Is Goldilocks actually a Steelers fan? And if so, she seems to email me a lot.

Because I’m getting the sense that, with feedback I get, our criticism of the Steelers is, often, too hot. Strangely, it is just as frequently too cold.

Will you folks ever let me know if Baby Bear’s porridge gets “just right”?

Until then, that’s why we have “U mad, bro?”

Paul thought Mark Madden was too negative during our most recent “Madden Monday” podcast.

“I messaged him in the beginning of the season & stated that we will be fine. Our season will have some woes but we will be ok. Stated to him that he shouldn’t be so ‘negative’ on the Steelers. New QB – New faces along the O-LINE and the only way these guys get better at blocking is to run first.

Tell Mark – if he continues to be negative to go work in Cleveland – then he can report on (Deshaun) Watson & the model citizen he has become.”

Mark is on Twitter and can be emailed as well. So you can tell him yourself. But, since you engaged me, who am I to turn down an email like this?

So, best-case scenario, let’s say the Steelers go 9-8 and squeak into the playoffs. Then they’d get throttled by Kansas City or Buffalo again in the first round.

That’s best case. And that’s “fine” to you? That’s “OK”? That’s “the standard” Steelers fans keep telling me Mike Tomlin is protecting?

Wow! What a high bar indeed.

By the way, Paul, it’s not Mark’s job or my job or any media member’s job to write things that we hope you will approve of as being “positive.”

Meanwhile, Steve has a very gloomy outlook for the Steelers.

“It seems slowly but surely the Steelers are becoming the Pirates. Not too hard to believe considering that’s what they were once called in the 30’s. How long before we start hearing ‘years of control’ and ‘high ceiling’ being thrown at reporters over at Water Street?”

Well, Steve, Tomlin is already a fan of the phrase “high floor” to describe rookies that he thinks could be consistent and who won’t make a lot of mistakes. He even used that phrase to describe a certain first-round QB out of Pitt who you may know.

And we all know what happens to those high ceilings and high floors if you have a red barn and red paint, right?

Dave thinks a little too much is being made of Kenny Pickett’s recent late-game rallies to victory.

“Not to rain on the KP parade but when are people going to open their eyes? He creates the need for the heroics with his mediocre (at best) play for 55 minutes. It is becoming an alarming pattern. He threw for 100 yards with a 60 passer rating and a completion % under 50% for the 1st 55 minutes (LV game was similar). Am I the only one that sees this disturbing trend?”

Shhhhh! No, Dave. Of course not. You’re just the only one saying it out loud. So KNOCK IT OFF!!!

We’ve only gotta talk ourselves into this formula for one more week, alright?

Rick is trying to be optimistic about the Steelers’ playoff chances, especially when it comes to the necessary help from the New York Jets to beat the Miami Dolphins.

“Will Zach Wilson get the call, is the question. He already received word they’re not done with him so he could be motivated to rebound and have a future in NY moving forward. Or anywhere football. So, maybe.”

Or maybe not.

Sorry, Rick. Mike White is starting for New York. But think about what you just did there. You pinned the Steelers’ entire postseason hopes on Zach-bleepin’-Wilson.

And you did so …. optimistically?

If that’s what it has come to, maybe the Steelers aren’t worthy of the playoffs at all. And maybe we shouldn’t be too upset if they can’t backdoor their way in (again) as they did a season ago.

Finally, my good friend “Kenny Powers” raises an excellent point about Matt Canada and his belief that the Steelers offensive coordinator has received too much negative criticism.

— kenny powers (@powers123456788) January 2, 2023

Kenny, all I’ve got to say to that tweet is….

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