By Nunnie Robinson, Westside Gazette Sports Editor
The critics and naysayers, specifically sports writers and pundits, are unleashing their verbal assaults at the Steelers’ continuing saga of losing first round playoff games with specific vitriol directed toward head coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Russell Wilson. After enjoying early success with a 10-3 start, Pittsburgh has suffered 5 consecutive losses including this week’s WildCard defeat at the hands of the rival Baltimore Ravens 28-14. Closer scrutiny of their recent tailspin reveals an average to good team incapable talent wise of defeating the best AFC teams. Losing to the 2 inferior opponents in regular season – the Colts and Browns – left no room for error. Their 4 regular season consecutive defeats came against the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals, all highly seeded and playoff bound except for the Bengals, a hot team on a winning streak fighting for a playoff spot along with the Dolphins and Broncos. The Steelers are a well coached but flawed team needing improvement in several areas: offensive line, receiver, and secondary. Name a starting quarterback who could have done better with this Steelers team as presently constructed. And Mike Tomlin is a coaching guru, an icon, who has the right to write his own ending in Pittsburgh. Besides, half of the NFL teams didn’t even make the playoffs. The studio experts need to temper their bias and righteous indignation. We all realize that the NFL is a bottom line business.Two reporters on Around the Horn picked the Los Angelas Chargers over the Houston Texans Saturday because the coach and quarterback were better. Demeco Ryans and CJ Stroud proved otherwise.
The Rooney Rule, designed to ensure minority inclusion in interviewing/hiring, is a useless and hypocritical sports concept. Why do you think that way Nunnie, you may be conjecturing. The Patriots interviewed 2 minority coaches, then summarily hired Mike Vrabel, former New England SB winning player and Tennessee Titans coach. It was foregone conclusion!
My pick to win the Super Bowl is Lamar
Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. They are on a collision coarse with the Buffalo Bills en route to the AFC Championship.
My ambivalence in the semi final contest between Penn St. and Notre Dame left me twisted, knotted up and exhausted. I thought the Fighting Irish’s Marcus Freeman could survive a loss, while James Franklin was under much more scrutiny because of his abysmal record in big games. Though his junior quarterback failed him, the head coach always gets the blame. Franklin suffers another heartbreaking, devastating defeat, leaving the historic first CFP championship to be played between 2 storied programs -Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Go Irish!!!
