For about three weeks now, the city of Pittsburgh has been feeling the excruciating side effects from a Steelers hangover. The common remedy for any Steelers hangover is catching the ball when thrown to you (ahem Mike Wallace), holding onto the ball (cough-cough Rashard Mendenhall), and throwing the football accurately (gag CharlieBatch). Please don’t hold your breath Steelers fans, for this quick hangover cure is nowhere in sight.
Sunday’s performance against the Cleveland Browns was embarrassing, to say the least, and down-right messy. Do I need to pursue with the mental discomfort of stating all of the horrific statistics? To be reminded of the five fumbles and three interceptions against the Browns, mind you, is enough to put one over the toilet bowl begging for Steelers mercy.
Yes, we could say that if the “season ended today,” the Steelers would be the second AFC wild-card team and No. 6 playoff seed with having a win over the Cincinnati Bengals. But let’s get back to reality; it isn’t the end of the season and the Steelers have five games yet to play, three being division games. It could be the beginning of the end if they maintain this style of sloppy and depressing play.
“If you turn the ball over the way we did, you’re not going to beat anybody,” Coach Mike Tomlin said. “I’m surprised it was that close given the turnover situation.”
Well, surprise, surprise. For Steelers fans that are well hungover, we’d rather not be surprised with turnover upon turnover because it causes severe nausea, which is hard to handle. Speaking of hard to handle, the Steelers are back at it again with the ever elicit Baltimore Ravens who are 9-2 and eagerly awaiting the steel-less Steelers this Sunday. Not to sound pessimistic, but most would agree, with the way the Steelers have been playing, the outcome is most likely to be a 6-6 Steelers team.
At this point, only a medicine man can save Pittsburgh’s hangover, and his name is Ben Roethlisberger. Without him on the field, it notably shows that the Steelers have lost their composure, sense of who they are, and remain flabbergasted with a non-Roethlisberger offense. The golden question is: Will Ben Roethlisberger play this Sunday to help the Steelers escape from a threatening Baltimore team?
“I’m going to try,” Roethlisberger said. “It’s killing me to watch.”
If, a big “if,” they win this Sunday, hallelujah to the hangover Gods. But unfortunately that does not put the Steelers in the clear by any means. They need a complete turnaround to qualify as a playoff team. And hopefully, Pittsburgh, a dehydrated town, won’t have to wait too much longer for a Steelers hangover cure.
Photo Credits: Getty Images
