Is it Finally Time for Keith Butler to Go?

Steeler Nation · Sep 18, 2018

The Steelers defense has been a mess for years. The offense, on the other hand, is always explosive and consistently puts points the boards. You can’t ask for more. But the defense consists of draft bust after draft bust. And sure you could blame that on General Manager Kevin Colbert, but it isn’t a lack […]

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Drink IRON City · Sep 18, 2018

If Butler is the root of the problem then yes, fire him. I see weather it's butler or coaching from the top, Butler is a casualty. NOW go out on a limb and speculate the real feelings of coaching change. This lackadaisical player / coach / preparedness / ect. Have been going on for a MUCH longer time than Butler has been DC. If and when we are sitting under achieving in our home, on the couch, watching the playoffs then TOMLIN must go because anything less is a HUGE failure with the talent on this team.

Salute the nation

slashsteel · Sep 18, 2018

Drink IRON City said:
If Butler is the root of the problem then yes, fire him. I see weather it's butler or coaching from the top, Butler is a casualty. NOW go out on a limb and speculate the real feelings of coaching change. This lackadaisical player / coach / preparedness / ect. Have been going on for a MUCH longer time than Butler has been DC. If and when we are sitting under achieving in our home, on the couch, watching the playoffs then TOMLIN must go because anything less is a HUGE failure with the talent on this team.

Salute the nation

Press conference they asked Tomlin does he call the D plays, he said no.

Time to let Butler answer the door, then exit through it.

Steeler Pride · Sep 18, 2018

slashsteel said:
Press conference they asked Tomlin does he call the D plays, he said no.

Time to let Butler answer the door, then exit through it.

Tomlin said he took over a lot of defensive play calling half way thru the year last year...was he lying then or lying now? If you take away play calling from the DC last season why did you allow him to return in the same position? This entire scenario makes NO sense what so ever. It defies any reasonable logic.

AggieSteel · Sep 18, 2018

None of this makes sense. If Tomlin runs the defense, he should be fired or he should hire someone who can run the defense well without him interfering.

If he doesn’t run the defense, then Butler should be fired (and should have been a long time ago, tbh). Either way we’re back to the same answer: whoever runs the defense needs to stop doing it, and the solution is not on the current staff

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JMM · Sep 18, 2018

It's not just Butler. Take a look at the Points Against over the course of the past several years. Since 2012 its >308.

https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/seasons

Geez during the 70s it was consistently in the mid to upper 100s

Gave up 421 in 1988. Good times man, good times.

Steeler Pride · Sep 18, 2018

JMM said:
It's not just Butler. Take a look at the Points Against over the course of the past several years. Since 2012 its >308.

https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/seasons

Geez during the 70s it was consistently in the mid to upper 100s

Comparing the NFL of the 2000's to the 1970's is pointless. This is a passing and high scoring league that didn't exist in the 70's.

AggieSteel · Sep 18, 2018

Essentially.. Butler should be fired whether he runs the defense or not because either way demonstrates incompetence.

The question is how accountable is Tomlin and should he also be fired, or is t sufficient to just hire a new DC and have Tomlin focus on cleaning up the culture around the team (which doesn’t appear possible either tbh)?

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JMM · Sep 18, 2018

Steeler Pride said:
Comparing the NFL of the 2000's to the 1970's is pointless. This is a passing and high scoring league that didn't exist in the 70's.

SP, sorry but I'm not comparing the two as an argument for current events, just trying to show how this is not a recent trend. Thought it interesting to also see how strong the D was back in the day....Why am I bothering to explain this?

nitsuj1225 · Sep 18, 2018

Steeler Pride said:
Tomlin said he took over a lot of defensive play calling half way thru the year last year...was he lying then or lying now? If you take away play calling from the DC last season why did you allow him to return in the same position? This entire scenario makes NO sense what so ever. It defies any reasonable logic.

Not to mention the D went downhill fast once Tomlin supposedly took over play calling last season.

Steeler Pride · Sep 18, 2018

JMM said:
SP, sorry but I'm not comparing the two as an argument for current events, just trying to show how this is not a recent trend. Thought it interesting to also see how strong the D was back in the day....Why am I bothering to explain this?

Sorry JMM, I read it as you comparing the 70's points against to current points against. I didn't see where you commented on the recent trend. That's my bad!

