Cam Heyward did his best to stay positive after the Steelers' embarrassing loss Sunday in Baltimore, their third consecutive defeat.
"Our record really doesn't matter now," Heyward said. "We win the rest, we're in."
It's a wonderful thought.
It also defies logic.
Based on their play in the NFL season's first half, the Steelers don't look capable of beating 7-1 Dallas Sunday at Heinz Field let alone putting together at long winning streak. The team that started the season with Super Bowl plans has underachieved badly. Its 4-4 record is the definition of mediocrity.
By losing to New England Oct. 23 at home, the Steelers lost any realistic hope of being the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. With the loss in Baltimore, they have little chance of finishing No. 2 and getting a first-round bye and a second-round home game. Good luck trying to advance to Super Bowl LI the hard way with a win at Oakland, Kansas City or Denver and at New England. I know, the Steelers did it that way in 2005 with three road wins to get to Super Bowl XL, but that was a lifetime ago. They've hardly won anywhere in the postseason since losing to Green Bay in Super XLV after the 2010 season despite having a franchise quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. They are just 1-3 with the only win last season at Cincinnati when the Bengals self-destructed.
It seems much more likely the Steelers will miss the playoffs than win a seventh Lombardi Trophy. History says as much. The team has had three losing streaks of at least three games under Mike Tomlin _ in 2009, 2012 and 2013 _ and missed the postseason each time.
That's what made the 21-14 loss Sunday so hurtful. The Ravens played a lousy game, but the Steelers refused to take advantage. Their allegedly high-powered offense produced just 69 yards in the first three quarters despite having Roethlisberger and Marcus Gilbert back from injuries. Their defense gave up a 95-yard touchdown pass to former friend Mike Wallace. Their special teams were a joke all day. And team discipline? Don't even go there. The Steelers were penalized 13 times for 99 yards.
Instead of taking control of the AFC North Division with a 5-3 record, the Steelers slipped back into a tie with the Ravens. Cincinnati is right behind at 3-4-1.
"We wanted to get up and be up two games," Stephon Tuitt said. "Helping people stay in the mix, that's not what we want. We never want to lose. We're too good to lose. We can't be a 4-4 team. But we are."
Yes, they are.
Mediocrity.
But so much for negativity.
The Steelers still can win the weak AFC North.
Of the three contenders, the Steelers have the easiest second-half schedule. Their opponents were a combined 27-39-1 before Buffalo's game Monday night at Seattle. They also are the only team that has two games left against winless Cleveland, although they have proved time and again there is no such thing as an automatic win against lesser competition.
The Ravens' opponents are 32-31-1. They have games at Dallas and New England, which figure to be losses. They also have to play Cincinnati twice and will play at Heinz Field Christmas Day.
The Bengals' opponents were 30-35 before the Buffalo-Seattle game. In addition to playing the Ravens twice, they have to play road games against the New York Giants and Houston. They do get the Steelers, who beat them at Heinz Field in September, at home Dec. 18.
Big picture?
"We need to be a great second-half team," Roethlisberger said.
"We can't come out and say we're going to be this and be that and not be those things," Foster said. "We've got to pick up our game. No more talking ...
"You just attack this. It can't be about finding a solution. We have to be the solution."
Foster isn't the only one in the Steelers locker room looking only at the Dallas game.
"We're 4-4, that's where we're at," Heyward said. "I look forward to getting to 5-4 next week."
Again, that's a wonderful thought.
We'll see how realistic it is.
