Another Low Point in a Turbulent Season
A difficult year for the Pittsburgh Steelers reached a new depth on Sunday as the team surrendered 249 rushing yards to the Buffalo Bills, marking the most rushing yards allowed at home in 50 years. Coach Mike Tomlin’s preseason belief that the defense could achieve “historic things” now carries a very different meaning as the Steelers fell to 6-6 and saw their playoff hopes dim further.
The performance drew frustration from fans and players alike, with the home crowd booing through Renegade and chanting for Tomlin’s firing. The loss highlighted widening cracks in a team that made a series of aggressive offseason moves intended to break a playoff win drought dating back to 2016.
A Flashback to a Painful Precedent
The only comparable collapse dates back to September 28, 1975, when the Bills gashed the Steel Curtain for 310 rushing yards in Pittsburgh’s home opener. O.J. Simpson ran for 227 yards that day, supported by Jim Braxton’s 80. The Steelers overcame that setback and went on to win Super Bowl X.
A similar turnaround in 2025 appears unlikely. Buffalo repeatedly ran the same concepts with overwhelming success, exposing a defense that linebacker T.J. Watt said he had “never seen” beaten so consistently by so few variations in play-calling.
Fan Backlash Intensifies
Sunday’s outburst from the stands underscored the pressure mounting on Tomlin and his staff. The franchise has prided itself on stability, but fan sentiment has become increasingly hostile as the team struggles to find rhythm on either side of the ball.
With chants for coaching changes and visible frustration throughout Acrisure Stadium, attention now turns to whether ownership shares the rising impatience. The team’s high-profile acquisitions and bold roster decisions entering the season have, so far, produced little return.
A Brutal Stretch Ahead
The schedule offers little relief. Next week brings a difficult road matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, followed by a December 15 home game against the Miami Dolphins. At this rate, the Steelers may face an even more alarming problem than boos: empty seats.
Unless the defense finds a way to repair its collapse and the team delivers a late-season surge, the 2025 campaign risks ending not with contention, but with difficult questions about the franchise’s direction.