Not Much Personnel Change During the Bye Week For the Steelers

Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Besides Mike Adams’ demotion and the trade for Levi Brown last week, the status quo essentially remains in Pittsburgh. Although I agree that not much can be done to fix this sorry team for them to go on a postseason run this year, at least some changes could stand to benefit the Steelers as they begin to trudge through some nasty rebuilding campaigns.

With changes and potential upgrades in mind, here are some that I would still like to see before Pittsburgh heads to New York:

• Ryan Clark should be riding the pine. Clark, who seems like he has one arm already in Bristol and the other missing tackles, is still holding onto his job after some of the most dreadful play I have ever seen from the safety position over the last month. Although Shamarko Thomas and Robert Golden are behind Clark on the depth chart, consider who will be playing more games at free safety for this team in 2013. The lolleygaging veteran whose contract is up at the end of the season? Or the two youngsters, one of whom (Thomas) was drafted to replace Clark in the first place?

• Enough of this nonsense with rotating rookie Jarvis Jones and Jason Worilds, make a decision at the position and stand by it. If Worilds has not proven himself to be a full-time starter by the final year of his rookie deal, then sit the former second round pick for the rookie while he takes his lumps. If however you as a coaching staff need to see more out of Worilds during the final 12 games, then let Jones ride the bench and only contribute in sub-package situations.

• Install more of the no-huddle offense for next weekend’s game plan versus the Jets. The Steelers’ offense has performed at its best during those situations in which the team is in a hurry-up attack. With Antonio Brown, Jerricho Cotchery, Emmanuel Sanders, and Heath Miller to target in the passing game, New York’s secondary will have a difficult time containing all four of them. Plus, Le’Veon Bell’s skills as a pass-protector, pass-catcher, and runner should come into play as well.

• With the receivers in mind, make Derek Moye active for next week’s game. Even if Markus Wheaton’s finger is fine, Pittsburgh should be suiting up six wide receivers and relegating one of their tight ends like David Paulson or Michael Plamer to the “inactives list.” Moye is too much of a valuable red zone target to sit on the bench, and neither tight end possesses the type of athleticism that the 6’5″ former Nittany Lion does.

Those are just four of the immediate changes I would still like to see made by Pittsburgh’s brass, but I would not bet on any of those things actually happening under the Mike Tomlin regime. Of course, back in 2009, Tomlin stated the following when it came to his team which was then in the midst of an extended losing streak according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

"We can’t stay status quo in terms of how we’re approaching this and expect the pattern of behavior or outcome to change. That’s unrealistic. That’s hoping. This is not a hope business."

Well after the lack of changes made during the bye week, it looks like Tomlin and his coaching staff are “hoping” that Levi Brown will solve all of their current problems. Of course, Tomlin can “hope” in one hand and “crap” in the other and see which one fills up first before the Steelers finish in the cellar of the AFC North this fall.

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