Steelers fans blame Mike Tomlin for end-of-season struggles

Steelers fans turn to blaming Mike Tomlin as injuries and back-to-back losses spark frustration during a pivotal stretch of the season.

Well, the ‘Mike Tomlin for Coach of the Year’ party lasted longer than many assumed it would.

Fans of the Black and Gold are bewildered as the Pittsburgh Steelers have lost their past two contests to the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens, falling to 10-5 on the season. As Steelers fans understandably attempt to make sense of this frustrating situation, they have resorted to the familiar tactic of blaming Tomlin.

Although the Steelers head coach is currently dealing with a plethora of injured players—during one of the most difficult 10-day stretches any team has faced in the Super Bowl era—fans continue to point fingers in the wrong direction.

No, it isn’t Tomlin’s fault that the Steelers—who are missing arguably their biggest offensive threat in George Pickens and their best run defender in DeShon Elliott—lost two road games to two Super Bowl contenders. However, Tomlin’s playoff record and questionable decision-making have fans in a frenzy on social media.

Nevertheless, here are some of the most passionate reactions to HC Mike Tomlin and the Steelers’ struggles over the past two weeks.

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Is it time to hit the panic button on the Pittsburgh Steelers defense?

The Steelers’ defense has faltered in back-to-back losses, raising questions about their identity and playoff readiness.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have dropped to 10-5 following two consecutive losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens in Weeks 15 and 16, respectively.

While both of these teams boasted high-powered offenses, the Steelers’ defense has recently showcased a loss of identity. The Lamar Jackson-led Ravens offense produced over 400 yards in the Steelers’ loss, and the Eagles accomplished the same the previous week.

Back in November, the Steelers held the Ravens to 16 total points compared to the 34-17 blowout loss in Week 16. What truly changed—and should fans begin to panic?

It is understandable that exhaustion has set in for the Black and Gold, as the team is currently in the midst of playing three games against Super Bowl contenders in just a 10-day span.

Injuries are also a likely cause, with the team missing CB Joey Porter Jr., CB Donte Jackson, DT Larry Ogunjobi, and SS DeShon Elliott. Their absences impact all facets of the defensive side of the ball.

With the Steelers’ playoff spot clinched, keeping the team healthy should be the primary concern rather than forcing players who are less than 100% to play injured.

Don’t worry, Steelers fans—this defense will reign supreme once again!

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Steelers’ turnovers and injuries spell disaster in Week 16 loss to Ravens

Injuries and turnovers doomed the Steelers in Week 16, as the Ravens denied them the AFC North title with a 34-17 victory.

Hearts have shattered all throughout the Steel City. With the Pittsburgh Steelers on the cusp of clinching the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens prevented the Black and Gold from securing the divisional title in Week 16.

The Ravens soundly defeated the Steelers 34-17, with injuries and turnovers playing a huge role throughout the Week 16 contest.

Heading into the matchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers were down several key starters on both sides of the ball: WR George Pickens, SS DeShon Elliott, DT Larry Ogunjobi, and CB Donte Jackson. Black and Gold injuries continued to pile up as the team lost starting CB Joey Porter Jr. and ST/WR Ben Skowronek during the game.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, Russell Wilson’s fumble in the red zone—when he could have easily slid to avoid the big hit—and his costly pick-six all but handed the Ravens the Week 16 victory and potentially the division.

There is little time to correct their mistakes, however, as the Pittsburgh Steelers must now turn their attention to the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day in Week 17.

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Sights and sounds from first half as Ravens hold a 17-10 lead over the Steelers

Sights and sounds from first half as Ravens hold a 17-10 lead over the Steelers

It wasn’t a pretty start, but the Ravens again held a halftime lead over the Steelers, 17-10, with 30 minutes left to play at M&T Bank Stadium.

Baltimore had 201 yards of offense and went 2-5 on third downs in the first half. Pittsburgh has 170 yards of offense, 2-4 on third down, and one turnover in a highly intense first half.

With the second half set to begin, here are sights and sounds from the first half.

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Steelers defender officially ruled out for Week 16 Ravens matchup

The Pittsburgh Steelers received tough news ahead of Saturday’s critical AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Pittsburgh Steelers received tough news ahead of Saturday’s critical AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens. Safety DeShon Elliott, a key piece in the Steelers’ defense, has been officially ruled out due to a hamstring injury. This marks the second consecutive game Elliott will miss, and his absence couldn’t come at a worse time.

Elliott’s physicality and field vision have been pivotal for the Steelers’ secondary this season, particularly in matchups requiring disciplined coverage and solid tackling. Elliott ranks second on the team in tackles with 96 (behind Patrick Queen’s 109) and leads the team in fumbles recovered with three. Facing the Ravens without him means Pittsburgh must significantly adjust its defensive game plan.

Baltimore’s offensive weapons, including powerhouse running back Derrick Henry and tight end Mark Andrews, pose a substantial challenge. Elliott’s ability to disrupt plays in the secondary and provide strong support against the run will be sorely missed, as it was in Pittsburgh’s Week 15 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. The defense missed a season-high 20 tackles in the loss.

