According to the PG, Bruce Arians is coming back.
Well, I know what most people think, and I can't totally disagree with them.
But it is not the end of the world, things could be much worse. If you want to know why it's a good idea to keep him, just go and read Ron Cook's article that is linked to the earlier post. We won a SB with him and we set statistical records this year with him. But you have to look past statistics to understand why so many people want him out.
I said earlier that my two biggest beefs with BA is the complete lack of screen passes (and not WR screen passes, those plays are only to further Hines catch-record) and the consistent 2nd/3rd and long plays. As far as I can remember, the Steelers ran one RB screen pass, and it worked pretty well (Miami game). They run WR screen all the time, and we know how those always work out (0-8 yards), they're not terrible plays, but they don't effect the way the defense will play. RB screens do, and as do RB draws, and the only one the Steelers run is that terrible drop back, slide step hand off- I've never seen any other team run a draw like that, and it never works.
But worse than that is how the Steelers consistently run into 2nd/3rd and long plays because of continual pass plays on running downs. Solutions would be firing the OL coach (done), teaching Ben to throw passes away (not gonna happen), or... um... running on running downs! You know what my favorite game of the season was? It was the Ravens game in Baltimore, because they took the ball out of the QB's hands and ran the ball consistently on 1st and 2nd down. I'm starting to sound like a Yinzer in the sense that I'm yammering about running the ball. I don't think we need to run the ball 60% of the time, but we need to figure out how to get out of these terrible down situations, and short of getting Ben to throw the ball early or revamping the OL, it's to run the ball.
But there are many other problems people have with BA. Our offense is terrible in the red zone, it's inconsistent at different times of the game, it's vanilla and predictable... The list goes on, not to mention the fact that BA might have leeked the whole firing thing himself! And some people question Tomlin's ability to reign him in. BA's just a frustrating figure.
Although I think I already know what they may be, what are your thoughts?
Dont you ultimately feel like this was a move to keep Ben happy?
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely, although I don't know about ultimately. I think what Ben has to say is very important to the team because we're hitched to him in the long run. But I think there were a few other factors that played a part in the decision to retain BA. But what I do hope is it knocks him down a few pegs and realizes that he is not the boss.
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