Contenders or pretenders? 2-game losing streak exposed Steelers

Two straight losses open up the Steelers to criticism and doubts from fans and experts alike.

The rubber hit the road for the Pittsburgh Steelers when this three-game stretch of games started and two games in, things aren’t looking good for Pittsburgh. It fits perfectly with head coach Mike Tomlin’s “Moving Train” metaphor and right now the Steelers are not getting on that train.

There are really two ways to look at the last two weeks. The optimist says the Steelers are still one of the best teams in the AFC and these two losses are simply a product of some catastrophic injuries at key positions. A case could be made if the Steelers had guys like George Pickens, DeShon Elliott, Larry Ogunjobi and Donte Jackson in the lineup for all of the last two games, they go 1-1 at a minimum and maybe win them both.

But if you are a pessimist, the Steelers are frauds and those players being out didn’t have any bearing on the outcome of those games.

We should get the answer to this one in just a few days. Pittsburgh has to turn around and play arguably the best team in the NFL on Christmas Day when the Kansas City Chiefs come to town. Assuming some of these injured players are able to return, the Steelers will be as close to full strength as they can be this late in the season. How they perform against the Chiefs with a playoff spot already secured will be telling for what the Steelers playoff future will hold.

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