OT: Steelers hire former Falcons HC
- Thread starter pittdan77
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Some old dude they found in a nursing home with a hyper conservative, 1970s run 1st and always, no risk playbook, gutless, play scared, continuation of passing concepts developed prior to Chuck Noll's era, right?
So really the offense we saw the last decade with Ben was something Tomlin didn't really want, he's relieved to not have Ben throwing for 30 TDs and 4500 yards to AB and all that scary high-risk stuff. Kenny is perfect for him, few ints because he's scared to pull the trigger on the high risk/high reward passes that Ben would turn into TDs.
Feels like going on vacation and eating a bad meal. There is some good and some bad.
The good:
- Ryan Tannehill had career years under OC Smith. This basically came via extreme play action efficiency. The hope is that Kenny - or anyone else we could reasonably get - could be protected from throwing it all the time but where he does throw, he does it really well.
- Top 10 in scoring twice and #1 AFC seed once.
The bad:
- Wants to play extremely heavy. 1st in TE rate. Dead last in the NFL in 11 personnel in 2023. Not the makings of a modern offense.
- Runs the ball no matter what. Dead last in pass rate over expectation.
- 1st in zone rushing rate and the Steelers sucked at zone in 2023. I don't think they block it that well and I don't think Najee sees it well either.
The questionable:
- No record of developing a young QB.
This seems like a move to try to run it back at 10-6 again and sneak into the playoffs as a 6 seed. I don't absolutely hate it. Smith was pretty good as an OC but he also had prime Derrick Henry and AJ Brown and they went up against some miserable teams in the AFC South.
Fantasy football fans hated him because of his "I know better than you" attitude in player usage and play selection even as the Falcons crashed and burned for basically 3 straight years. To some extent that won't matter because he won't have to face the media as much as an OC. However, I worry that Smith maybe lacks a bit of introspection as a coach, and will keep sticking with what is proven not to work, which we saw a lot of under Matt Canada.
The good:
- Ryan Tannehill had career years under OC Smith. This basically came via extreme play action efficiency. The hope is that Kenny - or anyone else we could reasonably get - could be protected from throwing it all the time but where he does throw, he does it really well.
- Top 10 in scoring twice and #1 AFC seed once.
The bad:
- Wants to play extremely heavy. 1st in TE rate. Dead last in the NFL in 11 personnel in 2023. Not the makings of a modern offense.
- Runs the ball no matter what. Dead last in pass rate over expectation.
- 1st in zone rushing rate and the Steelers sucked at zone in 2023. I don't think they block it that well and I don't think Najee sees it well either.
The questionable:
- No record of developing a young QB.
This seems like a move to try to run it back at 10-6 again and sneak into the playoffs as a 6 seed. I don't absolutely hate it. Smith was pretty good as an OC but he also had prime Derrick Henry and AJ Brown and they went up against some miserable teams in the AFC South.
Fantasy football fans hated him because of his "I know better than you" attitude in player usage and play selection even as the Falcons crashed and burned for basically 3 straight years. To some extent that won't matter because he won't have to face the media as much as an OC. However, I worry that Smith maybe lacks a bit of introspection as a coach, and will keep sticking with what is proven not to work, which we saw a lot of under Matt Canada.
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Tomlin says it's Kenny, I hope someday he can throw 2 TD passes in one game again.
Not a fan at all. This just seems like more of the same with trying to muddy games up and win 19-16.
I realize our quarterbacks suck right now and we're a bit handcuffed as a result, but this franchise needs a new direction altogether. Instead, they're going the pig esthetician route.
I realize our quarterbacks suck right now and we're a bit handcuffed as a result, but this franchise needs a new direction altogether. Instead, they're going the pig esthetician route.
Truth be told it is somewhat surprising that he went outside. But its not surprising that he went ultra conservative. The thing that is total bullshit is the media is blaming KP for the hire rather than TOmlin. Atlanta hired a much more agressive OC and their QB room is more of a disaster.
This is definitely Pickett's fault. It's outrageous to think otherwise.
