Things did not go well for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12. They should’ve beaten the Cleveland Browns, but they got in their own way too much. They are still 8-3. This doesn’t collapse their season. However, if they allow the problems that plagued them against the Browns to continue, they could be in trouble. Former Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden believes the Steelers need to take time to reevaluate.
“Now you gotta look yourselves in the mirror,” McFadden said recently via NFL on CBS on Twitter. “We’ve been patting the Pittsburgh Steelers on the back over the last few weeks, deserving so based on their performance. Now, you really have to look at yourself in the mirror and get back to the little things, attention to details.
“When you look at a team that has been thriving with the Pittsburgh Steelers, you would like to see a better start on the road. That’s the most important thing when you’re playing against a team that’s spiraling in the wrong direction.”
The Steelers did fail at those little things against the Browns. They couldn’t really get anything going with their short passing game. Jaylen Warren ran well, but Najee Harris had a rough outing. Even their special teams units let them down. Those are three elements that had been winning the Steelers games.
Their defense had issues too. The Browns’ offensive line had been struggling and played with a third-string LT, and yet, the Steelers’ pass rush struggled to get home. Maybe part of that was due to the weather, but the Browns had to deal with that problem as well. Quarterback Jameis Winston could’ve written a book on some of his drop backs.
Starting slow isn’t anything new for the Steelers this year. It’s been an issue since Justin Fields was the quarterback. They’ve battled back in most games but weren’t able to against the Browns. It showed why they can’t always wait until the second half to catch fire.
Going into halftime, the Browns only had a seven-point lead. The Steelers’ defense forced turnovers to keep them in the game, but their offense couldn’t seal the game. They lacked any kind of rhythm. That problem can’t continue to hurt them as much.
Next Sunday, they’ll host the Cincinnati Bengals. That should be a good test for both their offense and defense. The Bengals are under .500 this year, but their offense has been stellar. The Steelers’ defense will have a challenge containing them. Their offense may have to do more to keep pace with the Bengals too. It’s a good opportunity to bounce back. The Steelers just have to seize the moment.
