Madden Monday: Steelers' frequent close wins are 'mostly just dumb luck'

Like many people who follow the Pittsburgh Steelers, 105.9 The X radio host and TribLIVE columnist Mark Madden is struggling to figure out how the club has gotten itself to 6-3 on the season.

After Sunday’s 23-19 win over the Green Bay Packers, Madden is resigned to bemusement at the results.

“I watch the games, and I sometimes just crack up,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “Like those two interceptions to win the games (against Green Bay and Tennessee). You keep waiting. OK. Here’s where they lose. Here’s where they lose. Here’s where they lose. ‘Picked! Going the other way!’ It’s just … the more it happens, the more you think it’s not going to keep happening, but it happens again.”

It’s to the point now where the Steelers have won four of their last five games.

“I know the defense has been opportunistic, and they’re winning the turnover battle,” Madden said. “I know the running game has come together. Impressive days by both Najee Harris (82 yards) and Jaylen Warren (101 yards). But mostly, I think all this is just dumb luck. I can’t put my finger on anything tangible that points to them being 6-3 and challenging for the division lead. I think it’s just dumb luck.”

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So what happens over these next two weeks in Ohio? After playing three straight home games, the Steelers now have to go on the road to play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday (Nov. 19). That’s followed by another road game in Cincinnati to close out Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 26).

“They’ll probably split the games in Ohio. It wouldn’t shock me if they lost both. And for the rest of the season. They’ll just go 1-1, then 1-1, then 1-1. And before you know it, they’ll be down by 30 points at halftime in the wild-card round against Kansas City. That seems to be the best-case scenario for where this is headed,” Madden predicted.

Since Madden said that he could see the Steelers losing both games or splitting the season series, I also asked him if he could see a scenario where the Steelers win both.

“That would shock me. But at this point, I’m totally prepared to be shocked,” Madden said. “It’s really hard to even talk about, I think more than ever, they’re not very good. Every time I see them win at the end of the game when the clock hits three zeros, I say to myself, ‘This team is no good.’”

The next two weeks, the #Steelers will....

— Tim Benz (@TimBenzPGH) November 13, 2023

One thing Madden does seem sure about is that he’s not buying into any remaining optimism about quarterback Kenny Pickett.

“He was bad the whole game. Here are the stats: 14 of 23 for 126 yards,” Madden said. “That’s not only game managing, that’s ineffective game managing. They are winning despite him, although he’s been put in a position where he’s taking no risk. If I were him, I’d be no less upset about how I’m being used, than how George Pickens is about how he’s being used.”

Speaking of which, as Madden added, there were only four more targets for Pickens again this week (three catches, 45 yards).

Also, in the podcast, Madden and I talk about the Penguins’ four-game win streak, losses for Pitt and Penn State and Cleveland’s comeback win over the Ravens.