“High-end mediocrity.”
That’s the Pittsburgh Steelers and, if you’re a fan, it’s infuriating.
Another season ended in embarrassing fashion in Baltimore on Saturday night.
Another bad defensive performance and another blowout loss.
After nine years of either losing early in the playoffs or not making it at all, fans are at their breaking point… again.
The infuriating part is you could see Saturday’s result a mile away. Going into the game, you knew it was going to be hard for the Steelers to beat a better Ravens team.
But, there is always, “any given Sunday.” Hope against hope, maybe the Steelers would be able to click just enough to squeak out a win.
But the inevitable happened and the Steelers are stuck again, in the middle.
As great at Tomlin is as a head coach, nine years of evidence shows you he has been resistant to evolve and that will keep the Steelers out of the dregs of the NFL but it also keeps them out of the club of the top-tier teams.
The terrible middle. Good enough to make the playoffs, not bad enough to get a decent draft pick.
The Steelers need to take a long, hard look at the future of the franchise.
The NFL has evolved over the past 5 to 10 years. The Steelers scheme isn’t good enough to win a championship.
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As hard as it is to admit, it’s obvious.
The Steelers spent $130 million on defense in a league that has shifted to offense.
Pittsburgh offense is all about caution and protection. Protect the ball, don’t turn it over, get three point on a field goal if you have to.
When the Steelers do take a chance with a big offense play, and it doesn’t work, it’s scrapped for good.
Changes have been made around the Steelers, different quarterback, different coaches, different players, different front office staff, etc.
What remains constant is Tomlin, who is credited when his below average teams rise above for 8-8 or 9-8 seasons.
But who helps build those teams? Tomlin.
The Steelers struggled with Kenny Pickett under center, but who was it that took the former Pitt QB in the first-round of the draft when no other team had any interest? Tomlin and the Steelers.
Another frustrating aspect of the apparent Steelers stagnant future is the coaching.
It isn’t just players not making plays (that’s part of it) it’s coaching.
Bad schemes on both sides of the ball, miscommunication, behavior issues. That all goes back to coaching.
Joe Starkey says “it’s just so obvious.”
The Steelers need to move on from Mike Tomlin. He has a no trade clause, fine.
But you have to move on, however you do it, let Tomlin try to win a Super Bowl somewhere else.
A group of fans, for years, have said the Steelers can't win with Tomlin. After another loss in the playoffs, that bandwagon is getting bigger.