Steelers vs Ravens - Mediocrity on display

[calguy]

Whoever wins this mediocre game doesn’t stand a chance to win the first playoff game.
Both coaches should be replaced next season or their team win be destined to another mediocre season.

[John1956PA]

1. Exactly. The Steelers have lost three out of their last four games.

The Steelers lost to Buffalo, Chicago and Cleveland. They managed to win at Detroit, but wide receiver Metcalf interacted with a fan and drew a two-game suspension.

If the Steejers win tonight, quarterback Aaron Rodgers will get $500,000 bonus for leading the team to the AFC North championship. He has not looked very good in the past four games, and he has been uneven tonight.

[Wiz Imp]

16. Completely wrong.

Last edited Mon Jan 5, 2026, 11:00 AM - Edit history (1)

Pittsburgh had won 3 in a row prior to the loss to cleveland. (Won at Baltimore, Home against Miami and at Detroit.) The loss to Chicago was 6 weeks ago and Pittsburgh lost by 3 and Rodgers didn't even play.

[John1956PA]

19. I stand corrected. I had forgotten about the Dec. 7 win over Balt. and the Dec. 15 win over Miami.

I now recall that, after losing back-to-back against Chicago and Buffalo, Aaron Rodgers stated something to the effect, "Don't panic yet." The Steelers then went on to three consecutive wins against Baltimore, Miami and Detroit.

Thank you for the correction. I will be rooting for the Steelers when they take on the Texans in the Wildcard round.

[lastlib]

2. And the Chiefs/Raiders should be arrested for impersonating NFL teams today.

That game was a case study in offensive ineptitude. Jeezus, they were bad.

[True Dough]

15. A lot of starters were missing from that game

The Raiders only have a few real "stars" (Bowers and Crosby) both were out. Ashton Jeanty, the 2025 #1 draft pick, is emerging as a star player.

The Chiefs started their third-string QB due to Mahomes and Minshew being injured. Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Isiah Pacheco also didn't play.

[mnhtnbb]

3. OMG this 4th quarter!

[calguy]

4. Well, the fourth quarter is interesting

but still….

[mnhtnbb]

5. OMG he missed the easy FG!

[edbermac]

11. Tit for tat

Pittsburgh kicker missed easy PAT

[Morbius]

6. The last 30 minutes made up for the first half.

The last ten minutes were great. I hate Aaron Rodgers so I was hoping for a different result, but anyway it ended, that was compelling football at the end.

[milestogo]

7. Aaron Rodgers thrives under pressure.

And he's still a great talent.

[RockRaven]

8. The last quarter was a doozy.

It is games like that which keep people watching through all the snorefests. You never know when one such will catch fire like this one did.

[GreatShakes66]

9. Crazy finish

I hate to see Rodgers win, though.

[AZProgressive]

10. Teams generally don't play well most of the time on primetime games

Especially the Sunday night games but a lot of it has to do with the match-ups.

I think the Ravens would have gone further than the Steelers. I feel Baltimore got off to a slow start and made up for it in the 2nd half of the season but they came up just short.

I think the Ravens need a new kicker more than a new coach. The Ravens seem to have the worst 4th quarter luck of any NFL team going back to past few seasons.

[Wiz Imp]

17. Baltimore lost 4 of their last 6 games. Hardly closing Strong.

Pittsburgh, meanwhile, WON 4 of their final 5 games. Pittsburgh was definitely playing better over the past month than Baltimore.

Oh, and Baltimore's kicker had not missed a single field goal under 50 yeards all season until his final kick, yet you think he's their weak point? Wow.

Also a hint, losing a bunch of 4th quarter leads is NOT bad luck, it's an indication you're not a very good football time.

[AZProgressive]

23. Baltimore is not my favorite team

So I'm not concerned. I think they started 1-5. I remember the Buffalo game Derrick Henry fumbled the ball in the 4th quarter and try arguing he isn't very good.

Also going back the last few years they always have been in the playoffs. There is regression to the mean but Baltimore is likely to bounce back to the mean.

Luck always plays a role in football. Every Super Bowl winner needs a little bit of luck throughout the season.

[lapfog_1]

12. i went to the 49ers v Seahawks game on Saturday

Omfg...

both teams had excellent records in the NFL.

Worst game I've ever seen... both teams looked like they could have been crushed by a reasonably good high school team.

Insane coaching decisions. Bad execution. And really just lack luster play.

Perhaps the NFL should reconsider the length of each season... these guys just looked tired... worn out.

Someone I was with was talking about the Chiefs and their collapse this season... and mentioned that with the number of playoff games the Chiefs had been in during the "dynasty" era of the last N seasons... their players have played like 1.5 extra SEASONS compared to NFL teams that do not make the playoffs... and every down is more wear and tear on their bodies. Not a Chiefs fan but that comment made a lot of sense.

This season it looks like a lot a teams are "limping" into the playoffs.

[JT45242]

13. The Steelers GM is the real problem there...bad drafts at offensive line and QB for a decade

Tomlin has gotten more wins out of bad teams than most coaches get out of good teams.

I don't like him but he is 100 times better than every coach in his division. If the Bengals had him instead of brainless Zac Taylor, burrow would have been back to the super bowl already.

[Wiz Imp]

18. Omar Khan was hired as GM in May 2022.

He's had 3 drfts and has done very well.

2023
1st round - starting tackle jones
2nd round - starting corner JPJ and dline benton.
3rd round Darnell Washington.
4th round Nick Herbig.
7th round Spencer Anderson (super valuablle as eligible lineman)

That's a well above average draft

2024
1st round - starting tackle fautanu
2nd round - starting center frazier
3rd round - starting ILB Payton Wilson
4th round - starting guard mccormick

Another above average draft - 4 starters.

2025
1st round - starting DT harmon (great when he played Steelers run defense was 2nd in the league in games he played, last in games he missed due to injury)
4th round - OLB sawyer (looks like future star)
5th round - DE black (solid 1st season as a backup)
6th round - QB howard (we'll see if this pans out)
7th round - LB Bruener (special teams demon)
Too early to judge this one, but early returns were solid.

[JT45242]

20. GM also about free agency and handling the cap --

who you keep, who you get, what you pay and when for talent. and the often overlooked building a team with depth -- you need to be able to handle some injuries to your team.

The QB fiasco over all 3 years -- overpaying for Watt given his age and diminishing impact. If you wanted him to be the highest paid guy then you needed to sign him before Miles Garrett.

That's a lot of cap space for an average edge rusher with a history of back problems and advanced age. 5 years ago -- Watt was unbelievable. Now he looks like a very average dude with 7-9 sacks who gets pushed around on the run and is always on the injury report.

[Wiz Imp]

22. Nice moving of the goal posts

Your post: "The Steelers GM is the real problem there...bad drafts" . So when it is pointed out to you that your claim was bullshit, now you come up with another excuse. Pathetic.

[J_William_Ryan]

14. "Mediocrity on display"

Worse than mediocrity is the NFC South – the division ‘champion’ is going to the playoffs with a losing record.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

21. I am looking forward to the Texans vs. the Steelers