Tim Benz: 'Airing of Grievances' after Steelers suffer first loss of 2020. Offensive imbalance, defensive fade

Most realists thought the Steelers would lose eventually. But I don’t think most expected their undefeated season to end against Washington at home.

But it did Monday evening in a 23-17 loss. And for all the reasons we felt things starting to wobble.

Mounting injuries. An imbalanced offense. A defense overly reliant on big plays. And a receiving corps suddenly infected with a “dropsies” epidemic.

So for the first time this season, since the Steelers have fallen to 11-1, we present “Airing of Grievances” with no apologies and no apprehension.

Hey Steelers, to borrow a phrase from Frank Costanza, “I got a lot of problems with you people!”

Airing of Grievances

Balance or bust: I’m done hearing it. Take your “short pass game replaces a run game” and stick it where the sun don’t shine.

The Steelers threw the ball 53 times Monday evening. They only ran it 14 times. They couldn’t run effectively when they tried, like at the goal line in the first half.

When they needed a run play later, they were petrified to keep it on the ground.

Just look at that absurd fourth-and-1 call when the score was tied 17-17 and Ben Roethlisberger gunned it down field to rookie running back Anthony McFarland. They put in big personnel. Then they threw it anyway. Just like they did at the goal line last week when they were intercepted by Baltimore.

This time, it just went incomplete. But it led to Washington’s go-ahead field goal.

For Coach Mike Tomlin — you know, Mr. “Don’t Live In Your Fears” — he was afraid to let backup kicker Matthew Wright try a 45-yard field goal to perhaps go up 20-17. And then he was afraid to give the ball to a running back on a fourth-and-1 handoff when he decided to go for it.

Bad decision both ways.

First-quarter fizzle, fourth-quarter fade: The Steelers’ first offensive series was an incompletion and two catches short of the sticks for a total of 9 yards and a fourth-and-1 punt.

The second series was a run for no gain, an incompletion to JuJu Smith-Schuster, a penalty when every offensive lineman moved except for center J.C. Hassenauer and a drop by Smith-Schuster, forcing a fourth-and-15 punt.

So much for establishing the run.

According to the Fox broadcast, that was the first time the Steelers went with back-to-back three-and-outs to start a game since the loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 of last season.

Then the vaunted Steelers defense allowed 20 second-half points to blow an 11-point halftime lead.

Batting Ben: I counted four batted passes against Ben Roethlisberger. Three by Montez Sweat.

The biggest of which was the one Sweat knocked in the air and Jon Bostic caught for the game-deciding interception.

PICKED!! The Football Team can taste the upset!!! pic.twitter.com/wq4urqkMqP

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 8, 2020

Yeah. That Jon Bostic. The former Steeler. The same one.

Heck, with the way their inside linebackers are getting depleted, the Steelers might want him back.

Oh, Danny boy!: For the second week in a row — and the third time in the last five — Danny Smith’s special teams were an adventure.

Early in the game, Ray-Ray McCloud called for a fair catch, then changed his mind once the ball bounced. Everybody else stopped, and Cam Sutton was rolled up as a result. It looked bad. He’s lucky the injury wasn’t worse.

Marcus Allen also ran into the punter, drawing a flag and extending Washington’s second drive. Ola Adeniyi had a holding foul on the next punt, one that was fumbled by McCloud. Thankfully, Sean Davis recovered it.

That was just in the first quarter. McCloud juggled another punt in the third quarter.

At least Wright made all three of his place kicks. Maybe they should’ve given him one more, huh?

Drops continue: After drops plagued Steelers pass catchers last week, the trend continued Monday. Smith-Schuster had one in the first quarter. Diontae Johnson had one in the second quarter and two more in the third.

Tight end Eric Ebron couldn’t secure a tough contested catch in the second quarter that could’ve been a touchdown and two more in the third quarter.

And do we have the heart to bang Jerald Hawkins for a drop on that third-and-goal in the second quarter? I mean, the guy is an offensive lineman. I’ll let your conscience be your guide.

But as far as the receivers go, if the Steelers are going to pass the ball 40-50 times per game, then you might see seven or eight drops per game, too.

Flag fest: Penalties were abundant on both sides. There were 15 total.

Oh, and speaking of officiating, what was that “administrative issue” the officials had at the end of the second quarter? It was something about not having “the K Ball” available. And Washington quarterback Alex Smith walked off with the game ball.

How does that happen?

However it went down, it allowed Washington to get three points it otherwise wouldn’t have scored.