NFL Week 9 thread: For God's sake take a knee, Pisarcik

http://www.postgazette.com/pg/10307/1100342-66.stm

Now Troy Polamalu is saying that Roger Goodell has too much power. It is sounding more and more like the commish has gotten in the Steelers' heads. I'm not sure if it is a coincidence or not that the defense has given up over 20 points the last two games after not allowing more than 17 in the first five. No wonder Tomlin sounds so pissed every time this stuff comes up.

 

I long for the days of the Chiefs losing home playoff games over and over again.

 

LOL LOL LOL. Poor widdle whats-his-face never responded to your query, did he? Too busy stomping his feet and pounding the floor with his fists and crying about how poorly he's treated.

5-2 with the second-youngest team in the league, one that finished 3-13 last year, but Raheem Morris is a shitty coach. What a stupid, ill-informed thing to say.

 

Now it's going to be Goodell's fault every time the Steelers lose.

You're a fucking joke.

 

Typical spnited. Reading what you want rather than what is there.

It's not an exscuse. They are pro athletes. They should be able to adapt. If they can't, that's on them. It is on Tomlin, too. Maybe it is time he stopped complaining about it and started working on getting his players to adapt.

All I'm saying is that the current crackdown is in their heads and it might be hurting them on the field. What I wrote is no different than saying a certain opponent is in a team's head. But you, of course, had to use it as an excuse for a weak little personal attack, which tells us more about you than anything.

 

STOP IT! STOP IT! I hate it when you guys yell and fight!!!

*sobbing and stomping off to my room*

 

Love the stories about the Chiefs-Broncos-Raiders. I love watching the Raiders implode, and I'm sure it will happen again Sunday. Probably a stupid roughing-the-passer penalty to keep a late drive alive or something. And the Black Hole is stupid. It's like it's Halloween every week in Oakland.

I've always hated the Broncos more, probably because of Elway. In 1992, the Chiefs drilled Denver on the last day of the season to clinch a playoff spot. During the game, the Broncos had the ball at their own 1. Elway bitched that he couldn't call the play because the crowd was too loud. So the referee of course gets on his mic and tells the crowd to quiet down or risk penalty. So naturally, the crowd gets louder. Again, Elway shrugs his shoulders, complaining the crowd is too loud. My dad lost it. He jumps up from the couch and yells as loud as I've ever heard him:

"HIKE THE BALL, YOU COCKSUCKER!!!"

 

Haha. Tell it to the crotchety old man.

Actually, I kind of understand where spnited was coming from now that I think about it. I do believe that he was far to ready to attack what I said to read it properly, but I get it.

Let me try to clarify. I do think that perhaps the Steelers are using it as an excuse. They certainly seem to be focusing too much on the crackdown on big hits, and they have not played as well the last two weeks as they did the first five. But I'm not blaming Goodell for that. I'm blaming Tomlin and his players for letting it get in their heads.

Every team and every defensive player in the league has to adapt at least a little. Some will do it better than others. I think Tomlin's concern comes from the fact that he knows he has a bunch of guys who rely on being physical/dirty (depending on your point of view). Polamalu is a smart player, but once he picks a target, he flies in looking for a big hit. Harrison is a big hitter. Both corners are better at the physical part of the game than coverage.

Ryan Clark is flat-out dirty. He always has been. Hines Ward is, too, though he looks to do it within the rules. For example, he will look for guys who let up before the whistle and take that opportunity to nail the guy.

I do think that Tomlin would be better served getting his players to focus on playing the games rather than worrying so much about what comes out of the commissioner's office. That was my initial point, that maybe they are letting this new emphasis on punishing certain hits get into their heads too much. If they do allow that to happen, it is on them, not Goodell.

My apologies if that was unclear.

 

It's similar to barbecue, in that nobody does it better than Kansas City.

 

Polamalu does make a good point about having a committee, rather than one person, handle some of this. A seven-person group would give more balance than one person.

But the NFL is not in his head.

And three touchdowns allowed in two games is not a defense falling apart. You really are a "sky is falling" when it comes to this team.

 

Where did I say they were falling apart? I said they aren't playing as well defensively and that Polamalu played one of the worst games I have ever seen him play against the Saints. I also pointed out that they sure seem to be talking about this a lot, probably too much.

I don't think it is really time to worry about this team yet. If they lose to the Bengals, it will be time.

 

I support anything the NFL can do to fuck up the Steelers' season. Go, Roger!