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We asked. You answered.
The Steelers enter the first round of the NFL playoffs on a four-game losing streak. Ahead of Saturday’s matchup with the Ravens, there’s a lot of uncertainty in Pittsburgh.
Before the game, we polled Steelers fans about their confidence in the team and whether or not DC Teryl Austin should be on the hot seat. Here’s what fans had to say.
Over 90% of fans think Teryl Austin should be on the hot seat
The Steelers defense has played well below standard over the past month, with countless communication problems in the secondary and some hiccups defending the run (162 yards allowed against Derrick Henry in Week 16).
However, despite a rough start against the Bengals in the regular season finale, Pittsburgh made some adjustments and held one of the NFL’s most potent offenses to under 20 points. Still, that wasn’t enough to completely forget about defensive coordinator Teryl Austin and his defense’s recent woes. A whopping 92% of fans believe Austin should be on the hot seat.
Steelers fans don’t expect a high-scoring playoff game
While it’s been the case before, most people don’t think about high-scoring offenses when it comes to Steelers-Ravens.
With the over-under for Saturday’s game set a 43.5, 64% of fans chose the under. For reference, the Steelers’ first matchup with the Ravens resulted in 34 total points. Their Week 16 game had 51.
Fans aren’t confident the Steelers will be competitive against the Ravens
Steelers-Ravens games tend to be close, but Pittsburgh enters the Wild Card round a whopping 9.5-point underdog. It appears even many Steelers fans think that number is fair, with 40% thinking Pittsburgh will lose by more than nine points. Another 36% see the team losing by less than 10, with only 24% of responders predicting a win.
Fan confidence sinks even lower
If it wasn’t obvious already from the first few poll responses, Steelers fans are not feeling good entering the playoffs. In fact, only 12% are confident in the direction of the team, beating even last week’s season-low of 21%.
With the regular season in the rearview mirror, here’s the full chart from our confidence polls this season. Since Week 14, it’s been all downhill.
Stay tuned to BTSC ahead of gameday on Saturday, Jan. 11.