TheĀ Pittsburgh SteelersĀ are once again left searching for answers as they lost to theĀ Chicago BearsĀ by a final score of 31-28 in Week 12. The defense seemed to have turned a corner, but they reverted back to their old ways and made the same mistakes that caused panic back in Week 7. They seem to be in thisĀ infinite loop of mediocrity, where they show glimpses of what they can be, but they never have enough consistency to be seen as a true threat — even though the AFC is wide open in 2025.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
InsiderĀ Mark KabolyĀ has always been a realist when talking about the Steelers. InĀ his latest articleĀ onĀ X,Ā he put the current Steelers team in perspective. He went off on the organization as a whole, as everything starts with OwnerĀ Art Rooney II.
“This is not a defense thing, an offense thing, or a coaching thing,” Kaboly said.Ā “This is an organizational thing, from top to bottom. Now, could this be an overreaction to yet another head-scratching performance by the Steelers? Typically, I would say yes. But not this time. Not this team. Iāve seen way too much Steelers football over my lifespan to say that they are what they are ā average ā¦ with the opportunity to play really well from time to time, which makes you think āwhat ifā with this team.”
Players and assistant coaches have changed, but the core values of the team have been the exact same, and they are clearly outdated. Most fans are sick and tired of this, and they demand change. Mediocre seasons are not good enough toĀ Steeler Nation.
Keith Srakocic / AP
Steelers’ Art Rooney II looks on while roaming the field in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers are currently 6-5, and they haveĀ fallen out of first placeĀ of the AFC North to theĀ Baltimore Ravens, who once had a record of 1-5. They are technically tied, but the Ravens currently have the tiebreaker. They are also on a five-game winning streak, while Pittsburgh has lost four of their last six after starting 4-1. It’s panic time for many fans in the Steel City now.
The Steelers have a very tough schedule up ahead, which includes playing the Ravens twice. All they need is three total wins to hit that 9-8 mark, but that has become a symbol of mockery and mediocrity among fans. To some, a losing season would be welcomed, as it would likely signal some level of change among an organization that prefers to keep things the way they are for better and for worse.
AP Photo
Steelers Owner Art Rooney II (left) and Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) oversee practice during the 2021 minicamp in Pittsburgh.
Head CoachĀ Mike TomlinĀ has taken a lot of heat for his refusal to adapt. It seemed like he finally did adapt his defensive style in recent weeks, but there were several controversial defensive calls in Week 12. That was highlighted by a mind-blowing decision late in the second half to drop the secondary 10 yards off the line of scrimmage on a 3rd and 5, which led to the Bears getting into field goal range.
Against the Bears, the offense also mimicked its style of past years: refusal to use the middle of the field. The fact that that has been a consistent issue among the coaching changes shows that Tomlin continues to feel that this area of the field has a high rate of causing turnovers. However, how much is that limiting his offense? That is especially concerning with the fact that the Bears were down almost all of their starting linebackers linebackers, even thoughĀ Mason RudolphĀ was quarterback that game.
Steelers’ Future Looks Very Bleak
The Steelers have been in need of a franchise quarterback for years. Some fans don’t trust Tomlin and his men to develop this quarterback, but there’s also the issue of other teams’ draft capital compared to theirs. Pittsburgh’s endless quest to be competitive took away the chance for them to sell off key pieces for top picks, and now there are three teams that could draft a quarterback who have two first-rounders, including one in the top 10.
What do you think about Kaboly going off on Rooney and the Steelers’ organization? Let us know in the comments or onĀ XĀ atĀ @Steelers_ChrisB.
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