The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing a win and you’re in situation to make or miss the playoffs.
The winner-take-all game was preventable. A victory over the 3-12 Cleveland Browns would have clinched the AFC North for the first time since 2020 and allowed the Steelers to rest their veteran and injured starters.
It’s not the case, and many fingers are being pointed at Mike Tomlin for the team’s poor start and inability to score more than six points against a Cleveland defense that allowed 31 points to Tennessee
and 27 to the Jets this season.
Steelers Super Bowl Champion James Harrison was irritated with Tomlin and the team’s inability to take advantage of the opportunity staring right at them in the face.
“Over the last 8-9 years dude, this is what happens when we get into situations like this,” Harrison said to Joe Haden on the Deebo and Joe Show. “Must win games. We don’t close it out.”
Following a three-game winning streak to position themselves as the division favorite, the Steelers couldn’t finish the deal.
“We’re losing to bad teams, and we’re losing to them late in the season, dude,” Harrison said. “You can’t do that and expect to get anything other than what we’ve been getting. A just about .500 season with no playoff wins since 2016.”
Tomlin hasn’t had a losing season in 19 years as Steelers head coach, but has only won a playoff game in four of them. They haven’t won a playoff game in eight, potentially going on nine consecutive years.
According to Doug Clawson of CBS Sports, the Steelers are winless in their last five games against teams that entered the game eight or more games below .500, going 0-4-1 since the covid season in 2020.
“That means you’re drafting 15 or 16 and it’s very hard, very difficult, to find a diamond-in-the-rough quarterback, and that’s what we need for the future of our Steelers,” Harrison said.
If the season ended today, the Steelers would draft… 20th. The same spot they drafted in 2023, and one lower than 2024.
“We need a quarterback, and to be honest with you, I highly doubt if we find it,” Harrison said. “Since our last playoff win in 2016, we can’t even pick right on the first and second rounders. We have made more misses than hits on our first and second rounders.”
Harrison mentioned T.J. Watt and Pat Freiermuth as the only Steelers to sign extensions since the 2017 draft. Watt was the 30th overall pick, while second-rounder JuJu Smith-Schuster moved on after four years. Terrell Edmunds and James Washington didn’t work out in 2018, nor did Devin Bush in 2019. Their 2020 first-rounder was traded for Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Chase Claypool was their second-round pick. Definitely not batting close to .300.
Najee Harris (2021 first-rounder) moved on to the Chargers, while Freiermuth signed an extension two years ago. Kenny Pickett and George Pickens (2022), uhm, did not.
Harrison blames Tomlin for his failure to draft and develop players good enough to retain. The Steelers may be out Watt, and have rarely used Freiermuth this year, only being targeted 49 times.
“That’s all on Coach T man,” Harrison said. “You’re making the decision on your 1s and 2s, and you’re telling me that of all that from ‘16 to the timeframe of everybody that comes up for renewal, we’ve only renewed two guys, that means you’ve had to self-admit you made a mistake by not renewing them.”
The Steelers host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday at 8:20 p.m., with the winner claiming the AFC North title and hosting a home playoff game on Wild Card Weekend.
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