Mularkey not an offensive guru?

[Bill Brasky]

I was just thinking about how everyone was praising him for bringing back lost QB's like Kordell and Tommy Maddox...

But last year Pitt's offense sucked. This year Mularkey's of Pittsburgh and their offense has gotten better with a rookie QB still learning the system and sub-par backfield with Staley and a prehistoric Jerome Bettis. Mularkey's in Buffalo and our offense is just as bad -- if not worse -- than it was last year. Just a thought, but maybe Pittsburgh's offense wasn't a product of Mularkey's coaching like everyone once thought

[Mr. Miyagi]

Maybe it was all Cowher?

[LABillsFan]

Maybe there was more to work with in Pitts.

[Bill Brasky]

Maybe there was more to work with in Pitts.

Still doesn't explain why the offense went from pitiful to above-average after he left... the only addition they made in the off-season was Duce Staley... and rookie QB's rarely come in have the success that BR has had thus far.

[The_Philster]

Didn't the Steelers deal with a lot of injuries on offense last year?

[TigerJ]

I don't know a lot about Pittsburgh, but I think they were dealinng with a lot of injuries that affected what the offence could do last year. Duce Staley and an ancient Jerome Bettis are better than Amos Zeroue and an injured jerome Bettis.

Also, don't forget that Pittsburgh still has Tommy Maddox. They were perfectly willing to let Maddox start this season and groom Roethlisberger for next year. It's just that Roethlisberger has outplayed Maddox so that there is no good reason not to play him. While Maddox had one good season, without a running game (see above) he was no longer effective last year.

[TedMock]

The Pittsburgh offense was 2 and 3 in his first two years as OC. Last year, the starting OL didn't actually play as one unit until December. Apparently depth at OL was an issue there. As we all know, without a line it doesn't really matter how good everybody else is. I think Mularky did prove that he's a good offensive coach. Injuries hurt him more than anything in his 3rd year.

[LABillsFan]

[QUOTE= the only addition they made in the off-season was Duce Staley[/QUOTE]

Exactly. They don't have a totally revamped O coaching staff and have had the same head coach for how long? Plus they aren't starting second stringers in the secondary and they most likely have the same players on the on line who actually are playing the position they were signed to play. This is going to take time with MM and until some issues with personel are addressed the O is going to struggle.

[TedMock]

This is my response from another thread last week. I actually went and looked up all the numbers at that point......

To be fair, in 2003 Pittsburgh didn't play with their starting 5 OL until December. The line had been decimated by injuries all year, hence the 22nd ranking.

In 2002, Pittsburgh was 10-5-1, 4th in Total Offense, 8th in points, 8th in passing yards, and 9th in rushing yards.....top ten in every major category. Tommy Maddox was comeback player of the year.

In 2001, Mularky's first season as OC, Pittsburgh was 13-3, 3rd in Total Offense, 7th in points, 22nd in Passing Yards, and 1st in rushing yards. Kordell Stewart was temporarily resurrected and made the pro-bowl. Top ten in most categories.

These were quietly fantastic offenses. I don't see any way that we couldn't have thought of Mularky as a very good offensive coach.

[The_Philster]

amazing...an offense that doesn't perform well with a poor O-line

[cordog]

I was just thinking about how everyone was praising him for bringing back lost QB's like Kordell and Tommy Maddox...

But last year Pitt's offense sucked. This year Mularkey's of Pittsburgh and their offense has gotten better with a rookie QB still learning the system and sub-par backfield with Staley and a prehistoric Jerome Bettis. Mularkey's in Buffalo and our offense is just as bad -- if not worse -- than it was last year. Just a thought, but maybe Pittsburgh's offense wasn't a product of Mularkey's coaching like everyone once thought

they had alot of o-line injuries last year. I wouldnt call their backfield this year subpar. Duce is going over a hundred every game. Yesterday he had 98 on 17 carries. If Bettis wasnt coming in on the goal line we would be talking about Staley as having a break out year. Last year the running game was horrible but this year its pretty solid

[justasportsfan]

Didn't the Steelers deal with a lot of injuries on offense last year?

yup, their OL was depleted and Zero was their rb.

[Mr. Cynical]

If MM starts TH instead of WM next week (if healthy), then he definitely doesn't deserve the guru title. There's no way anybody is going to convince me that WM is not the better back at this point.

[EDS]

If MM starts TH instead of WM next week (if healthy), then he definitely doesn't deserve the guru title. There's no way anybody is going to convince me that WM is not the better back at this point.

I am as excited as anyone about WM's potential but we need to take a step back here. He has had ONE good game. Ruben Droughns has twice as many good games in his career. Same with Chester Taylor, Jamal Lewis' fill-in. I think Willis will be the man, but I am going to need another game or two before I anoint him the savior.

Henry started slow last year as well and then picked it up. Henry is a good back. Hopefully McGahee will be a great back, but he has not proven that yet.

[Mr. Cynical]

I am as excited as anyone about WM's potential but we need to take a step back here. He has had ONE good game. Ruben Droughns has twice as many good games in his career. Same with Chester Taylor, Jamal Lewis' fill-in. I think Willis will be the man, but I am going to need another game or two before I anoint him the savior.

Henry started slow last year as well and then picked it up. Henry is a good back. Hopefully McGahee will be a great back, but he has not proven that yet.

I agree, so MM needs to llet him prove it by playing him. He can't prove it when he only gets 6-7 carries. He needs at least 10 just to warm up.