After a surprising 7-4 start, I was just about to buy into the Pittsburgh Steelers. But then they were dominated by the New England Patriots in a game that left a sour taste in many fans mouths.
Steelers fans only had to wait a few days for another loss, as this defeat marked the second consecutive loss for the Steelers against a team with just two victories to their name. The first time in the NFL history for a team with a winning record. Laughable at this point.
The Steelers’ performance was far from satisfactory. In fact, I caught myself laughing at many points of the game, especially when Bailey Zappe was throwing rockets and putting the Patriots up 21-3 at the half.
This unexpected defeat against the Patriots has certainly put the Steelers in a challenging position, and the margin for error is wearing thin for their chance to make the playoffs.
The Role of Minkah Fitzpatrick
Minkah Fitzpatrick, the All-Pro safety for the Steelers, has been a consistent performer throughout the season. Fitzpatrick, known for his passion, was visibly disappointed with the team’s performance against the Patriots. Following the match, he addressed the media and expressed his concerns about the team’s mindset.
Fitzpatrick believes that the team’s approach towards the game needs a serious check. He feels that many players are not willing to put in the necessary effort to see the desired results. He mentioned that, in the NFL, nothing comes easy, and everything needs to be earned. According to Fitzpatrick, the team needs to drop the mentality of winning games just because they’re wearing the black and gold and start working towards earning every single play.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is fed up. (Via GMFB) #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/i0G0Ou2307
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) December 8, 2023
"In order to see the fruit, you've gotta toil for it. I think too many people don't want to toil for it. They just want to walk out here and think that they're going to make plays and think that they're going to perform at a high level. I think we need to have more people who want to work for it, not expect it to be handed to them.
This is the NFL. Nothing's handed to you. You got to earn everything. I think that dudes just think that because they're wearing the black and gold, that they're going to win games, and I think we need to check that mentality and make people realize that they got to earn that mentality, and they got to earn every single blade of grass, every single splash play and every single rep that they get out there. They got to earn it."
Long time head coach Mike Tomlin echoed Fitzpatrick’s sentiments. Tomlin, known for his straightforward approach, admitted that the team’s performance was far from satisfactory and gave an on brand presser following the loss. He believes that the team needs to get back to work and rectify their shortcomings.
Tomlin’s belief in his team is unwavering. Despite the back-to-back losses, he is confident that the Steelers will bounce back. He stressed the importance of hard work dedication and improved focus for their next opportunity. Steelers get the few extra days as they prepare for the Colts next week.
The back-to-back losses have significantly impacted the Steelers’ chances of making it to the playoffs. According to ESPN Analytics, the Steelers’ chances have dropped from 74% after their win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12 to just 36%.
Mike Tomlin is 170-97-2 (.636 win %) with 1 Super Bowl win.
— Baku 🐧 (@Mazursky8895) December 5, 2023
Bill Cowher is 161-99-1 (.619 win %) with 1 Super Bowl win.
If you want to scream Tomlin is terrible all day go ahead but him and Cowher have mirrored careers I better not hear you say Bill is a good coach then either.
George Pickens' average route depth across 6 targets was 3.4 yards past the LOS compared to 16.1 on non-targets, the largest difference among any receiver with 5+ targets in a game this season (12.7).
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) December 8, 2023
Every one of Pickens’ targets were under 10 air yards.#NEvsPIT | #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/G6hhgPrSzC
The Underwhelming Performance of Mitchell Trubisky
Oh lord this is the growing pains of missing Big Ben. Ben Roethlisberger was at the game last night, and we almost wanted to force him to play in the second half. As a collective this season, the quarterback play has been so bad that fans were chanting for Mason Rudolph last night.
Before we rip Trubisky for playing exactly as advertised, he had four days to prepare and this offense already is considerably terrible. If you had higher expectations than that is your own fault.
The Steelers’ offensive strategy has been under scrutiny all season. However, the situation seems to have worsened with the underwhelming performance of Mitchell Trubisky, who filled in for the injured Kenny Pickett.
Trubisky’s performance against the Patriots was far from impressive. With 22 completions out of 35 passes for just 190 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, that was thrown into triple coverage which led to a touchdown. His performance raised questions about his ability to lead the team in Pickett’s absence. Missed throws, leaving the pocket early, and not being able to turn the Patriots turnover into points.
The final 4th and 2 attempt on a fade ball to Diontae Johnson was paralyzing in terms of stupidity. It’s hard to look forward to games when the offense continues to sabotage the goal of winning in all shapes and forms.
The Way Forward
Most people are prisoners of the moment. Despite the setback, the Steelers and Mike Tomlin are always optimistic about the future and never waver from stating that their focus is on the next opportunity.
As for Minkah Fitzpatrick, he believes that the team needs to do some soul searching and evaluate their love for the game. He stresses the importance of hard work and dedication and believes that the team needs to earn every single play.
With losses to two terrible teams in a row, the frustration is growing. You can see key players on the offense with bad body language and frustration as now they are 13 games in and still are facing the same issues as they had in September. With three out of four games left being within the AFC, and two being division rivals, the Steelers continue to put themselves into a corner and making it harder for themselves to secure wins.
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