2018 Steelers: For Whom the Bell Tolls

wade boggs chicken dinner

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I've seen rumbles here and there that he doesn't need the service time to reach free agency but I don't truly understand it.
According to Joel Corry, a former agent who represented (among others) Jimmy Hitchcock, the reason Bell needs to suit up before game 10 is not because of service time but because of the calculation of the franchise tag salary.

If I reading the article correctly, Bell already has five accrued seasons so it doesn't matter if he plays this season. (Article goes into what might happen if PIT tries to "toll" his season - something they can do with players who are under contract but don't play but since Bell isn't under contract, it doesn't matter.)

HOWEVER, Corry claims that if Bell doesn't play this season, and PIT franchises him again, the 144% would be off his 2016 salary of $12.12M. Note that even if he is correct, the math in his article doesn't work so maybe the overall point is wrong. Still, Corry seems pretty sure that he is correct so I thought I'd post it.
 

ManicCompression

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Seriously. Why report not in week 5 or 6, when your team is going to be fighting uphill to make the playoffs. Esp week 6 vs the division leading Bengals
Because Earl Thomas is out for the season. Why put yourself at risk for a team that won’t commit to you?
 

pappymojo

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Week 7 is the Steelers bye week. He can sign his tender, come back, practice with the team, earn his season of play towards free agency, sign somewhere else next year.

Rumors that the team may seek a roster exemption for two weeks.
 

normstalls

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Week 7 is the Steelers bye week. He can sign his tender, come back, practice with the team, earn his season of play towards free agency, sign somewhere else next year.

Rumors that the team may seek a roster exemption for two weeks.

I could be wrong here...but I think coming back week 7 builds in the 2 week buffer in case Pitt seeks a 2 week roster exemption. That way he is still back in time to accrue a full season (if I have the numbers correct) as well as the calculation of the franchise tag salary that was mentioned above.
 

Vinho Tinto

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Reports had come out over the weekend that Ryan Shazier was now jogging. He just posted a video on Facebook where he deadlifts a bar of at least 155 lbs.
 

NYCSox

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Fire Tomlin and Butler. I mean enough already. Like McCarthy he's gliding by on his one ring thanks to Brady getting hurt. Pure incompetence and gross clock management. Again. Fucking tired of this garbage and tired of Butler's Swiss cheese defense.
 

NYCSox

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If missing the playoffs is what it's going to take to clean house then just lose out and get it over with. Not like they'll do anything if they get in anyway.
 

mr_smith02

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Fire Tomlin and Butler. I mean enough already. Like McCarthy he's gliding by on his one ring thanks to Brady getting hurt. Pure incompetence and gross clock management. Again. Fucking tired of this garbage and tired of Butler's Swiss cheese defense.
This season is 100% on Tomlin's shoulders and it is beyond time for a change.

There is no way the Patriots are losing two games in a row, and there's no way this Steelers team rolls into New Orleans and beats the Saints. So, maybe they manage to trip into the playoffs with a win over the Bengals in the final week of the season. But, shame on the Rooneys if they let a Wild Card loss convince them that Tomlin will do a single thing different than he's done to waste a talent-filled roster this and the past few seasons.

Tomlin's teams are far too cocky and complacent...they frequently overlook lesser talented teams, and consistently play with a lack of urgency (see today's game when they attempted to coast by with a 14-10 lead with Roethlisberger sitting on the bench).

I fully expect a motivated and focused Patriots team to come into Heinz Field next Sunday and lay 40+ on Tomlin, who never seems prepared for whatever Belichick comes up with for a game plan. And, the week after that Brees is going to destroy the Steelers secondary.
 

Helmet Head

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Amen. 8-7-1 won’t be enough anyway for a wild card. The next two games are sure losses.
Next week isn’t a for sure lose. If it was at Gillette, yes but Pats on the road this year are 3-4 and have not really looked good in any of them. Not even close to the same team on the road. I bet the game is going to pretty close to a pick em.
 

NYCSox

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Next week isn’t a for sure lose. If it was at Gillette, yes but Pats on the road this year are 3-4 and have not really looked good in any of them. Not even close to the same team on the road. I bet the game is going to pretty close to a pick em.
Please. Right now Bama would be -6 against these losers.
 

Dehere

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In the 15 seasons since Ben was drafted I don't think any team in the league has had more great players than Pittsburgh. Certainly it's not easy playing your whole career in the same conference as Brady and Peyton but I think Steeler fans are going to eventually look back at Ben's career and realize Cowher/Tomlin should've got more out of the talent.

