By: Joe Smeltzer
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| Photo creds to www.sbnation.com |
I'm sure plenty of Steelers fans were asking a question along those lines to their quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I am a big fan of Big Ben. #7 is, in my mind, the greatest quarterback in the 82-year history of the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as one of the very best in the game today. All of that being said, nobody deserves more blame for the embarrassment that took place at M&T Bank Stadium this afternoon.
Roethlisberger has been so good for so long, but his performance today was awful. In a game that the Steelers could not afford to lose, the #7 that we have grown used to over the past 12 seasons was nowhere to be found for a majority of the contest. Roethlisberger needed to be clutch, and he has the so called ''clutch gene'', but for whatever reason, he just wasn't. Baltimore's defense is pedestrian at best, so why is it that they were able to limit the Steelers offense when the best defense in the NFL was not able to do that task just one week ago? I don't buy that the Steelers were overlooking this game, as they had too much to play for to do that. Maybe it was that the Ravens were playing like a team with nothing to lose against their rival. Maybe it was the mystique of the fact that Baltimore had knocked the Steelers out of the playoffs in some way in 2013 and 2014. Whatever it was, the Steelers got beat by a band of scrubs with a bunch of players on IR. It should not have happened, but it did, and it will likely cost the Steelers a chance at a playoff berth.
The Steelers defense is not blameless by any means. They were going up against Ryan Mallett, a man who has been riding NFL benches/oversleeping for practice/getting cut during his five-year NFL career. Pittsburgh's secondary continued to do their thing, and their thing has become making unproven NFL quarterbacks look like stars. I attribute part of this the defensive coordinator. I like Keith Butler, and think he has done a fine job this season (remember, things were worse in 2014), but I do not understand his refusal to play press coverage. It's one thing to play zone against Denver's core of receivers, but Baltimore's? I don't think it's a stretch to say that even this secondary could have shut down Kamar Aiken and Jeremy Butler while playing one on one press, but that's just me. For anybody who happened to miss the first half of last week's game but saw all of this week's nightmare, here is all you have to do. Change Osweiler to Mallett, change the white Bronco jerseys to the alternate Raven jerseys, and change a dark Heinz Field to a light M&T Bank Stadium, and it's virtually the same game.
Although the Steelers defense did not play particularly well, they allowed 20 points. While allowing 20 points won't bring back memories of Joe Greene, it should have been enough for the NFL's best offense to handle. But it wasn't, and although football is a team game and no one man is solely responsible for a triumph or defeat, Ben Roethlisberger deserves the lion's share of the blame for the offensive shortcomings. Ben's first mistake came towards the end of the first quarter when his pass to Marcus Wheaton on 3rd and 6 was poor, and the Steelers were forced to settle for a Chris Boswell Field Goal. His second big mistake came with about 5 minutes left in the half when a pass down the middle intended for Antonio Brown fell right into the loving arms of Ravens inside linebacker Daryl Smith. This led to a Justin Tucker field goal, which expanded Baltimore's lead to 13-3.
His last big error came early in the 4th quarter when a behind the shoulder pass to AB was intercepted by Jimmy Smith (who dropped a pick early in the game). The Ravens capitalized on the mistake with a Javarious Allen touchdown run, making it 20-10 and proving to be the winning score. Ben would lead a scoring drive later in the quarter that ended with a DeAngelo Williams touchdown run, but it would turn out to be too little too late.
So..... what the bloody hell happened? Where was the excitement? Where were the long bombs? Why was the Baltimore secondary able to keep the most talented receiving core in football at bay? All of these questions were asked by somebody at some point Sunday afternoon, and, a few weeks from now when wildcard weekend gets underway, the burning question will be: where are the Steelers?
No team in the AFC wanted to play Pittsburgh come playoff time, and with the Chiefs and Jets both winning, it looks as if the evil genie will grant those wishes. Now, the Steelers will have to rely on Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills to upset the Jets for there to be any hope of the Black and Gold playing deep into January. It is amazing to think how in one week, a team can go from being ''the most dangerous in the AFC' to being on the outside looking in. But that is exactly what the Steelers are facing, and they have nobody to blame but themselves. If I am a Ravens fan, I am very proud of the way my team played. Not only would I be damn proud of how my team played, I would also feel entitled to bragging rights. Yes, the Ravens will end up with a far inferior record to their AFC North rivals, but they swept the season series and could have very well spoiled their playoff dreams.
Therefore, Steelers fans do not have room to poke fun at their rivals from Maryland for how 2015 went. Baltimore has had Pittsburgh's number for the past five seasons now, and Mike Tomlin needs to figure out how to change this. I'm sure plenty of Steelers fans are looking back at this game and throwing around blame to Mike Tomlin, Todd Haley and the Steelers secondary, because at this point, people's brains have been conditioned to do that. None of those three are the primary cause of the tragedy that took place on the gridiron Sunday afternoon. Yes, Haley got away from the usual game plan and used the run a lot more than normal in the first half, but DeAngelo Williams was pounding the ball down Baltimore's throats, so I am OK with that strategy. Yes, Mike Tomlin went for it on 4th and 1 on the very first possession of the game, but I'm alright with that too. It is very easy to gain a yard.
I've heard some calling for Tomlin to be fired at the end of the season. Well, it's not gonna happen. Yes, 2 (possibly 3), of the past four seasons have been disappointing, and Tomlin's 7-11 record over his last 18 games against bloody sub-500 competition is horrendous, but these are the Steelers. We do not fire coaches. I'm sure some people think Todd Haley should be fired.... not going to comment on how stupid that thought is.
If the Steelers do miss out on the playoffs, there will be plenty of blame to go around. Josh Scobee will be at fault for the first Baltimore loss (which I happened to be in attendance at, for whatever that is worth). Today was only the 3rd game that the Steelers have lost with Roethlisberger in the lineup, and he is a minusciue part of the collapse. But his performance today should not be defended. He was bad, and he deserves to be blamed in spite of how great he has been on most other Sunday's. This season has brought us so many fun memories, from Mike Vick's game winning drive in San Diego to Antiono Brown's goffy celebrations and the comeback against Denver. The the thought of all of it going to waste is very depressing.
The Steelers have persevered through injuries to key players, but they will have no alibi for their failure. If and when they find out that New York has defeated Buffalo next Sunday, they will have the rest of winter to think about what they could have done differently to bring a 7th Lombardi trophy to the Steel City.
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