There’s still time to turn things around
By Dale Lolley
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
The best thing that can be said about the Steelers’ stretch of three games in 11 days is that it’s over.
The Steelers lost all three games to three of the best teams in the NFL, dropping a 27-13 decision at Philadelphia, a 34-17 game at Baltimore and then a 29-10 defeat at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs at Acrisure Stadium on Christmas Day.
It’s as brutal a stretch of games as any team has played in the NFL this season, let alone playing those three opponents in an 11-day span, with two of them being on the road.
That being said, the Steelers saved their worst for last.
In the losses to the Eagles and Ravens, they were either tied or within a score going into the fourth quarter before the game turned against them.
Against the Chiefs, they really didn’t put up much of a fight.
They lost the game offensively, defensively and on special teams.
“You can look at it from a lot of angles. The bottom line is junior varsity is not good enough,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. “We’ve got to own that. But we’ve also got to look at what it is we need to do different. We’re not going to continue to do the same things and hope for a different result. That doesn’t seem sharp to me.
“So we’re going to take a hard look at this. We’ve got a couple extra days before we get back into it. We’re going to take a look at it and make whatever necessary changes we need to make in the totality of this thing, because again, that doesn’t feel good. It doesn’t look good.”
No it does not.
But it also isn’t a death knell for this team. With some minor adjustments – more Jaylen Warren, less Najee Harris and perhaps playing Minkah Fitzpatrick in the slot – the Steelers can still make some noise in the postseason.
In fact, if things hold up as expected, they’ll be the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs and head to Houston, which also just got destroyed by the Ravens and Chiefs in back-to-back games.
After that, you’ll take your chances.
But Tomlin’s right. Continuing to do the same exact thing with the same personnel and expecting different results isn’t the way to approach this.
There’s still time to turn things around.
• Would people feel differently about this team if the three losses to the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs had been spread out, say, in Weeks 4, 9 and 15? Perhaps.
The Steelers did, after all, beat the Ravens earlier this season. So, it’s not like they can’t compete with those teams.
But the NFL schedule-makers did them absolutely no favors stacking those three games in 11 days.
The other teams that played last Saturday and then on Christmas also dealt with three games in 11 days, but the Texans hosted the Dolphins, while the Ravens played the Giants. And both Houston and Baltimore had a bye week leading into this stretch.
The Chiefs, like the Steelers, didn’t get a bye leading into this stretch, but they also started it by playing the Browns.
That’s not quite the gauntlet of teams the Steelers faced.
• It doesn’t help matters that the Steelers lost the turnover battle against the Ravens and Chiefs.
When that happens, the Steelers are 2-3 this season.
That’s actually an improvement from previous seasons. Coming into this season, they were 0-18 since 2020 when losing the turnover battle.
But you certainly can’t lose the turnover battle against very good teams.
This week’s games
Broncos (plus 3½) at Bengals: Denver’s defense is one of the most stingy in the NFL, but will be working against an explosive Cincinnati offense. Here’s the thing, Cincinnati’s putrid defense also will have to take the field. And that unit is why the Bengals haven’t beaten a team with a winning record. Take the Broncos, 31-30.
Dolphins (minus 6½) at Browns: Miami giving 6½ points on the road in a cold-weather setting? There’s rain expected, which could make this an ugly, sloppy game. That plays in Cleveland’s favor. Take the Browns to cover in a 16-13 loss.
Cardinals (plus 6½) at Rams: The Cardinals are pretty much shutting up shop after falling out of the playoff race, while the Rams need a win to stay in control of the NFC West. Take the Rams, 30-23.
Cowboys (plus 7) at Eagles: The Cowboys have been competitive of late, even winning last week against Tampa Bay. But they also shut down CeeDee Lamb this week. The Eagles should be able to win this with their defense, even if Kenny Pickett has to play in place of a banged-up Jalen Hurts. Take the Eagles, 24-16.
Colts (minus 7½) at Giants: That the Colts are favored by more than a touchdown on the road tells you a lot about where the Giants are. Take the Colts, 23-13.
Last Week: 2-4 ATS, 3-3 straight up
Overall: 46-36 ATS; 56-26 straight up
Dale Lolley hosts The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio and writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter.