Joe Starkey’s mailbag: Should Steelers trade Russell Wilson, and how awful was Mike Tomlin’s performance?
Joe Starkey / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Welcome to Joe Starkey's mailbag, where the Post-Gazette columnist and 93.7 The Fan radio host answers your questions about sports, life, Lawrence McCutcheon and everything in between. If you want to ask Joe a question, tweet him at @JoeStarkey1 or email him at [email protected]. On to the questions …
DC Pitt Fan, @hailtopitt2005: Hi Joe. Many in SteelerNation subscribe to the “Tomlin Special” (coming out flat & seeming unprepared against an inferior team 1 game per year). What say you? I’m guessing other teams do it, too, but I don’t remember it with Cowher or Belichick or Dungy back in the day. It seemed like those teams only lost to other good teams. But maybe therein lies the problem, and the Steelers just haven’t been a really good team in a long time. Your thoughts?
Starkey: A lot there, Dr. Fan, and I’m not about to conduct a study on bad losses, but I will say this: Tomlin — whom I was complimenting just last week — had one of his worst performances Sunday at Indy.
I mean, it was a disaster.
Start with this: He got badly out-schemed by Colts coach Shane Steichen again. Going from when the Steelers took a 13-0 lead last season at Indy to the middle of the second quarter Sunday, Steichen’s offense (he calls the plays) had outscored Tomlin and Co., 47-0.
Going back to Steichen’s time as Eagles offensive coordinator, we can measure his past three games against Tomlin’s defenses. In those three games, Steichen has put up 92 points and 1,131 yards.
Now consider everything else Tomlin did and didn’t do Sunday:
• He kept a timeout in his “hip pocket” when the Steelers were utterly discombobulated going into a 4th-and-11 play with 37 seconds left, later explaining that “pace” sometimes helps an offense against a defense. Right, so I guess calling timeout would have stopped all the positive momentum that led to a 4th-and-11. The Steelers really had the Colts on the run, didn’t they?
What is he talking about?
• Tomlin threw a challenge flag on the first play of the second quarter, when everybody watching the game could see that Indy receiver Josh Downs made the catch. It was truly mind-boggling.
• He DIDN’T throw a challenge flag when Najee Harris looked to have converted a 3rd-and-2 shortly before the Downs catch. It sure looked like Harris dived over the first-down line.
• On the very next play, Tomlin allowed offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to turn a 4th-and-inches into essentially a 4th-and-5 by putting Justin Fields in the shotgun. Fields was stopped shy of the first down. Is there a reason you wouldn’t line up your 6-foot-3, 230-pound quarterback behind Zach Frazier on that play, with Najee pushing from behind, and simply move forward six inches? If you were ever going to waste a timeout, that might have been the spot — as soon as Tomlin heard Smith’s call.
• Instead, Tomlin’s wasted timeout came later in the game. He inexplicably used one with 6:06 left in regulation, after the Steelers stopped the Colts on a third-down play to create a 4th-and-5, just before Matt Gay’s 35-yard field goal. Why would anybody use a timeout in that incredibly benign situation?
• Tomlin did not let Chris Boswell attempt a 58- or 59-yard field goal on the Steelers’ first series (depending on the spot), even though Boswell is the most accurate long-range kicker in NFL history and has already easily banged field goals of 57, 56, 53 and 50 yards this season. He crushed the 50-yarder late in the first half Sunday. This is now the second straight year Tomlin has eschewed a Boswell field goal indoors at Indy in order to punt from well into Colts territory (last year he punted from the Colts 39). Didn’t Tomlin a few weeks ago say Boswell always wants “the long ball” and that he isn’t hesitant to give Boswell those opportunities? Because it sure seems like he’s hesitant.
Did I miss anything? That’s what you call a coach losing you a game in the National Football League. An all-around horrendous performance.
PAM_8743, @TeddysRoommate: Should the Steelers trade Russ to the Dolphins? And if so, at what price? The MNF performance is atrocious.
Starkey: Yes, it’s clear the Dolphins need a quarterback. That is not in question, Dr. 8743, and Adam Schefter recently suggested they call the Steelers about Wilson. I’d certainly listen. If the Dolphins or any other team wants to get crazy here and start throwing around high draft picks, of course I’m listening. But outside of that unlikely scenario, I’m keeping Wilson as a backup.
I think Wilson represents an advantage over most other teams’ backups, and we all know how difficult it is for starters to stay healthy (and yes, for now, I’m calling Justin Fields the starter even if Wilson is deemed healthy). Having two quality quarterbacks on the roster is a good thing.
Also, consider the state of the offensive line. Fields was sacked four times and hit nine time against the Colts. If he remains the starter, he’s going to have a difficult time staying healthy.
No offense to Kyle Allen, but I’m not that eager to see him in a game.
