Home Player Spotlight The Steelers Have to Give Scobee the Boot

The Steelers Have to Give Scobee the Boot

by Steeldad

Now I know how ESPN’s Mike Greenberg felt.

It wasn’t that long ago when his beloved New York Jets had the Pittsburgh Steelers all but beaten in the playoffs only to see his kicker miss two field goals allowing the Steelers to survive. Kicking in the NFL has become so incredibly easy that the league had to move back the point after touchdown just to make it “more interesting.”

Steelers’ kicker Josh Scobee has taken the word ‘interesting’ to a whole new level after failing twice last night to all but put away the Baltimore Ravens. Now six of ten in his field goals on the season, Scobee hasn’t made one PAT or field goal that didn’t leave his teammates without a slight heart murmur and that’s part of the reason he needs to go.

[Update]: Scobee has been released. The team has signed Chris Boswell who has not attempted an NFL kick.

Steelers’ Head Coach Mike Tomlin and General Manager Kevin Colbert are in a situation where they finally need to swallow some pride, admit the trade was a mistake and give Scobee the boot. If you don’t have the confidence in a guy to make a 50-yard field goal to win the game in overtime then that tells you all need to know about the confidence the rest of the team must have in him.

Scobee currently reminds me of a professional golfer with the yips. Talk to anyone who plays golf and they’ll tell you that’s a bad word and you should never speak it on a golf course. Maybe a better example is former Major League second baseman Steve Sax who suddenly couldn’t throw the ball from second to first base.

The problem is that this goes beyond Scobee though. There can’t be one person on that roster or coaching staff for that matter that doesn’t have significant doubts about Scobee right now and who could blame them? The Steelers did a lot of good things last night (and plenty bad) but should have walked away winners.

They didn’t…

Fingers can and should be pointed in other directions such as at Tomlin, Todd Haley and a porous run defense but this all comes back to Josh Scobee. Colbert and Tomlin have a fragile locker room right now and they need to step up right the ship. Admit the mistake and send Scobee back to the Mystery Machine.

photo courtesy sportingnews.com

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12 comments

Benjamin Brown October 2, 2015 - 1:01 pm

Jeremy Shelly, former kicker for Alabama who never missed a field goal in his senior year, is playing in the arena league three years after graduation. Yes, he does not have a leg for much beyond 50 or 55 yards, but he is utterly perfect inside of 50. The Steelers would be winning more with this guy, but I am glad that they are not hiring him because I am a Patriots fan 🙂 Still, I would like to see a guy as good as Shelly be in the NFL.

steeldad October 2, 2015 - 1:05 pm

Hey Benjamin! Bring him aboard. We just need someone who can kick from 40-49 apparently!!

Burfict Fred October 2, 2015 - 1:02 pm

Hey , this guy is a bum, he has had ample time to get his act together, send him packing Now.!!!!!!!!!!

steelbydesign October 2, 2015 - 5:06 pm

I consider myself a very “non-knee-jerk” type. I’m probably an unusually patient fan.

After Scobee’s first miss even, I wasn’t extremely worked up… But after the 2nd I said ok, it’s time. Even his makes are shaky at this point…

And kickers are just funny. Some of them once they go, they’re done. How many guys have we seen like Jeff Reed, Shayne Graham, Billy Cundiff, etc. that were great and then all the sudden they weren’t?

steeldad October 2, 2015 - 5:29 pm

You’re right Chris, his makes are as shaky as his misses.

Ben Anderson October 2, 2015 - 5:24 pm
steeldad October 2, 2015 - 5:29 pm

LOL. For the record, I’m not in favor of bringing him back and he looks like a burnt out former pro wrestler.

Tha Football Guru October 3, 2015 - 1:58 am

I now see why the Jaguars were so willing to give him up!
If those kicks were 50+ yarders I would give him some slack, but since they were not he can’t get any!
It’s a bummer he cost me my against the spread pick that looked like a lock at halftime.
DAMN BUM!!!

j. hackers October 3, 2015 - 10:45 am

I got a kick with your mentioning sax as we discussed in an earlier blog concerning Allen. my question is did danny have anything to do with the selection os scoobe?

steeldad October 3, 2015 - 12:03 pm

My understanding of Chairman Dan is that he is not involved with anything regarding the personnel of the team. He has turned over almost everything to ARII. That said, I do believe he puts his two cents in on FO/coaching issues.

K 150 October 3, 2015 - 11:12 am

You should fire the offense also. They couldn’t convert a first down on 4th and 1. Not once but twice

steeldad October 3, 2015 - 12:01 pm

Believe me, Josh Scobee was far from the only problem that led to defeat Thursday nite. My point is that not only has he lost confidence in himself but the whole team’s psyche has to be a mess right now too.

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