Though their playoff path is viable, the Pittsburgh Steelers no longer control their own destiny. Just a month ago, that was a different story. Sitting at 7-4, all they needed to do was take out a pair of two-win teams in the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots and they likely would’ve locked up a playoff spot before anyone opened their Christmas presents.
You know the rest of the story. Pittsburgh lost both games to begin a three-game skid, also blown out by the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15. It dropped them to 7-7 and on the outside-looking-in of the AFC playoff field, where they remain heading into Week 18’s finale.
Discussing playoff scenarios on today’s episode of the Craig Carton Show, former Steelers OL Willie Colon vented his frustration over those two avoidable losses.
“This all could’ve been avoided by beating the two worst teams in football in the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals,” Colon told the panel. “This is what pisses me off about the Steelers. How did you lose to Kyler Murray and [Bailey] Zappe for all Christ’s sakes? It’s embarrassing.”
Historically embarrassing.
Pittsburgh became the NFL first team to lose back-to-back games against teams at least eight games below .500. Coming into their matchups, the Cardinals and Patriots were 2-10 and already gearing up for the offseason. The Cardinals game became a literal and figurative slog, twice delayed by rain as Arizona took control late in the first half and rolled from there to a 24-10 victory. On a short week with Mitch Trubisky replacing an injured Kenny Pickett, the Steelers’ defense made Bailey Zappe look like Tom Brady, carving up Pittsburgh with three first-half touchdown passes. The Steelers came back in the second half but squandered key chances, falling 24-18.
Backed into a corner with no margin for error, it took until Week 16 for Pittsburgh to get back on track. Turning to Mason Rudolph, the Steelers rolled the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-11, before handling the Seattle Seahawks, 30-23, on Sunday, giving them options and multiple paths to the playoffs, including a scenario even if they lose to the Ravens (Jaguars loss + Broncos win + Colts/Texans don’t tie).
The Cardinals and Patriots losses are reminiscent of the Steelers’ Week Four loss to Zach Wilson and the New York Jets in 2022. In Pickett’s NFL debut, Pittsburgh blew a 20-10 fourth-quarter lead, losing 24-20 in the game’s final seconds. The loss dropped the Steelers to 1-3 on the season and though they surged in the second half of the season, didn’t get the help they needed in Week 18 and were eliminated. Had they beaten the Jets, that help wouldn’t have been necessary.
Now, they’ll hope to get that help this year around. If they don’t and wind up watching Wild-Card weekend from their couches, they can blame those early-December losses.
