If you recall, before the beginning of the 2024 season, not many football experts had figured the Steelers would factor into the playoff race, let alone possibly win the AFC North. Thus, the fact that they may have narrowly lost the AFC North title to the Ravens is not particularly bothersome.
Even those optimistic fans who figured Mike Tomlin would have another winning season figured they might still have 5 to 6 losses by the time they played Kansas City. Thus, the fact that they are now 10-6 is not even alarming.
Even the three consecutive losses to the Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs are not problematic. Fans must have realized they would face an uphill battle winning in Philadelphia, something they have not done since the mid-1960s. Beating the Ravens in Baltimore is always a daunting task. When it comes to the Chiefs, they have replaced the Patriots as the juggernaut in the AFC.
The most bothersome aspect of the Steelers’ Christmas Day loss
What is bothersome about the loss to the Chiefs is the Steelers’ failure to knock off the top dog in games they need to win. In the Ben Roethlisberger era, time and time again, we saw Big Ben come out on the losing end of battles with Tom Brady, especially in playoff games. While the Steelers’ game against the Chiefs was not technically a playoff game, it had playoff implications regarding seedings…