The Pittsburgh Steelers fans finally thought the offense had been fixed just over a month ago when they put up 44 points against the Cincinnati Bengals on the road. The Steelers won 44-38, and Russell Wilson actually outplayed Joe Burrow, having a massive game. Wilson threw for 414 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The Steelers would go on to lose four straight after that game, and the offense regressed in awful ways. What’s most upsetting was the fact that Wilson barely threw the ball in the first half. The offensive game plan was very clearly not good. Steelers insider Gerry Dulac reported some alarming insight into what Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith were thinking.
According to Dulac, the Steelers' coaching staff believed they could dominate the Bengals on the ground, which led to a bafflingly conservative approach in the first half. Despite Wilson’s previous success against Cincinnati’s defense, Tomlin and Smith opted to lean heavily on the run game, resulting in multiple stalled drives and an inability to generate momentum. By the time they adjusted in the second half, it was too little, too late. The Bengals' defense had settled in, and the Steelers' offense looked predictable and uninspired.
The decision to abandon what had worked so well in their earlier victory is one that has left fans frustrated and analysts scratching their heads. Wilson has shown he can still deliver elite performances when given the opportunity, but the coaching staff’s lack of trust in their passing game continues to hold the team back. If the Steelers hope to salvage their season, Tomlin and Smith must fix their approach and start building game plans around their strengths instead of stubbornly forcing ineffective strategies. Dulac explained what Tomlin and Smith were thinking with this offensive game plan.
"Apparently, Tomlin didn’t think the Steelers could do that again," Dulac wrote. "Instead, they devised a game plan to run the ball. They were determined to flip the totals from the previous meeting when they dropped back to pass 40 times and ran 26 times. The idea was to keep the ball away from Burrow, even though it didn’t make a lot of sense when they won the coin flip and decided to give him the ball anyway to start the game."
Dulac makes a solid point, and his insight carries significant weight given how well-connected he is within the Steelers organization. His analysis isn’t just speculation—it’s based on conversations with people inside the team and his interpretation of the postgame quotes he gathered. Tomlin’s comments after the loss didn’t inspire much confidence either.
It’s tough to sound composed after limping into the playoffs on a four-game losing streak, but instead of owning up to poor preparation, Tomlin leaned on excuses and avoided directly addressing the team’s lackluster game plan.
For Steelers fans, it’s incredibly frustrating to see the approach Pittsburgh took into this game. With extra days to prepare, the coaching staff clearly believed they had outsmarted the Bengals. But they didn’t. Holding Burrow to just 19 points should have been enough to secure a win, especially against a Cincinnati defense the Steelers torched for 44 points just weeks earlier. Instead, Pittsburgh’s offense managed a meager 17 points, wasting a golden opportunity and leaving fans questioning the direction of this team.
If anything, this loss highlights a larger issue: a disconnect between the team’s strengths and how they’re being utilized. Wilson showed he’s capable of big performances, yet the coaching staff seemed unwilling to let him take control of the game. Moving forward, the Steelers will need more than just talent—they’ll need a coaching staff willing to trust their best players in the biggest moments. For example, the Steelers must get George Pickens involved earlier in the game.
Steelers Will Travel To Baltimore To Face Off Against The Ravens In Postseason
Week after week, it feels like the Steelers are repeating the same mistakes while hoping for different results. Dulac’s insight underscores just how urgently Tomlin and Smith need to make significant changes. Losing four straight games has backed Pittsburgh into a tough spot—a playoff showdown with the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
A win could quickly erase many of the frustrations from the past month and inject new life into the team. But a loss? That would spark some tough, unavoidable conversations about the direction of the franchise, the coaching staff, and the decisions that led to this point. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the Steelers are running out of time to get it right.
