Well, another road game against a good team ended in defeat for the Steelers. This week's loss came at the hands of our biggest division rival, the Baltimore Ravens. Not only did we squander an opportunity to win the AFC North, but we also allowed the Ravens to clinch a playoff spot.
I think the word 'shameful' is fitting in this scenario. After a less-than-stellar performance against the Eagles and with the AFC North Division crown at stake, you would think we would have gone into the Ravnes game determined to deliver a 'blow' to our arch nemesis in their arena and take the crown for ourselves. Alas, it was not meant to be.
Let's see what we learned on the offensive side of the ball.
Steelers' offense had regressed to being an afterthought
Let's state the obvious so we're all on the same page or at least so we all understand where I am coming from. Russell Wilson has not played well of late and we are losing as a result of his poor play. Wilson not only lost a fumble that thwarted a potential scoring drive but threw a 'pick six' that essentially ended any hopes of our mounting a comeback.
I can forgive that kind of performance from a rookie quarterback, but not from a quarterback who has over a decade of starting experience. Frankly, it's inexcusable. Despite the fact that the offense amassed over three hundred yards of offense, third down conversions were again a 'bug a boo'.
Converting four out of ten third-down opportunities against a good opponent is not going to get the job done, as it were. We lost the time of possession battle as well as the turnover battle. Those two are not areas you can afford to lose, but we did and we know what transpired as a result.
The Steelers offense has frankly taken two steps back in consecutive weeks, We simply don't have the 'firepower' to compete at a high level, to borrow a Mike Tomlin phrase. At this point in the season, there's probably no answer on the horizon.
Let's see what we learned on the defensive side of the ball.
Steelers' defense is 'taking on water' at an alarming rate
We have discussed this issue previously, but the reality is this; the once-vaunted Steelers defense is getting exposed. The reason for this exposure is simple if you ask me. Our depth is questionable. I realize that you can't afford to pay all 'A' type players in this day and age of the salary cap.
When you give up over four hundred yards two weeks in a row, something is wrong. We can't stop the run, we can't stop the pass and we can't win as a result. There's nothing more to it than that. Unless or until Mike Tomlin and the coaches on the defensive side of the ball realize that you can't call the same plays with backups in the game as you would call with the starters, we may not win another game this season.
I realize that may be an overreaction, but I call it the way I see it. With the way the defense is playing right now, does anyone think we can beat the Chiefs and the Bengals? I don't see it happening. Are we capable of winning both of those games? Of course. Will we win both of those games? Only time will tell.
Let's see what else we learned.
Steelers are in jeopardy of 'limping' into the playoffs
Last week's performance against the Eagles was bad, but it was one performance. The hope was that with a week's worth of preparation, we would be ready to go against the Ravens and capture the AFC North Division title.
Hope is not a plan. A plan is a plan. As has been the case since Mike Tomlin has been our head coach, we came up 'small' in a big moment. We could have shaken off the loss to the Eagles and proved that we are a quality team by beating the Ravens.
That did not happen. Instead, we got exposed on both sides of the ball and frankly looked lethargic and void of energy. With only two games left in the 2024 season, that is not the posture we should be displaying.
Can we turn it around quickly? Yes, we can. Will we turn it around quickly? Obviously, that remains to be seen, but let me ask you this question: based on what you saw against the Eagles and the Ravens, would you bet on the former or the latter?