Steelers trying to figure out what went wrong
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Well, so much for that season. The Pittsburgh Steelers are one loss away from their third losing season in five years, a startling and discouraging development for a team that won 25 games the last two seasons.
At least they’ll have plenty of time to figure out what went wrong. Rather than playing into mid-January, as they did the last two years, the Steelers can shut down this season after their Dec. 28 game at Baltimore.
The Steelers (4-8) also had losing records in 1998 (7-9) and 1999 (6-10), but didn’t fall apart those seasons until December. They also were in contention late in the 2000 season, when they went 9-7 but missed the playoffs.
These Steelers haven’t truly been in contention for weeks. They haven’t been above .500 since they were 2-1 and haven’t won consecutive games all season.
If it weren’t for the long-since-collapsed Oakland Raiders (3-9) – who, fittingly enough, play Sunday in Pittsburgh – the Steelers would easily be the AFC’s most underachieving team.
“Every time we do good things, we take two steps back,” running back Jerome Bettis said.
Or, perhaps more accurately, three steps back. Unless they avoid their worst record in Cowher’s 12 seasons as coach, and they must win two of their final four to do that, they’ll likely go from first to last in the AFC North in one season.
“We’ve normally been a team that finds a way to win late,” guard Alan Faneca said. “This year, we’re just not getting it done.”
Cowher had no idea how accurate he’d be when he told his players the second half of Sunday’s game against AFC North co-leader Cincinnati would define their season.
The Steelers were down 14-3, came back to lead 20-17 on Tommy Maddox’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward with 1:05 remaining, only to lose on Jon Kitna’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Matt Schobel with 13 seconds remaining.
After Ward’s touchdown, the Bengals barely had a minute to take the kickoff and drive the length of the field to win – seemingly, a major challenge considering they had been held to a field goal in the second half.
As it turned out, they didn’t need nearly that much time to beat the Steelers, who had lost only one other division game – to Baltimore in 2001 – since the former AFC Central transformed into the AFC North two years ago.
“In some crazy kind of way, it’s a reflection of the season we’re having,” Bettis said. “We’re close, but we’re that far away.”
The Steelers’ seventh loss in nine games means the final quarter of their season will be all but meaningless, except to the growing number of their players not guaranteed of returning in 2004.
“A lot of guys are playing for their jobs now,’ Ward said.
Cowher isn’t in danger – he is signed through 2005 – but a lot of his players soon might be. Cowher has already benched one starting cornerback, Dewayne Washington, and he didn’t hide his disgust Sunday for how the other cornerback, Chad Scott, played. Scott was in coverage for the first two of Kitna’s three touchdown passes.
Now, the Steelers finish against Oakland, the New York Jets (4-7), San Diego (2-10) and Baltimore (7-5) – a not-difficult closing stretch once seen as a quick route to the playoffs.
Who would have guessed a 34-15 opening game rout of the Ravens would be the Steelers’ highlight for the season?
“But we still have to keep fighting,” Bettis said. “The minute you quit and give up, you need to stop playing football.”
Neither Ward (ribs, back) nor Maddox (hyperextended left knee) appears to be in danger of missing the Oakland game. Maddox underwent a precautionary MRI exam after hurting his knee late in the first half, but said Monday the tests turned out fine.
Ward, who could barely walk after the game, also said he felt much better. Of course, maybe he hadn’t looked at the standings yet.
“I’m going to play my tail off the rest of the season,” Ward said. “I hope the other guys do the same.”