The Pittsburgh Steelers’ aspirations for a postseason run took a significant hit following their recent loss to the Chicago Bears. This loss adds to their poor stretch of four losses over their last six games. It shows the lack of cohesion that has continued throughout every stage of the team. For Mason Rudolph’s bright spots, his turnovers simply killed him on the field. Now, the Steelers’ playoff dreams are tenuous at best.
The Steelers entered their primetime matchup with the Bears with a strong 4-1 record. Their remarkable early-season run had them reinvigorated and full of belief. As the season has worn on, they have begun to struggle defensively. They came into Week 7 with a comfortable 2½ game lead over the next closest team, the Cincinnati Bengals. They possessed a comfortable 3½-game lead on the Baltimore Ravens. Before their recent loss to Cincinnati, the Steelers had an ironclad 84.7% playoff probability. This figure is based on ESPN’s Football Power Index.
Now, those odds have dropped to about 50% at best, causing players and fans to panic. Rudolph has plenty of experience weathering the ups and downs of playoff contention. No one knows better than us the pressure line item fluctuations can put on you. He quickly made the Steelers a playoff team as the 2023 season closed. They pulled off this surprising accomplishment by winning three straight games.
Even considering all of his past victories, Rudolph’s present performance has been seriously challenged. We’ve seen that he has the capacity to have strong games and show what he can do, but at times those games have been spoiled by backbreaking turnovers. The Steelers’ defense, once heralded by head coach Mike Tomlin as capable of achieving historic feats, has struggled to maintain its early-season momentum.
In light of these challenges, Cam Heyward remarked, “The hourglass is going and the sand’s falling through,” emphasizing the urgency of improving performance as the season progresses.
The Steelers have lofty expectations this year. They’re no longer content with simply qualifying for the playoffs; they’re looking to go deep into the playoffs! However, recent losses have jeopardized those ambitions. Linebacker Patrick Queen expressed frustration over missed opportunities, stating, “Just knowing what’s coming and us not doing nothing about it,” indicating a need for better execution in crucial moments.
Looking ahead, the Steelers face a critical matchup against the Bengals that could either reignite their playoff hopes or further diminish them. To reach them, the team will need to do a better job closing the obvious gaps in performance if they’re even capable of firing on all cylinders, that is.
For now, Mason Rudolph’s sights are set on getting the Steelers turned around. There’s never been panic here,” he added, highlighting his confidence in the team’s capacity to bounce back from adversity. With only a few games left in the regular season, time is running out.
Even with a surprising start, the way Pittsburgh has played in their last few games is making you wonder if they’re a playoff team. The inconsistency shown on all three phases of their game has been a fatal flaw. For both teams heading into next week’s matches, the emphasis is on fixing the missteps and re-establishing the winning momentum.
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