Pittsburgh Steelers Week 17 Recap: Trapped in Cleveland

With a chance to win the AFC North division in week 17 action, the Pittsburgh Steelers were on the road in Cleveland facing a team with a 3-12 record. Then the Steelers laid an egg. Losing 13-6 not only forced a winner take all final game of the season in week 18, a rematch with the Baltimore Ravens, it was obvious that Pittsburgh and head coach Mike Tomlin fell victims to what is known as a “trap game.”

The Steelers were coming off a thrilling last second victory over the Detroit Lions a week before on the road in a game they could have easily lost if not for an offensive pass interference call on Detroit. But the Steelers were a different team in Detroit than what we saw in Cleveland. Pittsburgh’s defense played very well against the Browns, but it was the offense that dropped the ball…literally.

Before anything else is said, accountability must be taken for this loss. That begins with Mike Tomlin. I have been saying all season that the Steelers not only have to make the playoffs but must win a playoff game to save Tomlin’s job. We know Art Rooney II will not fire Tomlin. But if Pittsburgh loses to Baltimore next week, then it should be over and Rooney should convince Tomlin to walk away.

Rooney has blame on this as well as GM Omar Khan. This trio including Tomlin went “all in” this season bringing Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and a handful of other proven veterans all in an effort to win that elusive playoff game. Now there is a particularly good chance they miss the postseason. More accountabilities have to be fully put on the shoulders of DK Metcalf.

The star wide receiver and primary target for Aaron Rodgers made the fatal mistake of punching a fan in Detroit and while the fan was absolutely wrong for taunting the Steelers receiver, Metcalf made that terrible decision to do what he did instead of ignoring the rude and idiotic fan. It cost him money and the final two games of the season. Had he been on the field in Cleveland, the Steelers probably win.

I hope Metcalf realizes he not only hurt the team, but he may also have played his final game of the 2025 season in Detroit if the Ravens win the division this week. If the Steelers miss the playoffs, Aaron Rodgers has already said this is his last season. If that is the case, then having him under center this year will have been a waste of time if Pittsburgh does not get in. That was the sole reason for signing him.

What is more irritating is that the Steelers were in the running for trading for Matthew Stafford before the season and backed out. Stafford has many years left and is younger than the 42-year-old Rodgers. But Rodgers was it and to his credit he has played very well. The results of this season cannot be blamed on Rodgers. I believe he did his part.

Going back to the Browns’ loss, Aaron Rodgers did post-game blame the referees for not calling pass interference on Cleveland on the game’s final play, but I am one who will never use bad calls on a loss. There is way more to this game than that one call or the bad call on Cameron Heyward for roughing the passer. My biggest problem is with Tomlin and Rodgers as well as Arthur Smith.

My first thought is the last 32 seconds of the game. The Steelers are at the Cleveland 10-yard line with a first down. At this point I am sure they will get a tying score. After gaining three yards to the seven-yard line it is second and goal. Then came the unthinkable. With two completed passes to Pat Freiermuth on the drive of 29 yards and then 11 more, instead of using him to get into the end zone or any other play for that matter, Arthur Smith or perhaps it was Aaron Rodgers decision but three straight passes went in the direction of Marquez Valdes-Scantling and none of them connected. GAME OVER.

I get the fact that Valdes-Scantling is a former teammate of Aaron Rodgers and they had a special connection back then, but after the first missed pass, another option should have been chosen. Three straight passes to a player who in the end was targeted nine times in the game and caught only three passes? Ridiculous.

Throughout the game Rodgers made bad throws but more often his receivers either ran wrong routes or simply dropped passes. UNACCEPTABLE.

In the final stats Rodgers’ receivers were targeted 37 times and only 21 passes were completed. That was the difference in the game. There is another major issue with the offensive game plan. In the last three victories the RPO (run-pass-option) plays and play action passes were a big part of the Steelers’ success in gaining yards and moving the chains. In the Browns loss? NOT ONE. Neither Jaylen Warren nor Kenneth Gainwell had a single reception. With only 131 yards rushing and only 24 carries, that part of the offense essentially was ignored.

After the game at his post-game press conference, Mike Tomlin said, “I thought we played a pretty good game.” SAY WHAT? It is these kind of comments from the head coach that angers fans in Steelers Nation. He is very blasé about everything and that is extremely annoying. I also learned after the game that in his weekly press conference last week he said Roman Wilson would be a noticeably big part of the Browns game. So, guess what? Wilson had ZERO receptions in Cleveland. More fuel for fuming.

In the last four games played against the Browns on their field, Tomlin has lost them all. Talk about playing down to a lowly opponent. Just three wins all season for Cleveland until last Sunday. Here is another nugget…since 2021 the Steelers have lost eight straight games when facing a team that has a record under .500.

Another embarrassing stat…the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Chicago Blackhawks the same day the Steelers lost to the Browns only the Pens scored more goals than did the Steelers score points (7-6). OUCH!

So now what? It comes down to January 4, 2026. The Baltimore Ravens with their 8-8 record visiting Acrisure Stadium to face the Steelers in a winner-take-all AFC North division title showdown. Winner moves on loser goes home. There will be no DK Metcalf. There will be no T.J. Watt. There will be no Darnell Washington. Most likely no Calvin Austin. Can the Steelers win? Surely, they can but as I said in the first meeting this season, it will take the Steelers to bring their A+ game.

Derrick Henry will be the focus. Lamar Jackson is probably not going to start. Here is my final take…again. Mike Tomlin’s job is on the line. He MUST win this game and if he does then a playoff victory will HAVE to take place. If he does find a way to beat John Harbaugh again but loses the playoff game, the same result should happen. He needs to walk away. If he loses to Baltimore, then its case closed be gone Mike Tomlin.

It is time for a change. The sign of the times caught up to Chuck Noll in the end, the game passed him by, so he retired. Bill Cowher called his own ending just because. Like Noll, the game has passed Mike Tomlin by. The Steelers need a new atmosphere, a new coach that will be a disciplinary type that will not allow things like the Metcalf fiasco to happen. Omar Khan is not out of the picture either. He had much to do with all the changes that took place this season. Trading George Pickens now appears to be a MAJOR mistake.

If Pickens were on the field last Sunday, we probably win. Had Mike Tomlin been able to deal with Pickens and get his head on straight, maybe he would still be a Steeler. Tomlin could not get Antonio Brown to settle down nor with Le’Veon Bell. Another problem fans have with Tomlin is his avoidance of any responsibility. The game plan for the Browns was terrible. He takes no responsibility for that.

Sure, Mike Tomlin has 19 straight winning seasons that is all well and good but with six straight playoff losses and a lackadaisical attitude, promising us we would have a special defense this season, bringing in Rodgers and guys like Jalen Ramsey among other veterans this team far underachieved. The time has arrived. We need an overhaul.