Steelers' Week 18 Game Vs Bengals Has A Psychological Component: "You Do Feel Like You Got To Play Well"

The Pittsburgh Steelers dropped their last three games to the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and the Kansas City Chiefs. It has made the fans in the Steel City lose their minds, and the media isn't far behind. Just four games ago, Pittsburgh was considered a Super Bowl contender, Head Coach Mike Tomlin was the Coach of the Year, and Russell Wilson should have been considered for Comeback Player of the Year despite not bouncing back from an injury. However, that all went up in smoke with the losses, and now the Steelers are being billed as pretenders heading into their Week 18 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. This leaves the question: Do they even care if they win this game if they have already secured a playoff berth?

On a recent episode of Breakfast Ball with Craig Carton, Mark Schlereth, Greg Jennings, and Danny Parkins, they discussed the Steelers' recent slide and how they will handle the game against the Bengals. Parkins said he doesn't think the Steelers will be able to beat the ascending Bengals, and lack of momentum will hurt them in the postseason. Carton said he doesn't believe the Steelers have anything to play for against the Bengals, but Schlereth disagrees.  

"I know you said, Craig, that they don't have anything to play for, but they do," explained Schlereth. "You do feel like you got to play well, offensively, defensively. You've got to make some plays, just psychologically. Let's get back to actually executing a little bit and feeling better going into the playoffs. Four straight losses by double digits would not be a good place."

There are still a lot of possibilities in the playoff seeding for the Steelers, and these vary based on who wins and loses. However, many believe the Steelers' most favorable path runs through the Houston Texans. One factor is the other AFC North battle, which will happen on Saturday before the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati game, the Ravens vs. the Cleveland Browns. In his opinion, Carton said the Steelers' game would be meaningless to them because the Ravens would certainly beat the Browns, which would win them the AFC North. He added that the Steelers should do what the Chiefs are expected to do: rest all their starters for the playoffs. 

Schlereth said that absolutely would not happen. Tomlin is not a coach who rests his starters when there is still a battle for seeding. While Schlereth believes that the Ravens will beat the Browns, as they are predicted to do, he thinks the Steelers aren't in a position to give the game away. That might be different if these last three games had gone differently. Schlereth expects to see all the big names, including Wilson, TJ Watt, George Pickens, Cameron Heyward, and Alex Highsmith. 

The Steelers' Bickering Is Just Passion

The Steelers' defense has been getting a lot of attention during this losing streak. Unlike earlier this season, it hasn't been because of splash plays or big stops. Instead, it is because they have been pointing fingers. 

Some defensive leaders, like Patrick Queen and DeShon Elliott, have voiced their frustrations about their teammates. While Heyward admitted they played "like s**t" in those games, Queen and Elliott said they weren't happy with some unnamed player's performances. They both indicated that players must do their jobs, and Elliott said they cannot allow opponents to be wide-open.  

In his recent press conference, Tomlin said the players are frustrated because they care. He described those comments as expressions of passion from the players driven to win. He pulled the team in for a meeting on the 26th, the day after the loss to the Chiefs, and they discussed eliminating negativity and trusting one another. 

While Tomlin might see that bickering as passion, it can also be a distraction, which is the last thing the Steelers need. They must focus on one game at a time and securing their first playoff win since the 2016 season.  

How much do you think the Bengals game matters to the Steelers? Click to comment below. 

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