Comments on: Week 17 Recap: Went Down Swinging

By: chris

chris — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:05:20 +0000

Yeah, I heard that on the Stan & Guy show this afternoon. It looks like there is a bit more fire with the smoke than I originally thought. Still, nothing is official (yet) so I’m going to hold off posting anything until we hear for sure. Don’t misunderstand, I won’t shed any tears over Arians firing but I will be surprised.

By: Tenser

Tenser — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:19:05 +0000

It’s also been put up on ESPN 1250am out of Pittsburgh.

http://stations.espn.go.com/stations/espnradio1250/blog?id=3507954

By: chris

chris — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:27:26 +0000

JLaw, I don’t know how active the front office will be. Last year, we all thought a major overhaul of the offensive line was in order and they responded by doing nothing but resigning the same guys they already had. They didn’t even bother drafting an OL until late in the 3rd round (and he seems to be a bust because an undrafted rookie, Ramon Foster, got a start before Urbik did). It’s hard to predict what they’ll do. And remember, this team historically doesn’t bother with free agency. They usually sign one or two low level players every year and that’s it.

So if anybody is expecting them to go out and throw money at an OL, a backup RB, and S and a CB, that’s not going to happen.

By: chris

chris — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:22:41 +0000

O, despite what Tenser’s link indicates, I find it highly unlikely that unnamed investors would be telling the Rooneys how to run their team. And the Rooneys aren’t the types to force changes on their head coach and it seems like Tomlin and Big Ben both like Arians.

And let’s be fair, we did finish 9-7. It’s not like we went 5-11 and couldn’t score a TD for three games. I know it was a disappointing season but I don’t think we need knee jerk reactions here. Although stranger things have happened.

By: chris

chris — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:12:10 +0000

Spacemonkey, I understand what you’re saying about Big Ben. However, let’s say we had Peyton Manning or Tom Brady instead. They don’t “hold the ball” too long but they’re also statues. If you saw the game (or highlights), neither of those guys would’ve been able to scramble enough to make the TD throw to Heath Miller or convert a big first down on a 12 yard scramble that set up another score.

In other words, there is no perfect QB. Ben is never going to be a lightning quick decision maker. But he does fight off sacks and make big plays so you have to take the good with the bad. And you’re right, they need to adjust the formations and playcalling so he doesn’t get killed but it’d be stupid to just call “fast developing plays” because Santonio and Wallace are great deep threats and you have to stretch the field.

That’s not to say they shouldn’t call more short slants to Heath or screens to Rashad (which they’ve done the past few weeks). Nobody has been more critical of Arians and the Flying Circus more than I but it’s not like it hasn’t produced some results (except in the red zone, as Tenser points out). And laying the blame for not making the playoffs or not winning a title entirely on the offense is very unfair.

As for your questions, I can almost guarantee FWP is gone. He wants to be a starter and he will never get a chance to start here. The offensive line will depend on the draft. If they take an OL with the 1st pick, they might let Colon go (he’s a Restricted FA). He is by far our worst OL. Hartwig played injured most of the season which is why he went from decent to terrible. They’re paying Starks and Kemo a bundle so they’re both coming back. I would like to see them find a decent OG or OT in free agency but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.