By HUNTER O. LYLE
lyleoleanstar@gmail.com
At the end of the road, the Pittsburgh Steelers saw a culmination of all their faults. All their glaring, mounting problems came to a head in an embarrassing loss and elimination that begs the question: what happens next?
In what would be the Steelers’ farewell game of the season, the final domino fell. After dragging the team along for 17 weeks, the defense finally folded. In Pittsburgh’s fourth consecutive loss – and their sixth consecutive playoff loss – they looked like a junior varsity roster compared to the unstoppable Baltimore Ravens.
Granted, Lamar Jackson might be one of the best athletes, let alone quarterbacks, in the NFL, however, it is inexcusable to allow 308 yards in the first half alone. Up front, the defensive line got bullied and bruised, failing to get even remotely close to Jackson as he waltzed up the field time and time again. Meanwhile, there were more gaps in the secondary’s coverage than a chain link fence.
Combined through four quarters and it just appeared as the Steelers defense had no fight left in them. Maybe it was fatigue from carrying the offense all year.
On that note, there was plenty to pick at on that side of the ball – as always.
I’ll skip my weekly rant about Russell Wilson because his faults never change, similar to the Steelers offensive game plan. Ahead of the game, Pittsburgh made it known that Justin Fields would play and, technically, they didn’t lie. However, it was in the same extremely limited capacity as always.
In total, Fields saw just two snaps. In a game that was ultimately and unfortunately decided at halftime, it is brain-numbingly ludicrous to not install your promising backup quarterback if for no other reason than to show some respect and lure him to resigning this offseason. As Wilson hopefully packs up his locker for the last time in Pittsburgh, the best option for QB is – and in my opinion has been – to stick with Fields. Hopefully he is more forgiving about the offenses’ lack of development and growth than I am.
Looking over Saturday’s box score paints an image of ruins. What was once a 10-3 team collapsed into misery. Between the leading running backs combining for 23 yards – barely a quarter of what Jackson ran for by himself – and Pittsburgh’s star receiver getting just two targets in the first half, the Steelers are more than a bit disheveled.
It begs the question of who to blame. Last season, Matt Canada got the axe. Will Arthur Smith see the same fate? Or will Pittsburgh finally look towards Mike Tomlin with unfavorable eyes? Never having a losing season while simultaneously making the playoffs 19 times is impressive, but at a certain point is that enough?
The Steelers still have some weapons on their roster but time is an unstoppable factor. At a certain point these bright spots will burn out. Who will we have then? Maybe it truly is time for a change.
In between the question and the answer is surely a lot of soul searching and processing. While Rome wasn’t built in a day, it wasn’t taken down overnight either.
