---$17,000,000--$18,500,0003 seasons$2,826,944$1,730,000$683,820----$5,240,7641 seasons$418,056$2,425,000-----$2,843,055. ︎ LAST 3 seasons   $591,000 signing bonus  $400,000  CASH $991,244  $$$..ENOUGH TO LIVE ON !  DON'T WORRY ABOUT JOE !  ■ CAREER EARNINGS ■  $175,375,063  <--●  ■   HE SHOULD BE WEALTHY !  ★★★

The veteran’s contract is set up so that he makes an extra 75K for every game he plays in that Cleveland wins. The bonuses are bigger in the postseason.

While the Browns reportedly plan to rest as many starters as they can, they are an organization that does right by its players. Could Flacco take one snap and either take a knee or hand it off before giving way to PJ Walker? Maybe he could just stand near the sideline for a WildDawg play.

HC Kevin Stefanski said he would discuss the decision with his quarterback:

“But I think it’s really important that you listen to your guys, both in this building, when you’re working and you’re in meetings and when you’re out there in the practice field. I think it’s important to listen to them on game day as well.

Cleveland’s backups would still need to knock off whatever Bengals players are on the field in a meaningless game.

Perhaps GM Andrew Berry can adjust the contract to award Flacco with the 75K or the veteran quarterback decides it doesn’t matter to him.

Big picture, an unimportant decision but one that will be interesting to see what happens.

@texasag1969 said:

I expect to see Jeff Driskel out there, but with backups everywhere along with him. Same on D. Garrett will be a sidelines rah, rah guy (hopefully) along with most starters if we are smart about it.

Yep, Garrett, and all the guys who are nursing injuries and playing hurt take a seat on the sidelines.  Cooper, Njoku, Moore on offense, probably a few of the OL too. Bitonio is banged up.  Players on the defensive side, hard to tell how many will sit. (besides Garrett) Ward for sure though. Will Joe want to play a series or two is the question. 

@bbedward said:

Probably solely based on Browning vs whatever bum practice squad QB we throw out there, otherwise I expect the bungles to be resting all their star power too.

I expect to see Jeff Driskel out there, but with backups everywhere along with him. Same on D. Garrett will be a sidelines rah, rah guy (hopefully) along with most starters if we are smart about it.