Mark Madden: Steelers produce another discouraging win but still lack momentum

If there’s such a concept as a “discouraging win,” the Steelers might perfect it.

That mess against Tennessee on Sunday was more about the Titans being determined to lose, not the Steelers deserving to win.

The Steelers got four takeaways, turned them into just four field goals and could have still lost at the death despite committing no turnovers of their own.

Tennessee had the ball almost 40 minutes. The Titans nearly doubled the Steelers’ yardage, 318-160. Tennessee outrushed the Steelers, 201 yards to 35. Tennessee had 22 first downs, the Steelers 12. If the Titans get a few more inches on that last spot and measurement, they likely win.

But the Titans didn’t, and they lost.

Now the Steelers are 7-6-1. A mere half-game separates top to bottom in the AFC North.

It’s not fool’s gold. In the stench of the AFC North, the Steelers possess legit currency.

After the Steelers get clapped at Kansas City this coming Sunday, their fate will come down to two weeks of AFC North football: At home vs. Cleveland, then at Baltimore. (Cue interminable platitudes and cliches from coach Mike Tomlin.)

The Steelers take zero momentum out of beating Tennessee.

Who played well besides T.J. Watt? Watt had a sack-and-a-half to set a new single-season Steelers record with 17½. More impressively, he finished the game. It’s a Festivus miracle!

Safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds combined for 24 tackles. That’s not that impressive — though it is refreshing when a Steeler tackles successfully, not least Joe Haden’s stop that decided the game.

Fitzpatrick and Edmunds piled up tackles because Tennessee averaged 4.8 yards per rush. The Titans got to the second level on just about every carry.

The Steelers have conceded 200-plus yards rushing in three of their last six games. (They allowed 198 in another.) The Titans started a possession by running the ball on eight occasions. They averaged over 9 yards per carry doing so.

Don’t forget, Derrick Henry didn’t play. Second-string backs gashed the Steelers. The Steelers’ run defense absolutely stinks.

Taco Charlton and Joe Schobert combined to make a big play. It’s another Festivus miracle!

Ben Roethlisberger didn’t do so hot vs. Tennessee. His quarterback rating was 80, which is roughly how old he looked when executing a couple of quarterback sneaks.

But one sneak got the Steelers their only touchdown. It’s yet another Festivus miracle!

Rookie punter Pressley Harvin is rotten. He can’t kick, and the Steelers can’t cover. A 55-yard punt return led to Tennessee’s only touchdown. Harvin’s punting net was a meager 30.2 yards.

The Steelers trailed 13-3 at halftime after 30 minutes of doing absolutely nothing. Starting slow has become a Tomlin trademark. So has horrific clock management.

The Steelers didn’t show guts and resilience by coming back. Tennessee kept giving them the ball. It didn’t require guts and resilience to keep taking it, especially since they only did the minimum acceptable once they got it.

Kansas City might beat the Steelers by 30. After a shaky start, Kansas City has won seven straight and have remembered how to be the Chiefs.

Meantime, the Steelers still don’t have an identity.

It’s been an odd season. The Steelers haven’t won a game by more than one score. Their record could just as easily be disastrous.

Instead, the Steelers will finish middle, draft middle, stay middle.

At least Chase Claypool didn’t pose and point. He didn’t have much of a chance to. Claypool dropped a pass early, had no catches, and got only 19 yards total offense. He was invisible.