Comments on: Ivan’s Second Thoughts: Steelers vs. Ravens https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/ An Introspective Steelers Site Mon, 15 May 2017 21:31:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: roxannafirehall https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2406 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 23:50:35 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2406 Great comments, Ivan. I think it’s really hard to draw the line between playing to win and foolhardy risk. Ben’s pick in the Denver game was clearly over the line and foolhardy. Decisions to go on fourth and one are less clear and I think within the coach’s prerogative, though as you suggest, perhaps some introspection be in order.

I’m still totally pissed over the AB call. This “what is a catch” has to be simplified. The fact that the ball moved about a foot along AB’s body while he completed the catch does not seem to be indicative that he did not have control of the ball when the first foot went down. It’s hair splitting and it’s stupid. It is especially galling that it’s overturned on an automatic review because it was a scoring play. To me, there should be no automatic reviews, there are enough delays without them and re is certainly no less controversy now than before replay review was instituted. Reform it or scrap it. Bottom line – AB caught the ball.

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]]> By: cold_old_steelers_fan https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2405 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 19:29:57 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2405 The “F” word has come to mind for me many times this season. Whether it is instituted at the league head office or if it is just happening on an official by official basis, there is so much money involved and so many questionable calls that I think a serious investigation is warranted and I don’t mean one initiated by the league. Perhaps a federal investigation though I am not certain under whose auspices this would fall.

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]]> By: Ivan https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2404 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 18:07:41 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2404 I want to make a couple of additional points. My criticisms of the team’s effort was not as comprehensive or nuanced as they might have been, but frankly the piece might have been three times as long. As I tried to point out at the end, a lot of people, players and coaches, have to take a hard look at themselves and decide as the whether they had properly prepared for the challenge of what was, in essence, a playoff game regardless of the record of the opponent.

With that said, I would like to double down on one thing and bring up another that hasn’t been discussed much but speaks to a larger problem with the league.

When I suggested that Ben (and Haley for that matter) need to be smarter, I am thinking that there are times when the ego has to take a back seat in favor of what is the best course of action for the team. There are situations where rolling the dice may be desirable, even necessary. And then there are times when taking certain risks are completely unwarranted. For two weeks running, and at other times as well, such as the first Bengals game, Ben attempted to make plays that were not necessary or prudent. It takes talent and intelligence to win.

And what about the Antonio Brown touchdown pass that wasn’t? The rules in this regard make no sense to me, and to overrule the decision on the field, and the inconsistent way in which this and other decisions are being made is causing some people to talk openly about the ‘F’ word, and whether the league is on the up and up.

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]]> By: Anonymous https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2403 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 17:21:33 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2403 I disagree with the premise that the team wasn’t ready to compete. All week Tomlin talked about the importance of this game and how the records didn’t matter; that regardless of the teams being fielded, this was still Ravens Steelers. So I have a very hard time swallowing the “unprepared” argument.

My issue is with offensive execution, and Ben in particular. Dropped passes, errant throws, and just horrible decisions lost this game. Our defense is what it has shown itself to be, inconsistent at best. So we’ve known all season and the team has known all season that winning will come from the offense putting up points. And in my opinion, the D gave the offense a chance to win this game with Tuitt making that stop and forcing the Ravens to punt. Down by three with almost three minutes left, a chance to to tie or win the game, on a day when we didn’t get any turnovers, with this offense; with the way our D plays what more could you ask for from them? Our Franchise QB didn’t deliver plain and simple and this is a serious concern of mine with Ben over the last couple of years when it comes to critical games where we need him to carry the team. He’s been a stat machine and can play out of his mind at times, but those times are totally irrelevant if he can’t come through when the team needs him most and I’m not talking about certain games we need to win I’m talking about THE games we need to win, such as this game.

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]]> By: Bill S https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2401 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 17:00:46 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2401 All that you cited were terrible losses as well, but it was the “win today or else” that puts this one tops in my book.

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]]> By: hombredeacero https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2400 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:04:14 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2400 I agree, this loss isn’t all on Ben. But even an average game out of him in the second half and the team wins.

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]]> By: hombredeacero https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2399 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:00:15 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2399 is there a worse loss during the Tomlin era? Right now it doesn’t feel that way, but would argue that perhaps there have been.

The 2009 Steelers road loss to Todd Haley’s Chiefs was very, very bad and their loss two weeks later to the Raiders was worse. As was the Cleveland loss.

You could also argue that the 2012 loss to San Diego after Charlie Batch upset of the Ravens at home was worse. Of course none of the games were “win today or else.”

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]]> By: cold_old_steelers_fan https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2398 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 14:26:07 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2398 I am still glad I didn’t get to watch this one. I would have been more upset that an obvious trap game turned out to be a trap. Coaches can have some of the blame but, as is usual in these cases, there is usually enough for everyone. Coaches or not, Ben deserves a big part of the blame.

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]]> By: roxannafirehall https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2397 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 14:02:08 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2397 I’m still ill.

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]]> By: elpalito https://goingdeepsteelers.org/2015/12/28/ivans-second-thoughts-steelers-vs-ravens/#comment-2396 Tue, 29 Dec 2015 13:43:18 +0000 http://goingdeepsteelers.org/?p=3712#comment-2396 Loss like this can’t be put on one person. Frankly, if Big Ben is so good at going no-huddle and calling his own plays, etc., it is difficult to understand how the Ravens could so flummox him. It doesn’t make much sense for the defense to have issues with Mallett. Everything had to go wrong for a 10 point favorite to lose, and it pretty much did.

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