Another season has come to an end as the Steelers lost to the Bills in the first round of the 2024 NFL playoffs. This simply wasn’t a playoff-ready team.
The Steelers struggled mainly with turnovers, with one interception from quarterback Mason Rudolph along with a fumble from wide receiver George Pickens. Both these turnovers led to Bills’ touchdowns.
Pittsburgh also had trouble producing any offense early in the game. It seemed as though nothing could go their way.
Once the Steelers figured out a more steady game plan and started to show some positives, it was much too late. The Bills had already run off with the game and there was no coming back.
Add in a 52-yard run for a touchdown in the second quarter from quarterback Josh Allen and then a 17-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Khalil Shakir, and the Steelers were put to rest for the year.
Now the biggest question for Steelers fans is where to go from here. Mason Rudolph has shown a lot of good qualities, but he is not an elite NFL QB. First-round pick Kenny Pickett also hasn’t shown signs of excelling in the big leagues.
While there are backups with more experience, no coach wants to waste a former top draft pick sitting on the bench. Mitch Trubisky and Rudolph definitely have a chance, but it would not be surprising to see Pickett back in the starter’s spot next season.
There has been a lot of drama about Coach Mike Tomlin this season, with many criticizing him for being mediocre. This is understandable, after many first-round playoff losses in recent years, but there is a much bigger picture.
Looking at the Steelers roster, some would argue that there is no way that team should have been in the playoffs in the first place. Without Tomlin, everything in Pittsburgh crashes. He is just an easy person to pin all of the blame on.
