The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to grind out a 19-13 victory against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Heinz Field. But it did little to impress Mark Madden from a big-picture point of view.
In this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark said don’t let the victory fool you into thinking that the Steelers’ recent ills have been solved just because a checkmark went into the win column.
“Even though they won. Even though they are 7-6-1. Even though now only half a game separates the entire AFC North from top to bottom. Forget all that. Because I see a football team that isn’t very good,” Madden said.
The reason why Madden is advancing that opinion is how the Steelers managed to win that game. Or, better said, how the Titans tried to lose it by more … but the Steelers just wouldn’t let them.
“If ever a win could be discouraging, it was that game,” Madden said. “Because the Steelers won only because Tennessee kept putting the ball on the ground — three fumbles, one interception. And the Steelers only manufactured four field goals from those four turnovers.”
Madden said if the Steelers play that way again next week in Kansas City, the defending AFC Champion Chiefs will expose them badly.
“It’s another win by less than one score. They could’ve lost at the death. Tennessee had the ball for 40 minutes. If you just look at the stats from that game, you would not be able to imagine a way the Steelers won that game,” Madden said. “But they did. And good for them. If they can keep forging ahead and pay it off, that’s great. I just don’t see it. And I think they are going to get beat by about 30 against KC.”
As for the Penguins, same song but different lyrics. They didn’t play great in a 3-2 win against the New Jersey Devils. But they got through it.
The difference between them and the Steelers is that the Pens have managed to win seven in a row now. And forward Teddy Blueger is a big reason why. He scored a shorthanded goal (the Penguins’ first of the season) in the first period and had three of the Penguins’ meager four-shot total in the first 20 minutes.
We officially have our first shorthanded goal of the season! pic.twitter.com/jzzz5snacg
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 20, 2021
“If he ever scores 20 goals, he would be a zillionaire,” Madden said of Blueger. “He plays 200-foot hockey very effectively. He might be the best penalty killer in the league.”
The goal was Blueger’s seventh. His career high is nine.
Also in the podcast, Madden and I talk about Tristan Jarry’s Olympic hopes, the Steelers’ playoff chances, Kenny Pickett’s decision to forgo the Peach Bowl and the NFL’s adjustments to its covid-19 protocols.
Listen: Tim Benz and Mark Madden talk about the Steelers’ victory over the Titans, the Penguins’ win streak and more
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.