There were a couple notable turning points in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but Russell Wilson’s pick-six to Marlon Humphrey was the final nail in the coffin. Their chances of winning the AFC North division went from about 70 percent to just about 50 percent, and being forced to play on the road in the playoffs could mean another disappointing one and done for the Steelers.
Former GM Mike Tannenbaum thinks the Steelers ultimately will peter out in the first round of the playoffs, and he points to that turnover as a turning point for the whole season.
“The Steelers average a hundred yards more per game, passing yards, with George Pickens than without him,” Tannenbaum said Tuesday via ESPN’s Get Up. “That’s a stunning statistic. And when your hopes are on one person’s hamstring, I’m just not buying it. That interception right there changed the trajectory of the two teams for the entire season. That pick-six to me just was the beginning of the end. I just think they’re too dependent on one player and I just don’t believe in the Steelers.”
Teams with playoff success often peak at the right point of the season. While the Ravens seem to be entering the postseason red-hot, the Steelers are quickly cooling off. They have lost three of their last five, with a legitimate risk to make that four of their last six against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas.
Tannenbaum’s thoughts are a bit on the dramatic end, but there are definitely concerns over having multiple ways to win the big games against top-notch opponents. The margin for error was way too thin the last couple weeks against the Eagles and Ravens. A couple key mistakes by the Steelers and suddenly they were getting blown out.
Will George Pickens fix that? Is he healthy enough to be trusted for a full return without any risk of reinjury? These are key questions that could shape the rest of the Steelers’ season.
On the positive end of things, the Steelers are likely getting Donte Jackson, DeShon Elliott, Larry Ogunjobi, and Pickens back all at the same time. That is a big infusion of talent on both sides of the ball. Joey Porter Jr.’s injury is a big concern, but Cory Trice Jr. is back. The Steelers also have Cam Sutton, who can play just about any role in the secondary.
On offense, the passing game started to find its way against the Ravens for the first time without Pickens. Calvin Austin III stepped up in a big way, which could pay dividends over the final two weeks of the regular season and in the playoffs. With Pickens returning, Austin should be freed up a little more, and his emergence as a big weapon in the offense can continue.
If the Steelers lose to the Chiefs and the Ravens beat the Houston Texans in a worst-case Christmas scenario, then it might be time to panic with their chances of hosting a playoff game being reduced significantly. There will be plenty of time to dissect what went wrong this season if that ends up being the case. For now, the Steelers can get right back on track by defeating the 14-1 Chiefs at home, getting one step closer to winning the division.
