Sunday was one of the ugliest performances by the Pittsburgh Steelers since Mike Tomlin took over as head coach. All three phases underperformed which led directly to an embarrassing 24-10 home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The loss dropped the Steelers to 1-2 on the season and they currently sit in last place in the AFC North.
We will spend a great deal of time talking about the whys of this loss but Tomlin doesn’t need any time at all. In his postgame press conference, Tomlin was direct when he pointed the finger for this letdown squarely on the players. Tomlin pointed out how penalties and failures in one-on-one-type plays are why the offense has struggled so much.
While I don’t disagree that the players underperformed on Sunday, how much of that has to do with preparation by the coaching staff? And coaching and adjustments done in-game? Tomlin’s teams in recent years have gained this reputation. Is the front office really that bad at selecting talent or is there a disconnect when it comes to preparation and motivation?
