The Pittsburgh Steelers are spiraling. Three losses in 11 days, there’s no way to sugarcoat that. But short of throwing the towel in on the season, the only thing the team can do is attempt to right the ship. While their circumstances were similar to more successful teams and there’s no comfy excuse for the team’s recent play, getting back to practice and a routine is the best thing for the players right now.
As is rest. Though the team came together last Thursday, and players likely trickled in and out of the facility over the weekend, a chance to hit the reset button isn’t a bad thing. To mentally check out, get away from the building, and come back in a better place than the understandable frustration and bitterness they displayed in the locker room after the Kansas City Chiefs loss. That doesn’t solve the real problems ahead of them but creates the mindset for those things to be fixed. An important first step.
The real work begins now. Pittsburgh practices Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday ahead of Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. For the Ravens and Chiefs game, they didn’t have quite the same time. Baltimore was the same Sunday-to-Saturday flow, but Pittsburgh’s coaching staff has had more time to prepare, players were in the building last Thursday, and Monday is a more effective workday coming off a quiet weekend than just having played a game.
Pittsburgh should have three full sessions. Their first practice ahead of the Baltimore game was a walkthrough. If you’ve ever watched those before, they have one in training camp before a preseason game, it’s barely football. Low intensity, no physicality, it’s frankly boring to watch even for football junkies like me. There’s still value in it, often done right before games to mentally walk through important situations and play calls but that comes at the end of the week as cherry on the sundae, not part of game-week prep at the beginning.
There was even less time to get ready for the Chiefs. A four-day turnaround with just walkthrough sessions that gave Pittsburgh little time to prepare. It showed on the field, the Steelers consistently one step behind.
Of course, the Ravens and Chiefs played the same schedules and faced the same obstacles. They were flawless, each squad going 3-0. Credit to them, demerits to the Steelers. It’s why Baltimore and Kansas City are rightfully viewed as true AFC contenders and why Pittsburgh rightfully isn’t. But it’s worth mentioning this. When things are going good, reps aren’t as important. Steady as she goes. When things are falling apart, when there’s issues big and obvious like Pittsburgh’s dealt with, reps are critical. To course correct and fix mistakes.
The Steelers need plenty of both. The “get back in the lab” comments from Mike Tomlin apply here. It’s not a cure-all, it’s no guarantee to fix things before facing a high-octane Cincinnati Bengals offense, but it’s a start.
With Pittsburgh on a three-game losing streak, the Steelers need to hit the reset button. Every season begins with practice be it OTAs, minicamp, or training camp. It starts with the self instead of the other, the opponent. If that’s where the Steelers place their attention, they’ll look much better on the other side of the weekend.
