After the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Tennessee Titans last week, we all saw the path to the playoffs.
They were going to have to beat the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens in their final two games, after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs this week.
I don’t think anyone in Pittsburgh had delusions of grandeur about pulling off an upset at Arrowhead Stadium. Falling in Kansas City was treated as a foregone conclusion.
But losing 36-10 and looking anemic in the process has Mark Madden of TribLIVE and105.9 The X questioning the last two legs of that formula.
“The game was over right away. I thought, in many respects, the Steelers just rolled over and died,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “There was nothing to like about their performance at all. In fact, now I think Cleveland is going to beat them at Heinz Field next Monday and finish the Steelers season.”
Wow. Think about that. Ben Roethlisberger losing what might be his last home game as a Steeler. On “Monday Night Football.” Against the Browns? That can’t possibly happen.
Can it?
“The Steelers defense is just so bad against the run. And Cleveland can run. There is a lot of stuff they can’t do. But they most definitely can run,” Madden said. “So I think they are going to run all over the Steelers defense and put the Steelers out of my misery a week from (Monday) at Heinz Field.”
Cleveland’s rush attack is third in the NFL at 144.9 yards per game. The Steelers rush defense is last in the NFL at 142.7 yards per game. But, according to Madden, Roethlisberger is a part of the problem, too.
“Ben just shouldn’t have played this season. And anybody who thinks it’s even remotely a good idea he comes back next season is insane,” Madden said.
Madden said don’t leave linebacker T.J. Watt off of the blame list either. After all, the Kansas City game was the latest example of Watt being held back by injury in 2021.
For as good as he has been, Watt has missed two games (home for Cincinnati, at Los Angeles). He left three games early (against Las Vegas, Detroit and Minnesota). And injury has hampered him through three other outings (at Green Bay, Cincinnati and Kansas City). Playing through a rib injury on Sunday, Watt left the game frequently and managed only one tackle.
“T.J. Watt isn’t worth the contract they gave him because he is too often hurt,” Madden said. “You can’t give that guy that contract ($80 million guaranteed). He’s great when he can play. But he doesn’t play enough to justify that deal. Especially when you could’ve franchised him for two years.”
Madden also sounded off about the postponed NHL season, the Bengals-Ravens game and Erin Andrews’ post-interview embrace with Aaron Rodgers.
Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden discuss the Steelers’ loss to Chiefs and their upcoming games
