With the AFC North on the line, the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) lost to the Cleveland Browns (4-12) by a final score of 13-6 on Sunday.
It was a game the Steelers trailed 10-0 after one quarter of play and never managed to catch up. That’s despite the fact that Cleveland had just one win since Halloween entering the contest.
So how did coach Mike Tomlin’s team blow such a golden opportunity against a last-place team? Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X has a pretty simple explanation.
“I thought they took winning for granted. That’s why they came out incredibly flat, as they so often do in games that are perceived — in their minds — to be ‘unlosable,’” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “After the game, Myles Garrett said that (the Steelers) were more worried about keeping him from breaking the sack record than they were about winning the game. I think that’s true, and I think that’s because they assumed winning. They thought they could get petty with a situation like that.”
The Steelers now have just one win in their last eight tries up in Cleveland. Many of those games have come against really poor Browns teams. But illogical, inexplicable Steelers losses are nothing new in the Tomlin era.
INSANE stat - Steelers are winless (0-4-1) in their past 5 games vs teams entering 8+ games below .500, tying the longest such streak in NFL history
— Doug Clawson (@doug_clawson) December 28, 2025
2020 -- L at 2-10-1 Bengals
2021 -- T vs 0-8 Lions
2023 -- L vs 2-10 Cardinals
2023 -- L vs 2-10 Patriots
2025 -- L at 3-12 Browns
“There have been some bad losses, some Tomlin specials over the years, but this ranks right up there with any of them, maybe even higher, given the stakes,” Madden said.
Now the Steelers have to play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 to determine the winner of the AFC North. A win or a tie for the Steelers, and they go to the playoffs. A loss, and Baltimore clinches the division.
Baltimore, given up for dead after its Week 16 loss to New England, bounced back and won 41-24 in Green Bay on Saturday. Madden thinks that victory has given the 8-8 Ravens new life.
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“The Steelers now have to play a mentally rejuvenated Baltimore team upon having gotten a reprieve, having battered Green Bay physically in that game Saturday,” Madden said. “Derrick Henry, (36) carries, (216) yards, four touchdowns. He’s going to be ready to rumble coming to Pittsburgh. That game at Acrisure (for) Week 18 has all the makings of the proverbial excrement show for the home club.”
If the Steelers lose, blow a playoff berth and assure the franchise of a ninth straight year without a postseason win, Madden thinks that Tomlin should be fired immediately.
“If they lose to Baltimore at home, (Tomlin) should be fired before he gets off the field at Acrisure,” Madden insisted. “But I think there’s a better chance that he runs right to Art (Rooney) II’s office and signs an extension.”
Also, during the podcast, we discuss DK Metcalf’s absence, how it impacted the Steelers, failures by the other receivers, Pitt’s bowl game loss and more.
