No playoff wins since 2016? Watch the Steelers offense for blame

[ad_1]

While all of Pittsburgh watched the divisional round of the playoffs again this weekend, it’s a reminder that the Steelers are yet to reach the divisional round since receiving a first-round bye after going 13- 3 in the 2016 season. They are yet to win a playoff game since going to Kansas City and knocking out the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round to head for the championship. AFC.

Since then, the Steelers have made three playoff trips, finishing 13-3, 12-4 and 9-8 in their respective seasons, and yet they haven’t won a playoff game. In three of those seasons, they’ve stalled at 8-8 twice and 9-8 this year, yet there’s still no playoff success to follow.

So what gives? Why on earth hasn’t Pittsburgh won a playoff game since the 2016 season, and why couldn’t Ben Roethlisberger and Mike Tomlin make another playoff run before the future Hall of Famer hangs up his cleats after the 2022 season?

Defense 2017

This brings us to the causes of this lack of playoff success. The first, and the obvious truth, is that the Steelers in 2017 lacked a defense that could stop any save in their game against Jacksonville. As Pittsburgh trailed 21-0 early on, the offense came to life explosively. In fact, there were several times the Steelers were within striking distance. The Steelers reduced it to a one-score game three times in the second half. However, the Jaguars held them at bay throughout the third quarter after a Le’Veon Bell touchdown.

Led by Leonard Fournette and Blake Bortles, the Jaguars offense roamed the field steadily. The Steelers had no answer to that. In the other three playoff games? The defense also holds some blame.

But the Chiefs were slowed for most of the first half, and the Steelers defense even gave the 2021 offense a defensive touchdown. But Patrick Mahomes worked his magic and cracked the code. Looking back to 2021, the Steelers defense played well, but the offense kept them from drying out. And that may be where the rest of the blame lies with the Steelers. The 2017 defeat can largely be blamed on defense, but 2020 and 2021? Not hardly.

So what is it ?

The offense falters

But how much of that 2017 blame goes to defense, really? The Steelers offense earned the Jaguars 14 points. Ben Roethlisberger threw an interception that took the Jaguars to the Pittsburgh 18-yard line, then a Roethlisbeger fumble led to a Telvin Smith touchdown return.

Then, once the Steelers got it back to 28-21, the defense got enough saves in the third quarter to give the Steelers offense not one but two saves, and the Pittsburgh offense didn’t. could not pass. That includes Todd Haley’s terrible doom call on the 4th and 1st of that third quarter. Is it all about offense in this game? No, not really, but they put the Steelers back behind the eight ball.

After 2018, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown were gone. So, then were the explosive point guards that Pittsburgh relied on so heavily to create one of the most dynamic offenses in the entire NFL. In 2019, Roethlisberger suffered his career-altering elbow injury. He never went back to where he was before that, even though they made the playoffs both years after his injury.

In the Browns’ game, the Steelers offense disastrously gave up five turnovers, including Maurkice Pouncey’s slam to Ben Roethlisberger’s head. For the first quarter alone, the Browns downed a field from less than 50 yards twice in addition to a touchdown on the errant snap. Then the offense wouldn’t score until 1:44 remained in the second quarter. Pittsburgh also tried to get back in that one. However, Randy Fichtner’s play calls, offensive turnovers and a lack of explosiveness on offense left Pittsburgh out of flux. At this time, the offensive line also began to crumble.

Finally, there was Roethlisberger’s last game. In this one, the defense kept Patrick Mahomes at bay for most of the first half. But Pittsburgh’s first seven drives all ended in a punt or a fumble. Again, the offense was lifeless from a production standpoint and explosive play. The Steelers defense created two turnovers in the first half, but nothing worked. This blame can be equally distributed between Matt Canada, Roethlisberger, the staff and many others.

What’s the point of all this? When you look at the essence of the last six years in Pittsburgh, a lot of it comes down to offensive struggles. This 2017-2018 era at the end of the Killer B era is the season where offense clicked again. But in a big game where they were lucky enough to get a point, the offense let the defense dry up.

It begins with the loss of Bell and Brown. Next, Roethlisberger’s retreat and the offensive line. And finally, but it should not be forgotten, the unfortunate array of offensive coordinators the Steelers had during this period only exacerbated their problems when the staff could no longer compensate for their shortcomings.

Look around the league right now which teams are still there. They have offenses that can create explosive plays and work across an array of modes. Can Pittsburgh do this now? Probably not. These teams also have quality callers. Is this true for the Steelers?

When Pittsburgh considers building their next team in contention, they need to remember their offensive shortcomings from previous trips.

[ad_2]