For those bemoaning the Steelers’ offense player-only meeting, what did you want?

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense is bad, there is no other way around this simple fact. Anyone with a television set, and eyes to see, knows just how bad Ben Roethlisberger’s unit has been over the last four games.

After the team’s 27-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, their third straight loss, fans are ready to push the panic button. The Steelers’ haven’t scored 20 points in a game since their Week 11 game in Jacksonville vs. the lowly Jaguars. During Ben Roethlisberger’s typical Wednesday media session, a player-only meeting for the offense was brought to light.

“It had nothing to do with where we are in terms of losing three.” Roethlisberger said. “It’s just I feel it’s that time of year when it’s prudent to have those kind of meetings where veteran guys can speak and talk to young guys on what to expect and get ready for moving forward.”

When this was made public, the media and fans took immediate notice. For most, this was viewed as a last ditch effort of a desperate offense, but Roethlisberger doesn’t see it that way.

“I’m sure that this whole thing now is going to blow up— “Steelers Had Players Only Meeting”. That’s why I try to emphasize and this will never get written. It had nothing to do with the losses.” Roethlisberger said.

“It had everything to do with where we are and where we are going. We’re getting ready to go into the playoffs. I had the guys raise their hands of who has played in a playoff game and who hasn’t. It was over half the guys that haven’t played in a playoff game. It’s important the veteran guys, the guys that have, communicate what it’s like.

“I hate to throw them out like that, but we used Coach Mike Munchak as an example, a guy that spent 30-plus years in the NFL playing and coaching and was only a part of one Super Bowl. I just wanted guys to understand and to reiterate how important this time of year is. Playoffs aren’t guaranteed to anybody. It wasn’t a players-only panic meeting. Make sure that people keep writing that. This is a meeting that we felt was necessary moving forward into the postseason.”

Even though Roethlisberger went out of his way to state the meeting wasn’t out of panic or desperation, fans took the narrative and ran with it. Tweets were fired without thought declaring a state of panic within the Steelers’ locker room.

I am not here to suggest there is, or isn’t, a sense of desperation within the Steelers’ offense, but I certainly don’t have a problem with them holding a players-only meeting. In fact, I would be fine if the Steelers offense did have a panic meeting.

Why?

Have you watched this offense the past four weeks?

No, I don’t think the sky is falling on the Steelers, they did win 11 games after all, but would it make the fan base feel better if the offense was completely ignoring the fact they are unable to do anything well at this point in the season?

Would you have rather wanted Roethlisberger sitting in front of the media stating everything is okay, and for everyone to remain calm? Almost like Kevin Bacon’s character in the cult classic “Animal House” at the end of the movie.

I am a man of action. I would rather do something than nothing at all. I would rather the Steelers do something, anything, rather than nothing. I’d rather they try a players-only meeting compared to sitting on their hands thinking if they just keep doing what they are doing will somehow fix the issues plaguing this unit.

Many in Steelers Nation have already begun turning their back on this team and the season, and I can’t say I blame them. Nothing the Steelers have done the past four weeks has instilled any type of confidence in the team moving forward. With only two weeks left in the regular season, many are wondering if the Steelers will be riding a nifty 5-game losing streak into the postseason.

It certainly could happen, but they could also turn things around and start to look competent once again. If a players-only meeting was something which helped turn the tide, then so be it.

It’s worth a shot...