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The Pittsburgh Steelers lost when they could lose

By Noah Strackbein

DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 25: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers passes from the end zone under pressure by defensive end Shelby Harris #96 of the Denver Broncos in the third quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - NOVEMBER 25: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers passes from the end zone under pressure by defensive end Shelby Harris #96 of the Denver Broncos in the third quarter of a game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /
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A loss is a loss, and in a conference as tight as the AFC, losing will set you back. But the Pittsburgh Steelers timed their latest setback perfectly.

No one wants to lose. The Pittsburgh Steelers had a real opportunity to begin competing for the top spot in the AFC, but after a loss in Denver, they’re fighting to regain ground on the rest of the conference.

Believe it or not, though, their Week 12 loss came at the right time. Heading into the worst part of their schedule, Pittsburgh timed their third loss of the season to perfection.

Their upcoming schedule features the Charges, Saints, Texans, Patriots and Bengals. With all but Cincinnati competing as one of the top spots in the NFL, losing one of their next five matchups is going to be much more detrimental than losing in Week 12.

People saw the loss to Denver coming. Ben Roethlisberger has never played well at Mile High Stadium, the team was dealing with injury problems on the offensive line and the Broncos were coming off an impressive win over the Chargers. Saying this game was a shoo-in is a bit out there.

They now sit with the rest of the AFC fighting to beat out the Kansas City Chiefs. Only a game and a half back from first place, they’ll look to regain ground with a big win over Las Angeles. Adding another loss to the Chargers record not only removes them from the herd but lifts them back to the top.

The Steelers need to take advantage of tough matchups. The playoff race this season won’t be easy. If anything, the road to the Super Bowl is looking more difficult than in years past. New England isn’t even talked about as the best team in the conference, that’s saying something.

Adding one to the loss column is never an accomplishment. Pittsburgh shouldn’t be holding their heads high after a comeback victory over the Jaguars and then an embarrassing loss to the Broncos. But losing now allows them to regroup and move forward.

Next. 3 miscues that led to a loss in Denver. dark

The end of the season is tough for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Getting off their high horse and realizing they need to improve will benefit them as they head into the most difficult part of the season.

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