Over the course of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2023 season, the offensive issues stole all the headlines, but the defense had more than its fair share of problems with stopping other teams. Pittsburgh limped into the playoffs again only to see yet another early exit.
The Steelers haven’t won a postseason game in seven years, and one stat illustrates an even bigger issue with that drought.
Here are the scores of the Steelers’ last five playoff losses:
2016 AFC title game: New England Patriots 36, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
2017 divisional round: Jacksonville Jaguars 45, Pittsburgh Steelers 42
2020 wild-card round: Cleveland Browns 48, Pittsburgh Steelers 37
2021 wild-card round: Kansas City Chiefs 42, Pittsburgh Steelers 21
2023 wild-card round: Buffalo Bills 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 17
The Steelers are the only team in NFL history to allow more than 30 points in five straight playoff games. Is this a product of inept offenses that just wore the defense down all season long and by the playoffs they just had nothing left, or does this point to a bigger issue on the defensive side of the football?
