Big Blue Huddle

I find it puzzling when people claim Mike Tomlin is dragging a roster of average talent to the playoffs. The Steelers, in fact, boast a wealth of talent across the board. For the 24th consecutive season, Pittsburgh is sending multiple players to the Pro Bowl; in 2023, they had three Pro Bowlers, and this season, they're sending four. That hardly suggests a team lacking skilled playmakers.

Moreover, it's simply inaccurate to say the Steelers lack top-tier offensive weapons. George Pickens Jr. has established himself as a superb wide receiver, Pat Freiermuth is a dependable tight end, and Najee Harris just posted his fourth straight 1,000-yard season. The real centerpiece of the team, however, is the defense, which features multiple All-Pro talents.

Yet, despite their considerable talent, the Steelers have been knocked out in the Wild Card round four years running—a puzzling fact given that their last playoff success came with Ben Roethlisberger under center. Still, no one can deny Pittsburgh's knack for consistently finding and developing quality players through the draft. This long-standing ability to replenish the roster is what keeps them competitive year after year, even if recent postseason results haven't matched the franchise's lofty standards.

Would I want Tomlin coaching the Giants...YES.  However, I don't expect a coaching miracle;; until the Giants find a QB, it won't tangibly make a difference.  Despite multiple Pro Bowl/AP players, Pitt fans are feeling the pain of not having a plus QB to compete with teams that do...

Pickens is a good but great.  He is not a top 10 WR. Further there isn't a 2nd option of note.  Both Freiermuth and Harris are nothing more than average for their position.  And then you have the most important position in sports and they don't have anyone resembling top 5 QB in their conference. 

They started 3 rookie OL this year and still had a great front end of a season. 

That is absolutely the epitome of good coaching.  Regardless of whether all those rookies have above average talent or not, getting them to play to an NFL level in year 1 and putting a winning NFL team together with them starting takes great coaching.


Pro- bowls are fan voting.  It has no relevance in how talented a team is. Not a single offensive player even honorable mention for all-pro. 

I think Cam Hayward was the only one on either side of the ball. 



 

As Giants fans we can only sit and watch in disbelief as an ungrateful fan base turns on a great head coach. They have no clue how good they've had it. One can only hope if he gets fired next year that we sign him.

Mike Tomlin is one of the all-time greats. The man has been coaching the Steelers since 2007 and has never had a losing season! He is also not Dan Reeves - he actually has a SB title. Comparing him to Daboll is like comparing James Bond to Austin Powers.

Quote from: madbadger on January 12, 2025, 10:59:11 PMAs Giants fans we can only sit and watch in disbelief as an ungrateful fan base turns on a great head coach. They have no clue how good they've had it. One can only hope if he gets fired next year that we sign him.

Trust me, the Giants would find a way to blow it and somehow not hire him. Maybe they'll re-hire Joe Judge instead. 

Quote from: madbadger on January 12, 2025, 10:59:11 PMAs Giants fans we can only sit and watch in disbelief as an ungrateful fan base turns on a great head coach. They have no clue how good they've had it. One can only hope if he gets fired next year that we sign him.

It's the difference between a fan base that expects to win every year, and a fan base (the Giants) that is so accustomed to futility that they spend their time rooting for their team to be the worst in the league so that they can pick number one in the draft!

Quote from: BlueMoshik on January 13, 2025, 04:30:52 AMIt's the difference between a fan base that expects to win every year, and a fan base (the Giants) that is so accustomed to futility that they spend their time rooting for their team to be the worst in the league so that they can pick number one in the draft!

I agree on Tomlin. I also agree on Giants fans. We rooted for a top pick in 2024. We rooted for a top pick in 2025. Now a big chunk of the fan base is already rooting for a top pick in 2026.

Tomlin is my favorite NFL coach, it is that simple.
18 winning seasons(never a losing season), 630 winning % ,11 of 18 seasons double digit wins, Super Bowl Title

3 different DC's and 6 different OC's, running three different offenses (Erhardt-Perkins, Air Coryell and West coast), starting 11 different Qb's although Big Ben was the constant for the majority of the time

in 15 of his 18 seasons either defense or offense was ranked in top 10

If by some miracle the Giants could trade for him, the second he walks through the door this current roster becomes a playoff bubble team. 

Tomlin can find away with multiple rosters, and changing OC's and DC's

Give the Steelers what they want for him and he changes the Giants fortunes instantly.

Quote from: kingm56 on January 12, 2025, 09:38:44 PMI find it puzzling when people claim Mike Tomlin is dragging a roster of average talent to the playoffs. The Steelers, in fact, boast a wealth of talent across the board. For the 24th consecutive season, Pittsburgh is sending multiple players to the Pro Bowl; in 2023, they had three Pro Bowlers, and this season, they're sending four. That hardly suggests a team lacking skilled playmakers.

