PITTSBURGH — Standing behind a dais within the cramped guests’ media convention room at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, coach Mike Tomlin dismissed the notion of 1 loss snowballing right into a hunch. The Pittsburgh Steelers then misplaced two extra video games within the subsequent 10 days and now enter Week 18 looking for a tourniquet to cease the bleeding.
No longer accountable for their very own future within the AFC North title race, the Steelers might not be taking part in to host a wild-card playoff sport, however Saturday evening’s final result could possibly be essential in figuring out the workforce’s postseason destiny because it chases the franchise’s first playoff win since 2016.
Not solely might a win towards the Cincinnati Bengals (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC) arrange for a extra favorable first-round playoff matchup — maybe going through a banged up Houston Texans workforce as an alternative of a 3rd assembly with a surging Baltimore Ravens group — but it surely might flip the tide of the Steelers’ momentum as they enter probably the most essential, high-stakes time of the 12 months.
“You wish to go into the playoffs on a sizzling streak, all people seeing eye-to-eye, the cohesiveness,” security DeShon Elliott stated. “Especially as a result of it is a single-game elimination state of affairs. Every play issues. Every communication issues. You’ve obtained to accentuate the way in which we go about our day.”
That’s precisely what the Steelers did within the 10 days between the Christmas loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and Saturday evening’s regular-season finale.
Less than 24 hours after that loss, the Steelers reconvened at their apply facility for movie research and frank, clear discussions. After their mandated three-day break, the workforce reported again to the power on Monday for his or her final work week of the common season. Through spirited practices and additional walk-throughs, the Steelers labored to right the problems of the final three video games.
“There’s not lots of people working open,” security Minkah Fitzpatrick stated of apply. “We have not needed to run again an entire lot of performs. Maybe just one from Wednesday, and we have been doing a variety of additional work on the facet whereas the offense is on the sector, engaged on these communications, engaged on these changes.”
But, after all, the true measuring stick will not come till they take the sector towards a Bengals workforce preventing for a spot within the playoffs.
“We’re decided by profitable video games,” defensive lineman Cameron Heyward stated. “Our apply is simply reinforcing our fundamentals, however we cannot know it is a good week till we win.”
The Bengals boast a top-five scoring offense and a protection with 12 turnovers in a four-game win streak, however going through Cincinnati could possibly be a salve for a Steelers workforce looking for its footing. Just a month in the past, the Steelers have been clicking on all cylinders inside Paycor Stadium in a 44-38 win.
Though the protection gave up 38 factors and 375 yards to Joe Burrow and the high-flying offense, Russell Wilson and the Steelers went toe-to-toe with the MVP candidate.
Even extra encouraging, Wilson did it after the primary drive abruptly ended within the mistaken finish zone as cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt intercepted Wilson’s third cross try of the day for a pick-six.
Wilson completed that day with 410 passing yards on completions to 10 totally different receivers, and the working backs mixed for 110 yards on the bottom. It marked the Steelers’ highest yardage complete since 2018 and Wilson’s third profession 400-yard passing sport — and first since leaving Seattle.
As the Steelers celebrated within the guests’ locker room with jokes in regards to the return of Wilson’s Mr. Unlimited alter ego and Thanksgiving meal hangovers, momentum was squarely of their favor. It carried over every week later in one other full efficiency with a 27-14 residence win towards the Cleveland Browns.
Since then, although?
The good vibes floor to a halt.
It wasn’t simply that the Steelers misplaced three video games to groups with the 5 finest Super Bowl odds, in response to ESPN Bet, but it surely was how they misplaced them. They gave up a median of 30 factors per sport whereas scoring simply 13 per outing, they usually had a -2 turnover differential throughout that stretch. Frustration changed jubilation within the postgame locker room because the Steelers stumbled.
“When guys are passionate a few sport that we have been taking part in for thus lengthy,” Elliott stated, “you do not put together to lose. You put together to win, and when you do not win, issues can get irritating.”
The Steelers have been in the same place earlier than. In 2020, the workforce began out 11-0 earlier than dropping 4 of their ultimate 5 regular-season video games and a lopsided 48-37 residence wild-card sport to the Browns.
With yet one more probability to rectify their late-season slide within the common season, the Steelers wish to channel the recipe that helped them to a 10-3 begin earlier than the stakes get even increased.
“It’s about simply taking part in good ball, and we obtained to get again on good footing, play with good method,” Heyward stated. “We management what we will management, and I believe going ahead, ball simply must be performed the appropriate approach. And it would not matter what occurs exterior of our stadium, we perceive we’re within the playoffs, so simply give attention to what we obtained to give attention to.”
