Welcome back to your weekly Pittsburgh Steelers mailbag. As always, we’re here for the next hour to answer whatever is on your mind.
To your questions!
Brian Tollini:
A. No playoff wins since 2016 (lack of successful)
B. Trailing at halftime by 14 points + in last 5 playoff games (not competitive)
C. Losing to Baltimore Sunday would mark 8th season in-a-row of 3+ game losing streak (bad football becoming consistent)
D. In the last 3 seasons combined, the Steelers have 11 games in which they have lost by 14 points + (not competitive/consistently bad)
I soured on Mike Tomlin in 2023 after we lost back-to-back games against Arizona and New England (both bad teams at the time), but the Buffalo game broke me. If Mr. Rooney doesn’t pull the plug on Coach T, will it be more because of his contract, or more because his relationship/respect with him is almost blinding him? Which stat above hurts the most? Is it the losses, or how we are losing?
Alex: A mixture of both. And the “history” of the Steelers not firing head coaches. But the contract has a lot to do with it. Now, there could be offsets that would reduce the amount of money owed, but we don’t know all the details. Rooney grew up in the culture of a team staying the course and not making major moves. Right or wrong, I think Rooney would look at the landscape of who would replace Tomlin (something we all do when thinking about big changes, ‘what’s next?’) and not like what’s out there. It’s a poor coaching hiring cycle.
In terms of what stat hurts worst, they all do. But the first and second are obviously linked. Playoff and Super Bowls wins are what the Steelers are judged on. And that has been a major failure for nearly a decade.
MAK Lives Free:
Lamar may not play (apparently, didn’t practice). Feels like if that’s the case, the sun is shining on the team.
Or if the lose a game to the Ravens who don’t have Lamar…feels like a whole rebuild will need to be made.
Brings me to my question: Can this team actually turn it around? If so, is it because of the defense or offense turning it around most?
Alex: We’ll see…I still expect Lamar to play. Unless he sits out Friday, I’ll pay the report little mind. He’s missed basically one day each week since coming back from his injury.
Can they turn it around? It’s hard to see it. At least in terms of doing something new this year. Win the division or a playoff game. Even a win Sunday still feels like a big hill to climb with how hot-and-cold this team is and a schedule that is far from “easy.”
If they do, it’ll be both, obviously. But time and time again, it’s the defense that steps up and carries the team. Even if it’s a lot of splash plays and takeaways. I imagine that would again be the story if Pittsburgh rights the ship.
RangerBrigade: Let’s say the Steelers blow it this week and lay an egg against the Dolphins. Is there any chance we could see Will Howard? Wouldn’t they like to see what they might have before going into the draft or the off season looking for a QB? Then again – can we trust this team to do anything with respect to developing young talent – especially a QB?
Alex: Howard is only going to play if the Steelers are mathematically eliminated. If there’s still a path to the playoffs, Howard isn’t even going to be a thought. And even if the season is over, I don’t know for sure if Howard will play. It’s a big ask after missing out on the preseason, though I like the idea of him getting in-stadium snaps to replace what he missed in August. Get him back, and really ahead, of where his rookie baseline was supposed to be.
I could see Howard maybe playing a half one week or something in Week 17 or something. Maybe Week 18, though what an introduction to the Ravens. At least fans would have something to cheer, I guess, when he enters.
For QB at-large, I still am not doom and gloom that they can’t develop a quarterback. Arthur Smith has shown an ability to aid quarterback development. Pickett was a miss but that was as much a bad evaluation as it was the system he was placed into.
