PITTSBURGH — I’m not sure how mad Mike Tomlin was after the 36-10 debacle in Kansas City three weeks ago, but Tony Romo was livid.
It seemed that way, anyhow, at various points in the game. Romo’s broadcast partner, Jim Nantz, didn’t hold back, either, after somebody named Byron Pringle ran through the entire Steelers defense to make it 30-0.
“The Steelers are just sleepwalking through this one,” Nantz said. “Physically, emotionally, it’s just not there.”
I’m guessing it will be there Sunday. It better be. The Steelers are the biggest underdogs (12 1/2 points) in wild-card history and getting mocked at every turn. Fox Sports 1’s Nick Wright said this is “better than a bye week” for the Chiefs, because at least they’ll get some cardio in.
A healthy T.J. Watt — he was battling a rib injury and missed about half the first game — will help. Competing on offense would be nice, too. That’s where Romo comes in. He was dead right on the Steelers’ inch-worm approach. It can’t work against the Chiefs.
Kansas City plays aggressive press coverage, so those short-of-the-sticks passes the Steelers adore are going to be mostly useless again. This team is headed into the belly of the beast here — the beast being Patrick Mahomes — and tip-toeing around with 3-yard passes to Ray-Ray McCloud on third-and-4 isn’t going to get it done.
You need points to keep pace with Mahomes. Matt Canada’s crew cracked 30 once all season. Early points are paramount, and the Steelers only have one first-half touchdown in the past six games. The Chiefs, on the other hand (as pointed out on espn.com) led the league with nine first-possession touchdowns and were tied for first in first-quarter scoring.
Are the Steelers capable of exploiting any defense down the field? I’m not sure, but this really is the time to find out. No use living in your fears in the biggest game of the season.
I’m not saying they need to go bombs-away crazy. A normal, intermediate NFL passing game will do. Playing keep-away against Mahomes is good strategy, too, and Najee Harris needs to have a quality game.
But this incessant dink-and-dunk stuff needs to die.
Romo was all over it early in the first game. This was him after a failed sideways pass to McCloud: “(The Chiefs) press a ton, which is why I don’t love these throws right now. That’s why you have to work down the field on ’em. The short stuff is going to be much more difficult today than it normally is.”
That just makes sense, right? I know it’s a complicated game. Coaches love to remind us of that. But if you have tons of defenders stationed near the line of scrimmage and cornerbacks in your face, stop throwing that junk (and there really were two 3-yard passes to McCloud on third-and-4).
A failed miniature pass to McCloud over the middle, right after Chase Claypool made spectacular catches on consecutive plays, got Romo going.
“That’s a (run-pass option), and they could have gone down the field,” he said. “You got guys on the outside, all that space. (The small stuff) just isn’t gonna work. You just had two good plays down the field. You gotta get the ball vertical.”
Curiously, Ben Roethlisberger did not go back to Claypool for what seemed like an hour after those two impossible catches. When Claypool later drew an interference call on L’Jarius Sneed, Romo said, “The funny thing is, this is what I wanted from the very start. Throw go routes. They play press coverage. That’s how you’re gonna get these guys off you.”
The 6-foot-5 Claypool has been mercurial. I get it. He never seems to land on his feet. But he is a walking mismatch. Throw to him, even if he’s seemingly covered. Diontae Johnson had his worst game of the season in Kansas City, but he also made a leaping 18-yard catch over Mike Hughes on the Steelers’ second play — one of his 107 catches on the season. Let him make some plays past the sticks.
This kind of matchup could even provide James Washington some opportunities, if he’s available, but Claypool and Johnson will be crucial. If they make the Chiefs respect the intermediate ball, the shorter stuff could open up — and both have made huge plays on quick crossing routes.
Meanwhile, Roethlisberger has to find the gunslinger inside a little more often. Could that prove disastrous? Sure, but he also has shown he can still make big-time throws. Consider the sideline shot to Pat Freiermuth — who missed the first Kansas City game — late in Baltimore. Or the pass to Freiermuth on the Steelers’ last play in Minnesota.
The wind should be less of a factor this game than it was three weeks ago, which should cut down on Roethlisberger’s flutter balls.
Some weird things happened in Kansas City. Some silly things, too.
Johnson fumbled with nobody near him. Chris Boswell missed a field-goal attempt inside of 40 yards for the first time in 44 tries. Cam Heyward jumped offside on third-and-11 in the red zone. A Chiefs lineman snagged an airborne fumble after Alex Highsmith blasted Mahomes.
What else?
Well, Canada called for a pitch to Harris six yards behind the line on fourth-and-1. The Steelers dropped two possible interceptions. And Roethlisberger made some terrible decisions, including a screen pass to Harris when a screen to the other side to Johnson — the play was designed to go either way — would have been the right call.
“That’s a touchdown,” Romo said.
Touchdowns are good. It’s just really hard to get ’em by the inch.
