The Steelers are 1-4, and they’ve lost four in a row. On Sunday, they were blown off the field by the Bills, 38-3.
After the loss, coach Mike Tomlin summarized the current state of the team.
“No need to really sugarcoat it, man,” Tomlin told reporters. “We got handled today. We got handled by a very good football team. There’s nothing mystical about it. They did some of the things in Tennessee, so we know it’s capable of happening. Just disappointing that we didn’t coach well enough or play well enough to prevent it from happening today, and that’s just the reality of it.
“And so we got to absorb the position that we’re in, what transpired today. We got to know that there’s gonna be better days, not to provide or to seek comfort. Knowing that there’s better days is gonna be born out of our commitment to making sure that there are better days, and that’s what I talked to the team about. Where we are today, not good. We understand it as professionals. We own it. It is what it is, man. We congratulate the Buffalo Bills on the quality game that they played.”
It gets no easier next weekend, when Tom Brady and the Bucs come to town. Then come trips to the Dolphins and Eagles, followed by a bye. The Steelers could end up being 1-7 when they finally have their week off.
If so, Tomlin will need to go 8-1 over the final nine games to avoid his first losing season ever. Based on where they are today, the chances of the Steelers avoided a losing record are not good.