With Training Camp less than three weeks away, I’m going to examine a series of questions that fans seem to be discussing. The Pittsburgh Steelers, like every other team in the NFL, have interesting decisions and potential ones to consider. Today’s topic is the Coaching Staff.
What We Know
After two decades of Mike Tomlin – something an entire generation of fans only know – Mike McCarthy and his staff are here. It’s something that we’ve all come to grips with yet at times it feels as though we need a reminder that Tomlin is gone. I think once the season begins this will no longer be an issue but it’s different for everyone.
Ask 100 fans and they will mostly agree that this staff that McCarthy has assembled is already better than anything Tomlin had in recent years. These are difficult comparisons for numerous reasons yet those will continue deep into the season.
What We Don’t Know
One of the things I keep coming back to is the response of the veteran players. You know how Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt felt about playing for Tomlin. Have they now accepted he’s gone or will they continue to carry a torch for him?
We also don’t know how this staff feels about a lot of the players that were drafted by Tomlin’s staff. As fans, we make assumptions based on a number of things but what it comes back to is whether the staff likes these guys as much as the fan base. As an example, take Roman Wilson. The former third round pick struggled to get on the field in his first two seasons. Was that because of Aaron Rodgers? Was it because of Arthur Smith’s lack of confidence in him? Or maybe it was Tomlin.
What we don’t know is how McCarthy and new Offensive Coordinator Brian Angelichio feel about him. Therefore, the extremes will be present. Wilson might never come off the field or he might get cut. That’s the unknown with a new staff.
As for the Major Question(s)
The first question is how is the relationship between Rodgers and McCarthy? We saw frustration from Rodgers on numerous occasions last season, most of which appeared to be aimed at Smith. With McCarthy calling the plays, how does this relationship work? How much freedom does Rodgers have at the line of scrimmage? This will be fascinating in my opinion simply because Rodgers is in his final season and may not care.
The second major question is on defense. Several former players have had less than stellar things to say about Teryl Austin, Mike Tomlin and the defense. I have found some of that criticism to be fair and some to be a bit “over the top.” Nevertheless, current players have been saying the right things in regards to Patrick Graham’s defense.
Will that continue as the season rolls on? Graham will use more disguising and simulated pressure packages which right off the bat is a stark difference from Austin. Will Graham’s new scheme be successful? Ultimately, that’s the biggest question here.
How It Plays Out
It’s impossible to know how this all unfolds. Injuries will, as they always do, play a huge part in how the season goes. The old saying is that winning cures a lot of ills and that’s true. When a team is winning games we hear less about locker room drama and less about on-field issues.
The fact that McCarthy is a veteran coach and had to navigate this role under Jerry Jones tells me that he will have as much control of the team as any other coach would. He’s seen and heard it all but that doesn’t automatically guarantee success. I tend to agree that this staff is better than what Tomlin had but this is why we don’t coach games on paper. The results will yield the truth.
