Tie in Cleveland could cost the Steelers

By Joe Smeltzer

 

Sunday in Denver wasn't the first time a James Conner fumble helped cost the Steelers a win (Photo creds to SB Nation)

There's no debate that Sunday's loss in Denver was the Steelers' worst of the season.

It wasn't a typical "Tomlin trap game" that we've grown used to seeing over the past five years. Usually, Pittsburgh loses to an inferior opponent because it came out of the gates flat and doesn’t get it together until it’s too late. That wasn't the case Sunday.

The Steelers were ready to go, significantly outplayed the Broncos, but found a way to lose because of stupid mistakes. What's most aggravating is that now, it will be difficult for them to get a first-round bye without running the table.

Assuming the Steelers don't get a top two seed in the AFC—they've only accomplished that once since 2010—many people will point to the Mile High Meltdown as the reason why, and that will certainly have merit. In the likely event that the Steelers have to play on wild card weekend for the fourth time in five years, however, a game that Pittsburgh didn’t lose could be looked at as a major reason why.

Week one's 21-21 tie at Cleveland was similar to Sunday's loss in some ways. The Steelers dominated their season opener statistically and had a two-touchdown lead midway through the fourth quarter. Then, everything went to hell.

In what would become a preview for Denver, the game turned on a James Conner fumble, and Cleveland scored two touchdowns to send it to overtime, where both teams were too inept to score. So instead of coasting to a win, the Steelers started the season at 0-0-1.

Had the team did what they were supposed to do by Lake Erie, Sunday's loss would serve merely as a nuisance. The Steelers would be 8-3, not 7-3-1, with wins over LA and New England in the coming weeks—and both of those games being at home—putting them in a good position to get a first-round bye.

Because the Steelers tied, however, they probably have to win their last five games to get a bye, which would require beating the best team in football in the Superdome. I don't like the chances of that happening.

In the end, every setback carries the same weight. In week two against Kansas City, The Steelers scored 37 points without turning the ball over and still managed to lose. Three games later, Pittsburgh got shutout in the second half against the Ravens, leading to a prime-time loss at Heinz Field.   So while every Steelers loss this season has been frustrating and at least somewhat avoidable, the 1 in 7-3-1 will fly under the radar because it happened so long ago.

Although we may not have realized the significance of it then, that tie will probably end up making the Steelers path to the Super Bowl much more difficult than it should be.

Which is fitting, because nothing can ever come easy with this team.