After starting the year red hot with a 3-0 record, the Pittsburgh Steelers have come crashing back down to Earth with losses in back-to-back weeks. Both of the losses made the defense look very beatable and the offense has hit a wall after solid progression over the first few weeks. The Steelers probably aren’t as good as the 3-0 record indicated and probably not as bad as the recent 0-2 stretch shows.
Mike Golic Jr. thinks this team is already at its ceiling.
“The Steelers, to me, I know we talked about them being a division leader early on. They look like a team with a pretty decided ceiling at this point,” Golic said via Gojo and Golic on DraftKings Network’s YouTube. “I just don’t think there is enough talent consistently executing on offense.”
I agree the offense is probably more to blame for what happened against the Cowboys. The Steelers were plus-three in the turnover differential and only managed 17 points. Obviously they had plenty of opportunities to build a lead that they never took advantage of.
Whether it is injuries or just a lack of execution, the offense has been unable to play its intended style of football. The Steelers are unable to run the ball, even with a mobile quarterback. Not even QB Justin Fields is completely certain what the identity is, which isn’t a good sign.
But the fact remains that the defense had an opportunity to put the game away. The Steelers allowed a 15-play touchdown drive that chewed up four-and-a-half minutes of clock. Just two weeks ago, there was a lot of chatter about the historic pace the defense was on. You can throw all of that out the window now with 803 yards and 47 points allowed over the last two weeks combined.
Communication issues are popping up in the secondary, the inside linebacker room has been largely ineffective despite the offseason investment in it, and injuries at outside linebacker have weakened one of the few bright spots on the roster.
With a suddenly vulnerable defense and a sputtering offense, how is this team going to win games? Right now, the formula seems unclear.
Can Russell Wilson help elevate the Steelers’ ceiling? They said on the NBC broadcast that he should be healthy enough to return for Week 6. I don’t know if he is the answer, but it seems worth a shot at this point after two-straight losses with more questions than answers on offense.
