Nick Wright Encouraging Steelers to Mash the Panic Button After Shameful Performance

The sky is falling in Pittsburgh more precipitously than a Ben Roethlisberger deep ball, meaning that a once-upward arc is losing all steam and destined for trouble. Last night, with a chance to firm up a division lead and stay alive in the chase for top seed throughout the playoffs, the Steelers were thoroughly outplayed by the woeful, Ryan Finley-led Cincinnati Bengals.

Eleven straight victories to begin the year have long disappeared in the rearview mirror as Steel City white-knuckles its way to the finish line riding a three-game losing streak. The once-shiny vehicle is looking more and more like a beaten-down jalopy not to be trusted to even make it to the finish line.

This morning on First Things First, Nick Wright said what we're all thinking. That Pittsburgh's performance on Monday Night Football was a shameful performance. The Steelers should be ashamed of what they did, like a dog who climbed up on the counter and ate a gingerbread house and is now struggling to keep from a reversal of fortune.

And it is time to mash that panic button. Because there is absolutely nothing to suggest that this team is going to fix its various flat tires in time.

Again, the Steelers could lose the decision. They could be the No. 5 seed. After starting 11-0! Yikes.

Wright, of course, is talking about a metaphorical panic button. But his comments raise an interesting idea. What if every fan had a real one above the good TV they could press when things got really bleak. It wouldn't do anything except show the level of widespread panic, though who wouldn't love the stress-relief of smashing something?