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The Pittsburgh Steelers season ended on Sunday after the team lost to the Denver Broncos. Despite a valiant effort, the Steelers could not generate the momentum necessary to come back after the Broncos scored a touchdown late in the game.
Is there anything fans should freak out about after such a loss?
Chill Out
The Steelers performed admirably well, especially considering the inordinate amount of injuries to key players. Even without Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell, DeAngelo Williams, Kelvin Beachum, and Maurkice Pouncey, the offense generated over 300 yards against the best defense in the league.
Sunday's game demonstrated that even with injury and hardship, the Steelers can compete at the highest level. Despite problems with special teams, the secondary, the pass rush, and the inexplicable tendency to lose to bad teams, the Steelers made it to the postseason and won their Wild Card match up against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Steelers have ample time to make personnel changes through free agency and the upcoming 2016 draft. They also have more information about position coaches. Should the Steelers seek other options for the defensive backs and special teams coaching positions? The Steelers can focus on those questions now that the week-to-week game preparations and logistics have come to an end.
Freak Out
If there is a grain of freakoutability after the loss, it is over backup quarterback. While the team has enough depth and cohesiveness to function without its best offensive weapons, there is one exception to that statement: Ben Roethlisberger.
Still, freaking out over backup quarterback while we fans are facing the longest off season in all of pro sports is unnecessary. The team has months to address this deficiency. Ben Roethlisberger has also proven himself to be near superhuman, recovering from injury and playing through pain unbelievably well.
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While there were frustrating aspects to the season, the team fared better than anyone could have predicted given the absurd number of injuries and other challenges the team faced. After the most stressful two games of the 2015 season, it's time for everyone to chill out, appreciate what the team has accomplished, and look ahead to the 2016 regular season with optimism.