U mad, bro?: Mike Tomlin, defensive coaches, punter and even long-retired Steelers get blistered this week

This week’s “U mad, bro?” comes on the heels of a season-defining loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Baltimore Ravens.

So I figured the blame was going to be spread throughout the entire organization.

You all lived up to my lofty expectations.

Doug is fed up with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

“So many things to change. But if I had to pick only one - Tomlin. 16 years of ‘Coach .500’ is enough. Let the other necessary changes cascade from there.

Think about it this way. If Cowher got into the Hall of Fame then Tomlin is a lock. Tomlin should retire and become a talking head on Sunday just like Cowher.

Everybody wins.”

That last line is interesting. That’s also the motto of most opponents on the Steelers schedule this year: “Everybody wins!”

Doug got me thinking. What if Bill Cowher retires from CBS and they immediately replace him with Tomlin? Then, within two years, the ratings hit a record high?

Would we all say, “Yeah. Tomlin is OK on television. But he only won with Cowher’s microphone”?

In a recent post, I agreed with Ben Roethlisberger’s take that Sunday’s Steelers-Ravens game lacked a little snap. But Ryan thinks the issue was one-sided.

“Your article is partly correct. The Steelers are not in playoff contention and have been slipping of late. The Ravens are the division leader and talked about having a good chance of making a run. However their starting superstar quarterback did not play. The lack of ‘crackle’ is more because of the Steelers than Ravens.”

Agreed, Ryan. But Lamar Jackson’s absence from the game is very much part of the reason there was so little pop to the game itself.

Also, even when considering a return by Jackson, I’m not seeing a lot of national folks picking Baltimore to go deep into the playoffs.

Hmmm. We worked “snap,” “crackle” and “pop” into one entry here. Suddenly, I’m craving a Rice Krispies treat.

More Tim Benz:

• Mike Tomlin, Gene Steratore weigh in on legality of play that injured Steelers QB Kenny Pickett
• Tim Benz: Get used to backup QB conundrum — Steelers will face it in depth this offseason

Andy is tired of the Steelers offense taking all the heat.

“The Steelers defense should be better for the $108 million, highest in the NFL, that they’re being paid. To go a step further, they have, according to Steeler fans and sportswriters, supposedly three of the best in the NFL at their positions on defense! So why, since they also have a ‘top’ DC, a former head coach who is helping the DC, and a defensive guru as a head coach, couldn’t they stop the run Sunday when Baltimore had their 3rd string QB in and everyone knew that’s what the Raven’s were going to do? Most in Pittsburgh want the head of the offensive coordinator, but one seldom hears fans or sportswriters calling for any of the previously-mentioned coaches to be fired!”

Well, Andy, if you aren’t seeing blame thrown at the feet of the Steelers defense from local media members, you must be reading media members besides me (and Mark Madden) here at TribLIVE. Because we have been hammering the defense for failing to live up to their costly bottom line all year.

As far as fans and media not blasting Teryl Austin and Brian Flores, that’s probably because it’s Flores’ first year here and Austin’s first season as coordinator. The slipping defensive issues we’ve seen in recent years — especially against the run — extended back long before this season.

So, to underscore your last point, that’s why most of the negative spotlight should be shining on the head coach.

After a 17-yard punt on Sunday, Pete is done with Pressley Harvin.

“Why is he on the team? There’s nobody else out there that can punt? Just bad decision-making down the line. Also, why suppose that if we get high draft picks and Tomlin is (still) the decision maker, that we will get better?”

Well, Pete, I don’t suppose that. In part, for the very reason you bring up.

For people who hate it when Tomlin’s coaching is blamed for the Steelers shortcomings, then you need to blame the players. And when Tomlin is so intrinsically involved in player procurement, it’s illogical to remove him from blame when it comes to that part of the analysis.

Now, in terms of Harvin, I think Tomlin and special teams coach Danny Smith are in “we need to prove ourselves right on him” mode since they burned a draft pick to acquire him in the first place.

But the longer they keep him, the more often he is proving them wrong. Harvin is just so inconsistent. One week he does something great like that late punt against the Falcons. The next game he’ll shank one like he did against the Ravens.

And for a team that goes three-and-out as often as the Steelers have this year, you need a punter who is more consistent than Harvin to swing field position.

Finally, Ed is taking a run at a Steeler who I didn’t have on my “U mad, bro?” bingo card for this week.

“I don’t expect the Steelers to actually address their issues anytime soon. Tomlin has final say on personnel. And while Tomlin appears to be a decent football instructor he is a terrible talent evaluator. For a guy who supposedly loves tough and talented inside backers, his drafting decision to take OLB (Jason) Worilds over ILB Sean Lee was the first of multiple poor talent decisions.”

Wow! And I thought I was tough on Worilds.

I at least stopped blaming everything on him when he left the team back in (*checks notes*) … 2015! Ol’ Ed here is still taking swings at Worilds seven years later.

That’s some Grade-A prime, center-cut grudge holding, Ed.

We started with blaming the head coach. That makes sense. Then we got to the assistant coaches. Then the punter. Now we are onto a linebacker who hasn’t been active with the team since the end of the 2014 season.

But, Ed, I’m with you. Forget T.J. Watt failing to get more than 2.5 sacks this season. Let’s go after Worilds for only managing three in 2011. I’m on board.

The only thing I’ll disagree with you about, Ed, is that you said taking Worilds over Lee in the 2010 draft was the “first” bad personnel decision Tomlin made.

During Tomlin’s first run through free agency in 2007, the team signed Sean Mahan to be the starting center. And during his second draft, the Steelers selected receiver Limas Sweed in the second round.

Compared to those guys, Worilds looks like a first ballot Hall of Famer.

There’s a sentence I never thought I’d write.