Steelers/NFL
Texans 30 – 
Steelers 6 (F)
For seven days after one of the greatest Steelers regular season games ever, there was a buzz in town that this year felt different. The AFC was wide open, you finally get to host a home game instead of having to walk into the likes of Kansas City, Buffalo and Baltimore of past seasons; Aaron Rodgers with his arm and mind with how great he’s looked in four of the past five games, Pittsburgh not only had a 50/50 chance to win a wild card road, there was optimism brewing of the Steelers making noise.
Instead, everything once again came crashing down Monday Night in a 30-6 loss to the Houston Texans.
As much of a beatdown the Steelers took in the second half in being outscored 23-0, it was a winnable game through the 4th quarter even if it felt there was no way the Steelers were ever going to score a touchdown. Again this was a one point game going into the 4th quarter which 12 hours later still seems crazy to believe. The biggest ‘What If’ of the game will be the DK Metcalf early drop. Any early momentum the Steelers had vanished and never came back. It was such a golden opportunity of missed moments for Pittsburgh on a night you could see the talent disparity.
And the second half was an absolute bloodbath where the Texans defense looked like they feasting on a scout team. Pittsburgh’s first round right tackle looked like he was just picked up this week off a D-3 collegiate team.
“We didn’t capitalize off of turnovers in the first half. We were plus-two and still down by a point at the half. And that’s just not a good sign,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said of the loss…….We didn’t do enough in possession-down ball to get things going,” Tomlin said. Any sort of rhythm or real points and so forth. And I thought that thet did a real good job on third down, and we didn’t off enough on defense. Particularly as the game wore on, it became an attrition component of it. It’s disappointing.”
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What’s Next for the Steelers
Everything on a Direction Starts with Mike Tomlin
Do the Steelers talk themselves into running it back and put themselves in contention for a 10-7, 11-6 season, which as far away they seem from a Super Bowl, some tweaks here and there they will likely be competitive again or does everyone reach the point where it’s time to move?…………
Mike Tomlin biggest downfall of the past seven to eight years is a failure and lack of interest in putting an elite coaching staff under him. If he becomes locked in to getting out of this 10-7 purgatory, Tomlin has to wake up to reality now. He is the perfect CEO type. Players love him, he can recruit free agents, he’s a great motivator. That has value with today’s type of player. Plain and is simple Tomlin’s viewed as a star in NFL circles and is a great ambassador for the organization. But, what has to finally happen is hire a Raheem Morris and Mike McDonald type and let them cook. Tomlin needs to look and see what Mike Vrabel is doing in putting a staff together and take notes. Take a step back and be the head coach. Bring in elite level coordinators and let your assistants do their jobs. That’s the best case scenario for Tomlin long-term in Pittsburgh. Adapt and quit trying to meddle into everything.
“When you have the right guy and the culture is right, you don’t think about making a change,” Aaron Rodgers said of Tomlin.
At the end of the day should Mike Tomlin be running out of town at his disposal as some will argue it’s the perfect time for both sides:
This is an aging roster; T.J. Watt’s best days are behind him; Cam Heyward is pushing 40 years old; Jalen Ramsey is no longer prime Jalen Ramsey; The Texans defense is what the Steelers think they are on paper and they’re not even close. If you are truly running it back, this group needs an elite level coordinator come in and try to elevate them and on both sides of the ball. For Tomlin he has the perfect opportunity in the next 24-48 hours to go chase another opportunity.
If Tomlin wants to stick around, they’re going to run it back with tweaks, ect.
If Tomlin shocks the organization and walks away or even more shocking is nudged out, then essentially the organization would be set up to go with a young and be prepared for some lean years as veterans are going to push their way out.
Run it back or a reset with a young staff and sell off veterans is what looms for the organization, and it all comes down to what Mike Tomlin with one year left on his contract + a team option (2027) wants to do.
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Week 2 What We Learned: Familiar scene where scheme issues on both sides of the ball loom large