Jan 22, 2017 4 min read

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Throughout their nine-game winning streak, the Steelers had relied heavily on the skills of running back Le’Veon Bell.

And why not? He had been on a tear unlike any we’ve seen in team history, gaining more than 1,100 yards in his past eight games heading into Sunday night’s AFC Championship at Gillette Stadium against the New England Patriots.

But when you rely heavily on one player, that can sometimes work to your detriment, especially when that player is taken away.

DeAngelo Williams did a nice job replacing Bell, but he’s not Bell.

In much the same way, the Steelers’ lack of capable replacements for Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton and even Heath Miller finally caught up with them in this game.

Yes, the Steelers had cobbled together a 13-6 record largely without those players, but with Bell also taken out of the equation in this game because of a groin injury suffered in the first quarter, it became painfully obvious that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was working without a net.

Antonio Brown is very good. He is without a doubt one of the top five receivers in the NFL.

But without the threat of Bell, it became easier for the Patriots to double-team him and dare Pittsburgh’s other receivers to beat them.

Eli Rogers is a nice slot receiver. Jesse James is a decent tight end who probably provided more this season than anyone would have imagined.

But neither is a player that is going to strike fear into the opponent.

Sammie Coates hasn’t been a factor for the Steelers since breaking two fingers on his left hand early in the season and Cobi Hamilton is a guy who’s been cut more times than Rocky Balboa.

Without Bell out there to keep the Patriots’ defense honest, the Steelers just didn’t have the firepower to keep up with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

“We didn’t make enough of the plays,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. “That’s life. You get combat-catch opportunities, splash-play opportunities, you’ve got to make them.”

Some will try to make this about past failures against the Patriots. And that’s fine. Those things happened and you can’t run from your past. It is what it is.

But losing to New England this time is nothing of which to be ashamed.

There have been 23 head coaches in NFL history who have led their teams to multiple Super Bowl appearances. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is already part of that select group.

There are 20 quarterbacks in NFL history who have started more than one Super Bowl. More importantly, there are only 12 quarterbacks in league history with multiple Super Bowl wins. Roethlisberger is in that select group.

That duo will return in 2017 more determined than ever after getting as close as it did to a return trip to the Super Bowl.

This team has made strides in each of the last three seasons.

In 2014, it was a return trip to the postseason after missing in 2012 and 2013. Last season, it was winning a first-round playoff game.

This time, the Steelers advanced past the Divisional Round, making it to the AFC Championship.

“You can look at it that way,” said Pro Bowl guard David DeCastro. “We had just been playing week to week. We were having fun. To have it end so suddenly, that’s just the way it is.”

The natural progression next season would be to get back to this game, and to win it.

With a young, improving defense in need of perhaps one more pass rusher – remember, defensive end Cam Heyward will be back next year – and an offense that can be tweaked this offseason with some additional pass catchers, the Steelers should again be one of the favorites to win the AFC in 2017.

There will be disappointment in losing this game. That’s only natural.

But if the lessons learned along the way are used to improve the deficiencies, and the Steelers take the next step in 2017, it can be viewed as a positive step.

Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.