Good breakdown. I don’t hate it, but it doesn’t make me change the way I view this team like other hires might’ve. Tennessee’s offense was night and day before/after his arrival, and Tannehill had career years with him. Maybe he’s a good coordinator but bad head coach like LeBeau or Munchak?
Makes me wonder, did we only have a decent pass game only because we had an elite passer in Ben all those years, I always felt they played way too conservative with Ben and usually never truly cut him loose until they had fallen behind and had no choice. He had the skills, to pass for 5000 yard and 40 TDs in a season regularly, I always felt they held him back playing too conservative, even with stud WRs like AB.
Ive been saying for a while that Bens stats under Canada were eerily similar to KP in that they were awful for three quarters and then improved in the fourth. With Ben you had a HOF QB who essentially took over the play calling. KP is clearly NO BR but clearly they took the training wheels off in the fourth quarter.
another OC that will protect pickett, let him manage the game with limited attempts and hopefully win a game with ball control and running the ball.
on its face not an inspiring hire. but did coach Tannehill to his best years and he was an average qb at best. Vrable thought enough of him to hire him as an OC and his success as an OC got him a HC gig. He worked under Lafleur who is an excellent offensive mind. Have to see how it plays out.
he gave the ball to Henry 370 times in his most successful year. Man, that's a ton.
of course that was Derrick henry in his prime, not a bad plan i guess..
Steeler fans “we need to run the ball and be physical !
Tomlin hires and OC with success running and play action , enough he got hired as a HC
Steeler fans “Not like that !!”
Tomlin hires and OC with success running and play action , enough he got hired as a HC
Steeler fans “Not like that !!”
I think it shows Tomlin understands what his offensive personnel is
And prime Ben isn’t walking thru that door
This guy has Ryan Tannehill throwing 33 TDs in a season
Is that a problem ?
Most Steeler fans I've seen have been bitching that we need to join the 21st century and implement some post-high school passing concepts.
Like a dude on a message board cherry picked a stat. I wonder how many of those were off play action to the best running back in the league down by the goal line. Regardless, I was just saying what the fans have said. People don't want to be that ground and pound team anymore.
But we'll see. Didn't we start running the ball this past season when we abandoned the zone blocking concepts? At least in part; I remember them saying they emphasized double-teaming defenders, etc. And now we're back to that?
I don't want that, I haven't since the 90s, I want to spread the field and throw.
So maybe Kenny can throw 10-12?
Ben coincidentally threw 33 and 22 his last two seasons.
Even before Canada, Tomlin's OCs always opened the game weak and gutless, run-run-safe pass-punt, until they fell behind and had no choice but to play the right way for this century, aggressive pass game.
By cherry picked you mean his last two years as an OC.
If we can actually sustain some drives instead of burning out the defense - we’ll win more games
Pretty simple
Tomlin literally hired a former HC as a coordinator . That’s a good thing to actually have experience and qualified coaches in the room .
Yinzers are a stupid breed
Will we win any games if the D has a bad day and gives us 30 points by scoring 30
+ ourselves? Will we compete in a shootout if we need to? Or is it again a hopeless cause if the other guys put up 20+
He's shown to be a good offensive coach. Only problem is the Steelers don't have Derick Henry at RB and I'm not sure if Harris is going to scare many teams with the play action. Teams are going to be ready for it and KO will need to prove he can move the ball down field. Also, they don't have a top pass catching TE. It's possible Bowers slides outside of the top 10 in the draft. Then the Steelers might want to make a move.
Not to mention the Steelers OL is mediocre at best. Better have another good draft and get a legit OL coach if your gonna play ground and pound
Hey at least he’ll keep the non losing season streak in tact
TEN averaged 25.1 and 30.7 points per game in his two years as OC, so yeah, looks like he can
I'll believe it when I see it, Najee is no Derek Henry and KP has been very subpar so far, so I kind of picture a season similar to this last one.
Bowers would be huge to get but just can't see him sliding too far down. There are alot of good O-linemen and wouldn't mind seeing them take a tackle again if there is one there they like. Slide Jones to LT and get Moore out of there.
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