THE STEELERS’ “LASER FOCUS,” LOL

Steelers DB Patrick Peterson credited Mike Tomlin for the Steelers having a “successful” season, saying Tomlin kept the team “laser focused.” 

Oh, really? 

Where was the Steelers’ “laser focus” when they lost consecutive home games to Arizona and New England, both 2-10 at the time? 

Not winning a playoff game for a seventh consecutive season: Does that really amount to "success"? 

It’s a cult. Everybody bows at the altar of Tomlin, no matter what the facts dictate. Only one fact gets cited: COACH T HAS NEVER HAD A LOSING SEASON! 

The Steelers are bringing back the same meh coach. The same rotten quarterback. The same outdated method (perhaps tweaked offensively by a new coordinator). The same underachieving defense. 

Like every team, the Steelers will draft. They will add and subtract via free agency. 

But basically, the Steelers are going to run it back and expect better results. Most of you are dumb enough to buy into it. 

Hope isn’t a strategy. 

That’s fine. It’s your favorite team, not mine. 

But the Steelers aren’t close to anything special. Even worse, they’re not taking the steps to pursue anything special. 

Here’s an excerpt from my recent Trib columns: 

If the Steelers were serious about winning now, they would get Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. 

All are available. Any of that trio would provide an upgrade. 

Cameron Heyward is in his career’s twilight. The clock is ticking on the prime of T.J. Watt, who has never won a playoff game. 

The Steelers haven’t won a postseason contest in seven seasons. 

The owner bleats about “urgency.” 

But relying on a third-year quarterback who has a popgun arm and no pocket sense hardly screams “urgency.” 

Kenny Pickett has rarely exceeded mediocre in his 24 NFL starts. He’ll be 26 at season’s start, having been Pitt football’s version of Van Wilder. 

The Steelers don’t need to “find out” about Pickett. They already have. 

To read the entire column, click HERE. 

Ex-Steeler James Harrison gets it: 

“The expectation has become we don’t want to have a losing season. The Steelers' standard is to win Lombardis. When you go into that building, there’s six of them sitting there. And right now, we’re not even winning a playoff game. 

“I think we need to get back to the standard of Steelers legacy, the lore. And that’s just not what it is.”

That won't happen if the Steelers just keep running it back.