Playoff Hopes on Life Support After 13-6 Loss to Browns
Five weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers were 6-2 and looked ready to defend their Super Bowl championship deep into the playoffs.
Now, after a five game losing streak has knocked them down to 6-7, the Steelers will likely be watching the playoffs from their couches.
The Steelers capped an incredible slump with a 13-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night, redeeming a miserable rookie season for Browns coach Eric Mangini, and casting serious doubts among the defending champs.
“To lose five straight coming off a Super Bowl from last year is embarrassing,” wide receiver Hines Ward said. “There’s nothing fun about losing games, especially five in a row. We’re better than that. We should play better than that. With three games left, you’re going to see who really wants to go out here and play for the pride of this organization and this city and who doesn’t want to be around here.”
Playing in a sub-zero wind chill, the Steelers had their worst performance of the year against the formerly 1-11 Browns, racking up only 217 yards of total offense. The Steelers rushing attack, usually the bread and butter of any Pittsburgh team, only gained 75 yards all night against the team that had the 32nd ranked rush defense coming into the game.
No wonder head coach Mike Tomlin called it the lowest point of the year for the Steelers.
“We’ve found new and different ways to not rise up at critical moments and we’re losing football games because of it,” Tomlin said. “This one happened in all three phases.”
