First and 10: Hello from the Basement

Alan Saunders |

Sep 27, 2021

The Steelers are 1-2 to start the 2021 season after Sunday’s loss to the Bengals and, perhaps more distressingly, find themselves in last place in the AFC North, a game behind the three-way tie at 2-1 between Cincinnati, Cleveland and Baltimore.

It’s a poor start for any team, but the Steelers have some solid company in stumbling out of the gates this season. The New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks are also 1-2 after the first three games, the first time those four teams have started that slowly since 2000, according to NFL Network.

After Week 3, the Patriots, Chiefs, Seahawks & Steelers are all 1-2, marking the first time those 4 teams have had a losing record at the same point in a season since Week 12, 2000

.@gmfb @nflnetwork @NFLResearch

— Will Selva (@WillSelvaTV) September 27, 2021

Is it any solace that the basement has good company? Probably not.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE

? 12: Steelers LB Derrek Tuszka and WR Chase Claypool will speak with the media over Zoom. Alan Saunders

STEELERS HEADLINES

? Takeaways: The Steelers offense has an everything problem. Farabaugh

? Roethlisberger; ‘Point thumb at myself’ for back-to-back losses. Jarrett Bailey

? The Steelers have lost back-to-back home games for the first time since 2003. Cale Berger

? Najee Harris set a Steelers record for catches by a running back. Berger

? The Bengals snapped the Steelers’ streak of 75 games with at least one sack. Saunders

? Tomlin: Penalties, mistakes making Steelers ‘easy team to beat.’ Saunders

? Mike Hilton trolls Steelers fans afters Bengals get Heinz Field win. Saunders

Steelers Injury Updates: Okorafor has concussion; Smith-Schuster, Green being evaluated. Saunders

VIDEO CONTENT FROM PITTSBURGH SPORTS LIVE

STEELERS HISTORY

? 2020 James Conner’s late TD sent the Steelers over Houston, to 3-0. Saunders

? 2019 The Eagles cut former Steelers ILB L.J. Fort, costing Pittsburgh a comp pick. Saunders

? 1986 Former Steelers defensive back Ross Ventrone was born in Pittsburgh. Ventrone, a Chartiers Valley and Villanova alum, played 15 games with the Steelers from 2014-15, making 10 tackles.

? 1933 The Steelers — then playing as the Pittsburgh Pirates — earned the first win in team history, a 14-13 victory over the Chicago Cardinals.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 13-0 first-half lead, but Carnegie native Marty Kottler returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Bill Tanguay threw an 11-yard pass to Paul Moss for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and Mose Kelsch hit the game-winning extra point.

Attendance at Forbes Field that Wednesday was 5,000 as the Pirates improved to 1-1.