3 biggest overreactions to Steelers' bitter Week 4 loss to the Colts

The Steelers undefeated streak came to an abrupt end this past week as the Colts dashed the team’s hopes of a perfect season. The game started about as ugly as you could get, but some late-game heroics nearly got Pittsburgh the win. As is common with a loss, the overreactions from week 4 have been hot and heavy.

There certainly are some things worth noting from the Colts game. Justin Fields is a great asset and really could be the future of this team. We also should be concerned about Najee Harris right now. That said, fans have come to three major overreactions that they need to cool off on ahead of the Week 5 matchup.

Steelers have an elite tight end in Darnell Washington

I’m as big of a fan of Darnell Washington as the next guy is, but I also don’t think that his performance against the Colts warrants the hype he has received. While it was his most productive game as a receiver, that wasn’t exactly a high bar. It was the first time he caught more than a single pass in a game and eclipsed 12 receiving yards.

Seeing him rumble on his first catch was a lot of fun, and he moves well for a player his size. That said, the fans calling this his coming-out party have gotten a little ahead of themselves. He is still a blocker first, and while his contributions as a receiver should continue, I don’t think he has reached his peak yet. A good showing, but Washington still has more to prove as a receiver.

Joey Porter isn’t a good player anymore

On the flip side of things, Joey Porter had his worst game as a professional on Sunday. He started off poorly and it seemed to get in his head a little bit. He gave up quite a few notable plays and had his usual issues with penalties. He never recovered in week 4, and he was actually getting picked on at times in the passing game.

For anyone saying that he isn’t a good player, let's just calm down a bit. Cornerbacks can be streaky at times, and even the best players get beaten. I’m more curious as to how he will react to a tough matchup against the Cowboys. He can’t stack bad performances. That is what will separate a good cornerback from a great one.

The Steelers were pretenders all along

As per usual, a single loss has set the Steelers fanbase into an uproar. The coaches need to be fired and the players need to be cut, and so it goes, and so it goes. Yes, the team looked miserable in the first half of the game, and there is plenty of blame that needs to be attributed for that, but the sky isn’t falling just yet.

The Steelers are 3-1 through September. For a team that has started slow in recent years, this is a good sign. They took care of business when they needed to despite their warts. They also mounted an impressive comeback against the Colts (mainly because of Fields) even if it fell short. I’m not convinced this is a competitor yet, but the team deserves the benefit of the doubt after a strong initial showing this season.