Nov 1, 2015 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – When the Steelers finally get an opportunity to assess the 2015 season, there will be a lot of second-guessing involved, particularly with what we’ve seen in the first half.

Pittsburgh went 4-4 in its first eight games. It could just as easily have been 2-6 or 6-2. The margin between winning and losing has been that tight.

The Steelers allowed another game to slip from their grasp Sunday in a 16-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field.

They can’t allow the season to do the same.

It all happened in a span of a few possessions in the third and fourth quarters. Cam Heyward blocked a field goal and that looked to be a turning point late in the third quarter. It was followed by a pair of interceptions thrown by Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton, the first of which was made by Antwon Blake in the end zone that appeared to seal the game for the Steelers.

But the Steelers not only matched Dalton’s ineptness, they outdid it.

Ben Roethlisberger, making his first start in five weeks because of a sprained MCL, threw a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter of a game that had more plot twists than a Hitchcock movie.

The Bengals turned those miscues into 10 points in the final three minutes and made it a six-point win.

“I was disappointed with the way that I played,” said Roethlisberger, who threw for 265 yards and a touchdown to go along with those three interceptions. “I let this team down, and I let the fans down. This one is on me, and I’m taking the blame and letting everyone know that I have to play better.”

Roethlisberger has a proven track record that says he will be better. It appears he’ll have to do so without star running back Le’Veon Bell, who went down in the second quarter with what appears to be a serious knee injury. This season is shaping up as one of those ones you just chalk up to bad luck.

The Steelers were excited about the possibilities for their offense this season. But Roethlisberger already missed four games with injury and Bell sat out two and receiver Martavis Bryant four because of suspensions. All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey didn’t even make it out of the second preseason game without a serious injury and has yet to play. Left tackle Kelvin Beachum went down three weeks ago with a season-ending knee injury.

That doesn’t even include the merry-go-round with kickers that started when Shaun Suisham suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason opener.

Those injuries mean the margin for error for the Steelers is small this season. They need to take advantage of each opportunity to win games.

And they have now allowed two winnable games turn into losses at home, falling in overtime to Baltimore a month ago and now handing the Bengals this victory. That both came in AFC North games hurts even worse.

Against the Bengals, the Steelers defense was outstanding, holding them to six points for 57 minutes. But the offense kept giving Cincinnati another chance until the Bengals finally took advantage.

“When you have your foot on their throat, you have to finish the game,” said Heyward. “This could be a big learning lesson or it could be our Achilles’ heel the rest of the season. We’ve got to grow from this. Look at the Baltimore game. If we get another stop in the fourth quarter, we win the game. I don’t think it’s a trend, but we’ve got to learn from this. It can’t be something that lingers around.”

No matter what they now do, this loss will linger. Now 3 ½ games behind the Bengals in the division race, it’s unlikely they can catch them. So if they’re going to make the postseason, it will be as a wild-card team.

They’re still a talented football team, even though they have been wracked by injuries.

“There’s a lot going on. It’s tough with Le’Veon. It didn’t look good,” said guard David DeCastro. “(But) it’s part of the game. You see it all over the league. It’s unfortunate but we had our chance to win this game.”

F. Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.