Steelers/NFL
Bears 23 – 
Steelers 17 (OT)
The biggest storyline out of a pitiful performance from the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday afternoon wasn’t muffing a punt and having a field goal blocked in the first half or getting gashed on the ground for 220 yards or the offense putting on a pathetic performance based on the opponent.
It was the Steelers deciding not to participate in the National Anthem.
The Steelers protested the actions of Donald Trump by making a statement of staying in the locker room during the National Anthem of Sunday’s 23-17 loss to the Chicago Bears.
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Mike Tomlin and a few coaches stood alone on the sidelines while Alejando Villanueva was the only player to stand for the anthem on the field.
So what came to the decision to bail on the anthem?
“It wasn’t my decision,” Tomlin said. To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Tomlin was then asked about Villanueva being the only player to come out for the anthem.
“Like I said, I was looking for a hundred percent To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
Does Tomlin blame the distraction on the Steelers performance?
“I don’t,” Tomlin said. “I really think that probably more than anything, it minimized it as a distraction. Once we came to that determination it was business as unusual. The big thing is that we remain united.”
The Steelers playing down to competition has became a staple of the Tomlin era. It happens every year, it’s frustrating but it doesn’t always derail the Steelers season by any means.
Last season in week 3 the Steelers were blown out of the water by Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles. Pittsburgh would still go on and reach the AFC Title game.
Still, as bad as the Steelers defense was in stopping the run, this loss was all on the offense.
There’s just not something right here and there shouldn’t be any excuses.
The poor play on the road has been a combination of things
The o-line has been largely inconsistent through three games and the loss of Marcus Gilbert was huge in the loss to the Bears.
Le’Veon Bell continues to show no explosiveness in his legs and looks a step slow. Even with Martavis Bryant back, the wide receiver group is lacking a consistent No. 2 guy behind Brown.
Bryant took advantage of some mismatches in week 2 with the Vikings, hauling in 3 catches for 91 yards, but was non-existent for the second time in three games today, catching just two balls for 30 yards on 8 targets.
Juju Smith-Shuster has been beast in the blocking department and had 2 catches for 39 yards vs the Bears, including a 25 yard grab, but he’s not a difference maker yet as a receiver.
Bryant needs to be that guy right now.
Then there’s Ben Roethlisberger who remains very good but a trend is a trend when it comes to how he and this offense performs on the road.
It’s early but Ben has also looked like a 35 year old quarterback when you watch him at times this season.
The Steelers are a superman performance from Antonio Brown in week 1 of being 1-2 right now.
#BlackCocksMatter
strong point Same.
Villanueva’s jersey is the fastest selling over the past 24 hours, per Bleacher Report.
I bet the jersey buyers are all racist according to Democrat media and Npl
I think Villanueva is a brown person, so that’s gonna be a tough one to reconcile, chubby.
http://www.bobcesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Disrespect.jpg
It’d be funny…and ironic…if it was only rednecks that felt this way. The dent this has made in the NFL ratings has suggested otherwise.
I dont disagree with that. But my biggest issue is the President of the United States being more critical of people of color for using their platform to peacefully protest an injustice than he was of white supremacists who sought to invoke violence and anger.
I understand there are those who are turned off by players taking a knee during the anthem for legitimate reasons, like it potentially being disrespectful to the soldiers who fought for our freedoms. And it was insanely bad optics by the Steelers having their Army veteran LT standing alone yesterday. But, some of those veterans are also people of color, who get to come home and be disrespected on a daily basis by the divisive rhetoric from the president, the police and justice system, among other social injustices encountered.
I actually don’t have a problem with anyone protesting. I also don’t have a problem with them being criticized FOR protesting. I think Trump made a bad decision bringing it up in the regard that he did – he should have made a comment that they’re exercising their right, and while he believes that this is further divisive (which I agree with), they have every right to do as they’re doing, and NFL owners have every right to react how they see fit (and not signing a shittty backup QB like Kaepernick because he carries too much baggage is included… Read more »
Racist comment lol
Culture has nothing to do with it
Well said Stanch. Agree wholeheartedly.
https://twitter.com/mmfa/status/912416051081748481
Social injustice, racial inequality, and systemic oppression – the latter which leads to black on black crime like what seems to be a common talking point/distraction. This isn’t just about cops killing innocent blacks, or police brutality. Its only a part of it.
I think Gregg Popovich said it best when he said, “we still have no clue what being born white means.”
Did you just quote Gregg Popovich? Really.
Gregg Popovich’s white guilt aside (which he almost has to have given his job, otherwise you wouldn’t have one player listening to you), this country has never been more “equal” than it is right now. And that’s not to say that we don’t have a fair distance to go to “get there.” Black on black crime is neither to be excused, nor used as a common talking point / distraction. It’s a reality. It’s a problem. And it’s ho-hummed away by the black community, because it’s their black eye that nobody wants to talk about. It’s impossible to sit there… Read more »
Yeah – what of it? I said I had no issue with their right to protest. But you’ve also gotta understand something. When some random news douche says something like “yeah, but they’re not protesting the anthem or the flag, that’s not what this is about,” and then you hear 40,000 people booing because they take it as disrespect of the anthem and the flag, well, perception is reality my friend, and there’s going to be some fallout from that.
Lol thumbs down. No intelligent rebuttal, just dont like the sound of it!
Drop dead fatso
Thats not nice. Youd miss me if I pasted away.
That’s two for Same.
Charlottesville? And what did the “white supremists” do? They pulled a permit to protest the removal of a statue commemorating American history? Im not a sympathizer but most firsthand reports placed the blame for violence on both sides. No culpability for the dudes, without an organizing permit, that showed up weilding weapons and wearing black scarves over their faces?
Dude, that had nothing to do with the South’s participation trophies, and you know it. There were no chants to keep the statue, or preserve the history of the rebels who once attempted to break up the union. But there were plenty of hateful chants like “blood and soil” and “Jews will not replace us”, and “white lives matter” as well as one counter protestor dead after being run over by a white nationalist and another white nationalist shouting “nlgger” before shooting a gun at young black man. This is ALL on video and cannot be disputed. You say you… Read more »
How could you be so hateful of the confederate flag, the General Lee was the coolest car in the south
NPL, on a serious note, do you think the civil war was fought because of difference among the states over slavery alone?
And white land v s do matter. Really nothing hateful and racist about that.
Classic lefties. As soon as you disagree with them they characterize you as a racist or misogynist. Got a love the left preaching tolerance. Fuckking hypocrites.
I think it would be counterintuitive for the “left” to tolerate racists and misogynists, no?
How about blacks killing blacks in Chicago under obamas watch about 4000 people died in 8 years of his presidency
And for the right, too. Do you condone cop killers and the Antifa?
These kinds of losses cost the Steelers from hosting AFC Championship games. 220 yards given up against the rush is unacceptable. Bell should make up another rap about what he’s worth now.
Where to start….Tomlin is a clown. He should never have let the players make this decision. Trying to pass it off after the fact as “unity” is insulting. DePaoli, please don’t try to defend Big Overrated. Dude hasn’t been good all year.
the hell with the n f l
I just can’t take the NFL seriously anymore.
Ray Lewis took a knee today. He killed a man 15 years ago.
And got away with it
I assumed that was implied. If he hadn’t got away with it, he’d have been on both knees yesterday.
Black Lives Matter
Racist.