Mark Madden's Hot Take: If the Steelers start 0-2, expect a familiar timeline

The Pittsburgh Steelers need to beat Cleveland on Monday night. Otherwise, the season figures to take on a familiar timeline:

• Preseason: “This team could go to the Super Bowl!”

• After a couple losses: “We can still win the division.”

• After a couple more losses: “We can still get a wild card.”

• After a couple more losses: “We can still have a winning record.”

• Finish 9-8, miss the playoffs, celebrate anyway. Did you know Coach T has never had a losing season?

If the Steelers start 0-2, they doubtless will regroup and make a fist of the campaign. “A Mike Tomlin team never quits.”

But they won’t rally enough, just like last season.

When do the Steelers take a close look at what makes them start seasons poorly, as they have in four of the last five?

Would that examination include a rethink on their philosophy (admittedly not 100% hard and fast) of not starting rookies?

Joey Porter Jr. couldn’t do worse than old-timey Patrick Peterson playing on the outside at cornerback.

Related:

• Browns talented CB duo present next challenge for Steelers minus Diontae Johnson
• Steelers 4 Downs: Plenty of streaks on line in Steelers-Browns Monday night matchup
• Steelers tackle Dan Moore primed for another matchup against Browns star Myles Garrett
• Steelers WR George Pickens limited in practice; RB Anthony McFarland out vs. Browns
• Mark Madden: Steelers match up poorly with Browns, intimidate no one
• Friday Football Footnotes: Steelers not alone among teams with playoff aspirations in need of big Week 2 rebounds

Flip Pat Pete over. He’s done on this side.

Same goes for Broderick Jones replacing Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle. Moore graded lower than any tackle in the NFL, left or right, during Week 1.

The Steelers are 2¹⁄₂-point underdogs at home to the Browns. Nick Chubb might run the ball down the Steelers’ throats. It’s difficult to see the Steelers offense decipher Cleveland’s outstanding trio of cornerbacks and ferocious pass rush. (It’s never too early to blame Matt Canada.)

But here’s betting the Steelers win anyway. The Browns is the Browns, as a great philosopher once said. Before Cleveland beat the Steelers in a playoff game.

Tomlin is 19-3 on “Monday Night Football.” He’s 25-7-1 vs. Cleveland. That has absolutely no relevance to this Monday’s game, unless it makes you feel better.

Then Steeler Nation heads off to take over Las Vegas. Except cyberterrorism has already done that. Be prepared for a long check-in line at the hotel. Blame Canada for that, too.

The citizens likely raised funds to “take over” Vegas by selling their tickets to the home games vs. San Francisco and Cleveland.

No matter what, the Steelers are preseason champions, and Kenny Pickett is preseason MVP. The standard is the standard.