Steelers Can Probably Kiss Playoffs Goodbye After Back-to-Back Embarrassing Losses | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Every week after struggling a shocking 24-10 loss to the visiting Arizona Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Steelers had been broadly anticipated to bounce again in opposition to the New England Patriots. They misplaced 21-18, and what’s worse, they had been fairly far out of it for many of the recreation.

When the postseason begins in slightly over a month, the Steelers may be out of that too.

Did anybody anticipate Pittsburgh to dominate? Perhaps not with backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky beginning within the wake of Kenny Pickett’s ankle surgical procedure. However, the Steelers had been at dwelling, accountable for the AFC’s prime wild-card spot and taking part in a two-win Patriots workforce that has seemed as rudderless as any workforce within the league.

Instead of profitable an in depth, gritty recreation, Pittsburgh misplaced it. Trubisky (22-of-35 for 190 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) made the errors many may have anticipated, whereas the protection made Patriots backup Bailey Zappe appear like Tom Brady for a lot of the competition.

The Steelers fell right into a 21-3 gap and by no means managed to climb out of it.

The loss signifies that the Steelers have misplaced consecutive dwelling video games to two-win groups—one thing that might have been an unfathomable truth two weeks in the past, when Pittsburgh was 7-4.

“It’s my role to absorb and protect those that I work with,” head coach Mike Tomlin said, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. “This doesn’t feel like that. I’m not assigning blame or deflecting in any way. … Just rest assured that this decision was not taken lightly.”

The actuality is that the offense wasn’t ok or artistic sufficient with Canada calling the performs—not with standouts like George Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris within the lineup.

Tomlin did a positive sufficient job of conserving the workforce collectively, leaning on his protection and piecing collectively wins, however the offense wanted to discover a jolt if Pittsburgh wished to be a critical contender.

Interim coordinator Eddie Faulkner and interim play-caller Mike Sullivan have not been a lot better. They did assist produce Pittsburgh’s first 400-yard recreation within the Week 12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals—and their backup quarterback, Jake Browning—however the offense put a mere 16 factors on the board.

That hasn’t been the one concern, because the protection has began to indicate cracks over the previous couple of weeks. Last week, the Cardinals bodily imposed their will on Pittsburgh early and usually. Arizona completed with 150 speeding yards, with former Steeler James Conner accounting for 105 of them and two touchdowns.

That recreation featured two prolonged climate delays that appeared to sap the combat from Pittsburgh. But it did not have the identical impact on Arizona.

On Thursday, Zappe spent the vast majority of the primary half poking holes within the Steelers secondary.

Consider the fact that the Browns, Broncos, Colts and Texans all face remaining schedules that are easier than average over the ultimate 5 weeks. At this level, the chances merely aren’t in Pittsburgh’s favor—and the Steelers have nobody however themselves in charge.

True contenders beat the groups they’re presupposed to. Had the Steelers carried out that over the previous two weeks, they’d be 9-4 and very a lot alive within the AFC North race. Instead, they completed flat in Week 13, began flat in Week 14 and now need assistance simply to get into the dance.