The Steelers lost a division road game against the Cleveland Browns in a veritable blizzard, but that is not the worst part of this loss. This was an AFC North Division loss and not only a conference loss, but a loss could be the catalyst for a losing streak that will knock us out of playoff contention.
Make no mistake, this loss is on Mike Tomlin, plain and simple. Every year since Tomlin has been the head coach, we have always lost at least one game we should have won. The game against the Browns was a game we probably should have won despite not playing our best football.
With that in mind, let's see what we learned on the offensive side of the ball.
Steelers' offense apparently can't figure out how to beat teams with inferior records
As I stated above, every year since Tomlin has been our head coach, we lose at least one game we should have won. Those losses generally come against teams with inferior records. This time around, it was the Browns turn to spoil the party, so to speak.
Playing on Thursday after coming off a physical game on Sunday is never desirable, but you have to play the cards you're dealt. This was truly a game where we had a legitimate opportunity to win the game despite not playing our best football.
If you look at the stat line from this game and only the stat line, we should have won. We outgained the Browns in every major statistical category. We converted vastly more third down attempts, roughly forty-four percent to ten percent, completed more passes, and won the time of possession.
As I have repeatedly said, when you win the time-of-possession battle, you usually win the game, except when you're playing the Browns on Thursday night. Another fact that I offered during our discussions was the turnover battle.
We won the turnover battle by a three-to-one margin, yet we still lost the game. How does that happen? It happens for various reasons but one reason in particular, at least as far as I'm concerned, was the fact that the Steelers converted only one of two trips into the red zone. The Browns got there four times and converted thrice.
Let's see what we learned on the defensive side of the ball.
Steelers' defense apparently can't figure out how to beat teams with inferior records
Yes, I used the above phrase to describe what transpired on offense, but it also fits the performance we witnessed on defense. I have said this ad nauseam but I need to say it again: when the defense is not playing well, the offense has to pick up the slack. That did not happen against the Browns.
What did happen against the Browns was a confluence of errors and missteps on both sides of the ball. Despite generating three turnovers, the defense could not generate consistent pressure and that was the difference in the game.
The defense also allowed four red zone trips to turn into two touchdowns and a field goal. That is not usually the case. Our 'M.O.' this season has been a 'bend, but don't break' approach where we force our opponent the settle for three points rather than surrendering six points.
The Steelers defense has been playing at an elite level all season, but this 'bump in the road' could end up costing us the division crown and possibly a playoff spot. I realize that may be an overreaction, but sometimes we have a tendency to underreact.
Let's see what else we learned.
Steelers were ill-prepared, were outcoached and were handed a crushing loss
Although the loss to the Browns is one loss, we are at the point in the season where we need to win the games we are supposed to win. Yes, it is difficult to play on Thursday after having played on Sunday, but many other teams are in the same boat.
READ MORE: A series of Mike Tomlin mishaps leads to Steelers' gut-wrenching loss vs Browns
I have said this before and I will say it again because it is appropriate for the situation at hand: I am a Mike Tomlin supporter, but I am not a Mike Tomlin apologist. We were seemingly ill-prepared and were outcoached and that falls squarely on the shoulder of Tomlin.
The decision to try a fifty-eight-yard field goal on the opening possession in the conditions that existed in that game was mind-boggling. You punt and play defense, especially in the type of weather in which we played. Just not a good decision.
That missed field goal fortunately did not result in points for the Browns but on the next possession, we trotted out Justin Fields on fourth down and were stopped. I get the fact that we were trying to mix things up, so to speak, but if you tried a fifty-eight-yard field goal on the previous possession, why not try a fifty-six-yard field goal?
Better yet, if you decide to go for it on fourth and two, leave Russell Wilson in the game. Granted Wilson did not play stellar football against the Ravens and was not 'lighting it up' against the Browns, but Wilson is your starting quarterback.
The time to trot out Fields was not at that moment. Perhaps that moment would have been in the red zone, where we have struggled to score points and where Fields athleticism could have been a 'wild card', but that did not happen.
Again, it's one loss but it is a division loss and a conference loss. The remaining games are no 'cakewalk'. Tomlin and the coaching staff had better figure out how to beat the teams we should beat or we will be on the outside looking in come January.