Mark Madden: Plenty of blame to go around for Steelers' struggles

If last Sunday’s visit to Cincinnati seemed must-win, this Sunday’s home game against Baltimore seems a last stand for the Steelers, with Custer clad in black and gold.

Propping up the Steelers season even when it’s turned hopeless is what’s best for business. Certain things can be cited to manufacture optimism, such as their relative success against Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. He’s 2-2 against the Steelers with three touchdown passes, five interceptions and a passer rating of 59.2.

Jackson’s plan is no more complicated than running around till something happens. It earned him an NFL MVP and could get him another. If he runs around against this Steelers defense, something will happen. Conceding 82 points over the last two games is grim. (Jackson makes mistakes when he’s heavily blitzed. But the Steelers won’t.)

There’s also a popular notion that the Steelers always split with Baltimore, probably because that happened six times during the 2010s. But these aren’t the 2010s.

The Steelers summoned guts, pride and adrenaline on Halloween to win 15-10 at Cleveland. (They won the opener at Buffalo mostly because the Bills stunk.)

Can they do it again vs. Baltimore with any small hope that their season still holds undeniably on the line?

Unfortunately, it’s about more than guts, pride and adrenaline — or music at practice, for that matter. Even beating Baltimore would provide just a stay of execution, not real optimism.

The Steelers lack identity on either side of the ball. No significant personnel changes can be made. They’re limited offensively, as their mostly horizontal gameplan indicates.

Three of the Steelers’ wins (and their tie) are narrow results against bad teams. Perhaps wins like that (and a tie) against teams like that are the best the Steelers can do.

This is the end of an era. Things have gone steadily downhill since the Steelers started 11-0 last season.

What’s important is pointing fingers. Who’s been most disappointing?

I’m excluding management and coaches. That’s another conversation.

I’m disqualifying rookies because it’s unfair to expect much. First-round pick Najee Harris has done OK but not great. His ability to get yards after contact is ballyhooed. But Harris’ average yards after contact per attempt is 1.7. yards before contact is 1.9. So, meh.

It’s neck-and-neck between Chase Claypool and Devin Bush for most disappointing Steeler.

I pick Claypool. He had 11 touchdowns last season. So far this year, he’s got one. The Steelers need Claypool to be a No. 1 receiver, and he’s just not up to it. He drops too many passes. He rarely runs through a catch: He’s either jumping or falling. Claypool isn’t great at making receptions in traffic. That was supposed to be a strength.

Claypool is more disappointing than Bush because some of the latter’s problems might be traced to a slow recovery from major knee surgery.

But Bush is rotten. He can’t tackle, can’t cover and his football IQ stinks. If you’re tired of reading that, I’m tired of having to write it.

Third-most disappointing is Minkah Fitzpatrick. He’s been involved with just two takeaways all year. He got his first interception this past Sunday. Forget the oft-cited “ripple effect.” Tangible impact needs to be present, especially for somebody who wants to be the NFL’s highest-paid safety.

Fitzpatrick has been adversely affected by the lack of quality playing in front of him.

But Bush and Fitzpatrick were first-round picks, Claypool a second-round pick. Pedigree equals heightened expectations. Unmet expectations equal disappointment. Nobody wants to hear about the labor pains. They only want to see the baby.

Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t been that disappointing. He’s 39 and didn’t play great last season. This is what we should have expected.

T.J. Watt has been disappointing, but only because he’s too often hurt or ill.

Maybe it all gets better Sunday at Heinz Field. But how much better, and for how long?