Mark Madden: Steelers have many problems on offense, but the elite defense is average at best

The Steelers flat-out stink.

They may use their illusion next Sunday at Heinz Field by beating a Denver team that’s not near as good as its 3-1 record.

But, after a Week 1 upset at Buffalo that now looks totally illogical, the Steelers have been mostly non-competitive in losses to Las Vegas, Cincinnati and Green Bay. They never truly looked like winning any of those games.

It will get much worse before it gets any better.

Ben Roethlisberger is washed up. It pains me to say it, more painful that it’s true. These aren’t just a few bad games, or a few bad throws. He’s done. He looks like he knows it.

The offensive line is beyond rotten: Five turnstiles in black and gold. On Green Bay’s strip-sack that led to the first-quarter touchdown that put Green Bay ahead to stay, four of the Steelers’ five offensive linemen were immediately and violently pushed back into Roethlisberger. It looked like eight men were rushing the passer, half wearing the wrong-color jerseys.

The coaching is cowardly, the play-calling uninspired and occasionally idiotic. Witness the inexplicable reprise of the fourth-down pass in the right flat.

Leadership seems non-existent. If there’s accountability, it’s difficult to notice.

But all this is old news, readily evident, and much-discussed.

The unexpected development: The “elite defense” is average at best, and mostly worse.

T.J. Watt is the NFL’s highest-paid edge rusher. Minkah Fitzpatrick wants to be the highest-paid safety. Cam Heyward is highly regarded and much decorated. Devin Bush was a first-round pick. Joe Haden is legit, or at least was, and wants a new contract.

These are playmakers, except they don’t make plays.

Watt had the worst two-sack game in football history at Green Bay: One was a trip, another was a give-up. Heyward has been largely invisible since Tyson Alualu joined Stephon Tuitt on the injury list. Bush looks more and more like a bust. Haden is admittedly the Steelers’ best cornerback. That’s akin to being the smartest guy in prison.

The defense couldn’t get big stops at Green Bay: The Packers scored on three straight possessions on either side of halftime, turning a 14-10 lead into a 27-10 chokehold.

Allowing 27 points is too many, especially given the offensive shortcomings. If that’s not fair, it’s also cold, hard reality.

The Packers converted nine of 15 third downs.

The Packers rushed for 131 yards. Their offensive line has issues, too: Two starters are rookies. Their All-Pro left tackle hasn’t yet played this season. But they blew the Steelers’ “elite defense” off the ball. The Steelers compounded that by missing tackle after tackle.

The Steelers had one takeaway at Green Bay. Fitzpatrick dropped an interception.

The Steelers have five takeaways in four games. That’s not enough. The Steelers had 27 last season, second-most in the league. An “elite defense” should affect the result more.

Fitzpatrick hasn’t had an interception for 11 games. No point paying him what he wants when the time comes. If he’s just going to play center field, anybody can do that. Don’t babble about all the “intangible” contributions Fitzpatrick makes. You want paid, give me tangible.

Watt got his huge contract, then immediately got hurt. He was brilliant in the win at Buffalo. But $80 million guaranteed means Watt needs to play like that every week.

Blaming one scapegoat is absurd.

Ignoring the mediocrity of the “elite defense” is silly, too.

The composition of the Steelers dictates that the defense wins games. But it isn’t.

It mandates that the defense’s playmakers make plays. But they aren’t.

The offensive line isn’t supposed to be great. The defense is. But it’s not.

Roethlisberger is 39. The defense should be in its prime. It’s not playing like it.

Where is all this headed? No place good.

You can’t polish excrement.

The “elite defense,” on the other hand, is supposed to be bright and shiny. But it’s not.