Without Elliott, the Steelers’ defense must rely on a “next man up” mentality. Expect an increased workload for other safeties in the rotation, who will need to step up in a big way to contain the Ravens’ explosive offense. The Steelers’ front seven will also need to bring their A-game, minimizing opportunities for Baltimore to exploit mismatches in the secondary.

This game has playoff implications, making Elliott’s absence even more impactful. Let’s hope Pittsburgh adapts and rises to the occasion in Baltimore.

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Steelers welcome 2 injured starters back to practice on Tuesday

Larry Ogunjobi, DeShon Elliott and George Pickens all missed Sunday’s game vs the Philadelphia Eagles.

Injuries played a significant factor in the Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. The Steelers were minus wide receiver George Pickens, defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi and safety DeShon Elliott and all three were seriously missed.

But the good news is the Steelers got two of them back to practice on Tuesday. Sort of. Ogunjobi returned to practice on a limited basis and while Pickens was listed as DNP, he did go some individual drills with the team. Unfortunately, Elliott remained out.

The Steelers have an opportunity to clinch the AFC North with a win over the Baltimore Ravens this weekend so getting those three back will be significant. Pittsburgh is also hoping the injuries suffered by outside linebacker T.J. Watt and quarterback Justin Fields in last week’s game won’t keep them out even though both missed Tuesday’s practice as well.

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Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 17-13 lead over Steelers

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 17-13 lead over Steelers

Philadelphia established its passing game and was dominant on defense, but the scoreboard tells a different story as the Eagles hold just a 17-13 lead over Pittsburgh after one half.

Vic Fangio’s defense held the Steelers to just 80 yards of offense on 30 plays in the first half, but two costly Eagles turnovers and two Chris Boswell field goals have Mike Tomlin’s team within four.

With the second half set to begin, we’re looking at sights and sounds from the first half.

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Why Steelers fans should temper expectations for Week 15 Eagles matchup

Steelers fans may need to adjust expectations as injuries and key matchups make the road to the playoffs more challenging.

As exciting as it is to be only two games behind the number one seed in the AFC playoff race, or defeating a fellow powerhouse Super Bowl contender in Week 15 against the Eagles, this simply may not be in the cards for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

This isn’t to say fans should lack belief in the team’s ability to pull off a deep playoff run or even capture the coveted seventh Lombardi Trophy. However, the short-term outlook for the Steelers leaves much to be desired.

For example, as many are aware, WR George Pickens’ hamstring injury could force him to miss the last few games of the regular season.

On top of that, arguably the best defender in the Steelers secondary, SS DeShon Elliott, will miss the Week 15 matchup as well.  His talent will be sorely missed, as the Eagles offense boast several of leagues best offensive players: QB Jalen Hurts, RB Saquon Barkley, WR A.J. Brown, and WR DeVonta Smith.

Ultimately, fans should come to grips with a Week 15 loss being acceptable for the 10-3 Pittsburgh Steelers and save their excitement for the Week 16 matchup against the Ravens instead—a game that far greater playoff implications.

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Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick with perfect 3-word solution for injuries

The Steelers could be without DeShon Elliott this week versus the Eagles.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, stopping the run will be a top priority. Eagles running back Saquon Barkley might be the best running back in the NFL. Now it looks like the Steelers will have to try to stop Barkley without arguably their best run defender.

It sounds like strong safety DeShon Elliott could miss Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury that surfaced just after last week’s game. But free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick offered up the perfect solution for how the Steelers will adapt to the loss of Elliott.

“Next man up,” Fitzpatrick said. The next man in this case would be Damontae Kazee who started for the Steelers last season. Elliott supplanted Kazee in the starting lineup but Kazee is a fearless hitter who is strong in run support.

We could also see defensive back Cameron Sutton play some safety as well as he’s listed as the No. 2 free safety. This would put rookie Beanie Bishop into a heavy workload as the team’s nickel cornerback.

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Ravens fall to 7-4 as offense sputters in 18-16 loss to Steelers in Week 11

Ravens fall to 7-4 as offense sputters in 18-16 loss to Steelers in Week 11

Lamar Jackson will have to wait a few weeks to get that much-needed win over the Steelers after the Ravens sputtered in neutral for most of the afternoon in an 18-16 loss to Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium.

The NFL’s No. 1 ranked quarterback in QBR, Jackson was 16-33 passing for 207 yards (6.3 avg), one touchdown, one interception, and a 66.1 rating, the lowest of this season.

Jackson had four carries for 46 yards, while Derrick Henry was held to 65 yards (5.0 avg) on 13 carries and one rushing touchdown, tying the single-season franchise record for touchdowns.

Zach Orr’s maligned defense held Pittsburgh to 4-16 on third downs and 303 total yards, but Pittsburgh held the football for 36:22, compared to Baltimore’s 23:38.

The Steelers held the Ravens ‘ top-ranked offense to 329 yards and just 124 yards rushing. Justin Tucker’s two missed field goals will further magnify the two-point loss. On the day, Tucker was 1-3 on field goal attempts, while Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was a perfect 6-6, including a 57-yard field goal.

Baltimore will quickly regroup before a massive Monday night matchup against Jim Harbaugh and the 6-3 Los Angeles Chargers.

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