Look no further for a prime example of how to play through adversity than the Detroit Lions. Conversely, look no further for a prime example of failing in that regard than the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There's a certain point where optimism begins to leave you as a fan, and it usually takes form when your most hated division rival bullies you with 220 yards on the ground, sealing the game with an 11-play, 86-yard drive that eats up 6:09 of a fourth-quarter clock.
That should sound familiar after the Steelers only held the ball for about five minutes in the entire second half in last week's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Annoyingly, all of the talk around the Steelers when they beat the Cleveland Browns is how they overcame adversity by showing productivity without George Pickens. But the reality is that Cleveland is a bad football team, and the Steelers should be rich enough with talent to beat Cleveland without a few regular starters.
But the three most recent losses carry so many excuses with injuries, weather, and a difficult schedule.
Steelers should take notes from the Lions on mental toughness
Look outside of the division, outside of the conference, and look at the Detroit Lions. At 12-2, they lead their division and conference despite missing 23 players on injured reserve. Between Aidan Hutchinson, David Montgomery, and a notable stint without Taylor Decker, that team has played most of the season more than shorthanded.
Yet, when the Lions host the hottest team in football, the Buffalo Bills, and things go wrong, Detroit lost 48-42.
Detroit didn't run the ball down 17 with three minutes to go. Down 45-28 with 12 minutes remaining, Detroit clawed their way back.
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Plenty of analysts avoid comparing teams, and, usually, I would do the same. But if the Steelers think themselves a Super Bowl contender, what better comparison than a Super Bowl contender dealing with more adversity than any other team in the league by a wide margin?
Losses happen in the NFL. Few teams can draw the luck that Kansas City pairs with its skill.
But for the second week in a row, Steelers fans have watched as the Steelers were bullied like it was 2023 again while thinking about the injuries and how difficult this stretch of the schedule is.
Champions don't make excuses, and we'll hear from players and coaches about how they won't make any either. But there isn't much reason to believe that this is a mentally tough football team.
These long drives to close out games against such a highly touted defense are nauseating to watch. The Steelers' will to win is visibly evaporated with each first down and each tick off the clock toward another frustrating loss.
Turnovers happen. Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson will have dominant performances - but only a mentally weak team is going to roll over and let those factors determine the game early before allowing these drives that don't give the team a chance to make something happen.
And if the depth is so bad that they can't compete without the starting lineup at full strength, then it's time to stop pretending the Steelers are a Super Bowl-caliber team.
If you want an example of a team that is capable of displaying the mental toughness to overcome what the Steelers are facing - in fact, a worse situation - look to Detroit because you won't find one in Pittsburgh.
Steelers fans are enjoying a good season, but it's far from great. It takes a more-than-great season to be a champion, and the Steelers aren't close to that level.
There's time to turn it around, but the clock is ticking against the Steelers, much like it has in the fourth quarter over the past two weeks.