Negatives far outweigh positives in 1-1 start
So you’re pretty down about the Steelers? You are not alone. Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin have to be right there with you. They can’t possibly like what they watched in the first two games even though their team is 1-1. They also can’t be happy with their roles in the slow start. Players they brought in as free agents haven’t helped. Players they rewarded with new contracts haven’t lived up to the money. Even one of their all-time greats has been ordinary, at best. All of it has made this Steelers team difficult to watch so far. I know, it’s early. It’s only two games. It would be foolish to pass premature judgment. Things can change quickly in the NFL. Teams can be lousy one week, great the next. We saw it last season with the Steelers, who started 0-4 and 2-6 but were a pretty good team by the end of the season when they finished 8-8. I’m not going to write off this season with 14 games left. I’m not even ready to back off my prediction of a 10-6 or 11-5 record and an AFC North title, although that did seem pretty ridiculous Thursday night when the Baltimore Ravens embarrassed the Steelers in every phase of the game in a 26-6 beating. The game next Sunday night at Carolina will be rough and there will be panic in the streets if the Steelers lose. But the schedule lightens after that. Don’t give up just yet. But that doesn’t mean the start of the season hasn’t been disappointing. The Steelers were lucky to beat the lousy Cleveland Browns in the opener on a lastsecond field goal after leading, 27-3, at halftime. They were lucky in Baltimore that they weren’t beaten by six touchdowns. Let’s be positive for a minute. Let’s list the Steelers who have met or exceeded expectations. Running back Le’Veon Bell has been outstanding, both as a ball-toter and a pass-catcher. Wide receivers Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton have caught everything. Shaun Suisham has converted all five of his field goals. Brad Wing has done a fine job punting. So much for the positive. The Steelers’ list of underperformers is much longer. Ben Roethlisberger. Heath Miller. Marcus Gilbert. Cam Thomas. Steve McLendon. Jason Worilds. Jarvis Jones. Cortez Allen. Mike Mitchell. Ike Taylor. Even Troy Polamalu. Yes, Polamalu. Add two more names: Colbert and Tomlin. The decisions they made in the offseason haven’t worked out to this point. The Steelers brought in Mitch--
ell and Thomas as free agents to help their defense, but the defense looks worse than it did last season. It can’t stop the run, giving up 183 rushing yards to the Browns and 157 to the Ravens. It didn’t get a sack or force a turnover against the Ravens after not getting a turnover against the Browns. It has allowed four scoring drives of at least 75 yards in two games. The Steelers gave big contracts to Allen (five years, $26 million) and Gilbert (five years, $30 million) this summer. Allen hasn’t made as many plays as nickelback William Gay. Thursday night, he was penalized 15 yards for a facemask and 23 yards for pass interference on the same Ravens drive. Gilbert has been awful, giving up two sacks in each of the first two games, as well as being penalized for holding and a false start. It almost was frightening to watch Ravens linebacker Elvis Dumervil roll right over Gilbert for his second sack, driving Gilbert backward into Roethlisberger. Gilbert is the biggest reason Roethlisberger had bruises over much of his body after the game. Roethlisberger has been sacked six times in the first two games. He hasn’t been able to generate any offense after putting up 27 points in the first half against Cleveland. The Steelers failed to score a touchdown in the past six quarters, which almost seems impossible to believe. Fumbles by wide receiver Justin Brown and Miller against the Ravens were hurtful. It’s hard to say what is more troubling — the Steelers’ run defense or pass defense. Does anyone have a telephone number for Casey Hampton? He has to be better against the run than McLendon and Thomas. I’m kidding, I think. How about a number for James Harrison? Wouldn’t he get after the opposing quarterback better than Worilds and Jones? Again, I’m stretching here. Worilds and Jones have to get it done for the Steelers to be successful. Each had a sack against the Browns, but did nothing Thursday night. Was Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco even touched? The Steelers secondary isn’t good enough to cover without a pass rush. Taylor isn’t even close to being the terrific cornerback he was. Polamalu isn’t close to the Hall of Fame-caliber player he has been. He can’t cover anyone anymore. He also missed a bunch of tackles against the Ravens. The Steelers had better be careful or another season is going to slip away. They had better find a way to improve quickly. It’s not going to be early forever.