I'm sort of rooting for them to blow the division and miss the playoffs entirely. It's time for a change.
 

NYCSox

chris hansen of goats
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In the 15 seasons since Ben was drafted I don't think any team in the league has had more great players than Pittsburgh. Certainly it's not easy playing your whole career in the same conference as Brady and Peyton but I think Steeler fans are going to eventually look back at Ben's career and realize Cowher/Tomlin should've got more out of the talent.

I'm sort of rooting for them to blow the division and miss the playoffs entirely. It's time for a change.
I don't think that's fair to Cowher. He got a 15-1 rookie season and then a SB title the next season with Ben before the motorcycle accident wiped out 2006. Once Cowher was able to play someone not named O'Donnell/Tomzcak/Stewart/Maddox, he had playoff success. It's been Tomlin who has squandered the prime years of a HOF QB. Just like McCarthy, which of course makes losing to McCarthy in the SB all the more ironic.

Here are the QBs who beat Cowher in the playoffs - Kelly, Montana, Humphries, Aikman, Bledsoe, Elway, Brady/Bledsoe, McNair and Brady.

And for Tomlin - Garrard, Rodgers, Tebow, Flacco, P. Manning (washed up version), Brady and Bortles.

That's not even close.
 
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mr_smith02

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When I look at the Steelers' losses since Tomlin took over, so many come down to either his teams being unprepared or him being out coached. His record in Pittsburgh exists solely because the roster has been rife with talented players at key positions...still he cannot manage to get his teams to the Super Bowl. Significant changes need to be made...the first of which should be replacing Tomlin. Maybe allowing the AFC North to slip through their hands will be the wake up call the front office needs.
 

NYCSox

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When I look at the Steelers' losses since Tomlin took over, so many come down to either his teams being unprepared or him being out coached. His record in Pittsburgh exists solely because the roster has been rife with talented players at key positions...still he cannot manage to get his teams to the Super Bowl. Significant changes need to be made...the first of which should be replacing Tomlin. Maybe allowing the AFC North to slip through their hands will be the wake up call the front office needs.
He constantly overlooks opponents and doesn't discourage morons like Mike Mitchell from doing likewise. Yesterday was a perfect example. Ben is ready to go back in? Nah the flow is good, we're up four points against a 2-10 joke. With Tomlin, it's not "We're on to [next week's opponent]" it's "We're on to [the Pats/Ravens] in [four weeks]."
 
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dcmissle

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Totally grasp why you’re all pissed — and empathize. Both teams (Pats reference here) are maddeningly inconsistent — which means neither team is particularly good. Merely good enough by the standards of a very mediocre League to have a puncher’s chance.

When you bounce back from a sideways start, string some wins together, THEN backslide, no bueno. There is something missing.

Would make the Steelers the favorite next week because they are the team in the more desperate position and because 4 losses in a row is a lot, even for infuriating underperformers.
 

NYCSox

chris hansen of goats
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Totally grasp why you’re all pissed — and empathize. Both teams (Pats reference here) are maddeningly inconsistent — which means neither team is particularly good. Merely good enough by the standards of a very mediocre League to have a puncher’s chance.

When you bounce back from a sideways start, string some wins together, THEN backslide, no bueno. There is something missing.

Would make the Steelers the favorite next week because they are the team in the more desperate position and because 4 losses in a row is a lot, even for infuriating underperformers.
Never doubt the ability of a Tomlin team to piss away a season after some ridiculous losses.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/2009.htm

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/2012.htm
 
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dcmissle

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Genuine hero, and a living breathing endorsement of getting blown up in Vietnam and following that with a solid NFL career.

We all should look this this good and be this sound of kind and articulate at the age of 72.

 

NYCSox

chris hansen of goats
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There's about 5.7% chance Tomlin is actually let go with a PO appearance, no?
I’m sure they’ll find an excuse to keep him if they win the division. Something something Bell something something Shazier blah blah and he will be back. Which makes this win less than exciting for those of us who want someone new.
 

mr_smith02

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There's about 5.7% chance Tomlin is actually let go with a PO appearance, no?
Unless the Steelers miss the playoffs, I totally expect Tomlin to be back...even if a change is overdue.

Tomlin's fatal flaws were on display once again today. Even trivial things like Antonio Brown dancing on the sideline with teammates while Brady was busy driving into the Red Zone to try to tie things up. Seems trivial at first glance, but is indicative of the approach Tomlin's leadership has foster in the locker room and on the field. Now we get to see if Tomlin's crew realizes today was just a Week 15 win that kept their season alive, or if they spend the week gloating over beating the Pats while Drew Brees and the Saints prepare for a hugely important game.
 

