The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base has officially hit the panic button. After losing consecutive games to the two-win Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots, the team has its back against the wall as the playoff stretch is officially here. Somehow, the franchise only dropped down one spot in the standings and hold the sixth seed in the AFC entering Week 15. The entire playoff picture is crowded on the AFC side with six teams sitting at 7-6. Every game appears to be a must-win going forward, but the Steelers still have control of their own destiny throughout the final four weeks of the regular season.
Pittsburgh will travel to face the Indianapolis Colts in what is the first of back-to-back Saturday games. On Thursday, the Good Morning Football panel debated which of the six teams competing on Saturday needs to win the most in Week 15. Everyone had their own opinion, and former NFL bust, Ryan Leaf doesn't think it's the Steelers, mainly because there's no hope for the squad going forward.
"I don't think it's the Steelers at all. I think the Steelers have showcased even if they get into the playoffs, which is a real possibility with Mike Tomlin and the near .500 line they're flirting with every single year, they're not gonna do anything in the playoffs."
Kyle Brandt, who has often been viewed as a huge fan of the franchise and Tomlin, combatted Leaf's argument and said that the Steelers' leader could be on the hot seat soon, and this is do or die time for the 17-year head coach.
"Do you realize there's heat on Tomlin these last few weeks. If you listen to a real Steelers fan, they're getting sick of it and they're tired of it... you can't lose three in a row to the Cardinals, Colts and Patriots in the playoff stretch. It's not Steeler football. I think it's definitely Pittsburgh."
The Steelers are extremely lucky to remain in the playoff picture after two horrible games. It's a gift that came from a crazy couple of weeks in the AFC. Luck runs out, however, and Pittsburgh needs to take care of business in Indianapolis to get the fans involved ahead of a crucial Week 16 game against the Cincinnati Bengals that will be held at Acrisure Stadium.
The Steelers' playoff hopes currently lie in the hands of backup quarterback, Mitch Trubisky. He is filling in for Kenny Pickett after the starter needed surgery on an injured ankle. The six quarters or so of play so far from Trubisky have been subpar, which has led to many calling for third-string signal-caller, Mason Rudolph to get an opportunity.
There is no easy answer when it comes to an offense that has seriously struggled for almost three years now. It's far too late in the season to bring in another option, so Pittsburgh will have to rely on Trubisky, or maybe Rudolph, to keep them in playoff contention until Pickett returns. The stretch ahead could also potentially determine whether Tomlin is back as the team's head coach in 2024.
After the Colts and Bengals, the Steelers finish the season with two straight road games at the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17 and Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. The hope is to have Pickett by the Ravens game at the very latest, but if Weeks 15 and 16 don't go as planned, Pittsburgh may not be thinking about the playoffs any longer due to the cluster in the AFC.
Steelers Have More Than Just Playoffs On The Line In Season's Final Four Weeks
Tomlin's job isn't the only one that might be on the line to end the 2023 regular season. While Pickett may miss most, or all of the games with an injury, he certainly has not convinced anybody that he is the Steelers quarterback of the future. On top of that, guys like Trubisky, and several members of the coaching staff, could enter a scalding hot seat if the campaign doesn't finish with a playoff berth.
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