# The First Annual Mike Tomlin Marches the Steelers to the Super Bowl Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 17, 2007, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983 "2007-08-17T19:36:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/361 "2007-12-16T20:00:47Z")
Pathetic. They’re completely dismantling us at our own game. If it weren’t for Polamalu they’d be up by 20 right now, so we got at least a little to be thankful for. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/362 "2007-12-16T20:14:47Z")
22-7? What is happening? I am getting updates on the web, but it doesn’t look good from where I’m sitting. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/363 "2007-12-16T20:19:33Z")
That’s pretty much the season, huh? I’m ready to pack it in. Our offensive line offers no pass protection. We can’t sustain drives. Our defense isn’t forcing turnovers or catching interceptions. We get no pressure on the opposing quarterbacks and we can’t adequately defend against the pass. While we’ll most likely make it to the playoffs, etting to the Super Bowl would require beating the Browns for a third time (which won’t be easy), going to Indy (a near impossible game) and then into Foxboro (an almost certainly impossible game). Now you can say all you want about how we did it before, but the 2005 team was several magnitudes better than the 11-5 record they had to show for it. Getting to the Super Bowl, not even to mention going deep in the playoffs, will require a string of miracle performances. And the NFC representative won’t be a pushover this year. I wouldn’t like our chances against either Green Bay or Dallas. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/364 "2007-12-16T20:34:26Z")
Well, we aren’t done yet… Now the defense has to step up. I’m sure they are suffering not having me there to yell “catch it, catch it, catch it Good! Now run, run run run.” Clearly they won’t know to catch it or run without me yelling at the screen. (although there are times it is like they can’t even hear me.) ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/365 "2007-12-16T20:40:13Z")
It does look as if the Steelers are on the “Screw the regular season - let’s bank on the playoffs” program. It might work, but doesn’t feel like a sound strategy. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/366 "2007-12-16T20:47:01Z")
OK, the defense held them. And from what I can see they have a pretty good drive going… ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/367 "2007-12-16T20:49:10Z")
Well…I did say “string of miracles.” This might qualify as the first one. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/368 "2007-12-16T20:50:01Z")
Woohoo! Do we go for two? I say yes. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/369 "2007-12-16T20:51:34Z")
Ha! Apparently they can hear me even through the internet. 22-22. Defense back to you. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/370 "2007-12-16T20:55:35Z")
Oh, I can’t believe this shit. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/371 "2007-12-16T20:58:27Z")
It would be nice if our defense had shown up today. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/372 "2007-12-16T21:01:12Z")
What the heck happened? I went to get my shirts out of the dryer and we’re down again? ☹ Well, there’s time yet. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/373 "2007-12-16T21:14:04Z")
That’s it then. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/374 "2007-12-16T23:52:11Z")
Gotta give the Steeler some credit for coming back to tie the score in the 4th quarter. But they don’t look to be striking much fear into the hearts of their prospective playoff opponents just now. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/375 "2007-12-17T00:46:33Z")
[QUOTE=Xema] Gotta give the Steeler some credit for coming back to tie the score in the 4th quarter. But they don’t look to be striking much fear into the hearts of their prospective playoff opponents just now. [/QUOTE] I’d much prefer consistency over having to scrape together late game heroics. Especially when those heroics end up being too little too late. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/376 "2007-12-17T01:20:01Z")
