The Steelers fans will not be able to inspire as we have traditionally done
Let me share this story with you. In 2013, I took my then fifteen-year-old son to see the Steelers play the Detroit Lions. It was the first time I and he had been in attendance for a Steelers game. The Steelers jumped out to a 17-3 lead, then surrendered 24 points.
All I could think about at halftime was this: We did not drive from the eastern portion of Pennsylvania to watch the Steelers lose AT HOME. How was I going to console my son on the six-hour drive home when I would be inconsolable myself? Fortunately, we won the game so all was right in the world.
The point is this: Steelers fans have always inspired the team to come from behind or to make a big play to seal a win or to get that last first down to run out the clock. That inspiration is lessened on the road, but more so now because of capacity restrictions.
While I will not predict wins and losses for the rest of the year, I will predict that we will probably lose a few games we may have otherwise won because of nothing else than a potential void of Steelers fans at road games. Those losses will hurt us, particularly any Conference or Division loss we suffer as a result of playing six road games for the rest of the season.