It’s that time of year again—time to complain about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ on-the-field performance. They stand at 1-4 and face the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Baltimore Ravens for their next game.
I’ve had the opportunity to watch part, if not all, of the games so far. The Steelers are being out-executed on the field. From what I’m seen, the team constantly plays on their side of the line of scrimmage. On offense, the Steelers’ line is pushed back into the quarterback and running backs. Ben isn’t known for getting the ball out quick, but he hasn’t a chance with his offensive lineman sitting in his lap. On defense, they’re not consistently getting into the backfield and disrupting the opponent’s offensive.
Add to this stupid penalties like holding, illegal formation, and illegal motion, and we can see better result from high school teams. The defense’s inability to generate turnovers is inexcusable. The Steelers were known for a stingy, hard-hitting defense.
I’m not buying the injuries excuse. All teams have to overcome injuries. It’s part of the game. Overall, it’s not a talent issue. The team has talent in the skill positions.
This is a preparation issue, and that starts at the top with the coaches. This is a “want it” issue, and that’s on the players. Their opponents want the win more than they do.
Unless these issues are solved, and quick, the 2013 season will be long for the fans and short for the team. If they’re not solved, you can call the season, Steelers 2013, a Season of Futility.
I’m an author living in northern Virginia with a wife and a cat. In the late ’80s, I worked on the International Space Station project. I recently retired from managing a group of software engineers to focus on writing science fiction and speculative fiction. Learn more.