Ben said it ...

Last week, you will recall, Ben Roethlisberger said Sunday's game vs. the Saints would be a "must win" game.

The Steelers lost. And it's how they lost that defines this particular defeat and this Steelers team.

The Steelers looked listless and unprepared. That was especially so for the defense, which looked clueless and hapless as the Saints put together four drives of 80 yards or more. The defense had no answer for running back Mark Ingram, who amassed 122 yards on the ground. The Saints had 11 runs that went for at least five yards. Eleven!  Hardly a stout run defense. And the pass rush was negligible, as it allowed Drew Brees ample time to carve up a woeful secondary that featured flailing corners and invisible safeties.

On offense, Roethlisberger was off his game. He missed targets all day long. Roethlisberger threw two interceptions, and New Orleans cornerback Patrick Robinson could have had three more, including one that would have been a pick-six had Robinson secured Roethlisberger's pass right to him early in the first quarter.

Obvious as it was that Roethlisberger was off his game, he still ended up dropping back to pass 59 times (one sack; 58 pass attempts). This, despite the fact that New Orleans was starting its backup nose tackle on a defense that entered the game ranked 23rd in the NFL against the run.

Despite that, and even as it was clear early on that Roethlisberger was off his game ... there he was, trying to fling the ball all over the field -- 58 attempts -- while the Steelers' running backs got just 22 rush attempts. Roethlisberger had more incompletions (26) than the running backs had running plays (22).

Fifty-eight pass attempts vs. 22 running plays.  Something here doesn't make sense.

So, considering that Roethlisberger had stated that it was a "must win" game, and the Steelers lost, where does that leave us?

In the shadow, on the margins, at the dark end of the street, that's where.

Stick a fork in 'em. They're done.

DE Cameron Jordan intercepts Ben Roethlisberger

The Steelers aren't mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but they might as well be.

They may not win another game. Considering they lost to the 2-10 Bucs, 2-9 Jets and 4-7 Saints, how can anybody feel confident the Steelers will beat the Bengals, Falcons and Chiefs?

This was a Steelers team, mind you, that entered Sunday's game at home fresh off its bye week, against a reeling New Orleans squad that had just lost three consecutive games (all at home) and was 2-8 on the road over its past 10 away from the Big Easy. Disgraceful.

Once again, it seemed the Steelers weren't ready. Once again, they played listlessly. Maybe they're just not good enough. It is a flawed team with inadequate talent and, arguably, poor coaching by a staff that didn't have its team prepared. What other explanation could there be?

Against a team with a dreadful run defense, Ben Roethlisberger threw the ball 58 times.

Does that make any sense?

Roethlisberger's passes sailed high and wide repeatedly. He refused to blame his off-target throws on a hand or wrist injury apparently sustained in the first quarter.

Whatever, the fact remains: Pittsburgh running backs had only 22 carries, with 21 of them by Le'Veon Bell -- so much for getting Dri Archer or Josh Harris involved. Twenty-one rushes vs. 58 pass attempts. By the end of the first half, Roethlisberger had completed just 8-of-22 for 115 yards, but the score was only 14-6. There was plenty of time to run the ball.

Not to blame Martavis Bryant for things going sideways, but his second-quarter drop of a contested but catchable pass that would have gone for a touchdown felt like a turning point. The Steelers settled for a field goal, the Saints answered with a touchdown, and it was downhill from there.

Ike Taylor had a bad day.

After that second field goal, Drew Brees went to work. He scorched the secondary for five touchdown passes. Brees completed passes of 69, 44, 21, 18, 17, 15 and 13 yards.

Somebody name Kenny Stills hauled in five passes for 162 yards. Mark Ingram reeled off runs of 34 and 20 yards en route to his 122 yards rushing for 5.3 yards per carry. The Saints had five plays of 20 yards or more. The Steelers' secondary was horrific, and the front seven wasn't any better.

The Saints outclassed the Steelers on a day when the Black 'n Gold were honoring the 1974 Super Bowl squad. Used to be, not so long ago, the Steelers would never lose on such alumni-honoring occasions. The loss today is just another sign of how things have changed and maybe indicative that too many players on the current roster simply don't get what it means to be a Steeler.

Even the Saints' punting game was superior. New Orleans punter Thomas Morstead punted six times for 291 yards with a 48.5 gross punting average and an impressive 45.4 yard net average. Morstead's efforts included a clutch 55-yard punt in the fourth quarter that pinned the Steelers at their five-yard line. That was one of two Morstead punts that the Saints were able to down inside the 20. Pittsburgh's Brad Wing had two punts for a 37.5 yard net average, with one downed inside the 20.

Four games remain for the Steelers. They may win one or two; they may win all four. Or they may not win any. Yes, at this point, it is conceivable that the 2014 Steelers could end up with a 7-9 record.

Saints vs. Steelers: Dissa 'n Datta

Photo credit: Maury Burgwin, Pittsburgh, Pa.

On paper, the Saints-Steelers game on Sunday at Heinz Field appears to be a matchup of two potent offenses.

