Wednesday links: Are the Steelers collapsing again?

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for a weekly Steelers links roundup at BTSC. But first, let’s take a look around the AFC North:

• 5 factors fueling the Baltimore Ravens’ 5-game win streak (Baltimore Beatdown)
• Bengals Defensive Back DJ Turner a rare bright spot in 2025 (Cincy Jungle)
• Cleveland Browns offense finally hits the big plays in Week 12 vs Raiders (Dawgs by Nature)

What’s the latest on the Steelers’ upcoming opponent?

• Bills feeling the pressure heading into Steelers’ clash. (Buffalo Rumblings)
• Buffalo Bills’ offense to blame in almost every loss of 2025 NFL season (Buffalo Rumblings)

Now, onto some Steelers news and discussion:

Saunders: The Five Biggest Reasons the 2025 Steelers Are Struggling

(From Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders): The obvious problems on offense have been the obvious problems

The Pittsburgh Steelers came into the 2025 season with a whole set of problems with the team’s offense that were obvious to just about anyone.

They have a 41-year-old starting quarterback, in Aaron Rodgers who was not particularly good in his last two healthy seasons, and was injured for all of one of the last three.

Rodgers has actually played better this season in Pittsburgh than his 2024 season with the New York Jets and 2022 season with the Green Bay Packers, but anyone hoping for a return to MVP form was always fooling themselves. This is about the best version of of Rodgers anyone could have expected to get, and the fact that he’s missed three halves of football over 12 weeks should not be particularly surprising, either, nor should the fact that the Steelers lost the first full game he missed.

A piece breaking down the big categories where the Steelers have failed in a disappointing 2025.

Steelers Defense Could Finish Worst of Mike Tomlin’s Career

(From SI’s Ari Meyer): As of their 31-28 to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the Steelers have now allowed 30 or more points for the fifth time this season following their allowance of 31 points to the Bears this past weekend.

This ties the most that Tomlin has allowed in his career as the Steelers head coach, and with six games on the schedule, there is ample opportunity for the team to reach six or even seven such games.

Since the AFL-NFL merger, the Steelers have only allowed 6 games in a season twice, in 1988 under head coach Chuck Noll and 2002 under head coach Bill Cowher. Tomlin seems quite likely to join his two predecessors, and also has a decent chance of achieving a negative milestone that neither of the two before him got to.

Per Pro Football Reference, the Steelers’ 28th-ranked defense is yards per game is tied with the 1988 season for the worst in franchise history.

Mike Tomlin reveals 2 Steelers OL to replace Broderick Jones vs. Bills

(From Steelers Wire’s Andrew Vasquez): After ruling out Jones...