Steelers Basement Dwellers In AFCN After Loss To Browns
Oct 12, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell (34) scores a touchdown in front of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cortez Allen (28) during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports
As one Pittsburgh Steelers reporter quipped in an article on Sunday night following the Steelers loss to the Browns, “there’s rock bottom and then there’s Brian Hoyer making fun of your organization.” That sums up what was a horrible afternoon in Cleveland for our beloved Black & Gold. As the clock hit double zero in the fourth quarter, the Steelers were looking just that – rock bottom. Hell, many could argue that the Steelers reached that point before the game was officially over.
The tables were turned on Sunday, and it became clear that the Browns are “for real” and the Steelers continue to be incapable of laying any foundation of consistency or identity. The loss put the Steelers at 3-3. That wouldn’t be so terrible if it wasn’t for how they actually ended up that way. Any team above the level of mediocrity and they would be easily 4-2 or 5-1 with the schedule the Steelers had in the first six weeks. What makes this record even more offensive is that it puts the Steelers down in the basement of the AFC North. They are a half game back of the Browns since not having their bye week quite yet. The Steelers have reached this point before – last season in fact – when they started the season 2-4. There’s no signs of the Steelers reaching down and pulling themselves up like they did last season. And, there’s no sign of the Browns imploding like they did after going 3-3 in six weeks last season.
The Baltimore Ravens handed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the type of loss that the Steelers should have. They annihilated the Bucs and moved to 4-2. The Bengals added a wrinkle to the AFC North, at least for teams that will be competing for the top spot this season, when they tied the Carolina Panthers. It was the highest scoring tie ever in NFL history and could later bite the Bungals in the rear if they can’t win their games over the Ravens this season.
The uphill climb has now become a 200 foot cliff for the Steelers. It’s safe to say that the division (and probably the playoffs) are out of reach at this point unless the rest of the North implodes on itself and the Steelers get luck a few times.
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