Did he say the defense sucks dick and that Tomlin and Butler have to fix it?



I'll listen when I get the chance.

Did he address the defense or what his roll is handling team discipline?

If not, what’s anything he said have to do with what I said?

Although, better offensive coordination could have meant we won 50-45.

The 45 is still the issue. As is the mental make-up of the players on this team. They are not champions but selfish individuals with a coach not strong enough to manage them.

The guy sounds very intelligent. And is a football lifer.

I’ll take him for head coach, actually.

I get a kick of how people are blaming the defense for lack of discipline, yet it's only offensive players that are accused of being immature. AB, MB, Bell. . .

Who on defense lacks discipline and fails to show up for walk throughs? Mitchell said stupid shit. Ok. Dupree called Harrison out. Big fucking deal.

Losing a star player that is universally loved in the locker room can totally take you off your game. I guess you can give Matt Murray a pass because his dad died, but losing your best friend to paraplegia is something to just shrug off. It had a massive effect, not to mention Haden going down for weeks. Take away Bell permanently and AB for 6 games in the middle of the season and see where you stand.

Sure, the defense has problems. I get that. But firing Butler won't fix it for next year. You want to install a new system with a totally different locker room in the last three years of BR's career? Who would be that guy?

It's not enough to have Haley walk, and admission from the organization that the locker room needs to be tightened up. May as well start from scratch, right?

I missed where the organization admitted the locker room needs to be tightened up, unless they’re using Bouchette to send that message. Mike Tomlin hasn’t gotten such a message yet.

Me personally? I’m willing (barely) to give Butler another year, but Porter and Lake at the least should be fired. Again I’ll ask you to point to any LBer or DBer you have seen undergo improvement under their tutelage.

And the defense was showing leaks before Shazier went down.

And Butler doesn’t get a complete pass because every team has key injuries...the best coaches overcome them.

Yes we don’t have the greatest talent on D, but not so bad that the defense should be no better than actually having no one on the field when the opponent’s offense is out.

They weren’t even a speed bump.

Everyone talked about the "Lake effect." I guess that's out the window. Everybody listens to him in the defensive backfield as though he were the DB guru. Maybe Burns and Davis just aren't that smart. Maybe Mitchell is too fucking slow and takes wrong angles, but knows defensive schemes. We already know Spence should continue doing whatever he was doing before getting the call. Watt is a rookie that showed promise. Alualu was a great pick up. There is solid depth at LB, just not starters.

I can agree on Porter and Olsalvsky (sp?). Jervis was a mistake, and Dupree isn't living up to expectations. Who's fault was it that they had no contingency for Shaz going down? Tomlin? Colbert? Porter? Maybe it's just the players suck? I can see how Porter can rub people the wrong way, but I have no fucking clue about how good a coach he is and can't judge him based on results only. Process is critical, and none of us know what that is.

Not sure about Mitchell as DL coach. Tuitt, although disappearing for stretches this season, was all that last year. Everybody loved Hargrave as well. Not so much after 16 measly games.

No shit. Not what this thread is about.

I just listened...sounds like a swell guy. Other than that, what exactly about that interview are we supposed to be impressed with? Just your normal, everyday, jock/coach fluff interview.
I have my fingers crossed that Fichtner works out...but everything about this team and organization has me jaded right now...

If he religiously attacks and exploits the weakness of opposing defenses and make them an offensive juggernaut then I'll send him a brisket and 7 racks of ribs every month from the restaurant.

You know it’s ok to take up issue with this team

You should be clamoring for tomlins exit and several others

Listened to the the interview.

He said something to the effect :

"You're in a catch up mode,

We were always behind.

If we had a lead, the game would have been different.

We didn't do it."

That says a lot.

IDK. I listened to it. It’s a feel good story. A story of friendship between Fichtner, Butler and Tomlin. He seems like a genuine, likeable guy.

But, the interview just makes me feel worse about this team/staff. All I can think of is are these the best qualified guys? I mean, other than history, what makes them the best choices to be the coaching triumvirate braintrust?

Tomlin trusts them? Um, okay. Just wreaks of nepotism.

Begs the question if even Tomlin was the best man for the job back when he was hired.

I agree..this isn't camp kumbaya..this is big business..whats he gonna bring to upgrade? who gives a shit they love each other?im annoyed the only change is haley.. id rather have tomlin all alone since hes untouchable.

Way too much nepotism and quid-pro-quo for me.....I'd be ok with it all if Tomlin is replaced.

Meh. Russ Grimm vs Mike Tomlin. Regardless of what Tomlin has evolved into, I don’t think the Steelers fucked up that choice.

It's not even just that. It wasn't just bad defense, it was NO defense. Two playoff games in a row.

Imagine a sales guy - two years in a row - presenting to your biggest potential new client. And doesn't just do a bad presentation, but drops his pants and takes a giant dump on the table. That guy still has a job? !? After doing it once, much less twice?!?

Ehhhh, you're forgetting the 3rd name that was actually in the mix - Ron Rivera.

And for all B2Bs optimism about the offense, wtf about the defense? Really. Who cares if Fichtner is an upgrade. This defense is horrid. Jeemie’s right. Talk of injuries is masking the real problem with the D. Shitty ass coaching. That won’t improve if the staff remains intact.

Forgot about Ronnie.

Been pounding the table for this dude since BA left. Knows the game, PLAYED THE GAME, grew up in the game. He's designed our smartest plays. I think Tomlin brought him in with this in mind, but Deuce shoved Haley up our collective ass. Haley was obsessed with setting up future plays. Sometimes you have to just line up and fucking play.

I don't think you'll see any buck sweeps on 4th and 1/2 an inch. I think you'll see an improved red zone offense. I think they'll be able to keep a flawed defense off the field.

I am so tired of people making excuses for Haley and saying that they should have kept him and fired Butler.

Yeah, in a perfect world I would want both replaced but Haley had to go.

42 points is meaningless. Look deeper into that game. We were 7 of 16 on 3rd downs. The offense was not getting it done on 3rd down and we had to have 6 plays on 4th down. Ben miraculously was able to convert 4 of those 4th downs and maybe if he was allowed to do a QB sneak he might have converted all 6 of those 4th down opportunities.

But that sort of misses the point, why did the team even have to attempt 6 fourth down plays?

The reason? Because we have a pathetic offensive coordinator who can't call a game to save his life, and in this case it was literally his NFL life on the line.

agree..injuries? like shaz is a tank and never injured? we should have people in place for any injury. injuries weren't the problem. coaching and bad system were. weak ass players playing undisciplined shit. defense been shit for years now...why dick was escorted out. butler has brought zero upgrades of any kind.. don't wanna hear sack numbers. those are dong sacks vs shitty teams in garbage time.

The worst part is with this offense, the defense doesn’t even have to be great...just competent.

This wasn’t even that. This was the equivalent to having nobody on the field.

I’m 60 years old...spend a lot of time around the game at the high school and small college level. I spend most of my fall Saturdays and Sundays watching as much football as I can possibly get in. I am not a football expert, nor do I claim to be, but I have seen tons of football games in my lifetime. I have no problem stating that this past Sunday was, without a doubt, the worst defensive football performance I have ever witnessed. And second place isn’t even close...