After back-to-back losses, Mike Tomlin was in pure Tomlin mode today as he discussed what the Steelers need to do to turn things around heading into a critical game against Baltimore.
Tomlin said he expects Ben Roethlisberger to be his quarterback when they play the Ravens on Sunday night, with Dennis Dixon as the team's primary, and only, backup.
Charlie Batch will have surgery Wednesday and is expected to miss two to four weeks. Former Pitt star Tyler Palko is expected to be signed to the practice squad to give the team an extra quarterback for practice purposes.
Meanwhile, linebacker Donovan Woods and defensive back Keiwan Ratliff were the latest to be released as the team tries to solve its special teams coverage problems.
They were replaced on the active roster by veterans Rocky Boiman and Corey Ivy.
Travis Kirschke is expected to practice this week and the team hopes he'll return to play against the Ravens.
Troy Polamalu remains questionable, while guard Chris Kemoeatu is out.
As for the excuse from some members of the secondary that they were unaware of the play call for the 61-yard catch-and-run in overtime by Chris Chambers in the 27-24 loss to Kansas City, Tomlin said defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau called the third-down play before the players took the field, then reiterated the call following second down.
21 comments:
Dale,
Any idea on who are the 3 special teams players that the Steelers have looked at today, of which they plan to sign one of them?
Gerry Dulac said that the Steelers will sign a LB and that one of the current group on the team will be cut. I guess it is bye-bye LB Patrick Bailey.
Also, if Kirschke can't go, do you expect Sonny Harris to get a hat this week? I don't think the Steelers want to play the Ravens with only 5 DL, particularly the way they run the ball and play smashmouth.
Liked the way Tomlin was a little angry at his press conference and said that the team needs to stop turning the ball over and get more turnovers. Hopefully, this means he will reign in Ben a little and Arians a lot and get back to running the football.
Dale,
Has anyone in the mdeia asked Mike an obvious question linking Ben throwing a large number of times and corresponding losses? I know it is skewed a bit due to those occassions may be when they were down, but overall that should be outweighed by atrocious game plans like we have seen lately. They run 10 more times in that game sunday and almost assuredly they'd have won.
So who was lying regarding the play call, Tomlin or the DBs?
"So who was lying regarding the play call, Tomlin or the DBs?"
all parties involved should have to take a lie-detector test imo. We must get to the bottom of this!
Steelers signed LB Rocky Boiman also worked out DE Marcus Howard on Tuesday as well. Rumor is Ahmad Carroll may have been summoned as well for a workout.
Signed CB Corey Ivy and released LB Donavan Woods and CB Keiwan Ratliff.
Signed G Jonathan Palmer to the team’s practice squad and released RB Justin Vincent.
Steelers Depot,
Thanks for that. Any word on whether they are looking at kickers with a long leg (or long arms--it can't hurt, right?!)?
Patrick
i'm sorry, correct me if i'm wrong, wasn't woods signed to help bolster the special teams?
woods here woods gone? who knows.
db's not hearing calls?
we are keeping Batch's slot open why? oh, i got it, in case BB goes down and we need Charlie to come in and beat Indy in the playoffs.
this team has been pushing the pass, so to now turn the coin, run it more, against baltimore, with kemo out, sounds like another plan written down on a cocktail napkin at a bar.
the one thing we got going for us is a soft schedule compared to Cincy and Ratbirds and they seem just as determined to fall apart.
Its amazing how quickly things change, AFC North was dominant, now looks like cannon fodder for the other division winners come playoff time.
Farmer Fran
Big shakeup on who gets the hats this week. Assuming Carey Davis and Travis Kirschke are healthy and ready to play this week. You also have to probably make Tony Hills active with Chris Kemoeatu down.
Here are my stabs at inactives:
Troy Polamalu
Ra'Shon Harris
Kraig Urbik
Chris Kemoeatu
Keenan Lewis
Shaun McDonald
Charlie Batch
Andre Frazier
Also I am not a big fan of not IR'ing Batch at this point. Veteran free agent QB's at this point are hard to come by and get thinner every week. Tomlin said the arrow is pointing up for Dennis Dixon, but without a doubt we can not make a Super Bowl run should we make the playoffs if Ben were to get another concussion and have to rely on Dixon. Byron Leftwich was placed on IR with an elbow injury, so no way he gets released now. Perhaps they are waiting to see who gets released, but I would sign Jeff Garcia now to get him a few reps. poor Charlie Batch is just too fragile.
Sorry guys, I was away from the computer for a while.
Obviously, with Boiman and Ivy signed, they'll likely be active Sunday for teams. I don't know who they keep down in place of Harris. They only use three - at most - at one time unless they're in goal line.
Will Joe Burnett get more playing time in the Dime packages?
How is the development of Joe Burnett and Keenen Lewis coming along?
Yeah, that's gonna happen.
No way is Andre Frazier inactive. He's the primary OLB backup.
i hope the steelers dump BA and pick up charlie weiss in the offseason.
Dale - I heard the are starting Ramon Foster at LG in place of Kemo. Just wondering why him and not Legursky?
Because he played well the other day. Had he not, they likely would be starting Legursky.
Does Tomlin start putting his thumb on B.A.'s? Does Tomlin carry around a play chart? If not does he start? I expect to see B.R. run the O this weekend with the no huddle and let him control the tempo of the game and leave it out of B.A. hands. If this happens and we come away with a big W then B.A. is done.
Zeke
You'll see some no-huddle this week, I think. They've had success with it against Baltimore in the past. It will be difficult down there, though, with the crowd noise. That's one venue where it's difficult for Steelers fans to get a bunch of tickets. There will be a few thousand, but not the tens of thousands that invade other places.
Start fast and start stong and the crowd noise will disspate. The Steelers are paying a ton of $$$$ for number 7. Let him control and take demand of this team. He knows the Ravens as good as anybody else on that sideline. Leave B.A. to give him some ideas on plays and let number 7 make the call from the line.
Zeke
Don't know but I'd think that going no huddle with a QB just off a concussion might not be the wisest thing to do. Lots of chaos in a no huddle and more likely to miss assignments. (works both ways).
BB gets a hit in the head Sunday and season over.
Farmer Fran
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