The Pittsburgh Steelers' Colossal Loss Of TJ Watt Has Rich Eisen "Nervous And Concerned"

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially made it into the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 10-7 record, and earning the 7th seed in the AFC. They are currently one of the hottest teams in the league on paper, as they are on a three-game win streak and appear to finally have an offense with a pulse since Mason Rudolph has taken over at quarterback. 

Even though the Steelers made the postseason however, there is still a lot of Steeler Nation voicing their negative opinions. With a road game to take on the AFC East division winners, the Buffalo Bills, the Steelers are currently 10-point underdogs and look like a longshot to make a playoff run. 

Steelers Have Made The Playoffs, But They Have Limited People Believing In Them

Not everyone is counting the Steelers out though. Rich Eisen spoke on his show, The Rich Eisen Show, this week and discussed how you can't count the Steelers out, even when the odds are against them. He also made sure to note that while things aren't perfect, Steeler Nation should be happy to still have life. 

"Now, I'm not spiking the football completely here, but Steelers fans, would you rather be sitting at home right now? Like the [Indianapolis] Colts? Would you rather be sitting at home right now? Your team is going to Buffalo."

Eisen is definitely right. Myself, along with everyone else that cheers on the Black & Gold definitely should be happy to be in the playoffs and not already be sitting on the couch thinking of what could have been. No one should know better than Steelers fans that a bottom seed can manage to run the table and win the Super Bowl (go relive the Super Bowl XL run if you need a reminder, or just want to smile again). 

While Steelers fans do have reason to share Eisen's belief in the Steelers, not everyone feels the same way. One of the other members of The Rich Eisen Show, Chris Brockman, has quite the opposite opinion actually. He refers to the Steelers as "garbage" and believes the game in Buffalo won't be close.

"They're not even contending, they don't have a chance," Brockman said of the Steelers despite reaching the playoffs. "Every year now that they have expanded to seven teams in each league, that seven seed is usually garbage, and the Steelers are garbage. They are going to go to Buffalo and get smacked, it's not going to be pretty."

While Eisen may have been putting himself out on a ledge a bit with his defense of the Steelers throughout the season, Brockman has fully dove into the waters of disrespecting the Steelers and Head Coach Mike Tomlin, insisting they have zero shot this upcoming Sunday in Buffalo. 

Even though Eisen has faith in Tomlin and the Steelers, he is well aware that they are fighting an uphill battle due to likely being without the best defensive player in the NFL, TJ Watt. Watt suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in the win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18, and is expected to miss at minimum the Wild Card playoff game. 

"I'm nervous and concerned for you [Steelers fans], because TJ Watt doesn't appear to be able to go. And this team, we did the number in advance of the Colts, when Watt is in and when Watt is not in, I believe the team when Watt is not in is like 1-10."

There is no doubt that being without Watt is about as big of a death blow there can be for the Steelers, as he is likely their best playmaker on the team, regardless of which side of the ball you're discussing. But however you want to spin it, Pittsburgh still has a shot due to a late season rally and breathing life into this offense is what caused the resurgence. The offense may now have to try and carry the defense in order to see a second playoff game. 

Do you think the Steelers have a shot to pull of the upset in Buffalo despite Watt being out? Let us know in the comments below!

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