The Pittsburgh Steelers, with only seven wins under their belt, faced an alarming setback as they suffered consecutive losses at home against 2-10 teams, casting a shadow over the team’s performance. This unexpected downturn occurred during what was supposed to be a relatively straightforward stretch in their schedule before the season’s culmination.
In Thursday night’s 21-18 defeat, the Steelers displayed collective ineptitude, with an offense struggling under Mitch Trubisky’s leadership and a defense that faltered against Bailey Zappe’s first-half onslaught. Veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick attributed the team’s failure against low-ranked opponents to a lack of mental resilience and a reluctance to put in the necessary effort.
Fitzpatrick emphasized the need for hard work, stating, “In order to see the fruit, you’ve gotta toil for it. I think too many people don’t want to toil for it. They just want to walk out here and think that they’re going to make plays and perform at a high level. I think we need to have more people who want to work for it, not expect it to be handed to them.”
The loss caused the Steelers to drop from the fifth spot to the eighth in the AFC standings, diminishing their playoff prospects. The upcoming games against the Colts, Bengals, Seahawks, and Ravens, all vying for playoff positions, add pressure to the team’s already precarious situation.
The offense struggled early on in the Thursday game, going three-and-out on three of its first five possessions. Trubisky’s performance drew criticism, prompting chants for backup Mason Rudolph in the first half. The defense, typically a stalwart support for the team, also faltered in the past two weeks.
Facing adversity, the Steelers must now overcome a two-game losing streak to revive their postseason hopes. Despite the recent setbacks, coach Mike Tomlin expressed confidence in the team’s ability to rebound, asserting, “This is what we do. This is who we are.” With four games remaining in the 2023 season, the Steelers have a limited window to redefine their identity on the field.
