The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost yet another playoff game in which they did not look competitive. The team went down 21-0 right before the half, and a handful of splash plays made the game look a little less embarrassing as they lost 28-14. The Baltimore Ravens had 299 rushing yards as a team, with five different players carrying the ball. The Steelers had no answers for a rushing attack that they can usually shut down. Instead, Baltimore enjoyed its second playoff win over its hated rival, while the standard is still the standard in Pittsburgh.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' DeShon Elliott makes a tackle during a win over the Cleveland Browns in 2024.
During his post-game press conference, safety DeShon Elliott was asked about the terrible run defense. He just dejectedly admitted that the group did not execute as well as it should have.
"We had a plan we worked on all week. I thought it was going to be a good plan. We just didn't execute the way we thought we would. Obviously, it's a great offense, but we have a great defense. We just didn't execute the way we should've."
There have been all kinds of questions about Head Coach Mike Tomlin's ability to come up with a quality game plan, but Elliott seems to think he did a good job this week. Whether he did or not, something was obviously not working. The Steelers have to figure out exactly what isn't working if they want to even look competitive in a postseason contest.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin speaks with DeShon Elliott on the sideline in 2024.
The game plan did not seem to be great, especially when stopping the run. The Steelers used to be known for containing Lamar Jackson, but early on there was no contain. The defense sold out to stop Derrick Henry, which allowed Jackson to 81 carries on 15 yards. No team can beat the Ravens if they allow the two-time MVP to use his legs consistently.
Elliott was right about the execution not being there either. Even though the defense focused on Henry, it had no answers for him. He had 26 carries for 186 yards, as well as a pair of scores. The Steelers just had absolutely no idea what they were doing defensively. The narrative of Pittsburgh owning the Ravens is officially done, as they are the ones left confused and frustrated.
Steelers' Playoff Woes Point To One Man
Early in the season, Bill Belichick pointed out one of Tomlin's fatal flaws: he has the exact same game plan every week. Good coaches make adjustments depending on a multitude of reasons. Instead, the Steelers' head coach does the same thing over and over again, whether it works or not.
When teams don't adjust, the opponents pick up on it and figure out how to beat them, especially late in the year. That is why Tomlin's unit has had massive losing streaks in five of their last seven seasons. That is why the Steelers have lost their last six playoff games without looking like they belong in the postseason.
Don Wright / Associated Press
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (left) and former New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick (right) shake hands with one another after a professional football game.
While Tomlin has done great things for the organization before, the sad truth is that the Steelers will never win a playoff game until he stops being so stubborn with his approach. However, the aforementioned history shows that he is not interested in looking in the mirror and adapting to the modern NFL. Therefore, Pittsburgh is doomed to this purgatory until he is gone.
The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result. Tomlin is the perfect real-life example of that playing out. As long as the Steelers' front office allows this to happen, they will either miss the playoffs or be a free blowout win in the Wild Card round. The standard should not be the standard. The standard should be raised.
What do you think about Elliott defending the gameplan heading into the playoffs? Let us know in the comments below!
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