50-YARD LINE

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold was going to use today's column as an opportunity to look at your Pittsburgh Steelers and the importance of this Sunday's showdown with the Cincy Bungles. She was also going to discuss the magnitude of winning their remaining 4 regular season games. But then I got to thinking. Have the Steelers lost their mojo? It seems like whenever this time of year rolls around, all us Black-N-Gold-wearing, Terrible Towel-waving fans are sweating it out, hoping upon hope that the Steelers can take care of business and get a pass to the postseason. I ask you: Why?

     Why do we continue to bite our fingernails every time our favorite team takes the field? Why do we hope that the Steelers will pull themselves up by their bootstraps and out of the funk in which they're immersed? Why do the Steelers constantly look unprepared, outplayed and befuddled?

      It seems that the Steelers organization as whole is suffering from memory loss. I'll admit, during the Chin Era, I was always frustrated with the Steelers regarding most of the draft picks from day 2 of the draft. Now it seems that the Steelers swing and miss at more picks during the entire draft then they have hits. Have the scouting department and GM Kevin Colbert forgotten how to evaluate talent? Example: stretching for RBs Rashard Mendenhall and Chris Rainey a few years back turned out to be busts What did the Steelers do this year? Stretched for RB Dri Archer, leaving themselves out to dry when it comes to running back depth. Don't get me wrong. There have been hits such as WR Antonio Brown, RB Le'Veon Bell. But for every good draft pick, there's 2 more bad ones. Take 1 step forward, 2 steps back, Steelers.

      Let us not forget the coaching staff. Have they suddenly lost the ability to develop players? More and more picks play out the length of their rookie contracts (if they even make the team) and are left to continue their careers elsewhere. They typically do so in virtual oblivion as they weren't that good in the first place. I'm talking to you Ziggy Hood, Mendenhall, et al. The Steelers have always had a habit of letting the youngsters bide their time on the bench for a season or two and let them step up afterwards. Problem is, these players aren't stepping up when their number is called. And in today's NFL, with big money contracts, can you afford to have players ride the pine and redshirt? It's especially maddening this year as the veterans aren't doing the team much good with their shoddy play. May as well let the young guys play and see what they've got. What do they have to lose? I know there are still playoff hopes but these guys may surprise you. It's not like they're going to lose to the Bucs, Jets or Saints. Oops! That already happened with many of your vets in the lineup.

     And what about the players? I'm sure it is extremely difficult to psyche yourself up for every game during a 16 game season when you're pulling in millions of dollars in your paycheck. It may be even more so as the playoffs loom. I hope Mrs. Black-N-Gold's sarcasm is translating well to the written word. What I'm trying to say is a motto I've repeated several times in this blog the past few years, "Ya gotta want it, to win it". Can you please play like you want it?

     Mrs. Black-N-Gold isn't saying her way is the right way, but the Steeler way doesn't seem to be the way anymore, either. I'll repeat another phrase that I've used often in these situations, "Get it together". Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!