Behind the Steel Curtain
What do you get when you combine paying $162.8 million to a defense that allows Joe Flacco to look like Joe Montana with a floundering head coach who pantses Mike Tomlin on a national stage? You get a 4-2 Pittsburgh Steelers team that consistently teases its fanbase year after year with hot starts before failing to avoid the most obvious of trap games.
It isn’t Halloween yet, but the Steelers’ defense did its best impression of a ghost, allowing 470 total yards to the Cincinnati Bengals in a 33-31 Thursday night loss.
The Bengals had a clear, yet simple, plan in mind: to spam Ja’Marr Chase. And while that seems like an obvious strategy, no one seemed to tell Mike Tomlin that, because it worked to the tune of 16 catches for 161 yards. Chase and Tee Higgins combined for 22 catches, 257 yards, and two touchdowns. The Steelers built their defense specifically for matchups like this, and yet, they were still given a wedgie for 60 minutes. On top of that, it happened against the Bengals’ second-best Joe at quarterback – who knows what would have happened if Joe Burrow was on the field?
Unfortunately for the Steelers’ offense and their fans, you could put the 1985 Chicago Bears on the field, but that won’t change the fact that the unit is poorly coached. Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin allowing the worst run offense in the NFL that averaged less than 60 yards per game entering the game rack up 142 yards on the ground? That’s coaching. Sitting in the same spot-drop defense that Joe Flacco has carved up all game, and knows the Steelers will play after playing them for 20 years? That’s coaching. Leaving Ja’Marr Chase in his own county on the Bengals’ final drive when they need a field goal to win the game? Well, you know the rest.
The Bengals were able to hit the easy button with quick hitters to Chase and Tee Higgins all game like they were an 11-year-old playing Madden, and the Steelers just couldn’t figure out a way to stop it. When you’re a defensive-minded head coach and you can’t figure out the most obvious problems, it’s over. The Bengals ended the game with 470 yards of offense, which is the most yards the Steelers have given up since October 9, 2022 against the Buffalo Bills (522).
The offense had a tremendous performance that went to waste. Sure, there were a pair of turnovers, but anytime the Steelers’ offense scores 31 points, there shouldn’t be any questions on who wins. Aaron Rodgers had his second four-touchdown performance of the season to take his season total up to 14. His fourth touchdown was a 68-yarder to Pat Freiermuth, who had by far his best day of the year, catching two of Rodgers’ four scores. Jaylen Warren had a tremendous game, as well, rushing for 127 yards on 7.9 yards per carry. The jumbo package is incredible, and if there is one...
