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Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Talk of Steelers’ one last shot at Super Bowl is pipe dream | TribLIVE.com
Mark Madden, Columnist

Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Talk of Steelers’ one last shot at Super Bowl is pipe dream

Mark Madden
Mark Madden
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Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looks to throw against the Browns in the first quarter during the NFL Wild Card round Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021 at Heinz Field.

It seems Ben Roethlisberger is going to play in 2021. He’ll extend his contract a few more years but retire after the coming season. He’ll probably convert the $19 million he is due to a signing bonus to spread out the cap hit. He’ll talk center Maurkice Pouncey into playing one more year and take one last shot.

But “one last shot” is a pipe dream. It’s wishful thinking.

The closest the Steelers have come to a Super Bowl over the last 10 years is a 19-point loss to New England in the AFC championship game that followed the 2016 season.

Take off your black-and-gold tinted glasses and look at the facts:

• The Steelers have collapsed at the end of each of the last three seasons. This past campaign was worst: They went from 11-0 to garbage.

• The Steelers have won three playoff games in the last decade, none since 2016.

• The quarterback will be 39 on March 2. He threw four interceptions in the playoff loss to Cleveland. His passer rating topped 90 only once in his last seven games. His completions averaged just 3 yards in the air this past season.

• The “elite defense” allowed an average of 46.5 points in the Steelers’ last two playoff games.

• Edge rusher T.J. Watt is the best player on that “elite defense.” In those two playoff games, he has zero sacks, three tackles (including one for loss) and two quarterback hits.

• The offensive line is horrific. The guard they cut, Stefen Wisniewski, will start for Kansas City in the Super Bowl next Sunday.

• They have the worst group of running backs in the NFL.

• The Steelers are almost certainly going to lose edge rusher Bud Dupree and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to free agency. As many as 10 other regulars may also depart.

• The Steelers will have to make a few significant cuts to get cap relief. One of the starting cornerbacks — Joe Haden or Steven Nelson — figures to be among them.

• Their culture is ego-driven, narcissistic and leaderless. It won’t be fixed because the coach and “leaders” are impotent or uncaring in that regard, likely both.

Can all that be remedied in one offseason?

Does that sound like a team ready to get to a Super Bowl next season, or hand coach Mike Tomlin the first losing record of his career?

Is the arrow pointed up, or down?

I’ll hang up and listen.

Categories: Mark Madden Columns | Sports | Steelers/NFL
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