SCB Steelers Quick Hitters: The "Crashing Down" Edition

There is nothing “good” about this morning so I’ll dispense with the pleasantries….

Perhaps we should have seen this coming. After the 11-0 start, which never really seemed to be that dominate at times, the Pittsburgh Steelers fell apart losing four of their final five. The only bright spot during that time was the second half against the Indianapolis Colts. From the very first snap last night you could feel it all come crashing down couldn’t you? Let me get to work.

The Good

-James Washington continues to be the most under appreciated member of the receiving corps and worked his tail off last night.

-I appreciate the effort. The guys battled back. Never should have been in that spot though.

-James Pierre got some snaps last night and looked decent. He built on a good performance from last week.

-Ben Roethlisberger passed Terry Bradshaw for the most TD passes in team history. He also set a record for completions in a game with 47 but I think he’d gladly give these things up for a win.

– In what may have been his final game as a Steeler, James Conner competed his ass off.

-JuJu Smith-Schuster’s words were taken out of context and maybe he’ll learn to use them more wisely in the future but I don’t question the kid’s toughness and heart. He took an absolute pounding last night and delivered catch after catch.

-Chase Claypool is really good and the sky remains the limit for him. If he puts in the work he’s going to be a stud for years to come.

-The offensive line is going to be very different next year and yes, that is a GOOD thing.

Tweet of the Day… Perspective.

Being a fan of any team comes with the chance of heartbreak but I still choose being a fan @steelers

— LilBanjo (@19lilbanjo) January 11, 2021

The Bad

-You can’t blame Mike Tomlin for bad snaps, poor throws and dropped balls but you can prepare your team better than he has. Especially in their last two playoff appearances. Perhaps Tomlin has put too much faith in his veterans.

-Down 28-0 early in the second quarter with the ball in CLE territory and we punt. Talk about waving the white flag.

-Maurkice Pouncey’s snaps were bad all night. Not just the first one.

-I do not understand the decision to start Matt Feiler. Kevin Dotson played well in his stead. Feiler, as expected, played poorly.

-You want an example of Randy Fichtner’s incompetence? Gets a first down using Derek Watt. Next series, same situation and he does the exact same thing. Didn’t help that Pouncey got destroyed but this isn’t pee wee football where you can keep calling the same play.

-Mike Tomlin’s game management continues to confound. Going for two when he shouldn’t. Not going for two when he should. I’m at a loss.

-I realize Devin Bush wasn’t available and I really do appreciate Vince Williams and Robert Spillane but the Steelers have to get more athletic at the ILB spot. They just can’t cover.

-On the first play of the game I think what happened there between Ben and Conner was that they realized how close they were to a safety. Rather than just accept that they both kind of erred there. It happens, the game is full speed, not slow motion.

-Tomlin is now 8-8 in the postseason. His last two home losses have been as ugly as they could possibly come. He is open to and deserving of criticism.

-Credit the Browns for an excellent offensive gameplan. They were given great field position early on but they exposed the Steelers several times using backs out of the backfield and getting the ball out of Baker Mayfield’s hands quickly.

-I understood the approach of Tomlin on the fourth and one decision to punt in the second half but with no clue as to how many possessions you’d have left, he lived in his fears instead of attacking them.

Looking Ahead…

The Steelers face an off-season of uncertainty. With so many free agents, Ben Roethlisberger’s massive cap hit and a salary cap destined to be awful, it’s likely that the team is headed for several seasons of mediocrity. I expect there to be changes in the coaching staff starting with the offensive coordinator. If this is the end for Big Ben I’m sorry it ended this way. He deserved better and so did we.