[QUOTE=Soapbox Monkey] Our offensive line offers no pass protection. We can’t sustain drives. [/QUOTE] I wouldn’t worry. We all know that: [QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] You asked why great pass blocking wasn’t more laudable. I answered by indicating that it just isn’t associated with winning football. [/quote] Some stats for the previous O-line discussion. Rushing by running backs and sacks given up for the last 5 weeks: Week 15 Pit vs Jax, 15 carries 96 yards, 6.4 yards per carry, 5 sacks Cle vs Buf, 36 carries 174 yards, 4.8, 1 sack Week 14 Pit vs NE, 26 carries 157 yards, 6.0, 3 sacks Cle vs NYJ, 23 carries 139 yards 1 TD, 6.0, 0 sacks Week 13 Pit vs Cin, 29 carries 88 yards, 3.0, 0 sacks Cle vs Ari, 17 carries for 71 yards 1 TD, 4.1, 1 sack Week 12 Pit vs Mia, 27 carries for 83 yards, 3.0, 5 sacks Cle vs Hou, 32 carries for 148 yards, 1 td, 4.6, 1 sack Week 11 Pit vs NYJ, 29 carries for 91 yards, 3.1, 7 sacks Cle vs Bal, 26 carries for 110 yards, 4.2, 1 sack. In total: Pittsburgh, 126 carries for 515 yards, 4.0 per carry, 20 sacks given up Cleveland, 134 carries for 642 yards, 4.7 per carry, 4 sacks given up. I would say that FWP is probably significantly better than Jamal Lewis, and Ben has significantly better pocket presence/elusiveness than DA. But no, the Browns O-line clearly sucks, because hey, it’s Cleveland, so they must suck, right? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/377 "2007-12-17T01:51:37Z")
Also, the mass exodus of fans during the game was pretty dissapointing. I thought Pittsburgh fans were better than that. It’s an important game and they weren’t down by that much, but a lot of fans acted like, say, San Diego type fairweather fans. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/378 "2007-12-17T02:03:05Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] But no, the Browns O-line clearly sucks, because hey, it’s Cleveland, so they must suck, right? [/QUOTE] But you’ll also notice that I never badmouthed your offensive line, and a few pages back even predicted that your Browns taking the division was still quite likely. Airman was the one always giving you shit, and he’ll be the one eating crow if you take the division and if you make it further than us in the playoffs. I’m a relatively humble fan. I sure as hell won’t talk smack before a game, and I won’t give any more than a good natured ribbing afterwards. And if the Browns end up winning the division, my hat’s off to them, because they’ll have earned it. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/379 "2007-12-17T02:12:28Z")
[QUOTE=Soapbox Monkey] But you’ll also notice that I never badmouthed your offensive line, and a few pages back even predicted that your Browns taking the division was still quite likely. Airman was the one always giving you shit, and he’ll be the one eating crow if you take the division and if you make it further than us in the playoffs. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that wasn’t really intended for you. Early on I wasn’t even bashing the Steelers, I just basically said “the Browns have put together a good O-line this year, they’re going to surprise”, and then after a half-season of surprising Cleveland offense, I said “see” and got “What? Nope. Browns still suck, cause, uh, they’re the Browns. Also, pass protection and YPC don’t really matter” ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/380 "2007-12-17T03:27:08Z")
[QUOTE=Khadaji] :mad: #@#@ CBS are showing the Ravens instead of the Steelers! I may go out to a bar, but I’ve been leaking money like a sieve lately, it being the holidays and all. Maybe I’ll stay in and get the updates on the web. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s a bunch of crap, isn’t it? I went to the Carlisle G-Man for the first half and then had to go to work, so I heard the rest from Bill and Tunch. I wasn’t pleased. On the plus side, I didn’t endure the suffering of the massive comeback and subsequent loss and I got to see the Ravens’ final collapse and loss to the hapless, hopeless Dolphins. How embarrassing. Nevertheless, while hopes for the playoffs remain on an even keel seeing as how they are all but assured (the Steelers still lead the division on the strength of two wins on the Browns), potential advancement looks unlikely. Oh, well. It beats 8-8, and one never knows what can happen when it matters, even if they are the sixth seed… Still, CBS needs to knock this shit off. I live in Pennsylvania, the Steelers are in Pennsylvania, and other than the losers in York there aren’t any damn Ratbird fans around here. I’m tired of having to go somewhere to watch a game that I should be able to see with no issues whatsoever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983.md?page=20)