Some losses are worse than others.
It’s a cliché used often in sports, but the Steelers gut-wrenching 16-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals would have to qualify.
Not only did the loss effectively end any hopes of winning the AFC North, the Steelers also got even worse news late last night when it was reported by Steelers Depot that All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury suffered early in the second quarter yesterday at Heinz Field.
So yes, this loss takes on a whole different look today.
Let’s take a look at the best and worst from yesterday’s tough loss.
Three up:
*Although I struggled to come up with a lot of positives from this one, the Steelers defense stepped up in a big way and played their best game of the season considering they were facing one of the best offenses in the NFL.
The defense held the Bengals to 296 net yards and only three field goals before Andy Dalton’s late TD pass to A.J. Green in the fourth quarter. Antwon Blake was absolutely outstanding all day, and his interception of Dalton in the end zone in the final quarter looked like it might be enough to seal the victory. Blake has quietly become a reliable starter at cornerback in a secondary that has taken a lot of heat.
*The secondary as a whole was able to limit Tyler Eifert four catches for 39 yards and Marvin Jones and Mohommed Sanu combined for four catches and 22 yards. Additionally, the secondary was largely responsible for not allowing a third-down conversion until late in the third quarter, and their coverage allowed the Steelers front seven to register three sacks on the day.
Despite of an inexcusable personal foul penalty, Mike Mitchell had a solid showing that included an interception and a big hit on Eifert that got the crowd going. Cameron Heyward just keeps showing up week after week, and he added a field goal block to his impressive season resume. Steve McClendon and Daniel McCullers played well inside helping limit the Bengals rushing attack to 78 yards and McClendon chipped in with a sack filling in for an injured Stephon Tuitt.
*Heath Miller had one of the better statistical performances of his career catching 10 passes for 105 yards. After being virtually invisible in recent weeks outside of a pivotal catch in the winning drive against the Chargers, it was nice to see Miller more involved in the passing game. He led all Steelers with 13 targets for the game.
Three down:
*After missing four straight with a knee injury, Ben Roethlisberger stormed back in his first possession, leading the Steelers offense on a 80-yard touchdown drive that took over seven minutes off the clock. It looked like the Steelers offense might be in line for a huge day, but Roethlisberger would struggle the rest of the way, throwing three interceptions, including an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by Bengals safety Shawn Williams that turned the momentum towards the Bengals.
Roethlisberger has a long history of struggling in games after missing time, and this one was a prime example. Credit Ben for taking responsibility after the game like a franchise QB should do.
Roethlisberger did not get a lot of support. The Steelers offensive line was sub-par for the second week in row, giving up three sacks and several costly penalties.
*It’s time for the Dri Archer experiment to end. Once again Archer and company did absolutely nothing in the return game. Antonio Brown has also struggled, and the both have to take some heat for the Steelers getting dominated in the third phase. The Steelers offense started deep in their own territory all day, while the Bengals got significant contributions from Adam Jones and Brandon Tate in the return game.
*The season-ending injury to Bell has the feel of a season killer. The list of significant injuries to key players for the Steelers has been growing by the week, and seems to be the key theme of the 2015 campaign. Bell joins teammate Maurkice Pouncey as the second All-Pro to be lost for the year, and this one might simply be to much to overcome.
DeAngelo Williams will now be the full-time starter, with Jordan Todman now in line to be his backup. The Steelers are reportedly looking at Isaiah Pead, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS, to add further depth, but it’s obvious this trio is going to have a hard time replacing arguably the best running back in the NFL.
