After the Steelers kicked away the game against the Ravens on Thursday night, it’s time to air some grievances.
First up, Josh Scobee. I probably don’t need to explain why. But in summation, he blew two kicks at the end of regulation that should have sealed the game, he’s missed four field goals and an extra point in his first four games as a Steeler and he’s been so bad that Mike Tomlin was afraid to trot him out there for a potential game winning kick in overtime.
Mr. Scobee, you should be given the pink slip. To blow a divisional game in which you could have sent the Ravens to 0-4 and out of the race already is completely unacceptable and you, sir, are a big reason why it happened.
Next, Mike Tomlin. Tomlin, seriously, what are you doing? You’re kicking when you should go for it and going for it when you should kick? What kind of a coach are you? I realize that Scobee blew two kicks but when you have the opportunity to win the game, you have to attempt to do so.
Scobee actually has a pretty good track record so you have to play the odds that he wasn’t going to miss a kick three times in a row in the same game. Distance wasn’t an issue for him, so you have to trust that he makes an adjustment and puts it through. Poor, poor decision Tomlin.
When you’re playing with your backup QB and he gets you a 13 point second half lead, you’re already playing with house money, try to win the game.
Todd Haley, you’re not innocent here either. How dare you not utilize the best running back in football more often. LeVeon Bell was killing the Ravens defense and you chose to get cute on that fourth and one call? You chose to not give him the ball on the ground another 10 times or so? Are you kidding me?! Explain yourself, please.
Additionally, how can you not provide Vick with more play calls that allow him to get the ball to Heath Miller or find more and better ways for him to get the ball to Antonio Brown? Vick is not Big Ben, nobody thinks he is, but you could actually allow him to throw downfield, he does have a good arm. You owe Steeler Nation an explanation for your disastrous mistakes.
The defense, yeah, the defense. Many think you played well against the Ravens, you didn’t. In fact, you were bad, really bad. You allowed over 190 rushing yards. That is unacceptable. I don’t care if you got to the QB a lot, you didn’t do it when it mattered, he beat you in crunch time and the secondary proved to be useless, as usual. Arthur Moats and Jarvis Jones, you’re not starting material. Time to come off the bench. I realize the defense is young but they need to step it up or this season is going to derail really quickly.
Fortunately the Steelers have 11 days until their next game but at 2-2, it has now turned into a must win. Don’t blame Vick, blame any of the four categories above.
Mike Pelaia hosts the website Steel Nation Association www.steelnationassociation.com- Covering the Steelers and helping Children’s Hospital All Day Everyday. You can e-mail him at mike@steelnationassociation.com.
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