MT~Forged · Sep 18, 2018

nitsuj1225 said:
Not to mention the D went downhill fast once Tomlin supposedly took over play calling last season.

But they blamed that on the loss of Shazier. What will it be this year, probably the same thing.

Steeler Pride · Sep 18, 2018

MT~Forged said:
But they blamed that on the loss of Shazier. What will it be this year, probably the same thing.

There is a LOT of revisionist history with regards to Shazier. Yes, he was a play maker and yes his story is incredible, but pinning all of the defensive woes on him being injured is a fallacy. This defense was being exposed and giving up 4th quarter leads long before Shazier was hurt last year.

Harry_BZAC · Sep 18, 2018

Check out this article....makes me sick!

https://Invalid Link - Check SN Hom...-butlers-defense-is-terrifyingly-predictable/

Drink IRON City · Sep 18, 2018

MT~Forged said:
But they blamed that on the loss of Shazier. What will it be this year, probably the same thing.

LACK of communication seems to be the common excuse taken from Hilton interview.

Salute the nation

jitter77 · Sep 18, 2018

Harry_BZAC said:
Check out this article....makes me sick!

https://Invalid Link - Check SN Hom...-butlers-defense-is-terrifyingly-predictable/

If you read this article its not lack of communication it is just a terrible scheme. You have 2 DBs blitzing who are supposed to be protected by one safety who rotates to that side. Then you have Watt lined up man to man with Watkins and they did this 2 plays in a row??

Coach · Sep 18, 2018

jitter77 said:
If you read this article its not lack of communication it is just a terrible scheme. You have 2 DBs blitzing who are supposed to be protected by one safety who rotates to that side. Then you have Watt lined up man to man with Watkins and they did this 2 plays in a row??

Didn't the press say Tomlin was running the defense? Butler should not be the fall guy, the guy who hired should be the one who's out.

slashsteel · Sep 18, 2018

Coach said:
Didn't the press say Tomlin was running the defense? Butler should not be the fall guy, the guy who hired should be the one who's out.

Then you don't believe Tomlin when he said today he doesn't call the plays.

steeltruckin · Sep 18, 2018

Butler should have been fired right after the loss to Jacksonville.

Drink IRON City · Sep 18, 2018

slashsteel said:
Then you don't believe Tomlin when he said today he doesn't call the plays.

Either way it's a **** STORM. If Tomlin is or isn't calling the plays it's still a pretty simple **** storm. If the "D" can't dial it up then we are in for a long season. If that truly is the case I see some one being terminated mid season. I don't think the "D" has to step up a whole bunch because just two stops in either game would give a victory instead of tie or loss. CAN Butler muster a small degree of step up, we will have to wait and see. Is Tomlin setting defensive scheme over the DC, well there are just to many questions but none the less currently it's a **** SHOW on "D". Here's to hoping something positive happens and quick.

Salute the nation

FAB802 · Sep 18, 2018

When Cleveland's offense struggled because we were blitzing and getting pressure, some ******** decided to rush three the entire 4th quarter and let them back in the game. I don't know, nor care who is in charge of that group of back ups. Someone has to be held accountable, but nobody will. Other than Tuitt, Heyward and Watt right now the rest of the defense is roster filer worthy. Haden is older and hurt so for now I guess he gets a pass. The rest stink. The front office brings in the players, and the last few years the players they've added to our defense are pathetic for the most part. A great DC isn't getting anything out of this group, we lack talent in the back field and there's nothing they can do about it mid season.

AggieSteel · Sep 18, 2018

Let’s not dump on the players yet. I think we have competent enough players at more positions than you think. I’d like to see a scheme that actually works and isn’t completely predictable and see how our tune changes about our group of players

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stillwright · Sep 18, 2018

From the article, they are not making adjustments because they don't want to overload some of the players. So Watt was left out in single coverage on Watkins 2 plays in a row. If I am our DC I count my blessings the first time it happened and Watkins only ran a curl route. For it to happen again the very next play on the over throw is just disturbing.

jitter77 · Sep 18, 2018

KC saw the mismatch and attempted to exploit it. We saw the mismatch and ran the same play again. I just do not understand the thinking defensively at all.

Steelers4us · Sep 18, 2018

Butler and Tomlin need to help each other pack their stuff up and get out of town.

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Is it Finally Time for Keith Butler to Go?

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