Taking joy in other NFL struggles as Steelers wander through first quarter of 2023
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Few cities in America wallow in the negative fallout of a loss by their NFL team as intensely as Pittsburgh does for the Steelers.
Don’t get me wrong. I say that as a compliment of the highest order. It’s an indication of passion within a fanbase.
It also may indicate a slightly skewed sense of priorities. But who is anyone else to judge what gives you joy or sorrow?
I mean, seriously? What else really matters that much more than football? What else could possibly register emotionally as being more important than what the Steelers do on Sunday afternoons?
The birth of a child? The loss of a beloved family pet? The wedding day of a son or daughter?
Pfft! C’mon. If any of those things were to happen at roughly 3:59 p.m. this Sunday afternoon and Chris Boswell is lining up for a game-winning kick against the Baltimore Ravens, don’t lie to me. You’d peek at a TV screen if one was available to see if he split the uprights.
Unfortunately, based on how poorly the Steelers just played last week against the Houston Texans, the notion of the Black and Gold being within a field goal of anyone in the fourth quarter seems far-fetched.
Their two losses have come by a combined score of 60-13. Their two wins have come largely because of big plays by the defense. But it’s still a defense that has yielded way too many yards on the ground and far too many catches to the top receiving targets of other teams.
That said, if there’s one thing that Steelers fans may bask in even more than their own suffering after a Steelers loss, it is the suffering of other fanbases when things are going wrong for them.
Obviously, just to make themselves feel better.
Fortunately, there are lots of opportunities for schadenfreude like that these days in the NFL.
Cincinnati Bengals
After a loss in the Super Bowl and another in the AFC Championship game, many in the NFL prognostication business (including myself) thought the Bengals at least had the chance to reach those heights again in 2023. But then quarterback Joe Burrow hurt his calf in training camp, and it’s been a disaster since the start of the season for the Steelers’ longtime divisional rival.
Thanks in large part to Burrow’s injury, the Bengals are just 1-3. They already have AFC North losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. Burrow’s passer rating is 69.1. That’s 34th of 36 qualified QBs. Only Las Vegas backup Aiden O’Connell (68.1) and Cleveland backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson (25.3) are worse.
On top of that, Tee Higgins can’t get going at wide receiver. Now he has a rib injury. Ja’Marr Chase doesn’t have a touchdown yet and has just one game with over 75 yards. And Joe Mixon is averaging a pedestrian 61 yards per game.
The Bengals do have a winnable game coming up against the Arizona Cardinals, though. So maybe Steelers fans should enjoy this while they can.
More sports
• First Call: Steelers alumni trash Matt Canada; Kevin Dotson’s praise in L.A.; Chase Claypool may be out in Chicago
• Kenny Pickett injury does not appear serious, not yet ruled out for next Steelers game
• 5 things we learned: Might be time for Steelers to give Mitch Trubisky a start at quarterback
Cleveland Browns
The Browns aren’t as bad off as the Bengals. They are 2-2. But without Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson on Sunday versus the Ravens, that offense looked weak.
Watson finally appeared to be knocking off the rust during the team’s Week 3 win against Tennessee. Now let’s see how much comes back before he plays again, perhaps after the team’s bye this week.
Like the Bengals, Cleveland already has two division losses — against the Steelers and Ravens, along with the win over Cincy. Their defense can only carry them so far. We’ll see how far between now and Nov. 19 when they host the Steelers in a rematch of the Week 2 game at Acrisure Stadium.
New England Patriots
OK, everyone is having a little schadenfreude over this one, right? After two decades of dominance, the Patriots have sunk into mid-range-mediocrity status.
At best.
New England is struggling every bit as much to find a replacement for Tom Brady as the Steelers are in an effort to replace Ben Roethlisberger. I look at Mac Jones and Kenny Pickett, and I see the Spider-Man meme.
Since the start of 2020, New England is 26-28 with one playoff loss. They were just beaten 38-3 by the Dallas Cowboys, the worst loss of coach Bill Belichick’s career.
Rough day for Bill Belichick and the Pats????♂️ pic.twitter.com/HbjyRswfhZ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 1, 2023
New York teams
When it comes to enjoying the misery of others, the theme resonates especially well for Pittsburgh fans when it comes to the big markets.
None are bigger than New York. And no fanbase is going through tougher times right now than those who back clubs from the Big Apple. The Jets are 1-3 without Aaron Rodgers. The Giants are also 1 -3 following a 24-3 loss to the Seahawks on “Monday Night Football.”
And oh, by the way, the Yankees and Mets (with their combined $622.6 million payroll) both finished in fourth place of their respective divisions — just like the $68 million Pirates.
Chase Claypool
This is just one guy and not a team. But after some of his hollow talk, on-field brain cramps and inefficiency as a Steeler, I don’t think anyone in Pittsburgh is exactly crying in their beer to see his struggles in Chicago.
Claypool was the subject of criticism for his alleged lack of offseason motivation, groused about how the coaches in Chicago were using him and was benched in advance of last week’s game against the Denver Broncos.
Now, word is he may be traded or released and may not see the field again until that happens.
Even if the Steelers haven’t been smart enough to use Joey Porter Jr. more than they have, drafting him with the 32nd pick that they acquired for Claypool still looks like a steal.
Philadelphia Flyers
It’s 2023, and they still haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1975.
I know. It’s a different sport.
But with the way the Steelers are playing right now, we might be diving into hockey with both feet before you know it.
And based on how the Penguins season ended last year, we may need a little schadenfreude on the ice this year too. Consider this practice.