Well, “That sucked, to be blunt” is what Mike Tomlin had to say after the Steelers wound down to a horrible 29-10 defeat on home turf. Their third consecutive loss in the final stretch of the regular season, we knew defeating the Chiefs would be tough but the Steelers went on to ink a record of the worst kind. Since their game in Lincoln Financial Stadium against the Eagles, they have lost each game by 14 or more points for the first time since 1986. And if that wasn’t bad enough already…

The Steelers are now going to play the luck game in their shot at the AFC North title and a coveted home playoff game. This playoff-bound team, who were once two games ahead of the lot, now have to first beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the regular-season finale and, secondly, pray that the Baltimore Ravens lose their Week 18 game to the Cleveland Browns. Tomlin was disappointed, yes, but he had a name for it, “Junior varsity.”

Poor play from QB Russell Wilson led to an interception in the red zone early on with the Steelers trailing 13-0 in the first quarter. Who could forget Jaylen Warren’s scoring 8-yard run only to have it called back for a holding penalty on tight end Darnell Washington that didn’t need to happen? Oh wait, Wilson’s poor throw to Chiefs defensive back Justin Reid for the turnover? Now, pressure is what makes diamonds. But when your diamond is a 36-year-old Russell Wilson (chipped off from the edges), it’s tough to put everything on him. Case in point the offense couldn’t get the scorecard starting unless Wilson himself brought it into the endzone with just over ten minutes to go in the first half!

The defense was a poor show too who gave up an average of 30 points in the past three weeks along with a lack of turnovers. It could hardly put a dent in the Chiefs’ passing game, the highlight being Travis Kelce was left wide open when he scored with 12 minutes to go that practically put the game on ice. In the post-game conference, the head coach took the reins behind the mic to be as honest as possible.

“Not the type of ball we want to play and really kinda eerily similar to our last performance in that we’re not doing the fundamental things well enough. We are turning the ball over; we’re not getting turnovers. That hasn’t been a recipe for us but it has been of late.

“In terms of schematics, in terms of the division of labor, I’m open to whatever’s necessary in an effort to change the outcome. We’re not going to continue to do the same things and hope for a different result.”

Translation? You can’t win games if you’re giving away the ball like it’s a Secret Santa gift. Wilson’s first-half interception, which derailed a promising drive in the red zone, was clearly still on Tomlin’s mind. His frustration boiled over as he summed it up: “You’re running on the beach when you’re performing like that.” In other words? This kind of sloppy play won’t cut it in January. The Steelers need to clean up their act—and fast.

Is it time for Steel City to accept that Russell Wilson can’t be QB1 next season?

Okay, let’s talk about it. Russell Wilson and the Steelers: It’s starting to feel like a bad sequel to a movie you didn’t want to watch. The team’s offense has been stuck in neutral, and it’s not just the tough schedule. Sure, three games in 11 days against teams with winning records is brutal, but the numbers don’t lie. The Steelers’ offense has barely scraped together 280 yards per game and 13 points over these last three weeks. Yikes, right? That’s not exactly the kind of production you want from your QB1.

Wilson hasn’t been much better. Over those games, he’s passed for just 550 yards, with three touchdowns, two interceptions, and a sad 82.2 passer rating. And when the pressure’s on, Wilson’s been folding like a cheap lawn chair—getting sacked 10 times and struggling against the blitz. Without George Pickens for two games, that’s tough, but the deep ball? It’s been a disaster. Wilson’s only completing 45% of passes over 10 air yards with just one touchdown and one interception. Does that sound like a Super Bowl contender to you?

Here’s the cold, hard truth: Wilson can still start, but is he the guy who’s going to lead the Steelers to a title? Not with these numbers. The Steelers need a serious upgrade at quarterback if they want to even think about a Super Bowl. Pittsburgh can’t afford to keep throwing Wilson out there if they’re going to compete at that level.

So, do the Steelers ride or die with Wilson next season? Right now, the signs point to moving on if they’re serious about winning the big one.