Both teams have scored an average of 26.2 points per game. The Saints are third in total offense with 433.6 yards per game; the Steelers rank fifth, with 406.4 yards per game.

Both are passing-based offenses:

• The Saints and Steelers are ranked fourth and fifth in passing attempts per game.

•  Saints and Steelers rank third and fourth in passing yards per game (308.8 and 286.9 yards per game, respectively). 

• With the Saints ranking 10th in rushing attempts and the Steelers 12th in rushing attempts, New Orleans has the edge in rushing yards per game (124.8 vs. 119.5).

The  New Orleans offense ranks first in the NFL in first downs (290) and first in third-down efficiency (50.7 percent).

What do these numbers portend? Who knows, but the forecast could be for a Breesy day in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Let's hope the Steelers secondary is ready for a busy day.

Exactly the same stats ...

Yes, the New Orleans Saints' defense has yielded a ton of big plays this season: 40 plays of 20+ yards allowed and nine plays of 40+ yards allowed.

Guess what? So have the Steelers. 

The Steelers have the exact same numbers as the Saints in those categories: 40 plays of 20+yards allowed; and nine plays of 40+ yards allowed.

The New Orleans wide receivers and running backs are respectable enough (nothing special), but the thought of Drew Brees targeting tight end Jimmy Graham all day with safety Mike Mitchell matched up against Graham ... that's ominous, if not downright terrifying.

Looking forward ...

In a "one game at a time" league, it's almost tempting to look past the New Orleans Saints, who have lost three consecutive games and whose defense looked typically awful in Monday night's dispiriting loss to Baltimore in the Superdome.

Then again, the Steelers apparently looked past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets, and Pittsburgh lost listlessly to both of those doormats.

The Saints are no doormats. They may be just 4-7, but the Saints are in the first place in the weak NFC South, and, more importantly, they still have Drew Brees and tight end Jimmy Graham. The thought of Graham matching up against safety Mike Mitchell is enough to instill dread in any Steeler fan, but ...

On Monday night, the Saints proved once again what everybody knew already, which is that their defense can't stop the run. The New Orleans defense coming into Heinz Field on Sunday ranks 23rd in the NFL against the run (123.8 yards per game). Overall, the Saints' defense ranks 27th (377.1 yards per game). On Monday, the Ravens' offense blistered the Saints for an absurd 11 plays of 20 yards or more (including five runs of 20+ yards apiece), and five plays of 35 yards or more. Baltimore converted nine of 13 third downs. That's weak.

The New Orleans defense has some talented players, but defensive coordinator Rob Ryan usually has them over-schemed, flying around with exotic blitzes and unusual formations -- as if he's going to outsmart anybody instead of just lining up his guys and letting them play.

The Saints' run defense is particularly awful, and if Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley fails to exploit that weakness, shame on him.  Historically, however, Haley's tendency has been to try to show the world how smart he is. The fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans was an exception. The Steelers ran Le'Veon Bell repeatedly off tackle -- some players said it was the exact same play call for nine straight snaps -- and Bell wound up with 204 yards rushing.

If Haley is really smart, he will run the ball against the Saints, and run it some more.

It's funny how, in an NFL that has become a passing league, running the ball still wins games.

A Little Help from the Saints, Please

The Steelers look to get a little help from the Saints in New Orleans tonight, as the Saints take on the visiting Ravens.

It's worth noting that the Saints have not only won 14 consecutive prime time TV games at home, they've won by an average of 20 points per game.

And it's worth noting that Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco simply hasn't been good on the road for the past year-and-a-half. That's a large reason why Baltimore's record since the beginning of the 2013 season is only 14-12. The Steelers' record in the same span is 15-12.

The 4-6 Saints sit atop the NFC South, ahead of the dreadful 4-7 Atlanta Falcons, who lost at home to Cleveland yesterday, despite Brian Hoyer's three interceptions. The Steelers also got no help yesterday from the Houston Texans, who lost at home to Cincinnati.

Way down in New Orleans ("the prettiest girls I've ever seen"), the Saints' defense has been less than imposing this year. While their defense, "led" by coordinator Rob Ryan, has some notable names (cornerback Keenan Lewis, safety Jairus Byrd, linebacker Junior Gallette, defensive end Cameron Jordan, safety Kenny Vaccaro) the unit as a whole has been mostly awful.

Last week, the Saints allowed Andy Dalton and the Bengals to convert six first downs on third-and-8 or longer. According to ESPN Stats and Information, the Saints' defense has yielded 23 such plays, which is more first downs than any team in the NFL this year on plays of third-and-8 or fourth-and-8 or longer. The Ravens would be crazy not to probe the New Orleans secondary early and often.

On the flip side of the ball, New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees is great, and the Saints' offense hs been very good at converting third downs. As ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley notes, "The Saints have converted a league-best 51.6 percent of their third downs and lead the NFL in fewest three-and-outs with 13."

For Steeler Nation, then, there is reasonable hope the Saints will defeat the Ravens tonight. In any case, the Steelers should watch tonight's Baltimore-New Orleans game very closely. The Steelers host the Saints next Sunday at Heinz Field.