Is it Crazy to be Encouraged by the Steelers Week 1 Loss to the Patriots?

Following the Steelers’ loss to the Patriots last Thursday, predictably, Pittsburgh Steelers fans were pretty upset with the way things unfolded.

I feel like I should start by saying I’m not one of those fans that’s constantly optimistic about the Steelers, and if I think the team stinks I’ll say so.

There was a lot of outrage about a lot of things, mostly anger directed at the coaching staff. Marc wrote on Todd Haley’s faults last week.

I agree with plenty of the criticism being doled out…

While I don’t hate the idea of trying to break open a game with a trick play, when you’re the underdog… the timing of Todd Haley’s trick play call was terrible. The offense was grooving. If they’d stalled a couple of times later on, I could see calling that play.

I’m willing to give the defense a pass. A lot of issues were guys being out of position, and that’s just going to happen when you install a new system. That will get better. What I can’t fathom is how Brandon Boykin doesn’t see a snap when Antwon Blake is getting abused by Julian Edelman.

One thing I haven’t seen discussed much, is Big Ben. The Steelers came out and looked better in the second half. Momentum was turning and Ben throws a pick that was something a rookie would throw. Ben Roethlisberger is better than that, and it was back breaking.

That’s the bad. However, I’m actually sort of encouraged by what I saw Thursday night for several reason. I was pretty happy that the Steelers hung around with the defending champs, despite the odds being heavily stacked against them…

• Playing in the NFL Opener on the Road
  The NFL started the annual tradition of the Superbowl winner hosting the opening game in 2004. That means that 12 such games have happened now. The home team has won that game 11 of the 12 games. The defending champion has won 10 of the 12 times. Due to a scheduling conflict, the Ravens played at Mile High Stadium in 2013, losing the the Broncos. I wanted no part of this game from the beginning. Beating a playoff caliber team on the road is hard enough as it is. Throw in the fact that they’re unveiling banners and brandishing rings, that kind of stuff gets the crowd even more worked up.The Steelers know this well, as it seems like they do something like retire Joe Greene’s number, or honor Jerome Bettis every year when we play the Ravens at home. From the start, I felt like this was really working against the Steelers.
• Deflate-Gate Reversal
  I don’t understand people saying that Deflate-gate would be a huge distraction and detriment to the Patriots. Am I the only one that’s caught onto the fact that Tom Brady and an extremely emotional player… and seems to raise to another level when you piss him off. We all saw Brady ready to make a point after  safety Anthony Smith (stupidly) guaranteed a win over the Pats in 2007. Brady came out fired up from the kickoff, ready to give a big middle finger to the commissioner.
• No Le’Veon Bell, Martavis Bryant, or Maurkice Pouncey
  Call it an excuse if you like, but the fact is the Steelers offense is extremely crippled with two of their elite play-makers suspended. As Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider pointed out last week, in the 10 games that Bryant started last season; Bell+Bryant accounted for 56% of the Steelers touchdowns, and 47% of their yardage. DeAngelo Williams looked revitalized against the Patriots, and that will be great moving forward. I still think that Bell would’ve made a bigger impact that Williams. Maybe Bell and Bryant turn a couple of those FG tries into a score instead. Maybe Martavis Bryant keeps his feet in bounds where Heyward-Bey stepped out.
• New Defensive Scheme
  Yes, Rob Gronkowski destroyed the Steelers defense. Plenty of people wanted to crucify the coaching staff for that. The fact is Gronk is a matchup nightmare and nobody shuts him down. They still held the Pats to 28 points with him running wild. Most of his production came on busted plays. That’s the new scheme. The Steelers defenders stood around scratching their heads after plays a lot on Thursday night, trying to figure out who was supposed to be where. That’s growing pains. It took time for Todd Haley’s vision to come to fruition, and the same will happen with Keith Butler. Give these guys time to get their footing in a new scheme… AND GET BOYKIN ON THE FIELD!

With all of those things working against them, and a defense that looked like a high school squad… the Steelers were a couple made field goals, and possibly Will Allen realizing the ball was between his legs from stealing a win in Foxborough.

Think about that. The Steelers went toe to toe with the defending champions on the road and despite all of the above, they could’ve won that game.

How many teams on the Steelers schedule are better than the Patriots? The Rams? Chiefs? Seahawks? Broncos?

I’m not sure. Maybe one of the above is, but I think that the Steelers are in that class, especially when Bell and Bryant return. If the Steelers can survive they’ll get Maurkice Pouncey back as well.