One troubling mini-trend this 12 months is the Pittsburgh Steelers protection not coming by within the clutch. Pittsburgh’s protection blew each the Cleveland Browns recreation and Dallas Cowboys recreation this 12 months by permitting late fourth quarter game-winning scores. Though they beat the Baltimore Ravens and held them off on a two-point try, they did enable them to march down the sector on the finish of the fourth quarter and rating a landing with an opportunity to tie the sport.
If Pittsburgh goes to make a playoff run, their highly-paid protection is gonna must buckle down extra. Steelers beat author Gerry Dulac was on the Steelers Wrap Up Present and blamed Pittsburgh’s protection for the loss on Thursday, highlighting the troubling pattern of permitting late touchdowns.
“The truth that they got here again from 18-6 down, in these climate situations, to me was outstanding,” mentioned Dulac. “They take the lead at 19-18 and the protection as soon as once more, it’s the third time in six video games, they failed to shut out the sport. I imply, they received away with it at Baltimore, however they’re not shutting the group down on the finish once they have the chance, and it occurred once more in opposition to the Browns. The bottom-scoring group within the AFC…To me, it was a failure of the protection to shut that recreation out after the offense got here again in that snowstorm.”
Whereas it could look like nitpicking for getting on the Steelers protection for less than shedding two video games and holding the landing they allowed in opposition to the Ravens in opposition to them although the protection held Baltimore on the essential two-point conversion, Dulac has a great level. Pittsburgh’s offense was not anticipated to win video games for the group this 12 months. The protection has been given favorable conditions quite a bit this 12 months, they usually have folded now twice in opposition to dangerous groups.
The Steelers protection goes to must hunker down and get again to slamming doorways shut in fourth quarter, game-clinching conditions. Within the playoffs, if Pittsburgh is aggressive, it should inevitably come right down to a group driving late within the fourth quarter. These groups might be higher than Cleveland and Dallas. Pittsburgh’s offense has not confirmed to have the ability to go score-for-score with groups, their protection goes to must play higher and shut video games out.
Pittsburgh’s protection can have the chance to bounce again in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals and QB Joe Burrow subsequent week which needs to be an enormous take a look at. The Bengals offense is excessive flying, which means the protection might want to make key stops. If Pittsburgh’s protection can present up in opposition to Cincinnati, it could go a great distance in quieting the haters.
