I can’t believe we are here again.
Things have to change. In back to back weeks, a team who had two wins coming into the year came into Pittsburgh in a must-win game for the Steelers, and in back to back weeks, Mike Tomlin’s team loses again.
I have never been on the fire Tomlin train, but after watching what I have these last two weeks, I can’t help but think this team needs a hard reset. A fresh start with a new offensive coordinator, a new defensive coordinator, and a new head coach.
Any final score that had the Patriots ahead would have been pathetic enough as it is, but this score is incredibly deceptive. The Patriots were up 21-3 at one point, and were able to hold on long enough to get their third win of the year, the latest in the chapter of Belichick vs Tomlin.
Belichick wins again. He outsmarts Tomlin once again. He outschemes Tomlin once again. He outcoaches Tomlin, once again.
Bailey Zappe and his merry men come into town and embarrass the Steelers, who fall to 7-6 on the year, and it’s so hard to believe that’s even their record.
Zappe threw for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns (1 interception) as he picked apart the Steelers’ secondary in the first half. It was the first 3 touchdown game of Zappe’s career.
And speaking of touchdowns, the Patriots had not scored a touchdown in two weeks, but fixed that quickly against the legendary Steelers defense, marching down the field with ease to score an opening drive touchdown.
It was an awful start to a more awful game.
Meanwhile, boos rain down on Mitch Trubisky, starting for the injured Kenny Pickett. Trubisky was intercepted early in the second quarter, and should have been picked off twice more (one was called back on a penalty, one was a defender not being able to catch).
I can’t recall a game where the home team was booed more than the Steelers were last night, and a lot of it was justified.
The Steelers offense looked worse and worse with each drive in the first half, and you would have never guessed that they were the 7-5 team.
The Steelers found some offense late in the second quarter, with Trubisky connecting to Diontae Johnson to make it a 21-10 game before halftime.
In the second half, Mykal Walker intercepts a pass that was originally deflected by Elandon Roberts, but the Steelers fail to convert on the great field position.
On a 4th and short opportunity, the Steelers can’t get the needed yardage, and turn the ball over.
In the end though, it may have been better off. Special teams captain Miles Killebrew blocks a punt and gives Pittsburgh great field position.
The Steelers do capitalize this time around, and punch in a touchdown and a successful two point conversion. Trubisky sneaks it, and then passes it to Pat Freiermuth to make it 21-18.
But that was all. They did what they always do.
They tease you. They bring you back in. Like an abusive ex, they promise you this time things will be different.
They play your favorite song (Renegade) and they give you hope that you will finally see a change.
And then they let you down again.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Steelers start to establish a bit of momentum, even converting fourth down to keep the drive alive.
However, on their second fourth down, this time a 4th and 3, the Steelers elect to punt.
They get the ball back, with a little under three minutes left to go. Trubisky connects with Najee Harris for a 14-yard pick up, but they have some problems after that. On a 4th and 2 play, the Steelers have a decision to make.
Needing two yards to keep the game going, the Steelers dial up a deep ball to Johnson about 40 yards down the field. It falls incomplete, and that in essence ends the game.
That play call is the epitome of the coaching staff in this game. It’s the reason why The Steeler Way™ is failing, and why they cannot continue to promote from within for their next offensive coordinator. They need an entirely new voice.
And that might not stop at OC. The fire Tomlin crowd is louder than ever, and after his team falls flat and comes out unprepared twice in a row to 2-10 teams, there’s more and more of a case building to start over with a new head coach.
Now at 7-6, Tomlin finds his no losing seasons streak in jeopardy once again, and the schedule only gets tougher moving forward.
Pittsburgh has not won a playoff game since the 2016 season…if they miss the playoffs this year (and believe me, they deserve to), that will be seven seasons without a single playoff win.
It’s unacceptable. Just like Sunday was. Just like Thursday was.
More thoughts down below:
-The flag on the Steelers punt where the Patriots jumped offside, but the Steelers were called for a penalty instead, but that’s not the reason they lost this game. Letting Bailey Zappe hang 3 TDs on you is why you lost this game.
-I said in my review last time that I was embarrassed to be wearing a Steelers jersey…oh that poor naive boy, he hadn’t even begun to feel embarrassment yet.
-The Steelers need a new center. Mason Cole can’t even nail the basics of snapping the ball down anymore. It’s a big time need in the offseason/draft.
-Even when his team sucks, Belichick never misses an opportunity to show Tomlin that he’s smarter than him.
-Mitch Trubisky had the pretty standard Trubisky-type game, but he was absolutely awful to start the game. You have to seriously wonder if Mason Rudolph gets the nod in 10 days.
–Odd stat of the game: Mitch Trubisky was the team’s leading rusher, with 30 yards on 8 carries.
(Featured photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
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