Nov 14, 2016 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – Following their fourth consecutive loss Sunday, the Steelers find themselves searching for answers.

Picked by many to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, the stunning 35-30 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in a game in which there were eight lead changes, including three in the final two minutes, the Steelers sit at 4-5.

That’s the bad news. The good news is they’re still just one game out of first place in the AFC North standings. If they can find some answers, the season can still be salvaged.

Last week, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said the key to turning things around was to, “follow me.”

After the Dallas loss, his message was decidedly different.

“We are undisciplined and not accountable,” Roethlisberger said. “That’s why (the Cowboys) are one of the best in the business, and we’re not right now.”

The statistics, however, might not exactly back Roethlisberger on that statement. The Cowboys, who now hold the NFL’s best record at 8-1, were penalized 10 times for 98 yards. Pittsburgh had four penalties for 40 yards.

When pressed on what he meant by unaccountable and undisciplined, his reply was that it was nothing tangible.

“Just a feel,” he said.

Four-game losing streaks will do that to a team.

The Steelers haven’t played particularly well in any phase the game since beating Kansas City and New York in back-to-back games in early October to improve to 4-1, but there are some reasons for optimism.

Following Sunday’s games, the Steelers five losses have come against teams with a combined record of 30-15. None of the losses have come against a team that currently has a losing record.

Pittsburgh’s four wins have been against teams with a combined record of 18-16-2. Included in that are a win against current AFC West leader Kansas City (7-2) and Washington (5-3-1).

The combined record of their remaining seven opponents is 21-41-1. That starts Sunday with a game at winless Cleveland (0-10), which the Steelers play twice in their final seven games.

Finding the answers to the team’s issues this season hasn’t been easy.

“Everything that is going on is about us,” said guard Ramon Foster. “We have to treat it that way.”

An offense expected to be one of the league’s best has struggled with its efficiency in large part because Roethlisberger has struggled on the road. Despite throwing three touchdowns passes in a 38-16 win at Washington in the regular season opener, Roethlisberger has five TD passes and five interceptions in his four road starts to go with a 74.2 passer rating.

Roethlisberger was good, as usual, at Heinz Field Sunday, throwing for a season-high 408 yards with three touchdown passes. That gives him 15 touchdown passes and two interceptions in four home starts.

But Pittsburgh’s defense allowed Dallas to score two touchdowns in the final 1:55, the last coming on a 75-yard drive that took just 33 seconds.

The final play was a 32-yard run by Ezekiel Elliott, one of three plays over 30 yards the Steelers allowed in the game. Elliott also had a touchdown on an 83-yard screen play in the first half, and receiver Dez Bryant added a 50-yard touchdown catch.

“There is no happy medium. We need to stop giving up big plays,” defensive end Stephon Tuitt said. “We’re letting down our offense right now. It sucks. This is not us. We do not play football like this. We don’t usually play like this. I don’t know what’s going on, but we’ve got to fix it.”

The fix would seem to be as simple as finding a way to win. Winning seems to solve a lot of problems.

“When you have (Super Bowl) hype before the season and you don’t live up to it in the middle of the season, you’re going to lose some people,” said Foster. “I’m OK with that. We’ll be fine. We’ve got some strong-minded guys and great leaders. We’ll handle it accordingly.”

Odds and end zones

The Steelers rank 15th in scoring offense at 23.8 points per game and are tied for 14th in scoring defense allowing 22.9 points. … According to Pro Football Reference, the six combined failed two-point conversion attempts in Sunday’s loss – four by the Steelers and two by the Cowboys – were the most in an NFL game since the 1970 merger.