When people think of the Pittsburgh Steelers, many different things come to mind. Most of which are along the lines of winning, tradition, and stability. But so far in the 2022 season, those words are far from what the Steelers have shown us on the field. Saying that the offense has struggled would be putting it lightly. Many fans are busy pointing their fingers at one person or reason why the offense and team have failed to find their groove three weeks into the season.
Steelers' captain Mitch Trubisky leads the offensive huddle against the Cleveland Browns. | Credit: Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers
Some fans are blaming quarterback Mitch Trubisky, some are pointing their fingers at offensive coordinator Matt Canada, while even some fans are putting their blame on the top head coach Mike Tomlin. Needless to say, there is plenty of blame to go around for everyone. The offense has been horrendous and through the first three games, the Steelers have only averaged 18 points per game and are 30th in the NFL when it comes to first downs.
The lack of ability to surmount any sort of long drive has hurt this team in more ways than one. The defense has taken the brunt of the offense's inability to move the ball. Through the first three weeks, the Steelers have the least time of possession in the entire NFL. This has given the defense minimal opportunity to rest and we have seen the toll it has taken on the entire unit in the later stages of games.
The defense has struggled mightily to get off the field late into games when a defensive stop is crucial. The results of the last two weeks have made the Steelers Week 4 matchup against the New York Jets a must-win game early in the season.
The Steelers have not had a game this early in the season be so crucial in quite some time. With the way the schedule looks in October, they need to take full advantage of a weaker opponent at home. The Jets starting quarterback Zach Wilson was medically cleared to make his first start of the season after suffering a knee injury during the preseason. It's hard to think that Wilson's return won't give the Jets an added boost offensively.
October Has Treated The Steelers Well In Recent Years
Although the upcoming schedule looks daunting for the Steelers, there is one interesting stat that shows the Steelers have been one of the NFL's top teams over the month of October in years past.
A tiny bit of optimism for the notorious slow-starting Steelers is that they usually pick up steam in October.
— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) September 29, 2022
The Steelers hold a record of 15-3 in October dating back to 2017. Their 15 wins during that span are tied for third most in the NFL.
Daniel Valente of The Score posted a tweet about the dominance the Steelers have displayed over the month of October in recent years. Their record of 15-3 in October since 2017 is currently the third best in the NFL. The Steelers started 1-3 in 2021, yet managed to finish the season with a 10-7 record thanks to a strong October. Although these stats don't pertain much to this season and the outcomes, it shows that the Steelers have bounced back from rough starts in years past and managed to still become a playoff team.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 22: Quarterback Mason Rudolph #2 calls a play against the New York Jets in the first half at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2019, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Steelers fell to the Jets 16-10 / Credit: Al Pereira/Getty Images
When looking at the schedule, there aren't many "easy" games left. They still have the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers on the schedule and those are also against opponents that the Steelers need to take advantage of.
What Will Happen If The Steelers Do In Fact Lose To the Jets?
If they do end up falling to the Jets at home, this season may be all but over. It might be hard to believe that a season would be a complete loss after only four weeks of football, but the uphill climb from 1-3 to a playoff birth would seemingly be impossible considering their upcoming schedule.
As for the front office and coaching staff, if the Jets come into Acrisure Stadium and steal a win, they will need to brace for impact. Fans from all over will be pointing fingers and calling out who is to blame for such a poor start to the season and the displeasure will be louder than it has been in quite some time.
Do you agree? Do you think the Steelers Week 4 matchup is a must-win? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below or on my Twitter @collinlschmitt.
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