For the Steelers, Is This the Beginning of the End?

Is This the Beginning of the End for the Steelers?

The loss to the Oakland Raiders still stings amongst SteelerNation.  How could the Pittsburgh Steelers travel across country and leave with a loss against the Raiders, again?!  Well, if you look at this team logistically you see some serious flaws.  Not only this past Sunday, but this entire season.  What once was a promising season has turned into a fiasco, and it could get worse.  Some fans say, "Play for a draft pick." while others scream, "We should be better."  Either way, what the team "should" be is not fixable with one draft pick.  Plain and simple.  Which brings me to the title of the article.  Is this the beginning of the end for the most successful organization in the NFL?  I'm starting to think that it very well could be.

There are alot of arrows that can point to the long term demise of the Steelers' organization, but there are a few that I am going to focus on.  First, missed draft picks.  One could point directly at the Steelers' 2008 draft class that consisted of 7 players that are not wearing black and gold except for fun in their free time.  Then you can look at the 2009 draft class that has 9 players in that class, with 2 that are still in the Steelers' organization (Ziggy Hood and the oft injured David Johnson).  To me, this isn't just about draft classes, but about drafting players high in the draft that simply were busts.  Players like Jason Worilds (taken in the 2nd round in 2010), Mike Adams (2nd round pick in 2012), and a guy like Chris Rainey garnering a 5th round pick when it was well documented the off the field issues with that individual.  When was the last time the Steelers had a pick that absolutely shocked everyone?  Can't think of one can you...thats because the Steelers' draft picks have been unbelievably underwhelming and that is why although the team has talent, it lacks skill and depth at some of the most important positions on the football field.  What is going to happen with Ben Roethlisberger leaves or retires?  Landry Jones?  That is laughable.  The answer is nowhere to be found.  It looks like the Steelers will be entering a new Mike Tomczak, Bubby Brister, Neil O'Donnell, and Kent Graham era if you ask me.  That sound like success?  Me neither.

There is more than just draft blunders.  How about the front office?  Under Art Rooney II, the Steelers have faultered.  Sure, they won Super Bowl 43 in Tampa Bay, but that was essentially under Dan Rooney.  The Steelers drafting issues fall on the scouting department, general manager Kevin Colbert, and head coach Mike Tomlin.  The hole that they have dug themselves might take YEARS to climb out of.  This same board also dismissed Bruce Arians.  Whether you liked or demised Arians, you cannot argue he wasn't successful.  Ben Roethlisberger thrived under Arians, and after the dismissal bringing in Todd Haley has done nothing but inject controversy to the team and the organization.  Questionable decisions across the board that, in my opinion, will only set this team back for years to come.

Simply look at the roster and you will see a team that is old in spots, and extremely "green" in others.  Although across the board you see one thing and one thing only...NO QUALITY DEPTH.  This team is 2-5 and hanging by a thread...literally.  Not just injury concerns, but after the starters there is NO ONE qualified to step up.  Mike Tomlin's "the standard is the standard" has become as old and worn out as the age old "we have 6 super bowls and you don't" mantra of SteelerNation.  I am a Steelers fan, and I hope that this isn't the beginning of the end, but if you look at it realistically...its hard not to see more darkness than light ahead.