The wall on the first level concourse falling to the ground was an eerie omen of the Steelers fate. Luckily, no one was injured. But when the dust had settled, it was the Patriots who were still standing, and the Steelers were left to wonder what had gone wrong with the game, and the season.
The Steelers offense once again could not find any rhythm, as they stumbled and bumbled for 9 points. Numerous dropped passes by Johnson, Hawkins, and Ward only compounded the problem of not being able to sustain drives. Jerome Bettis was ignored for most of the day, even though he seemed to be running on all cylinders. This has been an ongoing problem that was magnified by the importance of this game.
The Defense played well enough to win, but they failed to get any pressure on Bledsoe. With the ineffectiveness of the Offense, even a 3 interception day could not save them. The Secondary as a whole suffered by the inability to get to Bledsoe. He made them pay by throwing for over 300 yards.
Post game interviews found the Steelers at a loss as to what the problems with the team could be. I think the answer is very simple. We do not have anyone on the team who even closely resembles a Terry Glenn. The lack of a deep threat has cost the Steelers from game one, and it is only magnified when it gets closer to playoff time. I really believed that Charles Johnson would step up this year, and give us a pro bowl caliber performance. That has not been the case. With C.J., and Courtney, we have two very good number 2 receivers. But it still doesn't give us that go-to guy.
Every quality team in this league has at least one receiver who will stretch the defense. Look at what Eric Moulds has done for Buffalo. Man for man, the Steelers are far superior to the Bills. What is lacking is that deep threat. That missing ingredient has hampered Jerome Bettis all year. It has also put undue stress on a top notch defense. Apart from the Green Bay game, they have never had the luxury of taking a break.
Kordell is NOT the problem. It seems like every time he wants to throw the ball, his receiver is blanketed by a defensive back. I give him credit for not complaining about the routes his receivers fail to run correctly. Kordell is the future of this franchise, and it sickens me to hear the boos from the hometown crowd. Give him an open wideout once in a while, and i'm sure he'll come through.
There are three games left, and I am by no means saying it is hopeless, but it sure looks bleak. The Steelers are now forced to run the table, and hope some other teams lose a couple. Stranger things have happened. It will be interesting to see how the team responds to their worst situation in 6 years. I don't think Cowher is ready for his streak to end, and more importantly, I don't think the players are ready to throw in the towel either. Keep the Faith!
At least for one more week.
