Regardless of the noise of Saturday night time’s Wild Card sport in opposition to the Steelers being a divisional battle, I can’t consider a time the place the media consensus, and admittedly fan consensus, has had such low hopes for the staff. What was once a worry when drawing the Mike Tomlin-led Steelers within the playoffs, now appears extra like a turnstile, simple to cross via and a essential block on a staff’s path to the Tremendous Bowl.
Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly and Craig Horlbeck of The Ringer share that comparable thought on the Steelers, all choosing in opposition to them of their AFC Wild Card matchup in opposition to the Ravens.
“To be sincere I may see this sport be 40-7,” Horlbeck mentioned on the Ringer NFL podcast. “Russ [Wilson], the historical past of what the Steelers have achieved, I’m banking loads on. ‘It’s the Steelers! It’s Tomlin!’ and that doesn’t actually imply something anymore.”
It’s exhausting to disagree. The Steelers haven’t received a playoff sport since 2016, practically 10 years in the past. Tomlin’s general playoff document is 8-10, and in the event you wipe away his Tremendous Bowl runs, final occurring in 2010, that plummets to 2-8.
The group additionally took some pictures at Russell Wilson and his play over the previous couple of video games.
“What actually sucks probably the most is that the Broncos are having a greater Russell Wilson expertise proper now than the Steelers are,” Horlbeck mentioned. “Paying him $40 million to not pay is definitely higher than the Steelers paying him $1 million to play.”
Whereas I’m positive the Warner and Penny households who signal Wilson’s checks disagree, the purpose is famous. Wilson has been an addition by subtraction for the Broncos, who, after not making the playoffs in two seasons with Wilson as their quarterback, may also be enjoying on Wild Card Weekend. Nonetheless, I feel it’s a far cry to say the Steelers are worse for beginning Wilson at that low wage. Let’s not neglect final season the Steelers had Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph, so every thing this season is a step up, even when he’s not enjoying at an MVP stage.
General, the group echoed what many analysts already consider, that this Steelers staff doesn’t have what it takes to win a Tremendous Bowl, a lot much less a playoff sport. Extra regarding for the Steelers and Tomlin, nevertheless, appears to be the heightened consciousness of the staff’s playoff drought, placing into query the staff’s management.
Hopefully, the doubt solid on the staff and coach will act as the right rallying cry for a first-round upset.
