Mark Madden: Where would Steelers be had Bruce Arians not 'retired'?

The Steelers have won three playoff games in the past 10 seasons, badly collapsing at the conclusion of each of the past three. The Steelers had a Hall of Fame quarterback, a generational talent at receiver and arguably the best back of his era. They currently have an elite defense.

A lot of bad decisions had to be made to underachieve so badly.

The worst might have been made in 2011. The Steelers lied about making it. Perhaps they were trying to disguise the shakiness of the decision.

It was firing offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

The Steelers said Arians “retired.” Arians didn’t. He will coach Tampa Bay in Super Bowl LV a week from Sunday.

Since “retiring” from the Steelers, Arians has won NFL Coach of the Year twice and four playoff games, one more than Mike Tomlin. During stints at Indianapolis, Arizona and Tampa Bay, Arians has had less to work with than Tomlin. Well, till Tom Brady showed up, anyway.

That’s not to suggest firing Tomlin and making Arians head coach in 2011 would have served the Steelers better.

But that’s not to dismiss it, either — though Tomlin was just one year removed from an AFC championship when Arians got axed.

After Arians “retired,” the Steelers went 8-8 and missed the playoffs the next two years. (The magic of Tomlin never having a losing season was just blossoming.) The Steelers have averaged 10 wins a season since Arians “retired.” Arians has done the same as a head coach.

The Steelers’ skill-position personnel got better after Arians “retired.” Rashard Mendenhall gave way to Le’Veon Bell at running back. Antonio Brown emerged. The offensive line coalesced around Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro. Tight end Heath Miller was still solid.

But the Steelers became a regular-season force and a playoff bust: Paper champions. Individuals bloomed statistically, their egos accordingly. But the only quarterbacks the Steelers beat in the postseason over the past nine years are A.J. McCarron, Matt Moore and Alex Smith.

Roethlisberger got sacked an absurd 215 times during Arians’ five seasons. One reason for replacing Arians was to put Roethlisberger at less risk. Roethlisberger held the ball longer in Arians’ offense by way of looking to make plays.

So, did Roethlisberger make more plays when Arians ran the offense? After Arians “retired,” was Roethlisberger made safer at the cost of making the offense too safe?

It’s difficult to compare stats. Roethlisberger has mostly had big numbers nonstop since very early in his career. But maybe the proof of the pudding was playoff disappointment.

At any rate, Roethlisberger dinks and dunks now. He averaged 3 air yards per completion this season.

“No risk it, no biscuit” is one of Arians’ favored phrases. He has a shot at the ultimate biscuit when he coaches in Super Bowl LV. The closest the Steelers have come to a Super Bowl since Arians left is a 19-point loss to New England in the 2016 season’s AFC championship game.

If the Steelers have underachieved since Arians left, it’s not because they haven’t been talented enough.

New offensive coordinator Matt Canada has his work cut out for him. His predecessor, Randy Fichtner, didn’t make the receivers drop balls. He didn’t make the offensive line stink. He didn’t assemble the NFL’s worst group of running backs. Scheme didn’t kill the running game. Personnel did. The quarterback wanted to pass every down, anyway.

Canada might fix some of that. But he can’t fix enough.

Then Canada will be the scapegoat. The citizens always think there’s a championship offense in there somewhere, and it’s up to the coordinator to find the formula.

But, usually, the players just aren’t good enough.