Everyone wants someone to blame when their team loses right?

Well, what if I told you there was something to blame in the Steelers overtime loss to the Bears on Sunday?

And no, I’m not going to blame an individual. Trust me on this one, that loss was a total team collapse. The offense couldn’t get moving and at times, the defense looked as if they couldn’t stop the Bears running game. And no, nice try, but I’m not going after the coaching staff either. Whether we care to admit it or not, the coaches prepare the team for the game, but ultimately it’s on the players to carry out that plan.

So which players am I throwing under the bus for what appears to be an embarrassing loss to a 0-2 team?

The Steelers special teams unit.

Sorry fellas, but this is well-deserved criticism. And it’s a shame too because Pittsburgh’s special teams have been stellar during the first two weeks of the season. First, they came up with a blocked punt turned touchdown against the Browns, then prevented a fake punt conversion against the Vikings.

But on Sunday against the Bears, the Steelers special teamers were anything but “special”. The third phase of football let the team down more than once.

First, there was the muffed punt by Eli Rogers. The fumble gave the Bears the ball on Pittsburgh’s 29-yard line, basically on the doorstep of the red zone. That can be attributed to seven of the Bears 23 points, but the second play, a blocked punt, also goes in the books as swinging the score, and the momentum, of the game away from the Steelers favor.

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Consider that the Steelers were prepared to kick the 35-yard field goal attempt with six seconds remaining in the first half. Down 14-7, they could’ve walked into the locker room down 14-10, but instead, due to the circumstances (which involved the hustle play of Vance McDonald stripping the ball from Chicago’s Marcus Cooper short of scoring) the Steelers were lucky to only be down the extra three points scored following the Bears field goal try during an untimed down to finish the half.

That’s a six point swing if you’re keeping score at home, and combined with the Rogers fumble, spelled doom for the Steelers. Take one of those two plays away, and there’s no overtime, and Pittsburgh potentially walks out of Soldier Field with a 3-0 record.

Instead, the Bears gain ten points and the Steelers lost three… assuming kicker Chris Boswell would’ve made his try.

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You could also stretch this and say three of Chicago’s points are negated if Jordan Berry is aware he could possess the ball in the end zone for a touchback, rather than illegally bat it out of bounds. The latter is what gave the Bears the opportunity to score at the end of the second quarter.

Does any of the above minimize some of the subpar offensive and defensive efforts?

No.

But as witnessed in the first two games, if special teams are tip-top, they have a chance of making up for those lackluster efforts.

This Sunday, they only further contributed to total team loss.