After a stocking-stuffer hometown victory against the Cincinnati Bengals by the score of 34-11, the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves on the road again with two last-ditch efforts for playoff entry against the Seattle Seahawks and then the Baltimore Ravens.
It’s not just that these are away games. The Steelers find themselves “on the road again” because this same path has been driven on with some frequency by Coach Mike Tomlin’s teams over the last few years.
End of the year. Begging for a ticket to the dance.
The odds increased from slim pickings last week to at least a hope and a prayer this Sunday following George Pickens’ “in your face” performance, which he gleefully dedicated to his red-faced detractors.
“You expect me to block?” said George curiously as he scampered past hopelessly diving Bengals safeties.
His teammates wish they could block out much of the season following their inglorious slide from league contenders to also-rans, but then again, at this point, most of them are thrilled to be able to say:
“So…you’re saying we have a chance?”
This is following an improbable Hollywood comeback by lead reindeer Mason Rudolph, co-starring an unlikely winning cast of Pittsburgh coaches and players.
They definitely were able to deliver some much-needed joy for Christmas to Steelers Nation, and, in the process, kept a tailpipe-smoking sleigh still airborne. Barely.
What should we make of all of this? Let’s give it a Spin.
Nose So Bright
For those of us who are Mason Rudolph fans, there couldn’t have been a better outcome than watching him play the game of his life in a cameo re-appearance of serving as the team’s starting quarterback.
He couldn’t have wished for anything better under the tree. He must have sat on Santa’s lap at the mall the night before.
Of course, having George Pickens turn a short crossing route into an 86-yard passing touchdown just a few minutes into the game is the kind of gift he couldn’t have expected from even Mr. Claus himself.
Yet, Mason’s ability to shake off years of rust and plenty of nerves to finish the game 17 for 27 with 290 yards and 2 touchdown passes should be applauded without the use of asterisks.
Our standing ovation doesn’t mean we’re forgetful of Rudolph’s shortcomings as a pass thrower. He excelled last week primarily because he was well-protected by his offensive line, who were aided by the fact the Bengals are in the bottom third of team defenses in terms of quarterback pressures.
Rudolph’s struggles against strong pass-rushing teams may end up being on full display Sunday as the Seahawks will be able to showcase more formidable pressure.
If you’re curious as to why the Steelers put him so firmly behind Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky in the pecking order is that both are much more elusive. Rudolph has had past games where the idea of planting his feet before passing has included sinking deep roots into the soil.
Perhaps Rudolph’s research from the bench these past few years has provided him with better insights into avoiding melting like Frosty in the hot sun at the mere sight of edge rushers.
What’s both excellent and well-earned, is he’ll get another chance to demonstrate there is some magic in that hat after all.
The Greener Grass
As great of a Christmas present as the Steelers’ win was against the Bengals, one can’t help but be green with envy at our neighbors’ lawns in the AFC North.
Ever since the Cleveland Browns turned Joe Flacco into Young Frankenstein, the team has been on a solid roll. They will be carrying a four-game winning streak into their final game next week against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Now, at 11-5, they are presenting themselves as a serious post-season threat and remain in contention for winning the division.
The favorites to win the North are the Baltimore Ravens, who, at 12-4 can march closer to claiming the number one seed in the AFC playoffs with a victory against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. They’ll need all the momentum of their five-game winning streak to accomplish this, as the fish are no easy out.
After their throttling of the San Francisco 49ers last Monday night, the Ravens have emerged as one of the favorites not only in the American Football Conference but in the National Football League overall.
With the Steelers dragging a modest 8-7 record into this weekend, with several of those wins being mostly unconvincing, it’s hard not to be concerned that Pittsburgh took a significant step back this year in the division.
If we’re being fair and honest, we’d also have to agree the Bengals would have had a much different seasonal outcome with a healthy Joe Burrow out of the gate and racing with them toward the finish line.
Can the Steelers still eke their way into the playoffs? No doubt. Coach Mike Tomlin rubs a rabbit foot like few others in the league.
But if they do manage to get in, will they be feared? By any opponent?
Not likely sports fans. This team pretty much is what it is. It’s fair to midlands at best.
The question is: Are we that far away from being a team that will be feared anytime soon? Are the Baltimore Ravens peaking this year? Or are they on the ascent? Have the Browns finally cracked their own code? Are they a serious contender moving forward? Then again, what will the Bengals look like with a full year of Burrow next year?
Whether the Steelers are heading towards a few years of drought is probably most dependent on the quarterback question. Do we? Or don’t we?
Unfortunately, one of the biggest disappointments this season is that we’ll head into the offseason with that critical question unanswered.
Paper Tigers
Listening to national broadcasters covering Steelers games can be painful at times. Actually, most of the time.
Hearing them go on and on about Pittsburgh’s toughness and defensive prowess begs the question: Have you even seen them play in the last couple of years?
Sure, the Steelers have players on the team, notably T.J. Watt, who are as good as it gets in the league. There are several other defenders who still represent the level of skill and toughness for which the Steelers brand is acclaimed.
But this is not a dominating Steelers defense by any stretch. If you were to match it against the best Pittsburgh units of the past few decades, how would they rank against themselves?
Not very high.
What is problematic is the three players who are considered the team’s best are no spring chickens. In fact, the much beloved Cam Heyward is well into winter.
Minkah Fitzpatrick isn’t a greybeard at the age of 27, yet the combination of injuries and lesser impact on the field is making some wonder whether his hilltop is rapidly approaching.
The great T.J. Watt is closing in on all kinds of records, but he’ll be 30 next year, which is much closer to the end than the beginning in NFL terms.
There are some bright young stars, no doubt, with Alex Highsmith, Joey Porter Jr., and Keeanu Benton lighting up the future.
Yet, a true Steelers-level defense has stars at practically every position on the field, with some stellar subs on the sidelines waiting for their turn impatiently. Take a look at those rosters in the early 2000s, 90’s and 70’s. Even some of those dark ages 80’s defenses had good years.
Right now, to be talking about the current Steelers defense with that same breadth of awe is somewhat sacrilegious. The reason the team is struggling this year is because this once-vaunted unit is merely slightly above average.
What will this team need to do to get back to being a perennial Top-5 defense year after year once again?
They are going to have to go all in on building up this defense for at least the next two years in the draft and free agency.
Maybe splash in a few offensive linemen to make sure we can mush on the other side of the ball, but that’s it. That’s all the budget will allow.
When people ask, “Who are these Steelers?” it’s the fade of our defensive prowess that is most to blame.
Until this is fixed, it won’t matter how many touchdowns George Pickens scores on any given Sunday. We’ll still be lacking our true identity. Just another generic brand.
On The Road Again
If any of Sunday’s script looks familiar, it’s because we’ve seen this movie so many times only the popcorn seems different. (They used to use real butter, not airplane lube like today.)
We’re on that familiar road of desperately hoping we get help from others to make it into the playoffs. No, Luke Skywalker, we are not in control of our destiny.
At least there is a spin of the roulette wheel to be had. It’s kind of the best of what we’ve come to expect these days. We don’t have any sweet odds of getting in, but at least these remaining games still count for something.
For these to continue to count, they’ll have to do something the Steelers traditionally don’t do well. That is, travel to the West Coast to win a game. Having to take on the Seahawks in one of the most hostile stadiums in the league makes this task even mightier.
We may not like the position the Steelers are in at this point, but there is a point to be made. If the team manages to pull off a win in Seattle and then another in Baltimore, they will be deserving of many exuberant Terrible Towel gyrations.
So here we are. On the road again. We just can’t wait to get on the road again. Can we?
