Steelers Stink

The Pittsburgh Steelers stink. The team needed to beat Indianapolis to remain viable in the playoff picture after dropping two games to lowly Arizona and New England. The team showed early promise by taking a 13-0 lead. But as in previous games, the opponents showed more will to win the game.

Ben Roethlisberger took heat for commenting on the 2023 Steelers. In part, he said:

“I know that I’m retired, I’m not in the locker room, I get it. It just feels like that. It just feels like something that’s been lost on this team a little bit. It just feels like the Steeler Way is just not.”

A current leader on the team called him out as has various media. But he just echoed what a growing number of former Steelers including Ryan Clark, Trai Essex, Merril Hoge, Chris Hoke among others have stated in their own way. And then there have been current players that have hinted at the frustration.

Well, in this average Steelers fan opinion, the Steelers are more than a little bit lost. Ben was polite. Right now, the 2023 Pittsburgh Steelers stink on both sides of the ball. It’s not about one player. Though some examples demonstrate the problem.

Steelers Offense Promising Start

The Steelers offense made a promising start. They got the ball near midfield for their second possession. And marched right down to the red zone. Jaylen Warren nearly scored from seven yards out but just stopped at the goal line. The Steelers would score three plays later. But even this success showed symptoms of problems to come. George Pickens stood around instead of blocking. And his man in on the tackle that prevented Warren from scoring.

Then the Steelers scored again following a blocked punt to go up 13-0. The pass to Diontae Johnson looked easy. But the play before Najee Harris dropped for a three yard loss. The offensive line gave no push and Harris faced a wall of his own blockers. It didn’t seem like their legs were churning. Instead, they planted as the Colts defenders pushed the line back. Aside from a 15-yard carry by Harris and an 11-yard carry by Warren. The run game was stuffed.

But End with a Fart

Earlier in the game, Mitch Trubisky threw up a ball with Pickens in front and a defender able to grab it out of his hands for the first interception at the 11-yard line. An opportunity to build a 20-7 or at least a 16-7 lead squandered. Trubisky refused to step into his throws. The result was sailing a pass over an open George Pickens into the hands of a waiting Colts defender for a second interception.

Najee Harris fumbles at the 12-yard line to set Colts up to take a 21-13 lead early in the second half.

Mike Tomlin finally benched Mitch Trubisky with just over two minutes to play. That was way too late.

Steelers Defense 30 Unanswered Points

The Steelers defense gave up 30 unanswered points. And it could have been worse. The Colts missed two field goals. And the Steelers did stop the Colts on fourth down stop at the goal line. T.J. Watt sacked Gardner Minshew twice with Larry Ogunjobi adding a third. But Minshew played the Steelers defense like a fiddle for much of the game. But even the goal line stop was from the receiver not securing the ball rather than a defensive play.

Damontae Kazee ejected from the game after his helmet collided with Michael Pittman attempting to make a diving catch. Minkah Fitzpatrick injured his knee on the next play. So, the Steelers played without their two starting safeties.

Pittman did not return. But without his main receiving threat, Minshew just shifted to a selection  of eight others who filled the void. Even the running game. Zack Moss filling in for Jonathan Taylor was bottled up. But Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson combined for 157 rushing yards and well over 5-yards a carry.

A low point was a 70-yard drive that ate up 8:57 from the clock. Indianapolis ran the ball 13 straight times. And the defense had no answer. The Colts finished that drive with a field goal to go up 27-13. The Colts offensive line shoved Steelers defenders around including Cam Heyward.

Special Teams

Special teams are an underappreciated facet of the game where one big play can shift momentum or even decide the game winner.

I break special teams into three phases: Kickoffs, punting, and scoring (field goals and extra points.) Here is an overview of the special teams play during the game:

KICKOFFS

Chris Boswell kicked off three times. All touch backs.

Matt Gay kicked off seven times. Godwin Igwebuike returned the opened kickoff 34 yards to the 38-yard line to open the game. Then Gay squib-kicked from the 50 after the horse collar penalty on their first touchdown. Igwebuike snaked his way 31-yards to the 36-yard line. These two returns one of the few bright spots in the game. Gay kicked the rest into the end zone.

THE STATS

Advantage Steelers.

PUNTING

Pressley Harvin punted four times averaging 40.0 yards. Josh Downs returned the first three averaging 12.7 yards. One poor 41 yard line drive punt returned to midfield. The Colts scored a field goal. Even on his lone punt behind the 20 left a lot to be desired. Chris Boswell called off the field and Harvin punted. Instead of pinning the Colts deep, Harvin hit a high 22-yard punt that Downs fair caught at the 17-yard line.

Rigoberto Sanchez punted twice. Connor Heyward blocked the first early in the game. Nick Herbig recovered at the goal line. And the Steelers scored to take an early 13-0 lead. His second went out of bounds at the 10-yard line after their first possession to open the second half.

THE STATS

*1 punt blocked

Advantage Steelers.

SCORING

Chris Boswell doinked his first extra point attempt off the upright. Then late in the third quarter, Boswell called off the field. Instead of attempting a 57-yard field goal inside an arena to come within 24-16, Mike Tomlin opted to punt from their own 39-yard line. He blinked.

Matt Gay missed two field goal attempts to make the score closer than it seems. But he made all three extra points. And added three field goals to help the Colts win going away.

THE STATS

Advantage Colts

YOUR HOT TAKES DURING THE GAME

Thank you, Ross McCorkle, for keeping us up to date on the game’s first and second half Live Update and Discussion Threads. Steelers Depot respondents contributed 1,596 first half comments. Respondents added  1,710 more second half comments.  Here are the top three comments from each half. I don’t know the algorithm used by Disqus but here is how they stacked it up:

Mateo K had the best of the first half comment with “I’ve never seen someone thrown out of an NFL game from a hit. This league is so bad.”

ThePointe seconded the same play noting, “NFLN will NOT show the replay…” FranchisePunter responded, “We don’t wanna send the fans running to a safe room … smh.”

BigDickSwangin bluntly stated “I guess Kazee took that Steelers way s*it to heart.” With Steelers4Eva “Kazee hit him legally!!! Look at that replay. F THE NFL” The top four first half comments all centered on one play.

Second Half Comments No Cheerier

Cencalsteeler disgusted with the decision to bench Trubisky so late in the game. “He just demoralized both of his QBs in a matter of ten minutes.”

Chad Sanborn focused his attention on the head coach, “WTF Tomlin has ZERO clue what he is doing. ZERO.”

Even yours truly, Beaver Falls Hosiery, got a top comment. I took a more holistic approach: “It’s like the team has quit. The Colts have the energy as intensity ebbs from the Black & Gold.”

These comments are a pretty good barometer of the attitude of Steelers fans.

CONCLUSION

Mike Tomlin has no answers for the substandard performance of the 2023 Steelers. If he did, we’d have seen something different in the past three games. Instead, we get a few flashes of what could be. Then another team asserts their will to win. Examples of Pittsburgh players either not putting in the effort or simply being outcompeted.

Same goes for the coaching staff. The other teams call the plays to exploit weakness on both sides of the ball. The Steelers struggle to score on offense. And give up drives for scores at key times on defense. Some bright spots on special teams. But then Pressley Harvin concedes valuable field position to the other team.

I will attend the next game in Pittsburgh. But now, I’m just looking for players who continue to put out effort. The team itself stinks. There they went.

Your Song Selection

I always like to include a bit of music. The Steelers have not been eliminated from the playoffs yet. But after this third straight loss. It’s ready to say Good Night Irene on this season. Here is Goodnight Irene performed by  Lead Belly.