U mad, bro?: Steelers fans snap after loss to Chiefs on Christmas

Most of Western Pennsylvania spent a good chunk of their Christmas Day watching the Pittsburgh Steelers get throttled at home by the Kansas City Chiefs, 29-10.

Personally, I think those fine folks deserve a forum to vent.

So here is my belated stocking stuffer for all of you. It’s a holiday edition of “U mad, bro?”

Let’s begin with Matt C. on social media. He has somehow figured out a way to … still … make the Steelers’ recent three-game losing streak all about Kenny Pickett.

But I’ll play along since, clearly, this is his Christmas wish.

lol still all Kenny’s fault @gerrydulac @TimBenzPGH @MarkMaddenX @C_AdamskiTrib @MarkKaboly ?!?

— Matt C (@BuckleUpBaby) December 25, 2024

First of all, I’m stunned to learn, judging by his avatar, that Matt is a Pitt fan. Never saw that coming.

Secondly, no one ever said it was “all Kenny’s fault.” Kenny being a bust and it “all being his fault” is not the same thing.

Fans with a functioning brain should probably be capable of figuring out that subtle, nuanced difference. If you can’t, I hope this helps.

Most football fans enjoy building snowmen this time of year. But you have fun building your strawman instead.

Here is an email from a guy named Mark in the wake of the loss to Kansas City.

”Anxiously waiting for your Tomlin bashing.”

You say that as if I need to stop with him. You saw the play calling from the offensive coordinator and the pass blocking from the offensive line, right?

This Steelers fan is obviously fed up.

We root for them because of obligation. Not because they stand a chance.

— SFL AJ (@fullerlondon) December 25, 2024

Don’t feel obligated. In the words of the head coach himself: “We want volunteers, not hostages.”

I complained about the roughing-the-passer penalty on Patrick Mahomes during the game. This guy did not appreciate my opinion.

Steelers 1/10 and KC 5/50 on penalties. Are you too dumb to notice your own confirmation bias?

— Jack the Intruder (@ZiggyCrosby) December 25, 2024

Are you too dumb to know the difference between a person disagreeing with one call/rule and a person suggesting that there was overall officiating bias?

Forget it. I’ll answer that question for you. You are.

David poses an esoteric question about the Steelers.

“Are they really fading? Or never that good — but playing good teams vs poor teams? Just showing how mediocre they always were. Just like our MLB team the same year after year … not good and not trying to get any better.”

The Steelers beat five teams currently in the playoff bracket early in the season. They have lost to three consecutive teams who fit that description since then.

So, they are fading — plummeting, actually. The attrition and deterioration surrounding the defense is the big reason why.

Now, regarding the Pirates, all I asked for this Christmas was to avoid talking about them until late March. Please, let me stay in the holiday spirit just a little longer.

More sports

• Airing of Grievances: Poor pass protection, rotten start, shoddy defense doom Steelers on Christmas Day
• Steelers defense questioning its ‘want-to’ after 3rd straight subpar effort in loss to Chiefs
• Steelers notes: Return of George Pickens doesn’t boost sputtering offense

Rich is ticked off. But he makes some good points.

“Move the Eagles game to the opener, swap the Chiefs with the Giants, and you have a team that’s 3-3, 6-5, and now 10-6, just where they should be. A good, solid team that beats the teams they should beat (other than the annual bad loss, Brownies this year), and loses to the great teams. Folks were living a fantasy, paying attention to the 10-3 record … believing ‘Stillerz goin’ to the Super Bowl.’ They are what they are — maybe the best team since Ben was good, five or so years ago — but still a borderline division winner/wildcard that likely loses in the first round but may get lucky until the second round.”

Rich, that’s all well said. The back-loaded schedule and the somewhat streaky nature of the season have warped the reaction to who his team really is.

Win three in a row early. Drop two in a row. Win eight of nine. Drop three straight.

If you space it out more evenly, this is roughly the team we were predicting coming out of training camp, with pretty much the same record we saw at this point last year.

The only point I’ll quibble with is this: It wasn’t just one bad annual loss to Cleveland. If they had beaten Dallas and Indianapolis as they should have, they’d be 12-4 right now.

In a way, that might make them even more fraudulent, but they’d at least be frauds with a one-game lead in the division.

We end with Sean. He’s a big fan of the “Madden Monday”podcast.

“You’re normally a step above the regular Yinzer asking for a sample of Miller Lite at Giant Eagle on a Tuesday afternoon, but your buddy Madden — he’s the (jerk) asking for a 2nd.”

What a minute. You have the nerve to send me this message and … not even tell me which Giant Eagle hands out free Miller Lite on Tuesday afternoons? There is a Giant Eagle that gives out free beer on Tuesdays?

Which one? Where?