The Steelers were shockingly bad in Indianapolis on Sunday. The Pirates’ 2024 season ended in typically disappointing fashion. NFL officials continue to be a disaster.

And Pete Rose died before he was ever let into the Hall of Fame.

Let’s just say I had plenty of material to fill out “U mad, bro?” this week.

Let’s begin with a message I received right before I went on Fox Sports Pittsburgh 970 for my Wednesday night Steelers “Countdown to Kickoff” show.

Sir, it’s a two-hour program. You saw the loss to the Colts, right? I think you and I both know that you were asking way too much of me here.

Up next is Dave. He sent an email noting his displeasure with my column wrapping up the 2024 Pirates season.

“Read your article today. Now I know why I don’t read your articles. Too negative.”

Read your email. Now I know why I won’t be reading any more of your emails. Too blind and too naïve.

“Not blind or naive. I played the game through college. Obviously, they had a (crummy) year as not much went right. Media doesn’t have to be negative so much.”

Are you serious? How do you avoid negativity when discussing that franchise, this year? Where did you play college baseball? St. Mary’s of the Bleeding Heart?

OK, Dave. Next time I’ll lie and give phony opinions to make you and them feel better. I’m sorry I hurt their feelings and wounded your extremely delicate fan sensibilities.

Tim replied to the opening line from that column, as I was referencing how the Pirates finished this year with the same win-loss record (76-86) as they did a season ago.

“‘You either get better or you get worse. You never stay the same.’

I would say Mike Tomlin’s Steelers have been pretty much the exact same for the last decade.”

At least the last eight years without a playoff win, yes. Absolutely.

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This email came from a different guy named Dave. It’s about the Steelers offensive line.

“Since the OL was so bad going into the season, how hard can it be to replace them?”

I don’t really agree with that, Dave. Everyone was high on Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu as rookies. Broderick Jones excited fans during his first year. Isaac Seumalo and James Daniels were deemed by most to be solid at guard. The biggest question was Dan Moore Jr., and he’s been fine so far.

Not to mention the alleged solid depth in Nate Herbig and Spencer Anderson.

I actually think the line was perceived as a positive coming into the season. I think injury and perhaps over-evaluation have been the more accurate concerns.

Gerald has deep thoughts on the Steelers’ loss to the Colts.

I love the “rigged” thing. Why would the NFL “rig” a game for the 1-2 Colts instead of the 3-0 Steelers?

But … I don’t. I have no idea why the NFL would “rig” a game for a small-market team with a moderate national fan base as opposed to one that had a chance to improve to 4-0 and drives ratings internationally every time it is on television.

Is this just a way to deflect your inability to emotionally accept and mentally comprehend that the Steelers could actually lose to 94-year-old Joe Flacco?

This guy sent me a tweet about T.J. Watt.

In my weekly “Airing of Grievances” column I pointed out that Watt had no sacks in Indianapolis. Someone suggested to me that I was being too hard on him: “What were you expecting? A sack every week?!”

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Um, yeah. Yeah, I am.

He is making $30 million and plays 52 snaps a game, most of which are designed with him rushing the passer. Hence, I am expecting at least a sack per game. That would be 17 sacks. Actually, that’d be down two from last year. Asking for a sack per game out of him, given his job description, isn’t asking too much.

Especially last week when he was chasing an immobile statue of a quarterback and was being blocked by a tackle compromised by injury.

This guy challenged the premise of my column on Pete Rose.

Touché! Maybe that’s the difference between 3,215 career singles and posting the first ever 50-50 in a season.

Here’s another Rose email from William.

”You never watched Rose play. If you had, you would understand why he should be in any Hall of Fame.”

I did watch Rose play. I’m older than you think. I’m also old enough — and mature enough — to know that this conversation isn’t about his on-field accomplishments.

Are you?

Like a lot of us, Rick has some issues with NFL officiating.

Throughout the league, Rick, you may have a point. Of the four referees the Steelers have had so far, I couldn’t find an age on Alex Kemp. But Brad Rodgers is 50, Clete Blakeman is 60 and Land Clark is 62. That said, it’s not like any of them looked old, doddering and out of shape to me.

In some instances, I do get your concern. As Gene Steratore discussed after Week 1, on a lot of pass interference calls and various plays down the field (such as Minkah Fitzpatrick’s phantom unnecessary roughness call), proper body position by the officials is a big deal.

So is age a factor in that regard? Maybe.

But the officials at or near the line of scrimmage who are staring at Watt getting held on every play, and who are throwing flags on bogus roughing the passer calls, that’s not about agility.

Eyesight? Perhaps. But I don’t think age is the biggest issue.

The biggest issue with NFL officials is that the league office is so far in their heads that they’re overly concerned about being downgraded over perceived player-safety violations that they are calling penalties they know aren’t penalties, but they are afraid to leave the flags in their pockets.

The rule book is too complex, convoluted and dense. On top of that, the officials are calling things they think their bosses want to see as opposed to what their eyes are telling them.

Finally, a guy named “William Wallace” has some gambling advice for people when the Steelers are on a winning streak and go on the road as favorites against struggling home underdogs.

“Tomlin Rules: When you think the Steelers should easily beat an inferior opponent or terrible team, and the low point spread is calling you…..run the (heck) away! Far, far away.”

William, the only way I can respond to that is …

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Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@triblive.com or via X. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

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