# 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:** 24
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/461 "2008-01-06T01:31:21Z")
OK \*that \*wasn’t very auspicious! This isn’t the first time the special teams have given up the big play. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/462 "2008-01-06T01:39:19Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef] I’d like to remind, in case it wasn’t clear, that that entire line of logic was a straw man - no one ever disagreed with the idea. He disingenuously twisted my argument after repeatedly pointing out that it was never the argument. See [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9301770&postcount=422) and the links within. [/QUOTE] No he didn’t. This is what you said: > [@](#): > > The Steeler’s O-line has always been overrated in general, however they are among the elite in run blocking. Their pass blocking has never been great, and Ben’s possibly underrated pocket presence (at least in his first 2 years) helped to cover that up. That’s just plain wrong. “Elite in run blocking” is the opposite of “overrated.” That’s what he tried to explain to you, but you keep (incorrectly) claiming strawman. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/463 "2008-01-06T02:08:17Z")
Fuuuuuuuuck. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/464 "2008-01-06T02:10:19Z")
Ben what you doing? You are killing me! Hines is having a good game already. It is still early, no reason to panic. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/465 "2008-01-06T02:13:13Z")
Second pick. See ya next year everybody. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/466 "2008-01-06T02:14:51Z")
Man, I love being a Steelers fan. We _dominated_ that opening drive. Then we fucked up. Several times. And now we have to put faith in Big Ben to bring us back, to where we were before he messed up. Weeeee… ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/467 "2008-01-06T02:20:23Z")
And the rout is on. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/468 "2008-01-06T02:27:15Z")
That was beyond pathetic. Criticize me for jumping ship only 8 minutes into the second quarter, but when it looks like our team has already thrown in the towel, why the hell should I give a shit anymore. No pressure on the opposing quarterback. Poor pass coverage. Poor tackling. Horrendous pass protection. Not forcing turnovers. The story of our season. We’re the #1 overall defense? Did the NFL stop keeping track of defensive stats after week 8? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/469 "2008-01-06T02:33:05Z")
It just keeps getting uglier guys. ☹ I’m gonna try to finish but already I’m nodding off. Tonight it seems like they can’t even hear me when I yell “Run Run Run!” I’m here in spirit, but I suspect I’ll be asleep before too long. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/470 "2008-01-06T02:49:27Z")
It _will_ be amusing when SenorBeef comes in here and has a field day with the Steelers fans who gave him shit all season. I seem to be one of those rare people who doesn’t allow fandom to blind me from objective reality - that being, that for the last few weeks the Browns were just as good, if not better, than the Steelers, and if just one or two plays had gone differently in Week 10, we wouldn’t have made the playoffs. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/471 "2008-01-06T02:55:19Z")
Well, I really thought that the Steelers coaches had finally figured out how to have an effective passing and running game using the short pass rather than having Ben drop back, hold on to the ball too long and get sacked. It worked! So they stopped doing it. Bad special teams and bad quarterback decision making, but really awful, awful game strategy by the coaching staff. The D was fired up to start the game, but they seem to be getting demoralized pretty fast. Too bad. It was fun to see us firing on all cylinders for a while there. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/472 "2008-01-06T03:09:19Z")
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian] Well, I really thought that the Steelers coaches had finally figured out how to have an effective passing and running game using the short pass rather than having Ben drop back, hold on to the ball too long and get sacked. It worked! So they stopped doing it. Bad special teams and bad quarterback decision making, but really awful, awful game strategy by the coaching staff. The D was fired up to start the game, but they seem to be getting demoralized pretty fast. Too bad. It was fun to see us firing on all cylinders for a while there. [/QUOTE] Yea, what the hell? We get all the way into the red zone for the second time tonight, and instead of short passes, let’s try to surprise them by throwing screens! Or, how about seeing if Davenport can actually get to the outside? Nope? Oh well, field goal. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/473 "2008-01-06T03:30:35Z")
4th down and 12. If we punt it we won’t be able to stop their offense and we’ll lose anyway, so we might as well go for it. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/474 "2008-01-06T03:51:56Z")
I can’t believe they’re gonna try to do this to me. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/475 "2008-01-06T03:52:13Z")
Holy shit, did you see that facemask on Ward? I have no idea how he caught that ball with that Jag dude hanging off his face. And where was the holding? Bastards. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/476 "2008-01-06T03:56:56Z")
Yee-haw! What a game! ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/477 "2008-01-06T04:04:30Z")
Jeez, I don’t know how I feel about this now. Hines just dodged the biggest bullet I’ve ever seen in my life. Seriously, how could he not be called for facemasking on that? I’m gonna feel a little sick if we win this game because of that. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/478 "2008-01-06T04:10:32Z")
Was that not an illegal action by Hines? Seriously, the looked at the replay once and then just stopped talking about it, but I felt a little dirty watching it. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/479 "2008-01-06T04:18:30Z")
I’m going with a probably, but I didn’t get a good look at it. Hines got screwed once or twice, but also got away with a _lot_. So, let’s call it a wash for now… ---
**Author:** ![aliquot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@aliquot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliquot)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983/480 "2008-01-06T04:18:54Z")
[QUOTE=Soapbox Monkey] Was that not an illegal action by Hines? Seriously, the looked at the replay once and then just stopped talking about it, but I felt a little dirty watching it. [/QUOTE] You’re not kidding. The play call there was obviously, “Hines, go out and hold the defender, but do it subtly so they’ll get flagged, not us.” The facemask was just gravy. Unbelievable. Fuck Hines Ward, fuck the officials for making that call. Fuck the Stillers. And I’m not a Jacksonville fan in the slightest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-annual-mike-tomlin-marches-the-steelers-to-the-super-bowl-thread/415983.md?page=25)