PITTSBURGH — The Devin Bush debacle has reached the point where even his defenders are inadvertently ripping him.
Ex-Steelers linebacker Vince Williams tweeted what was supposed to be a passionate defense of his former teammate but within it referred to Bush as "an underperforming top pick" and a player whose "effort could and should be better."
Wait, so he's not only an underachiever but also a slacker?
With supporters like that, who needs detractors?
Bush also has become something of a Steelers outlier, in this respect: His talent exceeds his effort. The opposite is true for most of his teammates. They're trying, all right, but most just aren't good enough. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
So pay no mind when you hear all these people — including the head coach — claiming the Steelers merely need to try harder and scheme better.
This team's biggest problem, by a million miles, is a lack of talent.
Injuries, defections, old age and bad personnel moves (a fifth-round pick for Ahkello Witherspoon?) have contributed to a depth chart that's thinner than Kent Tekulve in 1979. Rest assured, Derrek Tuszka is trying. So are Dan Moore and Taco Charlton. I'm convinced Henry Mondeaux is playing as hard as he can, just like James Pierre, Kendrick Green and Dan Archibong.
Don't get the wrong idea. The Steelers need to scheme better. When defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin (it's his defense, after all) admits he was outschemed by Dan Campbell, that's a problem. And when offensive coordinator Matt Canada constantly ignores the middle of the field and usually neglects his first-round running back near the goal line, it's infuriating.
But what would better scheming get you? A 31-10 loss to the Bengals, instead of 41-10?
The lack-of-effort charge, for the most part, is ridiculous.
I learned a long time ago, working the Penguins beat, that players and coaches love to appease media types — and in turn, the fans — by citing effort as the main reason for a loss or a slump. That way, they don't have to answer questions about the real issues.
How many times, in hockey, have you heard somebody say, "We weren't desperate enough"?
I came to discover it's a smokescreen. It's easier to say, "We didn't try," than it is to admit, "We're just not any good," or "We had no idea what we were doing," or to acknowledge any kind of deeper issue. It's handing reporters a red-meat storyline that fans will feast on.
But it's almost never the truth. Not in pro sports. And the players and coaches know that very few will dig deeper.
Do you really think the Steelers laid down in Cincinnati, after Tomlin pounded the importance of the game all week?
Or were they just outclassed at virtually every position?
When you're not as good as the other guy, it can look like you're not trying. Think of a 6-year-old putting all his might into wrestling his dad.
I double-checked the players chasing Bengals running back Joe Mixon on one of his 18 touchdowns Sunday (it was eventually marked short), and they included Mondeaux, Charlton, Pierre, a man I did not recognize and Bush.
Let's be real here. The Steelers are playing with a decrepit quarterback — a player who's functional at best and really just another guy out there — an offensive line with no players who would start on most teams, a decimated defensive line, a pair of easily movable inside linebackers and a questionable secondary with little depth. And often Derrek Tuszka.
Tomlin had his players hitting in pads Wednesday, in preparation for the Baltimore Ravens, and was apparently riding them hard. That's nice, but I'll bet his methods work best if T.J. Watt plays.
It's way more about personnel than prep methods. Go back to last year's win at Baltimore. The Steelers defense hardly dominated — it allowed 265 yards rushing — but it made key plays, and the main contributors included guys currently unavailable: Stephon Tuitt (nine tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks); Bud Dupree (sack, forced fumble); our friend Vince Williams; and even Robert Spillane (team-leading 11 tackles, interception for touchdown). Tyson Alualu, whom they miss badly, was not available that day, either..
Or think back to the Christmas Miracle of 2016, when the Steelers edged Baltimore on Antonio Brown's memorable catch. They had Antonio Brown! And prime Le'Veon Bell. And Ryan Shazier. And a younger, lethal Ben. And a solid, veteran offensive line.
They were really good then.
They aren't now.
