The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in unfamiliar territory – riding a three-game losing streak as they head into the final week of the regular season. At 8-8, the Steelers have already clinched a playoff spot but are in danger of limping into the postseason without any momentum. However, veteran quarterback Russell Wilson believes he has the antidote – amnesia.
“You got to have amnesia in this game,” Wilson emphasized on Wednesday. “It is one of those games that they got good players, we got good players, there’s going to be highs, there’s going to be lows throughout the game, throughout the season, through all that and just having amnesia. I think that’s going to be key for winning football as we go here and search for what we’re all searching for.”
Costly Turnovers Mar Recent Slide
Wilson’s message of having a short memory is particularly apt given his own struggles during the Steelers’ current skid. The nine-time Pro Bowler has committed three turnovers over the last three games, including a pair of uncharacteristic red zone giveaways.
Against Baltimore in Week 15, Wilson coughed up the ball at the end of a 19-yard run just short of the goal line. The following week versus Kansas City, he threw an interception in the end zone the play after a Jaylen Warren touchdown was called back due to a holding penalty. Those missed opportunities loomed large in close losses.
I use the blackjack analogy. You lose a hand. You don’t need to start splitting bad cards or doubling down when you shouldn’t, trying to win it all back the next play.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith on avoiding the urge to force plays
Baseball Mentality Key to Neutrality
Despite the recent miscues, Wilson isn’t letting them shake his confidence. The 11-year veteran likened quarterbacking to his experience as a baseball player early in his athletic career.
“I got a lot of baseball in me,” Wilson noted. “You think about baseball, you go 30 for 100, you’re a hall of famer. You got to be able to focus on the next pitch.”
Wilson views the ability to have a short memory – to remain neutral regardless of the highs and lows – as the mark of the elite players in any sport.
Steph Curry is probably a 93%, 94% free throw shooter, something like that. If he misses a free throw in the finals, it doesn’t mean that he’s not any good anymore.
Russell Wilson on the importance of moving past mistakes
Offensive Downturn Cause for Concern
While Wilson’s message is on point, there’s no denying the Steelers offense has taken a step back in recent weeks. Since exploding for 400 yards passing in a Week 13 win over these same Bengals, Wilson has averaged just 177 yards through the air over the last four games.
Facing a gauntlet of tough defenses in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Kansas City, Wilson’s efficiency numbers have also taken a hit. After posting a stellar 104.6 passer rating in his first six starts, that figure has plummeted to 88.5 over the last month.
Embracing Adversity Through Preparation
So how do the Steelers rediscover their offensive groove with a postseason berth already secured but seeding still up in the air? For Wilson, the key is an unwavering commitment to the preparation process.
Part of the amnesia is that if you focus on the work and obsess with the work, that allows you to free yourself of the negativity sometimes, too. It’s part of the journey of seeking perfection.
Russell Wilson on embracing the ups and downs
Rather than hide from adversity, Wilson believes the only way is to attack it head on. “We don’t have time to run from adversity, we have time to run through it,” he stated resolutely.
That climb-the-wall mentality perfectly encapsulates these Pittsburgh Steelers. At 8-8, it’s been far from a perfect season. But they’ve navigated injuries, uneven performances, and outside noise to reach the doorstep of the tournament.
With the bitter taste of three straight defeats still lingering, the Steelers aim to wash it away with a cleansing Week 18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Much is still to be determined regarding playoff seeding and a potential path to a championship.
But if Russell Wilson and his teammates can heed his amnesia advice – flush away the recent failures, keep the faith in their preparation and focus, and rise to the moment in a virtual playoff preview – then this season of ups and downs may still have its most memorable chapters yet to be written.