Brian Bresnehan, @icecold_brez: I am once again asking why teams (like the Dolphins) don’t go out and get competent backup QBs (like Joe Flacco) every offseason? - Clarence, from Clarion
Starkey: Thank you, Clarence, see answer above. It really is amazing, considering how difficult it is for starters to make it through a season. Consider that three of the four starting quarterbacks in the AFC North missed games on account of injury last season.
Jay, @Crossland895: Hi Joe! Watt is a game wrecker. But teams are going to find a way to neutralize him at times. Who’s going to pick it up when Watt is having an off game? It seems like this defense only goes as far as Watt takes them. As much as payroll the this defense eats up, that’s a crime.
Starkey: Good question, Dr. J, and we all know the story: The Steelers usually win when Watt plays, and they usually lose when he doesn’t. The stat is at once a huge compliment to Watt and a complete of indictment of his team: According to statmuse.com, they are 72-34-2 when Watt plays and 1-10 when he doesn’t.
No defense should be that dependent on one player, no matter how great he is. Remember when the 1995 Steelers went to the Super Bowl after Rod Woodson was lost for the season in Game 1?
Runnin’ Ref Rick, @PadreRico: RIP, Charlie Hustle. I’ll remember him for two things:
1 — The hustle & passion with which he played. I saw it live.
2 — Perhaps the most stubborn man on the face of the earth.
Your thoughts on Pete, Dr. Starkey?
Ed Helinski, @MrEd315: Hey Joe, how will you remember Pete Rose?
Starkey: I’ll remember Pete Rose as the quintessential love-him-if-he’s-on-your-team, hate-him-as-an-opponent player, gentlemen. And he was never on my team. You hated him because he was so good and so intense. That’s a compliment.
I was blown away with some of the numbers in the stories I read Monday — especially that he had at least 200 hits 10 times! Think about that.
I do believe Rose should in the Baseball Hall of Fame because I believe the only criterion should be what you did on the field as a player. His post-playing career clearly did not go well. He bet on baseball. He bet on the Reds. He lied about it all for years. He was obviously a troubled man. But you asked me how I’ll remember him, and it’s as a player, and an annoyingly great one.
Brian’s Misadventures, @G950Brian: Does any pro sport understand or execute their own rules worse than the nfl? Homer team favoritism aside, it's like they only make calls based on game situations. Offensive holding doesn't exist on 1st or 2nd down but sure does on third, for example. Hard to watch at times.
Starkey: I’ll say you this much, Dr. Mis: The NFL is becoming more and more unwatchable because of the zebras. It’s one flag after another. I don’t usually tune out football games, but I have done it twice recently because it’s simply not entertaining. I’d rather do something else.
I saw this number, two weeks into the season, and it squared with what my eyes were telling me: “The number of penalties called against the offense over the first two weeks of the season has increased every year for the last three years, from 183 in 2022, to 196 in 2023, to 217 this year.”
Yes, that. All while explosive pass plays go the way of the Brontosaurus. It’s not like people are going to stop watching the NFL, no matter what. It’s only increasing in popularity. But from this vantage point, it’s the worst product they’ve put out in years.
Skip Bittman, @BittmanSkip: NFL referees get so much camera time they are more recognizable to me than the players. Are there too many rules?
Starkey: Yes! See above. It’s a clown show.
Dylan Harrison, @iAmDylanH: Greetings Dr. Starkey. I'm beginning to think the main problem with Steelers o line is Dr. Pat Meyer. Why was Artie not allowed to bring in his own line coach when he was hired? Or was he and just elected to keep Dr. Meyer? Thank you kindly.
Starkey: I do not know if Artie was given the choice on line coaches. My feeling is no, but I will ask Dr. Brian Batko and get back to you. I’m not sure if there’s a problem here with the coaching, either, Dr. Harrison. Dan Moore has gotten better. Zach Frazier looks good. Broderick Jones, I will acknowledge, is struggling (and he should get off social media).
Jim Lillicotch, @Lillicotch: I would sign Fields today. Any chance the Steelers will?
Starkey: Not during the season, Dr. L, unless they are willing to part with franchise tradition — and I don’t think Omar Khan is inclined to do that. Besides, we all need to see more before we’re ready to sign the guy ... right?
Say What, @saywhat95: What should MLB be considering to create a competitive product across their teams? *Stares in 86 million dollar payroll*
Starkey: The Pirates’ payroll is an annual joke, Dr. What. That much is obviously true. But don’t blame MLB’s financial system. Teams overcome low payrolls all the time with competent player acquisition and development. Consider that four of the bottom 10 payrolls in the sport made the playoffs.
Barry Sherry, @TrekRef: With Chloe Dyhart taking second in the World Cycling championships, Kristin Faulkner winning the road race at the Olympics and Quinn Simmons finishing ninth yesterday, are you feeling more optimistic about the future of USA Cycling?
Starkey: I sure am, Dr. Sherry, and if Simmons ever finishes eighth, look out!
Joe Starkey: jstarkey@post-gazette.com and @joestarkey1 on X. Joe Starkey can be heard on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.