The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost three games in a row, and with playoffs right around the corner, this team needs significant changes if they even want to touch the divisional round. 

After the team’s Christmas day loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, 29-10, Pittsburgh will be second in the AFC North for the first time since week nine. In the loss, the offense totaled 162 passing yards, marking the fourth consecutive game where quarterback Russell Wilson has failed to reach 200 yards. 

The offense fell apart during promising drives in the second half, with the connection between Wilson and his offensive line being heavily at fault. 

“I think in the second half, we just had too many situations where we were kind of backed up. We couldn’t get a rhythm in certain moments.” Wilson said during the team’s press conference after the game. 

While dealing with injuries this season, the line is incredibly young and inconsistent, leaving room for miscommunication between the blockers and the quarterback. We know the issue isn’t within the run game, as the backs looked strong in the loss, boasting over 200 yards rushing. 

With the way Wilson is playing behind his offensive line, the veteran appears to be like a deer caught in headlights. Receivers are making plays, and the ground game is opening up. The primary issue with this offense is Russell Wilson’s communion with his offensive line.

As for the defense, this roster clearly can’t keep up with the elite offenses. We’ve seen it against the Bengals, Eagles, Ravens, and now especially the Chiefs. 

It’s a similar story to the offense: phenomenal against the run but terrible against the pass. Although missing cornerback Joey Porter due to a calf injury, the secondary shouldn’t be allowing 10+ yard plays every other down. 

“You can’t afford to spot them points and … allow him to scramble around the pocket and have time, and … we didn’t have any success on any of the things I just said.” Linebacker T.J Watt said when asked about the team’s efforts in stopping Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. 

The pass rush was non-existent, and the secondary was underwhelming, especially on third down. Patrick Mahomes had a field day throwing the ball, stacking 320 yards and three touchdowns for his Christmas evening.

This team reeks of inconsistent play, where some aspects of the game are elite while others are below average. With Baltimore regaining the lead in the AFC North Division, the Steelers must consider their chances of playing on the road during playoff time unless changes are made.