Moreover, it's simply inaccurate to say the Steelers lack top-tier offensive weapons. George Pickens Jr. has established himself as a superb wide receiver, Pat Freiermuth is a dependable tight end, and Najee Harris just posted his fourth straight 1,000-yard season. The real centerpiece of the team, however, is the defense, which features multiple All-Pro talents.

Yet, despite their considerable talent, the Steelers have been knocked out in the Wild Card round four years running—a puzzling fact given that their last playoff success came with Ben Roethlisberger under center. Still, no one can deny Pittsburgh's knack for consistently finding and developing quality players through the draft. This long-standing ability to replenish the roster is what keeps them competitive year after year, even if recent postseason results haven't matched the franchise's lofty standards.

Would I want Tomlin coaching the Giants...YES.  However, I don't expect a coaching miracle;; until the Giants find a QB, it won't tangibly make a difference.  Despite multiple Pro Bowl/AP players, Pitt fans are feeling the pain of not having a plus QB to compete with teams that do...

There's talent on the defensive side, but the offensive side is definitely lacking though. Pickens is a good, not great receiver and a bit of a head case. Beyond that, it's basically a solid tight end and running back. What they lack is obviously a QB and being good enough to be a Wild Card team every year without one is pretty much NFL purgatory. They need to do what the Chiefs and Bills did and identify a talent that isn't viewed as a top tier guy, move up for him and mold him into their next franchise QB.

At the end of the day, if the Steelers move on from Tomlin, there's definitely at least one or two teams out there that would be willing to fire their coach and bring him in immediately.

Quote from: katkavage on January 12, 2025, 05:28:21 PMThey have the pitchforks and torches out for him after another playoff loss. But seriously, they weren't close to Baltimore in talent. They haven't had a real quality QB since Big Ben retired. That they make the playoffs year after year with limited talent on offense is pretty amazing.

Steeler fans don't know what they have. Give him a good QB and he is going to win. Well hopefully they do give up on him.  Giants should be waiting to sign him up for HC.
This Tomlinson is a leader of men. What a real coach is doesn't complain and holds his players accountable pushes them to be the best version of who they are. Something Daboll isn't.

Steelers fans need to STFU.  They have had I think 5 sub-500 seasons since 1970?  Yeah, cry me a f--king river.

Quote from: jgrangers2 on January 13, 2025, 10:12:17 AMThere's talent on the defensive side, but the offensive side is definitely lacking though. Pickens is a good, not great receiver and a bit of a head case. Beyond that, it's basically a solid tight end and running back. What they lack is obviously a QB and being good enough to be a Wild Card team every year without one is pretty much NFL purgatory. They need to do what the Chiefs and Bills did and identify a talent that isn't viewed as a top tier guy, move up for him and mold him into their next franchise QB.

At the end of the day, if the Steelers move on from Tomlin, there's definitely at least one or two teams out there that would be willing to fire their coach and bring him in immediately.

I completely agree! Their moderate offensive talent is reflected in their 23rd-ranked offensive yards per game and 20th-ranked points per game. Additionally, they've lost their last five games. Why? Because their quarterback has played poorly. I also agree that Tomlin would have more than a few suitors if he were available, and I would be one of them. However, I fully understand that he's not going to fundamentally alter our trajectory.

The Steelers have more than average aggregate talent, yet they've been eliminated in the Wild Card round in each of the last four seasons. Why? Does Tomlin forget how to coach in the playoffs? Obviously not. The truth is much simpler – he simply doesn't have a quarterback capable of competing with teams that do. Good coaching alone isn't enough to overcome that fundamental limitation.

It seems that Steelers fans, much like Giants fans, have unrealistic expectations, particularly when it comes to coaching. They expect coaching to perform miracles, but in reality, coaching can only do so much. When a team lacks a plus-QB, no amount of coaching can change that.  Tomlin is a perfect example of this fundamental truth...

He might not have great talent now
But he had
Big Ben.
A Brown and others
And
L bell
And a Top offensive line
Top WR
Top RB
Hall of fame QB
For a few years
And he did nothing with them

The Giants are simply not lucky enough to have the Steelers step out of character and fire a head coach as good as Tomlin at a point when the Giants might open to consider making a change in head coaches. Bob

Quote from: Bob In PA on January 13, 2025, 12:34:02 PMThe Giants are simply not lucky enough to have the Steelers step out of character and fire a head coach as good as Tomlin at a point when the Giants might open to consider making a change in head coaches. Bob

PS. Same for the Cowboys' head coach situation.