We can finally face the facts: the Steelers aren't a playoff team.
But once again, the Steelers battled back, defeating the injury riddled Titans. It didn't matter that Ben Roethlisberger only threw for 148 yards. The defense dominated. In a weak AFC, we convinced ourselves the Steelers still had a path.
But now the balloon has finally been popped. The Chiefs walloped the Steelers 36-10 Sunday, with Pittsburgh once again delivering a putrid first half performance. They haven't scored a touchdown in the first two quarters of a game since Week 11, and have been outscored 97-9 in first halves during this abysmal stretch.
Roethlisberger, who threw an interception just one play after the Chiefs went up 7-0, says he doesn't know why his team is struggling to put points on the board. Here's a theory for him: the passing game and running game stink. Oh, and the offensive line gets beaten up on a weekly basis as well.
It's not too hard to figure out.
The Chiefs showed the Steelers how a true contender plays. Patrick Mahomes put on a clinic, completing 23-of-30 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns. Travis Kelce's absence wound up making no difference. Mahomes spread the ball out to nine different pass-catchers, with Byron Pingle leading the way with six catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns. Mecole Hardman added a score as well.
In some respects, the Steelers' 7-7-1 record is a mirage. For the fourth time this season, they fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, and the Chiefs never let them come up for air. The Steelers had just six first downs in the first half. You're not going to win games like that.
Yes, the Steelers are still in the playoff hunt. But with two games left against the Browns and Ravens, they may not win another contest this season, never mind sneak into the playoffs. For the first time, Mike Tomlin may experience a losing campaign.
This team needs to be blown up. Roethlisberger keeps providing hints this will be his last season, with the latest coming Sunday, when he brought his family to Kansas City. But the problems go beyond Big Ben. The Steelers' makeup is broken.
Sunday's game was so bad, Chase Claypool didn't even have a chance to celebrate a first down.
"Once was a team with pride," tweeted Ryan Clark. "The black & yellow now wrap their end zones nicely & gift them to other teams during the holidays! Least they are givers."
Once the Steelers fell behind, they threw in their terrible towels, and just put up a terrible performance. Perhaps most embarrassingly, Tomlin called for a field goal with his team down 30-0.
At that point, they were just playing to not get shut out. Teams that do that deserve to be shut out of the playoffs.
At least we can stop pretending now.
