The Pittsburgh Steelers have been known for having embarrassing playoff losses recently. The streak of years without a postseason victory began in the 2017 season when the Steelers went one-and-done at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Divisional Round. In that game, the Jaguars went up 28-7 before either side of the ball really woke up for Pittsburgh. It got close in the end, but it was too little too late, and they lost 45-42.
Don Wright / AP photo
Ex-Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey steps in to break up a pass intended for ex-Steelers star wide receiver Antonio Brown.
While making an appearance on The Brian Hess Show, former Steelers star Le'Veon Bell spoke about that game and explained how a prior injury hurt them in that contest.
"If we had [Ryan] Shazier, Leonard Fournette and that [offense] is not getting off like that," Bell said. "We shouldn't lose to [the Jacksonville Jaguars]."
Earlier in that 2017 season was when star linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered that catastrophic back injury. The Steelers' defense at the time was very low on quality talent on that side of the ball, so losing Shazier was seemingly unrecoverable. The offense was still clicking, but that didn't matter when they had to score 30+ points per game just to have a chance at winning. Losing a player that was becoming the heart and soul of the team and city is never easy to deal with.
Former Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette had a field day without having to worry about Shazier. He racked up 25 carries for 109 yards and three touchdowns against the depleted Steelers defense. He also had two receptions for 10 yards. The backup running back, TJ Yeldon, was a menace out of the backfield as well with eight touches for 77 all-purpose yards and a touchdown of his own. The running backs carried Jacksonville to victory.
Peter Diana / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
NFL veteran running back Leonard Fournette mentioned that he always chats with Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin before facing off against his squad.
Bell continued on and spoke about another reason why the Steelers couldn't beat the Jaguars, which slightly had to do with Shazier, but it was also their team identity.
"The Jaguars thing that year -- our offense, we put up numbers. They wanted to keep our offense off the field, so the Jaguars were really just running the ball the whole game. Blake Bortles ran a little play-action on 3rd and 3, scramble, get four yards. It's like, 'D*mn, y'all got 11 yards, and then y'all are about to take up the whole f**king next six minutes.' That's what they did to us, and they ended up beating us."
That whole year, Fournette was a steady rock for the Jaguars' offense, which made life much easier for quarterback Blake Bortles, as he was able to thrive in more of a complementary role. That style of offense was on full display against the Steelers. Jacksonville's defense did their job well in the first half as well, as they forced two turnovers to help build up that big 28-7 lead in the first place, including a 50-yard scoop-and-score.
Orlando Sentinal
Jalen Ramsey intercepts Ben Roethlisberger on a pass intended for Vance McDonald.
That was the last game that Bell played while wearing the Black and Gold. He held out all of 2018 due to contract disputes before signing with the New York Jets. His chance to be the key contributor of a Super Bowl champion was taken away by a brutal injury, plus the Jaguars having the perfect gameplan to dismantle the Steelers defensively.
Steelers Have Yet To Put Up A Better Effort
Since that game, the Steelers have yet to find a way to get over the hump in the postseason. They have been routinely annihilated and mocked by opponents for their abysmal performances in January. They are in football purgatory: not good enough to make noise in the playoffs, but not bad enough to draft high. Something will have to change soon.
What do you think about Bell's reasonings for why the Steelers lost to the Jaguars in the playoffs? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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