Steelers will continue to be a bordline playoff team until they learn how to win when their stars have off games

MONDAY’S STEELERS BUZZ

The Steelers are so up and down and have been the last three seasons because they don’t know how to manufacture wins when their top offensive players are having so-so or poor games. Namely when Ben Roethlisberger is having an off game.

Until they figure that out, this team is going to continue to be a bordline playoff team.

The Steelers game planned Sunday like a team that feared the Jets defense. Maybe Mike Tomlin buys into all that blabber he spouted on Tuesday about how good the 1-8 Jets were coming into Sunday.

Opposing QB’s vs the Jets this season prior to week 10 had thrown 24 touchdowns and just 1 interception.

The Steelers developed an identity the previous two games with a vertical passing game vs the Colts, Ravens.

Instead of coming out firing and having the mindset of you can’t stop us, Pittsburgh took the 8-10 yards Jets cornerbacks were giving them and went back to the screens and the dink, dunk that had slowed this offense prior to the homestand.

On Ben Roethlisberger’s first 11 competitions of the game, he was averaging under 5 yards per attempt.

They played like a team that feared the Jets and it backfired on them.

GOOD TEAMS DON’T LOSE TO BAD TEAMS?

The last three seasons the Steelers made the playoffs (2008, 2010, 2011), there was a consistent trend….they didn’t lose to bad teams.

Steelers went 12-4, All four losses to playoff teams

Colts (12-4), Titans (13-3), Eagles (9-6-1), Giants (12-4)

2010 Season

Steelers went 12-4, all four losses to playoff teams

Patriots (14-2), Jets (11-5), Ravens (12-4), Saints (11-5)

2011 Season

Steelers went 12-4, all four losses to playoff teams

Ravens (12-4, 2 Losses), Texans (10-6), 49ers (13-3)

This all comes back to the Steelers needing to start becoming a team that finds a way when Ben Roethlisberger isn’t sharp and winging the ball around successfully like he’s Aaron Rodgers.

Is it a depth, coaching problem?