The National Football League is a week-to-week endeavor. Fortunes can change quickly based on a single injury, bad bounce of the football or even a questionable coaching decision. Ask the Chicago Bears who were en route to a postseason berth before giving up a Hail Mary to lose to Washington. They were never the same. Our Pittsburgh Steelers can relate. They were 10-3 at one point and they were one of the darlings of every NFL TV or radio show.
And then it all changed.
The Black and Gold dropped four straight games becoming just the first team since the 1986 New York Jets to win ten games but lose their final four and people are noticing. Long-time USA Today Sports Writer Jarrett Bell has been paying attention. His column today is spot on, which is somewhat unique for a national guy. Far too often they only take the big picture things they hear about and use them as if they really know what’s going on. Bell nails exactly what is troubling the Steelers.
Former (and in his mind, new HC of the New York Jets) Rex Ryan took the Steelers defense to task this week and again, nothing he said was false or over the top in any way. Those of us who know and follow the Steelers daily like we do recognize everything Ryan is talking about. Whether we like Rex Ryan or not, he’s very accurate in his take.
When a team is winning, everything is great. The sun literally shines every day, people are friendly and you’re the apple of every fan’s eye. But when you’re losing? The days are longer and they are darker and people look upon you as if you just threatened their first-born child.
It’s like that in Pittsburgh times 100. So if the national media – Bell and Ryan are just two examples – sees what is happening then you know how bad things really are. Can the Steelers suddenly flip the switch and upset the Ravens this weekend? My guess is that no one in the national media thinks so.