NYCSox

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In about 6.5 hours the division and playoff spot will be lost to a poor man's Michael Vick and a running back named Gus.

#firetomlin
 

DeadlySplitter

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you guys acquitted yourself really well down there.

obviously you'll be looking back at Cleveland tie, losing to the Chargers up 16, and Oakland.
 

tims4wins

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7-2-1 thru week 11 and the 2 seed, and also beat the Pats after that - and still won’t make the playoffs. Kind of unbelievable actually.
 

mr_smith02

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This is 100% on Tomlin.

No matter how many people try to push the "no Bell", "no Conner" or "JuJu fumbled", or "Ridley fumbled" narratives...Tomlin called for a fake punt with a four-point lead, the ball on his on 41 with six minutes left, and one of the league's best QBs waiting with three timeouts. Beyond foolish!

This team lost four of its last five games after holding a lead in the fourth quarter...that comes down to coaching.
 

mr_smith02

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So:
Win plus BAL loss equals division.

Win plus TEN/IND tie equals playoffs.
Yes, that's where this very talented team finds itself.

Hey, I get it, beating the Saints on the road in December, or the Patriots in December, is a tough order, but the reality is they did beat the Pats and had the Saints in a position to take that game. I am more upset about how poorly Tomlin handled games like the ones with Oakland, Denver and San Diego. Tomlin's "player's coach" approach and beyond questionable in-game choices or inaction have led to this and is largely responsible for the fact that the Steelers have won just three playoff games in the past seven seasons...looking like eight now.
 

Vinho Tinto

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Complaining about the punt is misnomer. The Saints needed a TD. I don’t think an additional 30-40 yards is that big a difference in the current NFL. I can buy that if he’s going for it, that they should have had the offense on the field. It also obscures that they had the Saints at 3rd and 20 and allowed them to convert cleanly. No flag necessary. The fumbles were brutal, and a trademark of big losses in the Tomlin era, going back to SB 45.
 

Dick Drago

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I wonder why Stephen Ridley is on the team. He doesn’t seem like the same runner since his injury, and has always been fumble-prone. And I don’t think he plays special teams—there have to be more useful 3rdstring backs out there.
 

BigSoxFan

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I wonder why Stephen Ridley is on the team. He doesn’t seem like the same runner since his injury, and has always been fumble-prone. And I don’t think he plays special teams—there have to be more useful 3rdstring backs out there.
In fairness, he would normally be the 4th string and probably not on the team but LeVeon went AWOL on the team. That situation put a cloud over the season that the Steelers weren’t able to overcome. Conner’s injury effectively ended the Steelers season. Obviously, it’s not the only reason but I highly doubt they lose to Oakland with LeVeon or Conner at RB.
 

NYCSox

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Yes, that's where this very talented team finds itself.

Hey, I get it, beating the Saints on the road in December, or the Patriots in December, is a tough order, but the reality is they did beat the Pats and had the Saints in a position to take that game. I am more upset about how poorly Tomlin handled games like the ones with Oakland, Denver and San Diego. Tomlin's "player's coach" approach and beyond questionable in-game choices or inaction have led to this and is largely responsible for the fact that the Steelers have won just three playoff games in the past seven seasons...looking like eight now.
Exactly. If they had shown half the effort in those three games they would have easily won two if not all three. Which would have made yesterday a throwaway game for bye purposes.
 

bibajesus

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Complaining about the punt is misnomer. The Saints needed a TD. I don’t think an additional 30-40 yards is that big a difference in the current NFL. I can buy that if he’s going for it, that they should have had the offense on the field. It also obscures that they had the Saints at 3rd and 20 and allowed them to convert cleanly. No flag necessary. The fumbles were brutal, and a trademark of big losses in the Tomlin era, going back to SB 45.
You don't think that almost half a football field makes a difference?
 

Vinho Tinto

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You don't think that almost half a football field makes a difference?
It’s not irrelevant, but the Saints at home with 4:00 left can easily regain that field back. They earned 33 yards in the first half on a questionable interference call and converted a 3rd and 20 on the winning drive. I felt the Steelers best defense was their offense in NO.

The fumbles by Ridley and JuJu were much more damaging. Like the fake punt, it’s fair to second guess Tomlin on not having Big Ben pass over a handoff to Ridley.
 

mr_smith02

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They should fire Tomlin, but they won't. The game in Baltimore today showed there's a changing of the guard underway in the AFC North...Pittsburgh needs a change.