Madden Monday on the Steelers' latest loss: 'This defense flat out stinks'

Late Sunday night, WPXI-TV ran a poll asking which side of the ball was more disappointing in Sunday’s 37-30 Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Cincinnati Bengals — the offense or the defense.

The correct answer to the question is, obviously, “both.”

But since that was not an option, 77% of respondents said it was the offense.

What? Seriously? How are you disappointed in the offense when so little should be expected of it every week?

Meanwhile the defense is experienced, decorated and (allegedly) talented. And this was supposed to be the game where America got to see why.

After all, the only starter missing from action was Ahkello Witherspon. And while few were predicting an upset of the Bengals, many were anticipating a reasonable facsimile of the Steelers’ dominant defensive performance against them in Week 1.

Unfortunately, we got a reasonable facsimile of the team’s recent blowout losses against the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills instead. The Steelers faced another significantly superior team and gave up 37 points.

Buffalo posted 38. The Eagles put up 35. They each would have scored more if needed. Maybe the Bengals could’ve too. But at least, in this instance, the Steelers got in the 30-point range themselves to remain in shouting distance and keep the game competitive into the fourth quarter.

As a result, this, to me, was not a game where I found myself banging my head against the wall, looking to come up with another way to write, “Hey, the Steelers offense sure is rotten, isn’t it?”

No. To me, this week’s story is that, even at full strength, a Steelers defense that was supposed to be “dominant” at the outset of the season has been proven to be a complete pushover whenever it faces an offense of any repute at all.

In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLIVE agrees.

“I’m tired of the offense always being blamed,” Madden said. “Whereas the defense has three perennial All-Pros (T.J. Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Cameron Heyward). The equivalent of three defensive coordinators, with (Mike) Tomlin, (Teryl) Austin and (Brian) Flores. And they allowed 37 points (Sunday). I don’t get why everybody can’t point at the defense. Period. Or at least give them the share of the blame.”

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Madden said that the public gives the Steelers defense a free pass out of habit.

“Dan Orlovsky of ESPN said in the offseason, ‘We view the Steelers, and in particular, their defense, as they used to be — out of tradition — and don’t see them as they are.’ And I think that’s the perception from anyone in the public who doesn’t realize this defense flat-out stinks,” Madden said.

Those who disagree will say that the offense did a lousy job staying on the field to give the defense a break. That would be true, especially in the second half. But the defense did allow a 10-play 92-yard scoring drive in the second quarter with the game tied 10-10. That immediately followed the Steelers scoring a touchdown on an eight-play drive of their own.

So fatigue thanks to a crummy offense can’t be a universal excuse.

“We see stuff like T.J. Watt missing a series or Alex Highsmith missing a series. Because they need a rest,” Madden said. “Desperate times call for desperate measures. T.J. Watt makes a jillion dollars. Stay out there until the game is out of reach.”

Also in the podcast, Madden and I get more in depth on Watt’s performance, where the offense could’ve helped more and the realization of how bad the Steelers are compared to even some of the other bad teams in the league.

Plus we talk about the Penguins getting on a three-game win streak.

Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden review the Steelers-Bengals game