It may only be August, but Mark Madden of 105.9 The X and TribLive has some alarms going off about the Pittsburgh Steelers.

So far, the team has lost both of its preseason games and has scored just 15 points over eight quarters.

“There’s every possibility this team could stink,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast.

“I’m really down on the Steelers. I see nothing there to like. I see no optimism that’s logical.”

If you are like me, you are hoping the Steelers can scratch back to nine or 10 wins again this year and wiggle into the playoffs once more. Based on what he has seen in the preseason so far this year, Madden doesn’t anticipate that happening.

“They ain’t no nine- or 10-win team. They ain’t,” Madden declared. “When this season is over, it will be time to, once again — I was going to say — ask some serious questions. But I’ll revise. It will be once again time to ignore the serious questions that should have long since been asked.”

So far in the preseason and training camp, neither Russell Wilson nor Justin Fields have done anything to dissuade the opinions advanced by their critics in Denver and Chicago, respectively. On top of that, the likes of Troy Fautanu, Jaylen Warren, Nate Herbig, Alex Highsmith, Payton Wilson and Beanie Bishop have all suffered various injuries.

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It’s also been theorized that Broderick Jones’ issues Saturday against Buffalo (in a 9-3 loss) could have something to do with a lingering elbow injury.

Plus, the offense under new coordinator Arthur Smith has done little to inspire confidence that an overhaul is looming from Matt Canada’s results in 2023.

“I thought (Smith) was going to revolutionize things — or at least go back to the future (with the running game). Instead, they just look like crap,” Madden added. “People are saying, ‘Well, remember last year when (Kenny) Pickett looked so good, and we thought he’d be great, and then they (stunk)?’ They’re doing the old switcheroo to have optimism about the Steelers as they head toward the final exhibition game and then the regular season. But I see no way to dredge any optimism for this team moving forward based on what we’ve seen so far in the exhibitions.”

Madden says the Steelers need to button up quickly before the first regular season game versus the Falcons. Although, he is pessimistic about their chances of pulling all the pieces together prior to the trip down to Georgia.

“I guarantee they lose in Atlanta. Guarantee it,” Madden said. “If (quarterback) Kirk Cousins plays, Atlanta will score more points than the Steelers. The Steelers can’t outscore Kirk Cousins. That’s my point of my prediction. He’s going to score, like, 28 points against the Steelers. So the Steelers are going to have to score more than that. … If they’re a playoff team, they’ll win in Atlanta. I think it’s that simple. Atlanta is good, but they’re not great. The Steelers should win a game like that if they’re a playoff team. I don’t think they are.”

Also during this week’s podcast, Madden and I discuss Justin Fields’ performance Saturday, Oneil Cruz’s status as a shortstop, Olympic basketball, Olympic flag football, the Penguins goalie situation, flight delays, Liverpool soccer and Roku.

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