Is The Season Over For The Pittsburgh Steelers?

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a crucial week 11 matchup against their division rivals, Cincinnati Bengals.

Pittsburgh went into the game with a 3-6 record and coming off a 20-10 victory against the New Orleans Saints.

The offense scored 20 points in the first half but faltered in the second half.

They only managed to score 10 points in the second half and seven of those points came in garbage time.

Pittsburgh would lose the game 37-30.

Had the Steelers won the game, they would have put themselves in a position to grab a wild card spot.

They would have been just two games behind the New York Jets with two victories against the Bengals this season.

Now, the Steelers are three games back from a wild card spot with losses against the Jets, New England Patriots, and Bengals.

Below, we discuss what went wrong for the Steelers this season and if the season is over for the franchise.

What Has Gone Wrong With The Steelers This Season?

The most obvious answer to this question is how poorly the offense has been for the Steelers this season.

Pittsburgh ranks 28th in points per game, 23rd in passing yards per game, and 22nd in rushing yards per game.

Kenny Pickett is averaging just 203.7 passing yards per game. He has yet to throw for 2+ passing TDs in a game.

While Najee Harris has played better the last two games, he only averages 55.0 rushing yards per game. Harris averages just 3.7 yards per carry.

The receivers have a difficult time creating separation in Matt Canada’s offensive scheme.

Canada’s job is in serious jeopardy after the season.

However, while the offense has not played well at all, the defense has also been suspect.

TJ Watt has only played in three games this season.

He is by far the most impactful defensive player on the Steelers. Watt is one of, if not the most dominant defensive player in the league.

The Steelers rank dead last in passing yards allowed per game.

Cornerbacks have been very suspect for Pittsburgh. The opposing team’s number one WR has had its way with the Steelers’ defensive backs.

A bright spot for the Steelers on defense has been the emergence of Alex Highsmith. Highsmith has nine sacks on the season.

Coaching and drafting have also hurt the Steelers. We already mentioned how poorly of an offensive coordinator Matt Canada is.

However, Mike Tomlin is involved in the offense and defense. Tomlin is known to be heavily involved in the defense and they rank last in passing yards allowed per game.

We know Mike Tomlin is intimately involved in the #Steelers defense. But asked about how involved he is in the offense, he says, "Highly." When asked if that means he ever suggests plays, he says "I do more than suggest. Just to be clear. At times."

— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) November 23, 2021

The Steelers have spent first-round picks on Kenny Pickett, Najee Harris, and Devin Bush in each of their last three first rounds. Pittsburgh did not have a first-round pick in 2020.

While Pickett is still a rookie and may thrive under another offensive scheme, Bush and Harris have severely underperformed.

The Steelers declined to pick up Bush’s fifth-year option.

Pittsburgh completely neglected the offensive line for years in the draft and it is hurting the team big time.

Nobody expected the Steelers to be good this season but the problem is, they have not looked promising.

There are a lot of glaring weaknesses with the Steelers and one player or coach will not be an immediate fix.