Steelers get brief respite after winning division
PITTSBURGH — This time, JuJu Smith-Schuster saved his dancing for the locker room.
The Pittsburgh wide receiver who recently drew the ire of opponents and an admonition from Steelers coach Mike Tomlin for “TikToking” his moves on the midfield logo during warmups celebrated the end of a three-game losing streak in decidedly on-brand fashion.
Sporting newly minted AFC North champion hats and T-shirts, Smith-Schuster and a handful of teammates celebrated Pittsburgh’s stunning rally over Indianapolis on Sunday by putting together a loosely choreographed routine. It ended with rookie receiver Chase Claypool on his knees with his arms raised in a shout that looked like a mixture of joy and relief. There’s plenty to go around. After spending the better part of a month doing everything they could to prove their 11-0 start was mostly smoke and mirrors, the Steelers (12-3) put together 20 minutes of brilliance against the Colts. They earned the franchise’s seventh division title in Tomlin’s 14 seasons.
The offense scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to erase a 17-point deficit. The defense harassed Indianapolis quarterback Philip Rivers into
a late interception and an errant fourth-down heave to clinch the victory.
“I hope it’s something we can build on,” defensive end Cam Heyward said. “We don’t have to play perfect, but we can still battle back.”
The question going forward is which team is the “real” Steelers? The one that looked disjointed and disinterested during a three-game skid that seemed all but certain to extend to four after the Colts took a 24-7 lead? Or the one that spent three months flirting with perfection, then took a monthlong siesta before offering a spirited reminder in the fading afternoon sunlight at Heinz Field?
The playoffs will provide the answer. For now, the Steelers can (briefly) relax knowing their postseason will begin at home and the form showed during a franchise record-setting start is still in there somewhere.
“We’ve been through some adversity,” said Tomlin, a Denbigh High and William & Mary graduate. “But just growth in the midst of that. Hopefully, these negative experiences can galvanize us, man, and strengthen us as we move forward. We got some big battles that lie ahead.”
What’s working
The deep ball, a part of the offense that had gone missing for weeks, returned against the Colts. Roethlisberger unsuccessfully attempted to dink-and-dunk his way downfield in the first half, then the Steelers finally generated momentum after going up-tempo in the third quarter.
Roethlisberger’s numbers after halftime — 23 of 29 for 244 yards and three touchdowns — were reminiscent of his scorching opening stretch of the season. It helped that his receivers, from Smith-Schuster to Diontae Johnson to tight end Eric Ebron, held onto the ball. Johnson’s diving 39-yard scoring grab late in the third quarter was the spark that lit the flames of the comeback and provided a reminder of what the Steelers are capable of when Roethlisberger has time to do his job.
What’s not
Maybe they should just bail on the running game entirely. Pittsburgh mustered 20 yards on 14 carries (not counting kneeldowns). While James Conner’s return from a quadriceps injury helped immensely in the passing game, he ran for 20 yards on five carries.
Benny Snell’s wildly uneven season continued. A week after he piled up 84 yards against Cincinnati, Snell’s six carries resulted in zero yards.