Charlie Batch's stint as the Pittsburgh Steelers' starter might be a bit uglier than expected, as the team turned the ball over eight times in a 20-14 loss to the previously 2-8 Cleveland Browns.
Steelers vs. Browns 2012: Pittsburgh’s attack ‘just significantly worse’
The Pittsburgh Steelers looked clueless offensively in their second week without Ben Roethlisberger, turning the ball over eight times in a 20-14 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
Jason Miller
Batch was bad, and will be the poster child for criticism as the third-stringer tossed three picks and no touchdowns in his first - and possibly only - start with Ben Roethlisberger and Byron Leftwich hurt. But he was by no means the only problem for Pittsburgh's offense, which only scored one touchdown and wsas held scoreless for the entire second half. In his postgame recap, Neal Coolong of Behind the Steel Curtain called out the team's running backs, four of whom lost fumbles:
No position group deserves more criticism than the Steelers’ running backs, though. In what had to be the most hideous rushing performance in years, they fumbled, dropped passes, missed holes and appeared to be running in sand throughout this entire game.
Jonathan Dwyer, Chris Rainey, Isaac Redman, and Rashard Mendenhall got into the mix, but none registered more than 20 yards.
On the plus side, the defense scored a touchdown and gave the team a chance to win despite a pitiful offensive performance. But the team failed to come through, and now is in a precarious playoff position as they fight for a Wild Card berth. Coolong speculated that the start would be Batch’s last as a Steelers, with Roethlisberger’s return a practical necessity with the poor form of the offense in his absence.
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