As Sunday's dreadful game at Heinz Field was slip, sliding away through the fourth quarter and overtime, I couldn't help but feel as if I'd been transported back to 2018 when the Steelers opened the season in Cleveland.
That game was a strikingly similar comedy of errors – by both teams – that fittingly ended, 21-21. Finally, when this year's debacle against the Lions also ended in a 16-16 tie, I couldn't help but wonder – which one was worse?
Really, both felt like losses. Three years ago, the Steelers had a 21-7 fourth quarter lead and failed to win. That ultimately cost them a playoff berth. While this year's team actually came from 6 points down in the second half for the tie, it was against the worst team in the NFL.
Sunday could also keep the Steelers out of the playoffs, even under the new 7-team format.
When I first started thinking about that game in Cleveland I remembered that they blew a big lead, that TJ Watt was really good, Ben Roethlisberger was pretty bad and that James Conner was great – at least until a fourth quarter fumble. But I'd forgotten exactly how bad - and how ridiculous – that game really was.
With the 2017 draft class leading the way, the Steelers were rolling. TJ Watt ended up with 10 tackles, 4 for losses, including 3 sacks, Cam Sutton picked off a pass, JuJu Smith-Schuster finished with 119 yards, Conner ran for 135 yards, caught passes for 57 more, and scored 2 touchdowns as they built a 21-7 lead.
Then midway through the fourth quarter, Conner fumbled.
Jabrill Peppers returned it to the 1-yard line. One play later it was 21-14. Two plays after that, following a 17-yard play to JuJu, Roethlisberger was sacked by Myles Garrett and fumbled. It was recovered by – of all people –Joe Schobert.
The defense survived that but after the Steelers 4-minute offense sputtered, the defense – which had allowed next-to-nothing all day – let Tyrod Taylor complete passes for 38 and 17yards (to Josh Gordon) and it was tied. After a 3-and-out that took 21 seconds, the Steelers needed the Sutton interception to avoid losing in regulation.
Overtime was the aforementioned comedy of errors, which has actually been a common occurrence when Pittsburgh visits Cleveland, except this time the Steelers were part of the play. An Al Villaneuva holding penalty aborted a potential drive. A 29-yard Browns punt gave the Steelers a chance to win it but Chris Boswell missed a 42-yard field goal. After a Cleveland 3-and-out, Roethlisberger fumbled again – and Schobert recovered again - giving the Browns a chance to win it but the great Zane Gonzalez returned the favor by missing from 43 yards and that was that.
I'd actually forgotten some of the details (like Ben throwing 3 picks and fumbling twice) but I do remember talking with some of my favorite people after the game, the linemen. DeCastro, Foster, Pouncey, Villaneuva, Gilbert – this was a great offensive line – and they'd never been in a game like that. I figured I'd never see another one – and then I did on Sunday.
Oh, the journey through the first three quarters was a lot different and this year's team, at least offensively, is nowhere near as good as 2018's but once it got down toward the end there was plenty of nonsense to go around.
It started with dubious officiating – a weak OPI on Washington and a running into the kicker call on Killebrew – and continued with those back-to-back time outs by both coaches with under four minutes left in the game the fourth quarter.
Overtime featured a Diontae Johnson fumble after he and Mason Rudolph had finally hooked up for what should have been a big play. A Minkah Fitzpatrick interception was negated by a Devin Bush holding penalty. A roughing the passer call on Tre Norwood got the Lions on the edge of FG range but a holding penalty pushed them back. Replacement kicker – and 70's movie castoff - Ryan Santoso then missed a 48-yard FG, maybe the worst-looking 48-yard attempt ever.
Not to be outdone, after taking over in decent field position at the 38 yard line, Kendrick Green airmailed a snap over Rudolph's head for a 19-yard loss. The ensuing punt set Detroit up at the 45 only to have Jared Goff take a 13-yard sack. A holding call on the Lions punt pushed the Steelers back and that mattered when they had to go 10 extra yards. Finally, Pat Freiermuth, who never fumbles, fumbled trying to get into better FG range.
It was a mess, it was ugly, and it was against not only a terrible team but (outside of some mid-game running success) a team playing terribly. It was another tie that the Steelers really lost.
So, which tie was worse, 2018 or 2021?
Oh, come on, like you didn't know where this was going?
It's a tie!
