Do you remember when Joey Porter bloodied the lip of Browns’ running back William Green before a game in Cleveland in 2004?
Do you remember Jack Lambert throwing Cliff Harris to the ground in Super Bowl X after Harris started taunting kicker Roy Gerela?
Do you remember Steelers’ teams that used to go on the road with a chip on their shoulder and fire in their eyes?
Do you remember Steelers’ teams that would have never lost games at home without leaving everything on the field?
Those things may be in the past, but they are extremely pertinent today as the 2013 Pittsburgh are now 0-4.
The good news is that the AFC North stinks and the Steelers are amazingly still in this thing but it will require leadership. It will also require attitude and I’m honestly not sure if this current Steelers’ version has either of these key ingredients.
Ryan Clark has often been thought of as a leader on the defense but his missed tackles and blown coverages don’t exactly provide him with such a platform. Brett Keisel is the senior member of this team yet we hear little of his leadership skills.
Ben Roethlisberger is supposed to be the leader of the offense because by nature, quarterbacks are the leaders. Roethlisberger isn’t a ‘rah-rah’ type guy though and leads more with his actions than his words.
What about Troy Polamalu you may ask? Seriously? Troy is a great player but he’s never been labeled a vocal leader so don’t expect it to start now.
OK, so leadership is lacking but what about attitude?
I don’t consider ‘attitude’ celebrating a TD when you’re down by 17 either. Attitude is owning the situation the minute you step on the field and this team lacks that attitude in every way, shape and form.
If this team were a church choir, they’d be well-represented and well-respected. I’m not suggesting this team bring in the Adam ‘PacMan’ Jones’ of the world, but rather, I’m talking about guys who aren’t afraid to call people out.
Where is the guy who will get in Mike Adams’ face after he gives up on a play where his QB gets blown up? Where is the guy who lights up teammates when they miss tackles? Where are the leaders and attitude guys period????
Look, this team needs a lot more than just an attitude adjustment. This team lacks talent and lacks depth but you can’t mistake the need for guys who aren’t afraid to get after teammates either.
Will someone on this current team step up? Don’t plan on it.
Marc Uhlmann writes for and co-owns www.steelcityblitz.com. Follow him on Twitter @steeldad and follow the website at @SCBlitz. He can be heard Mondays on Trib-Live Radio at 630pm ET talking Steelers.
