After two straight demoralizing defensive performances that have resulted in losses, the Pittsburgh Steelers season feels like it’s teetering on the brink of disaster. The difficulty of the upcoming schedule paired with the sudden resurgence of confidence in the Baltimore Ravens who now have MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson healthy have only added to the feelings of dread in Pittsburgh.
If the loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was a warning shot, the collapse at home against the Packers was the unmasking that many needed to confirm their suspicions that this year’s Steelers aren’t a real threat.
FS1’s Jason McIntyre, who has doubted the Steelers all along, not only dismissed the team but is taking glee in their demise.
“I can’t wait for them to fall off so we can stop talking about these guys. They’re just not a good football team,” McIntyre said on Friday’s The Herd. “They’re to the point that Cam Heyward, one of their defensive leaders, is calling out the team for having a pathetic defense.”
McIntyre was referring to sound from Heyward this week where the defensive captain said he challenged the team to be better.
“I just think we, we all just gotta get better,” he told reporters earlier this week. “I challenge everybody. I challenge myself. First and foremost you know, that’s always the way I’ve been raised,” Heyward said to the media this week in preparation for the game against Indianapolis on Sunday. “You can’t look at anybody else. You gotta look at yourself and, you know, the way to get this bad taste outta our mouth is just play better football.”
It’s clear that the defense isn’t playing to a level at the moment that will allow the team to bounce back and return to relevancy. Even though the offense is playing well enough to win games, the defense is costing Pittsburgh wins as they haven’t been able to force turnovers or get pressure to the quarterback and tackling and coverage issues continue to plague the secondary.
Things feel bleak for the Steelers right now. McIntyre’s comments, as steadfast as he’s been in his skepticism of this team, may be a bit of an overreaction. After all, under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have demonstrated that you can never write them off. His excitement at the idea of being able to “stop talking about” Pittsburgh is likely premature. The Steelers have a way of keeping things interesting.
Even if Pittsburgh does continue their run of poor form and eventually succumb the division to Baltimore, it’s hard believe that McIntyre and company will be able to help themselves when it comes to discussing the Steelers.