Mistakes, Poor Defense, No Running Game, Steelers Lose Again
The stairway to 7 sits at a record of 7-7 as the Steelers lost yet another mistake filled ball game. Leading into this one I stated started this week we’d have to learn who this team really was and I believe coming out of this game we have our answer. They are a mediocre, mistake prone, aging team.
Having lost 4 of their last 5 the Steelers currently sit in the 7th spot in the playoff race, on the outside. However, miraculously they still control their own destiny. If they should win the next 2 weeks, they’ll be in the tournament. Is that something they can do? And if they do make it, can they get anywhere? The answer to the first question is yes, they can win out. Both games are at home and these guys play better at home (except when they play San Diego apparently). The answer to question number two is no. They don’t appear good enough to advance beyond the likes of the Patriots, who seem to be the team the Steelers would play.
Looking at yesterday; the team failed again in the clutch. They blew a 7 point fourth quarter lead, the defense looked old and worn out, the injuries continue to play a factor, the team still has no direction in the running game, they lost the turnover battle again and lastly they lost the time of possession battle as well.
This team is deficient in so many areas, with two weeks left in the regular season it’s hard to see how they’ll be any kind of a factor this season. The defense may have good numbers and rank highly, however, those stats are clearly bloated. They don’t appear to be able to tackle anymore, they give up big plays, look at Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Demarco Murray yesterday, and they just look old and a step behind. The guys they drafted in the early rounds in the past few years, Ziggy Hood and Cam Heyward, don’t appear to be super star players and that’s not good.
The turnover issue is a major one. The Steelers were actually able to convert a turnover yesterday for once but they gave back 2, both of which cost them the game. With the team up 24-17 and the Cowboys punting the ball to the Steelers, Antonio Brown put up a 30 yard return and then fumbled. The Cowboys went on to tie. In overtime, Big Ben threw an inexplicable pass that was jumped, picked and ended the game. It’s getting old.
Getting even older is the lack of a running game, specifically picking a feature back. Whether this coaching staff believes they have a real stud back on this team or not is irrelevant. If Tomlin believes in the next man up adage, then he needs to step up, pick a guy and roll with him. This nonsense of having your lead back get 10 carries per game is ludicrous. How in the world are they going go anywhere not running the ball effectively? They have a top 5 quarterback but he needs help. If they Steelers don’t pick Dwyer or Redman or even go back to Mendenhall and give him 20-25 carries a game, they will not win. See the last 5 games, they’ve lost 4 of them. Or See the last 14 games, i.e. the whole season, they’ve lost 7. If you don’t run the ball, you don’t control the clock. If you don’t control the clock, typically you don’t win the ball game.
The Steelers have long believed in defense and rushing but both are failing. While they do control their destiny this season, having a 7-7 record this late is highly concerning. Yes, I’m aware the Giants were 7-7 last year and went on to win the whole thing, anything is possible. Yet I don’t see discipline, direction or even enough talent on this team to make the necessary run. I hope I’m wrong, but the playoffs are now here for this team, beat Cincy and stay alive or else all of our Christmas wishes for a Steeler playoff run will be gone before Santa ever slides down the Chimney on Monday night.
NEWS, NOTES, SUPERLATIVES:
Injured: Keenan Lewis-They can’t afford to have another corner go down.
Pick a Back: Just pick one! It doesn’t matter who at this point, just pick one!
Failing in the Clutch: The Defense, the offensive line and the coaching.
Coach Em Up: Tomlin, wake these guys up, are you losing this locker room?
Lead Em: They miss Aaron Smith and Hines Ward, Big Ben, Brett Keisel and some other vets need to fill that void asap.
7-7, up next vs. Cincinnati in an elimination game.
longarm on Tue, 18th Dec 2012 8:58 am
I think it starts at the top and that is with Tomlin. I am starting to wonder about his coaching ability. It looks like he doesn’t have them prepared, makes some bad decesions and just seems to be over his head at this point. That being said he doesn’t play in the game and doesn’t create the mistakes or turnovers but it his job to make the correction. You would think by this late in the season he would have.