Home 2013 Regular Season What Kind of Changes Were You Expecting From Tomlin?

What Kind of Changes Were You Expecting From Tomlin?

by Steeldad

Mike TomlinMike Tomlin’s first press conference as the head coach of an 0-4 team was short, poorly attended and offered the usual clichés and the overuse of the word, “obviously.”

It also provided us with a couple of changes for Sunday’s game in New York against the Jets.

First, Kelvin Beachum will get the start at left tackle and will be backed up by newly acquired Levi Brown. This means Mike Adams will be the third-string tackle.

I have to wonder if he’ll even be active for the game.

Marcus Gilbert will again start at right tackle and will be backed up by Guy Whimper. 

The other significant change is that Cam Heyward will get the starting nod over Ziggy Hood at defensive end. Tomlin went on to say they wanted Heyward to get more snaps and starting him was the way to do that.

With those changes announced, I couldn’t help but notice the beat writers for the Steelers poking fun at the changes made by the coaching staff on Twitter. “This is the big change?” is what most of them boiled things down to and I guess I have a question for them?

What changes were you expecting?

The tone of some of the writers and several fans was as if they expected Ben Roethlisberger to be benched in favor of Johnny Unitas and for there to be dozens of changes across the board.

Did they suddenly forget one of the problems with this team is the overall lack of talent and an even worse lack of depth?

This was a press conference of an 0-4 team. There’s a reason this team is without a win and yes it has to do with a lack of pass protection, and a lack of a running game and a lack of turnovers but aren’t these things related to a shortage of talent and little or no depth?

I guess I just have no idea what people were expecting Mike Tomlin to offer in the way of changes. I’m not defending Tomlin but at some point what more can he do?

There’s only so much you can do with the roster you have whether you picked the players or not.

Marc Uhlmann writes for and co-owns www.steelcityblitz.com. Follow him on Twitter @steeldad and follow the website at @SCBlitz. He can be heard Mondays on Trib-Live Radio at 630pm ET talking Steelers.

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6 comments

Bruce Warren October 8, 2013 - 11:54 pm

Harri Karri would be nice!

steeldad October 9, 2013 - 12:15 am

Touché Bruce!

justin October 9, 2013 - 4:32 am

I was expecting a resignation. Oh well, can’t blame me for hoping.

ron October 9, 2013 - 7:24 pm

I have been expecting since the beginning of last season an offensive game plan that takes advantage of the talent that is on the team. Seems instead that every aspect of the offense has regressed and the QB has become disoriented. I would expect the team to come out to the games ready to play. They seem to lack energy, focus and discipline. Making stupid mistakes on both sides of the ball. I would expect Tomlin to address these issues when talking to the press. And I would expect the press to ask tough questions until matters get resolved. Lack of talent is one thing. There’s is no excuse for some of the things that we are seeing on the field. Ron Mazur

steeldad October 9, 2013 - 9:12 pm

As always Ron you are hitting the nail on the head without demanding anything rash. I agree, there are issues when a team is not prepared to play and we continue to see this. I don’t know that Ben will ever be the same after these seasons.

slydawg October 11, 2013 - 6:23 am

tomlin needs to be fired….team has gotten worse every year he has been coach…..preparing a team to play on game day is the HCs responsibity…..only reason he got the job in first place was the rooney rule which the rooneys wanted to justify…. as tomlin likes to state after each loss to the players….embrace it….id like to tell the rooneys…..embrace this loser….we the fans will not

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