NPC’s NFL Power Rankings Wrapup: Pittsburgh Steelers, Week 15

Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers are now in for a long winter. Now shouldered with a 5-8 record, the Steelers are now playing for pride and jobs next season after their most recent loss to the Miami Dolphins.

So how far did Pittsburgh actually fall this week in NFL Power Rankings around the country? Take a look below to find out, readers:

"The Steelers could have had a “band is on the field” moment, if only Antonio Brown had stayed on the field.-Mike Florio (Pro Football Talk, Ranked #23)"

Well played, Mr. Florio. Well played indeed. I think that the fact that the almost-miracle play failed on something so ridiculous was fitting when one considers how much of a cluster-f#$* Pittsburgh’s season has been.

"Ben Roethlisberger is now the franchise leader in touchdown passes in Pittsburgh. His 215 are three more than Terry Bradshaw.-Brian Billick (FOX Sports.com, Ranked #19)"

Kudos must go to Roethlisberger for shining so much this fall despite the fact that the rest of his team is an undisciplined mess. The Steelers are in the midst of wasting the best seasons of their franchise signal-caller, and I hope that they can get things under control before he either retires or leaves.

"It’s looking like another non-playoff season for the Steelers. Does that bring the heat on Mike Tomlin?-Pete Prisco (CBS Sports.com, Ranked #22)"

I would hope that the heat is on Tomlin. Not only will his pathetic team be sitting at home for a second consecutive January, the jagoff cost Pittsburgh a draft pick when he tried to interfere with a play on the field. To be fair to Tomlin, Bill Cowher had three postseason-less seasons during his tenure. I just hope that the front office axes Tomlin if his streak extends to four.

"Ryan Tannehill was 8-of-10 with three touchdowns in the red zone Sunday, the second time in the past five seasons the Steelers have allowed three red zone passing touchdowns.–ESPN.com (Power Rankings, Ranked #19)"

Save for the play of Cameron Heyward and Jason Worilds, Pittsburgh’s defense was pathetic on Sunday. Their secondary especially. They need to find some upgrades in the 2014 NFL Draft, because Ike Taylor, William Gay, Troy Polamlau, Ryan Clark and Cortez Allen do not appear to be cutting the mustard anymore.

"The last play of the Dolphins-Steelers was freaking amazing. Watching it live, I saw Miami safety Chris Clemons position himself too far inside after Antonio Brown took the lateral. The Steelers wide out merely had to give Clemons an inside juke move to put an uncoverable expanse of frozen Heinz Field grass between himself and the Dolphins defender — and then Brown stepped out. Ugh.The moment reminded someone in the NFL Media newsroom of the time that the Saints pulled off the same play to apparently tie a game in Jacksonville in 2003 — only for John Carney to miss the extra point. Anyone else remember that?-Elliot Harrison (NFL.com, Ranked #21)"

I remember that play, Elliot. Of course, nobody stepped out of bounds on that particular lateral-laden miracle either. Oh well, if a team is relying on winning a game with a Stanford-band play, they probably don’t deserve to win.

Stats & Contract Info. Provided By: ESPN.com, Steelers.com , Spotrac, and Pro Football Reference

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