This was a game the Pittsburgh Steelers usually have.
Backs against the wall, playing at home, Al and Cris in the booth. The stage was set for The Win That Righted The Ship.
Instead, the Steelers came out flat and never fully recovered. A very good Chicago Bears team left Heinz Field with a 40-23 win. It's soul-searching time in the Steel City.
At 0-3, the Steelers' season is on life support in September. Next up is a long flight to London, where they'll take on the similarly victory-challenged Minnesota Vikings. The people of Great Britain deserve better.
The Bears sent their message quickly, jumping out to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter. It was a familiar story on offense for the Steelers, as Ben Roethlisberger was asked to move the ball without the help of a running game. Roethlisberger gave it his best shot, throwing for more than 400 yards and getting Pittsburgh within 27-23 in the fourth quarter.
But a clutch drive by Jay Cutler and the Bears put the Steelers back in a corner. A killer Roethlisberger fumble-six followed, removing any semblance of drama from the proceedings. The Steelers finished with five turnovers, leading to 23 Bears points.
"We gotta take better care of the football," Mike Tomlin said after the game. "I'm not going to characterize it in any other way other than that."
The Steelers can't run, can't protect the football, can't make stops when it counts. It's a far cry from the Tomlin-led teams we remember.
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