In the days since the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) fell to the Cleveland Browns (3-8) on Thursday night, many Steelers fans have had the same concern.
Was that just one bad night? Or was that a harbinger of things to come?
Was that the 2024 version of losing to Washington after an 11-0 start in 2020, only to finish 12-4 with a first-round playoff loss?
During this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLive said that the answer will be revealed immediately when the Steelers face quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
“I think we’ll know instantly,” Madden said of the potential fallout from the loss. “I think the Cincinnati game looms very large. Cincinnati is not as bad as their record. They have one of the best quarterbacks in football.”
It wasn’t just 2020 that went south in a hurry for the Steelers. The 2018 season went from 7-2-1 to 9-6-1 and a playoff miss. The 2019 campaign went from 8-5 to 8-8 and another playoff miss. Last year, the 7-4 Steelers went to 7-7 with three straight losses to non-playoff teams (Arizona, New England and Indianapolis) before a late rally to save the season.
Madden says, despite Russell Wilson improving the quarterback play, the 2024 Steelers are flawed enough offensively that a similar fade could happen this year.
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“Arthur Smith, he’s not doing a great job (as coordinator). That offense to me looks as unimaginative as Matt Canada’s, just with more tight ends,” Madden said. “Forget the (Justin) Fields package. They tried it. It didn’t work. Let Russ cook. Let QB1 have his rhythm. He’s always been good in the red zone. Have some faith that he will be again.”
It’s not entirely an offensive issue, though. Madden thinks the defense has problems too.
“They’re overrated,” Madden insists. “Their good players are fading. Minkah (Fitzpatrick) finally got a forced fumble in the 23rd game in between turnover involvements. (T.J.) Watt got humiliated by Myles Garrett — shown up to the nth degree. I know they’re not on the field against each other. But good thing, because Garrett would have whooped his (backside).”
Also, during the podcast, Madden and I talk about Mike Tomlin’s miscues on Thursday night, the potential impact of the Ravens-Chargers Monday night game on the Steelers, the woes of the Penguins and Pitt’s late-season slide.
